Global Activation Agency and Printed Electronics Leader to Bring
Digitally Connected Products to the Store and the Home
(OSLO and CHICAGO) February 18, 2016 - Thin Film Electronics ASA ("Thinfilm") (OSE: THIN.OL; OTCQX: TFECY), a global leader in printed electronics and smart systems, today announced an exclusive partnership with Arc, the shopper marketing and activation agency inside Leo Burnett. The two companies will collaborate to deliver Thinfilm's NFC OpenSense(TM) technology to Arc and Leo Burnett clients across a variety of product categories.
NFC OpenSense tags are thin, flexible labels that adhere to products and can be activated with the tap of an NFC-enabled smartphone. Each tag is uniquely identifiable and can detect both a product's "factory sealed" and "opened" states. Once tapped, the tag wirelessly communicates with a smartphone, instantly delivering contextual brand content at shelf or when using the product at home.
Thinfilm and Leo Burnett/Arc teams will work side-by-side, ensuring the technology is accessible to brands and creating custom NFC OpenSense solutions for agency clients. In addition, the combined team will help further shape the technology to ensure the technology is more attractive and accessible to brands.
"Technology affords people the opportunity to plan, shop, and buy on their own terms anytime and anywhere, resulting in highly sophisticated shoppers and a highly competitive marketplace," said Nick Jones, EVP, Innovation & Growth Arc/Leo Burnett, "Thinfilm's NFC OpenSense technology is a game changer. It allows brands to connect with shoppers beyond the point-of-sale, delivering multiple messages throughout a product's lifetime."
In June 2015, Thinfilm highlighted its NFC OpenSense technology at Leo Burnett/Arc's fifth annual FutureShop showcase in Chicago. Leo Burnett/Arc clients and staff learned firsthand how next-generation, mobile-centric retail marketing technologies can change the way brands communicate and the way consumers make purchase decisions.
"Thinfilm is very excited to partner with a global leader and innovator in the field of digital communication and shopper marketing," said Davor Sutija, CEO of Thinfilm. "We look forward to working closely with the team at Leo Burnett/Arc to help provide the agency's clients with solutions that strengthen consumer relationships and ultimately, grow their businesses."
About Thin Film Electronics ASA
Thinfilm is a leader in the development and commercialization of printed electronics. The first to commercialize printed, rewritable memory, the Company is creating printed systems that include memory, sensing, display, and wireless communication, all at a low cost unmatched by any other electronic technology. Thinfilm's roadmap integrates technology from a strong and growing ecosystem of partners to enable the Internet of Everything by bringing intelligence to disposable goods.
Thin Film Electronics ASA ("Thinfilm") is a publicly listed Norwegian company with headquarters in Oslo, Norway; product development and production in Linköping, Sweden; product development, production, and business development in San Jose, California, USA; and sales offices in the United States, Hong Kong, and Singapore. For more information, visit www.thinfilm.no.
About Arc
Arc is the Intelligent Activation Agency within Leo Burnett Worldwide. Headquartered in Chicago, Arc provides brands with innovative, insightful and imaginative creative solutions rooted in understanding people and behavior through the lens of a shopper. As part of one of the world's largest agency networks, Arc boasts 26 offices in 22 countries with more than 1,000 employees. Arc works with some of the world's most valued brands including Coca-Cola, Fiat, Adidas, Samsung, Microsoft, McDonald's and P&G. To learn more about Arc, please visit www.arcww.com.
About Leo Burnett Worldwide
Leo Burnett Worldwide believes in using creativity to drive dynamic business change for its clients. Through a HumanKind approach to marketing, the agency puts a brand's purpose at the center of communications to transform human behavior. Part of Publicis Communications, Leo Burnett Worldwide is one of the world's largest agency networks with 85 offices and more than 8,000 employees. The global agency works with some of the world's most valued brands including Coca-Cola, Fiat, Kellogg's, Kraft, McDonald's, Nintendo, P&G, Samsung and Tata among others. Leo Burnett is the most awarded network in the world based on Advertising Age's 2015 Awards Report. To learn more about Leo Burnett Worldwide and its rich, 80-year history of creating iconic brands, visit our site, Facebook page and follow us via @leoburnett.
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For more information on Thinfilm please contact:
Bill Cummings
VP, Marketing & Communications
Thin Film Electronics ASA
+1 408-503-7312
bill.cummings@thinfilm.no
Jennifer Smith
Blanc & Otus for Thin Film Electronics ASA
+1 415-856-5152
jsmith@blancandotus.com
For more information on Leo Burnett/Arc please contact:
Michael Cowen
Associate Director, Reputation & Communications
Leo Burnett/Arc
+1 312-607-6874
michael.cowen@leoburnett.com