Stratford to be featured on large screens in local businesses

Michael Herman wants to put Stratford on big screens around the district.

Hāwera businessman Michael Herman wants Stratford residents to tell him what's great about their town.

"The glockenspiel, the elephant playground or the local swimming hole. Once I know what people want to celebrate about their town, I can turn that into video footage to showcase it to visitors and residents alike."

Michael is the owner-operator of C-IT Limited, a technology focused business with a storefront in Hāwera, which among many other services creates film footage to play on large screens in businesses, health centres and facilities around the region.

"In May last year, I bought the business and labelled it ScreenAds, which puts screens in businesses free of charge to then play locally focused videos."

There are similar companies already in New Zealand, but the point of difference in the service Michael offers is the localised content, he says.

"My team create films of the local area, we have all the cameras and drones to do it ourselves and create professional videos highlighting the very best of the town. We have already created them for Hāwera and Eltham. Opunake and Patea are in the making. Stratford is next on our list, so I am encouraging businesses to grab a spot and locals to tell us what to feature."

For a business to have a screen installed there is no financial outlay, says Michael.

"All they need is electricity and ideally a Wi-Fi connection. We provide the technology, the screen and the installation (everything). We work closely with our hosts and simply ask that they have it on when their business is open.

"It is through economically promoting our customer business concepts and advertising it on the screen in the breaks that the business makes money, not by charging people to host the display."

In making the videos Michael says he has already learned a lot about the region he has lived in for almost 24 years.

"It is amazing, you can walk past something every day, but then you see the place on a big screen and notice new things.

"One example would be some footage we filmed of the cool graffiti style artwork in Hāwera, as it played back on the screen in my own shop I suddenly noticed one particular bit of graffiti which actually spelt out the town name, I had never noticed that before!"

Michael has installed screens in a range of businesses, from takeaway shops, restaurants to Medical Practices, and says the feedback has been really positive.

"Everyone likes their town and wants to show it off."