MetroCard Gets First-Time Ad Buys from Medical Facilities

LongIsland.com

Card Distribution Targeted at Manhattan Stations.

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Two medical facilities in New York City have purchased advertising space on MetroCards, becoming the first hospitals to promote their services on the fare card.  A print run of 50,000 cards for Mount Sinai’s Urgent Care site was the first of the two to be made available last week, with distribution at the 116 St-Columbia University 1 station and 96 St 1 2 3 station.

Mount Sinai’s ad buy, which promotes its facility on the Upper West Side, runs on the back of the MetroCard. The print run for the other medical facility, NYU Langone Medical Center, has advertising on the front and back.

The ad buy of one million cards for NYU Langone Medical Center began this week distributed at MetroCard Vending machines at the following stations: 14 St 1 2 3; 51 St 6; 66 St-Lincoln Center 1; 68 St-Hunter College 6; 72 St 1 2 3; 77 St 6; 86 St 4 5 6; 86 St B C; 96 St 6; and, Lexington Av/59th St N Q R 4 5 6.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has been selling advertising space on MetroCards since 1995.  It began selling space on the card’s front face in 2012 as part of an expanded initiative to find new sources of revenue.  Earlier this year, an immigration law firm’s ad buy of 250,000 cards became the first Spanish-language advertising on MetroCards.

“The MetroCard continues to prove its value to advertisers by attracting a diverse list of clients around New York City,” said Paul J. Fleuranges, MTA’s Senior Director of Corporate and Internal Communications. “We look forward to more opportunities to partner with New York institutions like Mount Sinai and NYU Langone.”

The MTA does not disclose the costs of specific ad campaigns. Prices for ads on the back face of the card range from 17¢ to 51¢ per card, with minimum print runs of 50,000. Prices for ads on both sides range from 25¢ to 45¢ per card, with minimum print runs of 250,000. The MTA produces 4 million to 5 million MetroCards every month.

Photos via MTA

 

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