UVertz

UVertz updated their address.

Bumper Sticker Politics in the Digital Age

Political slogans, buttons, and bumper stickers will always be a force in the American political landscape. Why? Because they work. In 1840, William Henry Harrison and John Tyler’s catchy slogan “Tippecanoe and Tyler too” denied incumbent president Martin Van Buren a second term. In 1952, “I like Ike” humanized an otherwise resolute Dwight D. Eisenhower and ushered the General into the presidency. In 2008, the repetitive chant of “Yes We Can” was emblazoned on car bumpers throughout the United States and drove a transformational Barack Obama into the White House.

Political slogans, buttons, and bumper stickers are effective - their effectiveness is driven by their simplicity. Their simplicity should not mask the work that went into crafting the perfect message. Nor should their simplicity mask the complexity required to ensure that this messaging is seen through the clutter.

Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign was digitally driven. His campaign team could be found everywhere online - YouTube, MySpace, Flickr, Twitter, and Facebook (whose co-founder Chris Hughes worked on the campaign). The Guardian, Why everyone's a winner (November 9, 2008). See, The Guardian, “Trump digital director says Facebook helped win the White House” (October 8, 2017).

Likewise, Donald Trump’s team outmaneuvered the Hillary Clinton campaign by leaning heavily on digital media through the deployment of highly targeted Facebook ads. Trump’s digital director, Brad Parscale told CBS’s 60 Minutes, “Twitter is how [Trump] talked to the people, Facebook was going to be how he won.” See, The Guardian, “Trump digital director says Facebook helped win the White House” (October 8, 2017).

UVertz seizes the effectiveness of political slogans, buttons, and bumper stickers, and transforms them to dance digitally on the rear windows of gig-economy cars for a captive audience. The UVertz platform taps into the hierarchy by which our brains pay attention to media. It does so by focusing on three unique features: (1) motion, (2) novelty, and (3) unexpected newness. In doing so, the UVertz platform combats the repetition blindness that plagues more traditional marketing campaigns and incumbent media.

Because UVertz is digital, marketing topics can change with the click of a mouse. Politics does not lend itself to static advertising and dated messaging. Campaigns must be fluid to not only survive but to overpower the opposition. The day’s events can change on a dime. When that happens, a campaign must harness the speed and alacrity to also pivot and change on a dime.

As gig-economy cars are moving through different neighborhoods, ads can also change to speak to a changing audience. Ads can also change depending on the time of day. Parents picking up their kids at school at 2 pm are receptive to different types of political messaging than working stiffs leaving the office at 6 pm stuck in rush hour traffic. As the audience changes, the messaging must likewise change.

The 2022 election cycle will hit a new record for political ad spend at about $9 billion. This is a 130% increase over 2018. A new projection report from AdImpact predicts that Florida will witness the highest political ad spending in the 2022 campaign cycle, totalling $593 million. See, Florida Politics, “Florida races projected to reach $593M in political ad spending, highest in the 2022 cycle. (May 17, 2022).

With the record breaking amounts of money pouring into the 2022 campaign season, it is imperative that campaign decision-makers embrace the modern version of bumper sticker politics - digital slogans dancing on the rear window of market-driven gig-economy cars for a captive audience of voters.

UVertz is pleased to announce a media campaign in New York City for Psychedelic Company Silo Wellness and Marley One using its unique digital screen technology.

https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/562075668/uvertz-is-pleased-to-announce-a-media-campaign-in-new-york-city-for-psychedelic-company-silo-wellness-and-marley-one

UVertz is pleased to announce a media campaign in New York City for Psychedelic Company Silo Wellness and Marley One. UVertz is pleased to announce a media campaign in New York City for Psychedelic Company Silo Wellness and Marley One using its unique digital screen technology.

UVertz has launched in Miami! We are excited to partner with gig economy drivers throughout South Florida to display geo-targeted, digital ads on the rear windows of cars. Think moving billboards. The UVertz “Ads on the Go” platform amplifies brand reinforcement and Twitter-style messaging to a captive audience. We look forward to rapid scaling in Florida and expect triple digit growth there in the first quarter of 2022.

https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/560556712/uvertz-expands-into-miami-south-florida

UVertz Expands Into Miami / South Florida The UVertz “Ads on the Go” platform amplifies brand reinforcement and Twitter-style messaging to a captive audience.

