Lara.Burhenn@digimarc.com | +1 503-469-4704
Beaverton, Ore — August 1, 2011 — Digimarc Corporation (NASDAQ: DMRC) today announced that The Oregonian is the first U.S. newspaper to use Digimarc Discover to deliver a new dimension of enhanced content from printed articles using today's popular smartphones. The Oregonian launched the new feature on Sunday, July 31, and will deliver enhanced content from digitally watermarked images featured on the front pages of main sections on a daily basis.
Readers can download the Oregonian Mobile Reader app to instantly view video, slideshows and other content related to stories of interest. The mobile app uses the phone's camera to "see" imperceptible digital watermarks that have been embedded into printed images, delivering interactive, multi-sensory experiences from previously static pages.
"It's great that our collaboration with The Oregonian allows us to showcase our innovation first here at home in Oregon. The Oregonian is leading the industry into a new era, integrating printed publications with digital assets that will enhance their readers' enlightenment and enjoyment, and provide new opportunities for advertisers to engage readers," said Bruce Davis, Chairman & CEO of Digimarc.
"The staff at The Oregonian is proud to be publishing the first US newspaper that incorporates digital watermarking," said Peter Bhatia, Editor and Vice President of The Oregonian. "Digimarc Discover provides us with an innovative and powerful way to establish a new level of engagement with our readers, as well as attract a new generation of readers by providing exciting, interactive experiences from articles." Upon launching the Oregonian Mobile app, available for iPhone and Android smartphones, readers simply hold their phone four to six inches above the enabled images. The Internet-enabled images are identified by a small phone icon. The app will immediately recognize the image and connect readers to related digital content such as video and slideshows related to a news story.
"For the modern consumer, the convenience and comfortable routine of browsing the printed page is now united with the ability to instantly access timely, deep, multimedia content formerly only available online. Newspapers, magazines, and other printed materials can, in essence, become web browsers, and connect consumers to a wealth of information, entertainment and assistance," stated Davis.
"We believe the digital watermarking of print ads can provide great value to our advertisers," said Barbara Swanson, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "The technology will give our Portland-area readers the ability to take immediate action on the local products, events and services they are most interested in."
The Digimarc Discover™ Platform enables smartphones and other sensor-equipped devices, to "see and hear" media content using built-in cameras and microphones. Consumers simply direct their phone at content they are interested in and are presented with a range of associated network services such as purchase a product, view a video, save for later, download a coupon, or share with a friend, for example. The Digimarc Discover mobile applications are available for licensing and can be integrated into existing applications.
Publishers and others can embed digital watermarks into content using the Digimarc Online Services Portal (OSP). The OSP is being used by magazines, newspapers, packaging companies, advertising agencies, and others to enable a variety of new experiences and capabilities from print. Companies interested in learning more about digital watermarking technology and licensing opportunities for the Digimarc Discover platform can visit: www.digimarc.com/Discover.
Digimarc Corporation (NASDAQ:DMRC), based in Beaverton, Oregon, is a leading innovator and provider of enabling technologies that create digital identities for all forms of media and many everyday objects. The embedded digital IDs are imperceptible to humans, but not to computers, networks and devices like mobile phones, which can now use cameras and microphones as sensory inputs to "see, hear and understand" the world around them within the context of their environment. Digimarc has built an extensive intellectual property portfolio with patents in digital watermarking, content identification and management, media and object discovery to enable ubiquitous computing, and related technologies. Digimarc develops solutions, licenses its intellectual property, and provides development services to business partners across a range of industries. For more information, please visit www.digimarc.com.
The Oregonian has been telling the story of the Northwest since 1850, covering business, politics and sports as well as culture, cuisine and more. Today, nearly eight in 10 local adults read the Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper in print or online at OregonLive.com. For more information, please contact Peter Bhatia at 503-221-8393 or pbhatia@oregonian.com.
With the exception of historical information contained in this release, the matters described in this release contain various "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements include statements regarding potential uses of Digimarc Discover™, time and functionality of future releases of Digimarc Discover and other statements identified by terminology such as "will," "should," "expects," "estimates," "predicts" and "continue" or other derivations of these or other comparable terms. These forward-looking statements are statements of management's opinion and are subject to various assumptions, risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied from the statements in this release as a result of delayed market acceptance, failure to secure commercial partners to help address specific markets or functionality, development delays, or changes in economic, business and/or regulatory factors. More detailed information about risk factors that may affect actual results is set forth in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 and in subsequent periodic reports filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management's opinions only as of the date of this release. Except as required by law, Digimarc undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.
Gina Giachetti
About Communications
+1 510 858 8111
pr@digimarc.com
Peter Bhatia
Editor, The Oregonian
+1 503 221 8393
pbhatia@oregonian.com
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