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Do Radio Remotes Work?
Film Shop Teams with Classic Rock

Advanced Film Solutions in New Port Richey, Fla., recently teamed up with a local classic rock station, 102.5 The Bone, for a live remote session. CPFilms picked up the tab and has been doing similar sessions around the United States for its dealers. While the session didn’t necessarily cause his parking lot to fill up, Advanced Film Solutions’ owner says radio advertising can produce long term results.

“FormulaOne has been running test market radio ads in various markets throughout the U.S., including Florida,” explains Mike Feldman, Advanced Film Solutions’ owner. 

“The local rock station, 102.5 The Bone, had arranged with CPFilms to do a live remote, originally in the Sarasota area, but somehow this fell through. We were fortunate enough to be the alternate site.”

Feldman took an early retirement from 3M after a 33 year career there and says he wasn’t ready for “a life of fishing from a pier or doing crossword puzzles.” After serving as the company’s window film national sales manager, he decided to open his own film shop—Advanced Film Solutions. His shop has performed more than 200 installations since May.

“The live remote wasn’t as great as what we had heard of the one in Naples the previous day,” Feldman says. “Cars were driving by and stopping for free stickers and tee shirts, but not too many actually came into the shop. We did get several [radio] mentions, though, and this gave us quite a bit of exposure.”

Feldman says radio exposure may not create immediate results, but it’s still worth using.

“Despite some previous word from dealers who feel radio does not work, the truth is that it does,” he says. “One key to success in advertising is communicating a clear message and differentiation from the competition. I think that is absolutely a critical factor in radio spots, or you might inadvertently drive customers to your competitors.”

Feldman says advertising is a must for film shops. “If you have the resources, some patience and are willing to take some risk—you need to advertise,” he explains. “We are going to piggy-back on what CPFilms has done with our own series of radio spots on another station,” Feldman explains.

Bekaert Provides Series B Funding for SAGE
Bekaert was among three major investors recently providing SAGE Electrochromics Inc. with $16 million in Series B preferred round funding. SAGE, a provider of commercially viable, energy-saving electrochromic smart window products, also has provisions for an additional investment of $13 million.

Other investors include: Good Energies, a leading investor in renewable energy, and Applied Ventures LLC, the venture capital arm of Applied Materials Inc.

SAGE Electrochromics was founded in 1989 to focus solely on the development and commercialization of electrochromic technology for the window industry.

Good Energies is a leading investor in the renewable energy industry and a member of COFRA Group, a privately owned group of companies.

Applied Ventures LLC invests in early-stage companies with high growth potential pursuing technologies that provide a natural extension to Applied Materials Inc.’s core business and innovations. 

Window Film Helps Save the Sea Turtles
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is suggesting the use of window film in an effort to save endangered sea turtles. In response to an incident in July when hundreds of loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings crawled to their deaths near Deerfield Beach, Fla., the Sea Turtle Restoration Project (STRP) is trying to prevent a similar disaster by spreading the commission’s recommendation. It has reached out to home and business owners in Texas, to help protect the endangered Kemp’s ridley turtles that are seen each spring and summer along the Texas coastline.

“Kemp’s ridleys often hatch at night. In fact, this year we have released far more hatchlings right at dusk or in darkness at night than during the morning daylight,” explains Dr. Donna J. Shaver, chief of the Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery at the Padre Island National Seashore. “Yes, turtles that are released at night go toward the brightest area. If there are hotel lights or streetlights, they will go toward them.”

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission published a list of guidelines for home and business owners, including: “To reduce spillover from indoor lighting … apply window tint to your windows that meets the 45 percent inside to outside transmittance standards for tinted glass,” adding, “you’ll save on air conditioning costs too!” 

STRP says the 2007 nesting season has come to a close, but the group hopes steps will be taken by developers, landlords and homeowners during the fall and winter to prevent the unneeded deaths of endangered Kemp’s ridley hatchlings next year.

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