The only thing UVertz interrupts is traffic.

As seen on the streets of New York. The Pinstripe Bowl. Maryland v. Virginia Tech. December 29th at Yankee Stadium. More info at and PinstripeBowl.com

Yet another UVertz mobile digital billboard ready to deliver street level media to Miami. Our rear window ads can be uploaded and modified remotely. With the click of a mouse, any brand's advertising and messaging can appear on the rear windows of an army of gig economy cars in a desired DMA within minutes.

Another UVertz driver unleashed in the Miami/South Florida DMA. The UVertz display is transparent and sleek. This is not your grandpa's bulky taxi topper. The UVertz platform combats the repetition blindness that plagues more traditional advertising campaigns and incumbent media. Cut through the clutter with UVertz - "Ads on the Go"

UVertz partners with gig economy drivers from Uber, Lyft, etc., to cover DMAs with geo-targeted, digital ads on the rear windows of cars. Think moving billboards. Here is a beautiful sunset shot from our Miami launch last week. We plan to double our coverage in the next 60 days!

UVertz, Ads on the Go, cuts through the clutter of Times Square with its dynamic platform of digital, geofenced and time targeted ads on the rear windows of gig economy cars. Reinforce brand recognition and engage consumers with Twitter-syle messaging. Gig economy routes are market driven. We are where your audience is.

Advertising Cannabis in California - Navigating the Obstacle Course

On October 8, California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed AB 1302 which would have allowed ma*****na ads on billboards along interstate freeways and state highways that cross state borders, except within 15 miles of another state. In doing so, Newsom issued the following statement:

“When the voters passed Proposition 64, they enacted robust protections shielding youth from exposure to cannabis and cannabis advertising. Among other things, voters completely prohibited billboard-based cannabis advertising on all Interstate Highways, and on all State Highways that cross the California border. Allowing advertising on these high-traffic thoroughfares could expose young passengers to cannabis advertising.”

These “protections” mirror other California laws already prohibiting cannabis advertising within 1,000 feet of a school, playground or youth center, among other things. See, e.g., B&P Code § 26152(g). Those further restrictions would have been unaffected by the proposed legislation vetoed by the Governor. Local ordinances can be even more strict - e.g., greater distances (1,500 feet for example) between cannabis advertisements and the designated prohibited zones of schools, playgrounds, and youth centers.

California has the largest GDP in the United States and the 5th largest in the world, surpassing both Great Britain and France. So it is no surprise that California is the world’s leader in cannabis. According to Forbes, sales in California in 2020 hit $4.4 billion, up 57% from the year prior. It is projected that by 2024, the California market will generate up to $8.1 billion in annual retail sales.

So while California has decriminalized cannabis and the appetite for cannabis is omnipresent, it is still heavily regulated – especially when it comes to advertising. Where does this leave advertisers?

When it comes to out-of-home advertising, two areas come immediately to mind that can be incredibly fraught with risk and liability. Advertisers need to be careful about billboard placement. They cannot be on interstate highways or on state highways that cross the California border. Advertisers also need to be careful about relying on static taxi toppers and wrapped buses as they can easily end up on an interstate highway or within 1,000 feet of a school, playground or youth center.

Fortunately, technology does exist that allows for digital ads on vehicles whereby cannabis ads stop displaying while on interstate highways or within 1,000 feet of a school, playground or youth center. Combining digital ads with proper geofencing allows a cannabis advertiser to launch an effective street-level marketing campaign and be compliant with current California law. As California law continues to evolve, the geofencing strategies can likewise evolve.

Congratulations to America's favorite team, the New York Yankees. The Yankees have officially punched their ticket into the postseason. The UVertz team is rooting for you. Best of luck on Tuesday!

UVertz in the adtech news.

https://martechseries.com/marketing-intelligence/advertising-trends/uvertz-ads-on-the-go-platform-launches-in-new-york-with-the-new-york-yankees/

UVertz “Ads On The Go” Platform Launches in New York with Yankees UVertz is pleased to announce the implementation of its patented, one-of-a-kind digital screen technology in a ground-breaking media campaign

The UVertz logo featured on the No. 10 Brand South Africa Toyota Camry driven by Arnout Kok for Fast Track Racing in the ARCA Menards Series.

