Why do companies put their logos on clothing, backpacks, and other items you wear every day? Advertising, of course. Nomad Technologies, a Bellevue, Washington based startup, decided to capitalize on this tried-and-true advertising strategy by creating a platform for turning walkers into billboards.
How it Works
Nomad uses tablets attached to backpacks to create a walking billboard and pays its workers—Nomads who are mostly college students—to walk around various crowded areas. Founder and CEO Jonah Friedl began the company during his time at Washington State University two years ago.
His idea was to create a 21st century version of a mascot or a walking billboard. The resulting Nomad Technologies uses its workers’ tablets, attached to something like a backpack. Couriers then walk around preassigned areas. They receive between $10 and $20 per hour, depending on Nomad’s equivalent of surge pricing, which pays more for students walking during particularly busy times or in crowded areas.
Like Uber and other gig economy platforms, Nomads can set their own schedules. Surge pricing and suggestions for good places to walk make it easier for Nomads to work strategically in order to make the most money possible from the app. For example, the Nomad app will notify workers of potentially crowded events, such as concerts, that would pay them more to get their ads in front of more people.
Future Expansion
Currently, Nomad has a presence on thirteen college campuses across the nation. Campus presences include University of Washington, University of Texas – Austin, Bostin University, Georgia Tech and Stanford University. However, Friedl said he intends to expand the market to over 100 campuses and 20 U.S. metropolitan areas by 2018.
Application Process
Because Nomads are walking billboards, it makes sense that they would occasionally receive questions about what they’re advertising. Because of that, the Nomad application process includes a list of check boxes in which applicants indicate their interests. Their advertisements are then matched to those interests in order to create Nomads who can passionately talk about the products they advertise.
After completing the application, candidates go through an interview process conducted either via phone or Skype.
Once accepted, Nomads can’t necessarily start right to work. They have to wait until there is an active campaign that matches them—a process that can take as long as four weeks.
Once assigned a campaign (and they can only have one at a time), Nomads either load the ad onto their own tablet and attach it to a carrying device or they can lease a tablet from Nomad Technologies.
Nomads are also provided with a one-page synopsis of important information regarding the product they advertise. The company quizzes them over the information a week before the campaign begins.
Philanthropy and Nomad
Beyond a side gig, Nomad Technologies is also fairly involved with philanthropic efforts. For example, Nomad offered workers the opportunity to divert a portion of their wages toward relief efforts for California wildfires. Nomad in turn matched all contributions. They adopted a similar program in Texas after Hurricane Harvey.
