Gimbal’s proximity beacons are small transmitters that use Bluetooth Low-Energy technology to send encrypted data to mobile devices. The beacons have become popular marketing and messaging tools for retailers (Apple Stores, Gamestop, American Apparel), sports teams and venues (the Cleveland Browns, the Miami Dolphins, Madison Square Garden, the Staples Center), and events and conferences (the U.S. Open, SXSW, Tribeca Film Festival).
When a shopper or event attendee comes in range, the beacon sends a message to a Gimbal-enabled mobile app on the person’s mobile phone. The app platform sends relevant information to the device, based on what the user has opted in for and the user’s exact location. The Miami Dolphins use Gimbal to message fans at Sun Life Stadium about where they can find shorter concession lines. The Chicago Transit Authority and advertising firm Titan have tested Gimbal beacon technology at several stations to determine whether advertising furthers engagement with transit riders.
In November, Retailigence, an online-to-online marketing platform, announced a strategic partnership with Gimbal to provide product and shopper data to retailers looking to fine-tune their marketing efforts. Presumably, retail designers could use such data to improve wayfinding in stores and even to create physical ways to influence shoppers’ traffic patterns within the store.
Not everyone’s ecstatic over the new technology. After Buzzfeed disclosed that Titan had planted 500 beacons in phone booths to push advertising, New York City officials had them removed.
Read about more innovations from BD+C's 2014 Great Solutions Report.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Nov 2, 2022
New York City construction official wants to boost design-build
The new associate commissioner of alternative delivery in New York City’s Department of Design and Construction aims to encourage more design-build project delivery in the city.
University Buildings | Nov 2, 2022
New Univ. of Calif. Riverside business school building will support hybrid learning
A design-build partnership of Moore Ruble Yudell and McCarthy Building Companies will collaborate on a new business school building at the University of California at Riverside.
Building Team | Nov 1, 2022
Nonresidential construction spending increases slightly in September, says ABC
National nonresidential construction spending was up by 0.5% in September, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
40 Under 40 | Nov 1, 2022
40 Under 40 class of 2022 winners: Meet the architects
Of the up-and-coming AEC professionals to be named 40 Under 40 class of 2022 winners by the editors of Building Design+Construction, 22 make their living in the architecture profession.
K-12 Schools | Nov 1, 2022
Safety is the abiding design priority for K-12 schools
With some exceptions, architecture, engineering, and construction firms say renovations and adaptive reuse make up the bulk of their work in the K-12 schools sector.
| Nov 1, 2022
Updated Florida building codes helped newer homes withstand Hurricane Ian
Newer homes seemed to fare much better than older structures during Hurricane Ian, suggesting that updated Florida building codes made a difference.
Wood | Nov 1, 2022
A European manufacturer says its engineered wood products can store carbon for decades
Metsä Wood, a Finland-based manufacturer of engineered wood products, says its sustainable, material-efficient products can store carbon for decades, helping to combat climate change.
Data Centers | Oct 31, 2022
Data center construction facing record-breaking inflation, delays
Data center construction projects face record-breaking inflation amid delays to materials deliveries and competition for skilled labor, according to research from global professional services company Turner & Townsend.
School Construction | Oct 31, 2022
Claremont McKenna College science center will foster integrated disciplinary research
The design of the Robert Day Sciences Center at Claremont McKenna College will support “a powerful, multi-disciplinary, computational approach to the grand socio-scientific challenges and opportunities of our time—gene, brain, and climate,” says Hiram E. Chodosh, college president.
Energy Efficient Roofing | Oct 28, 2022
Rooftop mini turbines can pair with solar panels
A new type of wind turbine can pair well on roofs with solar panels, offering a double source of green energy generation for buildings.