Arnout began his driving career in 100c karts in 1994 in his home country of South Africa and worked his way up through the racing ranks competing in Formula Ford, Formula Asia, Historic F1, Formula Junior, Formula GTI, Legends, and Late Models. Arnout has tested and competed across the globe, including Japan, the Philippines, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Holland. He won the European Late Model Series championship in 2017.

Joining Arnout in his ARCA Menards Series debut in the United States as primary partner on the No. 10 Camry is Brand South Africa to further extend its partnership and presence in professional motorsports. First appearing in the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in 2020, Brand South Africa (www.brandsouthafrica.com) was established to reinforce a positive and compelling brand image for South Africa and to attract tourism and investment in South Africa.

Arnout’s next race in the ARCA Menards Series is Saturday, October 23, 2021, at Kansas Speedway. We wish him well.

UVertz - Ads On The Go - is thrilled to be teaming up with America’s favorite team, the New York Yankees, for its New York City launch. Check out our geo-targeted, digital ad space on the rear windows of Ubers, Grubhubs and other gig economy cars. With the UVertz platform, the New York Yankees is reinforcing its brand and streaming Twitter-style messages to a captive audience of consumers and baseball fans alike. As UVertz scales in New York City, UVertz is excited to be doing so alongside such an iconic brand, the New York Yankees.

Get behind the steering wheel with UVertz. We are currently in NYC / Long Island for the next couple days recruiting gig economy drivers. If you drive for GrubHub, Doordash, Instacart, etc., and more than 1,000 miles per month, download our app and begin supplementing your income today. First come, first serve.

UVertz - Home | Ads On The Go Advertise on high-visibility, rear windows of cars!

People are once again venturing out-of-home. So shouldn’t your advertising follow them? UVertz is a technology platform that leverages geo-targeted, digital ad space on the rear windows of Ubers, Lyfts, and other gig economy cars. Where Ubers and Lyfts go is market-driven. So where they go is where your audience already is. We are where your audience is. With the UVertz platform, advertisers can reinforce their brands and stream Twitter-style messages to a captive audience. Check out this video from our website to see how dynamic our format is!

https://www.uvertz.com/advertisers

Advertisers — UVertz

From Contagion to Congestion: As the Economy Reopens, The COVID-19 Era Means Dramatic Increases in Traffic in the San Francisco Bay Area

On March 16, 2020, in an effort to slow the spread of Coronavirus, six Bay Area counties, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo, San Francisco, and Santa Clara, issued shelter-in-place orders. The orders directed over 7 million Bay Area residents to confine their travels and activities to essential tasks only. On March 19, California became the first state to issue shelter-in-place orders. Safely ensconced at home, viewers of social media were stunned to see drone footage of empty freeways and streets. It was surreal; but it showed that Bay Area residents largely complied. And many lives were saved as a result. Despite its massive population density, the Bay Area not only flattened the curve, it crushed it.

As state and local shelter-in-place orders are now being relaxed and the economy is being reopened, we are beginning to catch glimpses of how that may look in terms of motor vehicle traffic - especially now that “social distancing” has become part of our muscle memory. At a cursory glance, one would think that as employers increasingly allow office workers the option to “Zoom” from home, traffic would decrease. That is not the case. Vanderbilt University just studied these patterns across major metropolitan areas. The study not only projects a general increase in traffic, it singles out San Francisco as the epicenter for a dramatic growth in traffic.

Simply stated, commuters don’t feel safe. They will shy away from public transit such as trains and municipal buses. They will likewise shun casual carpools and park-and-rides. They will even eschew the cheaper “shared ride” options offered by Uber and Lyft. Instead, commuters will opt to drive their own cars. And they will be alone in their cars.

The rush toward single-occupancy vehicles will hit hardest at population centers that previously relied heavily on public transit. Therefore, the increase in traffic in the Bay Area will be striking: 556,000–2,736,000 added traffic hours per day spent commuting. This translates into 20–80 extra minutes per person, round trip. By comparison, New York is facing 14–68 extra minutes per person and Los Angeles 2–10 extra minutes per person.

Programmatic advertising allows brands to launch, expand or contract their marketing campaigns instantly. With the projected increase in Bay Area traffic, brands now have the opportunity to quickly expand their out-of-home advertising by leveraging the UVertz platform to reach those commuters. Ultimately, our “product” is not the platform itself; it is the audience, snarled in traffic and growing to levels never seen before, viewing and digesting our messaging. In this captive audience, where some see adversity, we see opportunity.

