Signage Solutions Magazine by Signage Solutions Magazine

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May/June 2011

The Technology and Solutions Magazine for Digital Signage, DOOH, Mobile and Place-based Media

the Next Generation of

Outdoor Advertising p22 Outdoor Digital OOH is no longer a novelty — it’s a new mainstay our Renew y

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Content Guidelines for Digital Billboards Best Practices for Creating Dynamic Content for Digital Outdoor Advertising p26 PROXIMITY Luxury hotel provider MARKETING enhances customer service

Closer than you with facility-wide network of digital signage p8 think p18 Digital Signage Products & Solutions

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EOOH

Signage Essentials

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“ENGAGEMENT” OUT-OF-HOME

“…the people make up the network.” p38

Industry News

Publisher’s Perspective

“What is digital signage?” Over the past few months, I have heard the question asked, “What is digital signage?”. This question has not come from industry outsiders, but from industry experts and professionals themselves. Not that these professionals don’t understand what digital signage is; but question the solutions which should be included under that name. Digital signage has so many elements – billboards, wayfinding screens, menu boards, private networks, kiosks, employee communication, and so on, but should it all be labeled a such? Digital Signage Association, an industry association changed its name to the Digital Screenmedia Association to better encompass all the technologies and solutions in the market. So should we call this industry “screenmedia”? It’s not my personal favorite. The name that really does a great job of capturing the whole market is Digital Out-ofHome (DOOH), but its just one of many names being used. Right now, we lack a clearly defined name for the industry; because the industry itself is still being defined. I’m excited to see what name emerges that will eventually be agreed on by everyone involved. Be sure you read Mike Cearly’s take on the subject by reading his article on page 38, “Engagement Out-of-Home”. When I bring up digital signage to people outside of the industry, thoughts and images of Time Square and large format LED screens come to mind. Of course that is a major part of the digital signage industry, but digital signage is not just based in downtown urban settings anymore. Major sports venues are also integrating large format LED screens as video walls, to better engage their fan base as well as updating score boards to add more visual features. In the United States, there are close to 2,000 digital billboards already installed and showcasing brands, destinations, local businesses, and news to travelers along America’s highways. The idea of digital signage is to use technology and screens as a solution to better engage an audience. These solutions and technologies vary widely and have some amazing results. Just look around next time you get into your car for a road trip, take a walk through the mall, grab a grocery cart and walk the isles of your local grocery store, or even within the walls of your own workplace. Digital signage, or whatever you want to call it, is everywhere. It is the future of out-of-home engagement, especially with the integration of mobile phones into the marketing mix. Whatever you think “digital signage” should be called, I think we can all agree that the technology and solutions available in the market are pretty exciting. I hope you enjoy this issue of Signage Solutions and continue to enjoy this growing industry.

Until next issue -

Ben Skidmore Publisher

SignageSolutions

magazine

May/June 2011 • Volume Two • Issue Three Publisher/Editorial Director Ben Skidmore (972) 587-9064 ben@signagesolutionsmag.com Circulation Stephanie Kennedy (972) 782-2490 stephanie@partnerspr.com Accounting (972) 782-2490 info@partnerspr.com Advertising Ben Skidmore — East Coast (972) 587-9064 ben@signagesolutionsmag.com Stuart Freeman — West Coast (972) 782-2584 stuart@signagesolutionsmag.com Web Site/Webmaster Colby Nate (888) 284-8334 cnate@visualagility.com Design/Production Cynthia Pater (469) 222-9168 otldesign@gmail.com Home Ofﬁce

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May/June 2011

Signage Solutions

magazine

Contents

May/June 2011

The Technology and Solutions Magazine for Digital Signage, DOOH, Mobile and Place-based Media

Technology @ Work

A brief look at company/industry news within the digital signage industry.

Signage Solutions talks with Patrick Quinn, President & CEO of PQ Media, the leading provider of global media econometrics and pioneer of emerging media research. Patrick gives insight into the growing digital signage industry and looks at some specific growth areas to watch.

Vertical Views

Grand Hyatt New York Brings High-Deﬁnition to Hospitality

Luxury hotel provider enhances customer service with facility-wide network of digital signage

Digital Dialogue

By The Way

“Engagement” Out-of-Home“… the people make up the network.” By Mike Cearley

features

Signage Solutions & Products

Digital signage products and solutions, along with the technology which runs them, make the industry what it is today. Every issue of Signage Solutions magazine features new products and solutions.

