PlayNetwork
 | |
| Private | |
| Industry | Marketing and Entertainment Media |
| Founded | Seattle, WA, United States (1996) |
| Headquarters | Redmond, WA |
Key people |
Craig Hubbell, CEO |
| Products |
|
Number of employees | 235 |
| Website | http://www.playnetwork.com |
PlayNetwork, Inc. is a global provider of branded customer experiences for retail, restaurant, and hospitality environments. It provides creative strategy, original content and creative media, digital innovation and software development, audio/visual systems engineering and integration, in-store and on-hold messaging, and advertising networks.
PlayNetwork is backed by private investors Chartwell Capital, PlayNetwork Investors LLC, Joshua Green Corporation, Vintage SBIC and Vintage Capital Partners, Ascend Ventures II and Ascend Ventures Mgmt.
History
The company was founded by Kevin Robell in 1996. As a music programmer for the Tom Selleck-owned nightclub Black Orchid in Honululu, HI during the 80s, Kevin noticed the synergetic relationship between customers, music, and their environment; He went on to establish PlayNetwork in Seattle with brother Gordon Robell as a digital music provider for businesses.[1]
In 1996, Adam Brotman, who was a consultant to Kevin Robell, became CEO. Adam went on to become Starbucks’ Chief Digital Officer in 2009.[2]
In 1998, PlayNetwork began a partnership with Starbucks to provide digital music systems and service to over 1,800 retail locations in North America. By 2001, the company was providing services to more than 3,500 international locations.[3]
In 2003, PlayNetwork is named one of the Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies.[4]
In 2005, Executive Chairman of the Board, Lon Troxel is appointed as CEO. PlayNetwork acquires Crows Nest Entertainment (digital signage and advertising).[5] PlayNetwork is named one of the Deloitte Technology Fast 500.[6]
In 2009, PlayNetwork acquires custom in-store television network developer Channel M.[7]
In 2013, offices in London and Hong Kong open.
International Expansion
PlayNetwork continues to expand internationally with the opening of office locations in London and Hong Kong, with an additional office in Santiago, Chile in 2014.
CURIO Music Delivery Platform
In 2014, PlayNetwork released a content delivery platform that enables branded music and messaging to be distributed in-store, on-device, and on the web. The new platform offers brands, manufacturers, and resellers the ability to push branded content using four methods:
- CURIOPlayer - PlayNetwork’s family of media hardware that stores and deploys content.
- CURIOStream - a streaming service that plays music and enables content playback control through a browser-based web app.
- CURIOCast - a streaming radio service that broadcasts PlayNetwork content to SHOUTcast-compatible devices.
- CURIOMusicAPI - integrates PlayNetwork content and information with client-side applications.
Services
| Brand Development
Capabilities: Brand discovery and connections planning |
Music Supervision Capabilities: • Global music supervision |
Video Capabilities: |
| Digital Signage Capabilities: • Program & Content Management |
Innovation Capabilities: • NowPlaying–music discovery app |
Systems Advantage Capabilities: • Systems Advantage–standards-based A/V
quality assurance program |
| Messaging Capabilities: • Voice talent |
Advertising Networks Capabilities: • Hyper-targeted advertising campaigns |
SiriusXM Authorized service provider of SiriusXM |
See also
- Ambient Music
- Sound Branding
- Background Music
- Digital Signage
- Overhead Music
- In-Store Music
- Audio Branding
Competitors
- Mood Media
- PCMusic
- CUSTOMtronics Sound