A link to the Vanderbilt University study is here:
https://lab-work.github.io/thereboundv1/index.html

The UVertz team wants to remind you:

1. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

2. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.

3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

We are in this together. Thank you and be safe.

Yet another Uber driver who smartly downloaded the UVertz app and had the UVertz platform for geo targeted advertising installed in his car. No bulky rooftop display. Hassle free. Sleek and modern. Our first wave of drivers has been unleashed on the Streets of San Francisco. The next wave is coming soon! Download the app and get on the UVertz waitlist today. You drive, we pay!

UVertz is a geo-targeted advertising platform projecting off the rear windows of gig economy cars. Rear windows are ideal to ensure sufficient "dwell time" on the advertisement. Because UVertz is digital, marketing topics can change with the flip of a switch. Our innovative platform taps into the hierarchy by which our brains pay attention to media - it focuses on three unique features: motion, novelty, and unexpected newness. By doing so, the UVertz platform is specifically designed to combat repetition blindness that so often plagues more traditional advertising campaigns and incumbent markets. We look forward to rolling out our platform on the Streets of San Francisco this March.

https://vimeo.com/379165682/f3fc1b59f0?fbclid=IwAR3dxcI-bDxB4AAxCndYD-gj9Ljq0fsKg_xfD0Grte-TsUmJq3ahClERw58

UVertz This is "UVertz" by UVertz on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

UVertz - The Streets of San Francisco!

https://vimeo.com/373508664/35b1226691

Uvertz_General This is "Uvertz_General" by UVertz on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

The most recent Nielsen study reveals that 90% of travelers in the United States have noticed out of home (OOH) advertising in the past month and 80% have noticed OOH ads in the past week.

Remarkably, 66% of smartphone users took some type of action on their devices after seeing an OOH ad, with more than 40% searching for a brand online after seeing the ad. 74% of those who visited a business after seeing a directional OOH ad actually made a purchase.

With UVertz, advertisers can extend and amplify their campaigns with street level messages to engage consumers where they spend 70% of their waking hours - outside their homes. With a captive audience of 220 million drivers spending 84 billion hours on the roads each year, UVertz is the solution that is right in front of you.

https://vimeo.com/366347277/4159018253

UVertz Scottsdale This is "UVertz Scottsdale" by UVertz on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

Another Uber / Lyft driver added to the UVertz team!

A Living Wage: You Drive, We Pay.

As Uber was in the midst of its IPO, Uber drivers went on strike demanding a living wage. The New York Times cautioned drivers with the following headline: “Strike All You Want. Uber Won’t Pay a Living Wage.”

What is a living wage? A living wage is the income required to meet basic needs including food, housing, and other essential items such as clothing. Government intermittently will set a minimum wage, but that threshold often falls short.

The living wage in the United States is on average $16.07 per hour. Of course, it varies city to city with New York being the highest. Uber drivers currently earn an average of $10.00 to $12.00 per hour. This is well below the living wage and it is often below the minimum wage too.

Protecting drivers with a minimum wage is complicated as shared economy drivers are classified as independent contractors rather than employees. New York recently became the first American city to adopt minimum pay for its app-based drivers. The major ride-hailing companies immediately challenged the new law by filing suit. That case has not yet resolved.

Policy makers will continue to struggle with minimum wage laws in what is always a slow and deliberative legislative process. Inevitably, any resulting laws will be immediately challenged as was New York’s. As each case winds its way through the Byzantine labyrinth of protracted litigation, can the marketplace bridge the gap between actual wage and living wage?

What can a cash-strapped shared economy driver do to earn a few extra bucks without putting in extra hours? One recent startup has provided a partial solution to this obvious pain point. Cargo allows drivers to sell goods to their passengers though its app. According to Cargo, the average driver earns about $100 per month. Exceptional drivers make up to $360 a month. It all depends on the driver’s hustle and ability to sell and upsell. Some drivers have it. Most do not.

At a time when many shared economy drivers are struggling to make ends meet, any added sources of concurrent revenue would be well received. And that’s where UVertz comes in. If you’re already working for Uber, why not allow your car to work for UVertz? By partnering with UVertz, a driver, already on the road, can make an extra $400 per month. By making their rear windows available to advertisers, drivers can earn this additional income doing what they’re already doing.