COVER Story The Next Generation of Outdoor Advertising Outdoor

Digital OOH is no longer a novelty; it’s a new mainstay. By Greg McGrath

Signage Essentials

The Role of Technology in a Digital Signage Strategy By Joseph Agostini

Don’t Forget the Little Guy

Even the smallest digital signage installations can improve the bottom line. By Tony Pelura

LCD Displays Brighten High School Students’ Career Paths

dB Audio & Video deploys state-of-the-art digital signage system at award-winning Lanier Charter Career Academy

www.signagesolutionsmag.com

Proximity Marketing:

DOOH and Mobile Have Joined Together to Form an Exciting New Form of Interactive Marketing Where Every Player Wins By Alex Romanov

Content Guidelines for Digital Billboards

Best Practices for Creating Dynamic Content for Digital Outdoor Advertising By Gina Peterson

Putting the Context into Mobile Understanding

the Role of the Message Within the Mobile Experience By Steve Gurley

Updates

Industry&News

Technology @ Work

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Go to www.signagesolutionsmag.com to read full version of articles found in the Industry News & Updates section of Signage Solutions Magazine. 3D digital signage: Scientific study proves that advertising works better in 3D

DSE’s Q4 2010 Business Barometer Reports Higher DOOH Revenue & Positive Industry Prospects

The SKOPOS Institute for market and communication research conducted a study on advertising in 3D in October 2010. In the study, 312 people were divided into two equal groups, each of whom were presented a commercial either in 3D or in 2D. The differences between the test groups were clear: the 3D viewers found the commercial to be modern, original and unique. After the test, 82% of the 3D viewers were convinced of the product. In the 2D group, only 64% were convinced. After the 3D broadcast, viewers also felt more of a desire to try the advertised product; in other words, the purchase probability was significantly greater. In addition, in both test groups, 43% said they would also like to watch 3D at home. These test results show that there is generally a strong willingness to view 3D content, which can thus be exploited very advantageously for the advertising industry. In the recent past, 3D technology has experienced a boom, especially in the consumer market. Early in 2010, the Korean display market research company DisplayBank added glasses-free 3D solutions to their list of the most important display innovations for the next ten years. And it’s only a matter of time until companies in all industries adapt to the market changes.

ATLANTA, GA – Digital Signage Expo (DSE), the world’s largest international tradeshow and conference dedicated to digital signage, interactive technology and out-of-home networks, recently announced the results of its Quarterly Business Barometer Survey for Q4 2010.

After a modest third quarter, during which the economic recovery in the United States and other countries began to pick up steam again, 97 percent of all survey participants in North America still remained positive about the future of the digital out-of-home industry – representing no significant overall change from Q3 2010. However, for Q4, 63 percent of respondents indicated they felt “Very Positive” — a 5-point improvement over the third quarter — and 34 percent were “Somewhat Positive” about the industry’s future, according to the study. As in past quarters, those most positive about the future of the DOOH Industry varied across each of the three main groups of respondents, which included Technology/ Content Providers (58 percent “very positive,” up 4 points), Advertising/Marketing Professionals (63 percent “very positive,” up 3 points), and End Users/OOH Network Operators (70 percent “very positive,” up 9 points), the study found.

Milestone AV Technologies and Da-Lite Screen Company Announce Merger Completion MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Milestone AV Technologies, manufacturer of Chief and Sanus brand AV mounting and display solutions, and Da-Lite Screen Company, manufacturer of Da-Lite, Projecta and Procolor brand com-

Technology @ Work

mercial and residential projection screens, closed their previously announced merger. The combination of Milestone and Da-Lite creates an industry leader in mounting solutions, AV furniture, and projection screens across both commercial and consumer AV markets. The now united businesses, with nearly 1,000 employees worldwide, have a common culture focused on delivering innovative products supported by superior customer service. “We are excited to close this transaction, and move forward together bringing even more value to our customers while providing expanded growth opportunities for our employees,” said Scott Gill, CEO of Milestone AV Technologies. Da-Lite will continue to be based in Warsaw, Ind., as an operating subsidiary of Milestone, and under the leadership of current President Richard Lundin.

rVue Real-Time Analytics Solutions Embraced by Digital Place-Based Networks and Software Solution Providers FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – Recently, rVue, Inc., a subsidiary of rVue Holdings Inc., announced that it was providing hosted web-based analytics for digital out-of-home (DOOH) media at no cost. rVue Analytics helps businesses use performance data to improve their marketing campaigns and DOOH networks by providing proof of performance metrics such as network uptime, Internet connectivity, validation of network locations, playlist measurements and geo-tracking. Since launching the free real-time analytics program in late March, rVue has reached several milestones: • Adoption rate of over 90% by networks presented the program. • Engagement with four of DOOH’s leading software solution providers. • Over 50,000 real-time network data points achieved in two weeks. “Reporting and analytics are critical for digital signage as it is clear that every network and advertiser are jointly looking for

a standard solution,” said Peter O’Connor, Director of Operations for c3ms and the NobelVision Network. “From what we’ve seen in the market, rVue is the only advertising platform delivering a solution that is seamless and ready for our use now. They have provided an easy, one-stop, accurate solution for analytics that will benefit both media buyers and network operators.” Clear Channel Outdoor Signs Digital Billboard Partnership With Albuquerque School District ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. announced a new digital billboard partnership with the Albuquerque School District (APS). Four new poster size digital displays will be launched in high trafficked locations surrounding Cibola, Del Norte, Eldorado and Manzano high schools in March this year. “We’re committed to using these new digital boards to enhance the local community. APS will be responsible for monitoring and approving all ad copy to ensure the messages displayed will be of the highest standard and beneficial to the school environment, commented Monica Armenta, Executive Director of Communications for Albuquerque Public Schools. Clear Channel Outdoor has partnered with the Albuquerque School District to develop ad copy standards that include restrictions on categories that include alcohol, gaming, tobacco, amongst others. Furthermore, one out of every eight ad rotations on the digital boards will be used for communicating APS campaigns and messages. “This public-private collaboration represents a win-win for the school district and local community,” said Sally Adams, President of Clear Channel Outdoor in Albuquerque. “The dynamic digital displays will help schools to deliver their own messages to the local community and provide a new platform for public service announcements and serving emergency response needs in real time.” Currently in a pilot phase on two vessels, the Wenatchee and the Tacoma, and in two terminals, Seattle and Bainbridge Island, the solution is providing a comprehensive

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

May/June 2011

Technology @ Work messaging system in a simple, quick and easy to use interface. On the back end, operators have three separate terminal locations that

provide interactive buttons to push out preloaded messaging. An on-screen keyboard and external keyboard are also available to compose custom messages if necessary. Instead of having the operators push messages out from a content management interface, the back-end system was developed as an interactive digital sign, so when a particular button is selected it triggers the desired content on the passenger facing system.

The Platt Retail Institute: Industry Growth Trends Up Slightly in Q4; Flat to Slightly Down Expected in Q1 CHICAGO, IL – The Platt Retail Institute determined that a slight upward growth occurred in

the digital signage industry in the North American Digital Signage Index for Q1 2011, which was released today. Some key findings include:The Current DS Index increased from 125.85 in the third quarter of 2010 to 130.65 in the fourth quarter of 2010, a 3.82 percent increase. This is up from the 2.43 percent increase in the Current DS Index last quarter. The Current DS Index in the fourth quarter of 2010 continues to track the U.S. economy (+3.82 percent versus +3.10 percent GDP).The Near-Term DS Index, an indicator of future business/industry activity, was 140.51, a 7.55 percent increase. This is down from the 9.67 percent increase in the Near-Term DS Index last quarter.

PRI Director and Research Fellow Steven Keith Platt stated, “Considering various factors, such as falling revenue and declines in the expected level of business activity in the