The ride-hailing industry is estimated to be a $285 billion market by 2030. With numbers like that, drivers should earn a living wage. UVertz plans to bridge that gap and give drivers and their families what they deserve.

[Sources: “Strike All You Want. Uber Won’t Pay a Living Wage,” The New York Times (May 10, 2019); “New York City sets $17 minimum wage for Uber, Lyft drivers,” Chicago Tribune (December 5, 2018); “How Cargo is helping Uber drivers earn extra cash by selling stuff to passenger,” Venture Beat (January 22, 2018); The Rideshare Guy, “What Do Rideshare Drivers Need to Know About Cargo?” (November 12, 2018); “Ride-hailing industry expected to grow eightfold to $285 billion by 2030,” Market Watch (May 27, 2017); James A. Parrot and Michael Reich, “An Earnings Standard for New York City’s App-Based Drivers Economic Analysis and Policy Assessment,” Report for the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (July, 2018)]

Too Many Americans Are Drowning in Debt.

Launching in August, 2008, Airbnb embarked on a mission to transform the way homeowners make use of their property. In less than two months, the stock market would crash and metastasize into a prolonged and persistent financial crisis that would create the largest disruption to the U.S. housing market since the Great Depression.

Tens of millions of Americans would find themselves in the crosshairs of an adverse and unforgiving job and housing market. Debra Giusti had left her coveted job as an IT project manager to help care for her ailing 91 year-old mother. When she attempted to return to the workforce, the job market had all but evaporated.

But mortgage payments were still due at the beginning of each month. In the end, Giusti managed to save her home from foreclosure. What saved her home? Not the government. Not family. Not charity. Airbnb saved her home. Using its innovative platform, Giusti rented out a spare bedroom in her San Mateo home as well as a guest apartment beneath her mother’s San Francisco home. “I would have lost my house by now if it wasn’t for AirBNB.”

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky would concur, conceding, “During the financial crisis, people started using Airbnb to stay in their homes. For us, it was a turning point.” Six years later, Airbnb would boast an online inventory of rooms exceeding the number of rooms offered by Hilton and Marriott combined. Airbnb had thus scaled its platform on the need of many homeowners to leverage their unused space to meet monthly mortgage requirements.

Like Airbnb before it, UVertz seeks to monetize unused space. With UVertz, a car window can be transformed into space for hire by advertisers. As UVertz rolls out its unique and innovative advertising platform to multiple cities, drivers can earn $400 per month. Our target price point was purposeful. CNN Money reports that 4 out of 10 Americans cannot cover a one-time emergency expense of $400. That is not acceptable. UVertz empowers consumers with an opportunity to generate $400 per month by simply doing what they’re already doing.

On Tuesday, February 12, 2019, this price point of $400 became even more relevant. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that a record 7 million Americans are 90 days or more behind on their auto loan payments. This car loan delinquency is even higher than it was during the wake of the 2008 financial crisis (which helped scale Airbnb).

Michael Taiano, a senior director at Fitch Ratings, explains, “If you don’t have a car, you can’t get back and forth to work in a lot of areas of the country. A car is usually a higher-priority payment than a home mortgage or rent.” Taiano cannot emphasize enough: “Your car loan is your No. 1 priority in terms of payment.” Americans need their cars. Until our transportation landscape has been fundamentally reformed, the car will remain an indelible feature of American life.

There are over 220 million Americans driving on our roads. The average monthly car payment is $525 for a new car and $378 for a used car. For most Americans, just being able to maintain this car payment is a lifeline. A lifeline to get to and from work. A lifeline to get to and from the grocery store. A lifeline to take the kids to and from school. And that’s where UVertz comes in. As Airbnb has helped many Americans keep current on their mortgage payments, UVertz will help even more Americans keep current on their car payments.

[Sources: “How Airbnb helps users save their homes,” Fortune Magazine, (August 16, 2012); Brad Stone, The Upstarts: Uber, Airbnb and the Battle for the New Silicon Valley, p. 280 (2017); “40% of Americans can’t cover a $400 emergency expense,” CNN Money (May 22, 2018); “A record 7 Million Americans are 3 months behind on their car payments, a red flag for the economy,” Washington Post (February 12, 2019); and “State of the Automotive Finance Market,” Experian (August 30, 2018)].