Navori Powers One Of Canada’s Largest Digital Menu-Board Rollouts CALGARY, ALBERTA – Turnkey solutions provider E Display is using Navori’s digital signage software suite to roll out what has quickly become one of Canada’s largest QSR digital menuboard deployments. Almost 200 screens in the Greek-flavored OPA! Souvlaki fast food chain are now using a digitally-driven menuboard platform to significantly lift sales of promoted items and steadily cycle through the QSR’s menu features and promotions with minimal cost or effort. Calgary-based E Display Inc. has rolled out to the balance of existing OPA! locations across the country, and digital menu-boards — usually three per site — are part of the standard set-up for the new stores that are being added each month. E Display handles deployment and does all the content management for OPA! The company started working with the chain in Sept. 2009, and after tests and trials with several Tier 1 software platforms, E Display settled on Navori for the full deployment. “When we started our search for digital signage software, we ran into products that were not mature enough,” said E Display president Imran Khan. “If they offered most of the features we needed, they ended up being too expensive. The main selling point of Navori was how it offered a comprehensive product at a reasonable cost. We also liked how the Navori team was open to suggestions on enhancements and new features. Instead of resistance, we got enthusiasm.”

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industry, as well as recent downward estimates for first quarter 2011 GDP, we believe that the industry will be flat to slightly down in the first quarter of 2011.”

Provision Interactive Signs $3 Million Market Development Agreement to Place 3D Displays in 500 U.S. Locations CHATSWORTH, CA – Provision Interactive Technologies, Inc. (“Provision”), announced that it has signed a Market development Agreement with its close strategic partner, Lifestyle Ventures, LLC (“Lifestyle”). Under the terms of the agreement, Lifestyle will underwrite the cost of manufacturing and installing Provision’s 3D Holographic displays in approximately 500 convenience stores located in the Western United States. The agreement represents a $3 million Lifestyle Ventures investment in Provision’s 3D Network. The Convenience Store Network will be the largest 3D out-of-home digital network in the United States. The displays will be capable of projecting floating 3D holographic videos in front of the screen without the need for any special glasses and without any discomforting eye stress.

“We are entering into this agreement based on the overwhelming positive response to Provision’s technology,” said Carl Smith, CEO and Chairman of Lifestyle Ventures. “We are excited about being a part of the network and are committed to its success.” Provision will be handling the ad sales, network administration, and content production. Each store will have Provision’s 3D Holographic Display, the award winning “3D Product of the Year” awarded by Frost & Sullivan in 2010. The convenience store network rollout is scheduled to begin in the early summer 2011. “We are very thrilled by this new opportunity to expand our relationship with Lifestyle,” said Provision CEO Curt Thornton. “This partnership allows Provision to showcase its powerful glasses-free, eye stress free, 3D technology to consumers on a mass scale for the first time.” www.provision.tv SSM

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Vertical View Hospitality

Grand Hyatt New York Brings High-Deﬁnition to Hospitality Luxury hotel provider enhances customer service with facility-wide network of digital signage Customer Overview The Grand Hyatt New York is located in the fashionable East Side of midtown Manhattan. It is only steps away from the city’s top attractions, Grand Central Terminal, Times Square, Broadway theaters, Central Park and Fifth Avenue’s world-class shopping and an array of global corporate headquarters. The hotel boasts luxurious accommodations, outstanding dining and catering services, beautiful guestrooms and newly renovated event spaces. It is the hotel’s goal to provide their guests with a truly world-class hospitality experience. With their broad range of service offerings and prime downtown location, they have undoubtedly secured their position as one of Manhattan’s premier hotel destinations. Project Scope The Grand Hyatt New York’s facility accommodates both business and leisure travelers with a total of 1,300 guest rooms and 55,000 square feet of event space. The event space, which recently underwent extensive renovations, is used to host a number of conferences, meetings and corporate events. Given the high volume of traffic, the hotel sought a solution that would simplify facility navigation while improving the overall hospitality experience for their guests. To help them achieve their goals, they turned to system integrator AVT Communiqué, an expert in digital signage for hotels. To be successful, the new signage had to address a variety of technical requirements as well as integrate with the multi-use spaces. The hotel wanted to be able to display unique content on specific screens in a timely and efficient manner. This content ranged from meeting room schedules and wayfinding, to advertisements and corporate branding. After careful evaluation and on the advice of AVT Communiqué, the Grand Hyatt New York selected Omnivex as their digital signage software provider. In addition to its advanced graphical capabilities, Omnivex software can easily interface with the data in the hotel’s existing scheduling system, Daylight,

Photos courtesy of Omnivex

and subsequently automate the process of updating the content being displayed on the digital signage throughout the hotel. Solution The entire hotel has been equipped with 40-inch LCD screens at high traffic areas to help guests navigate the facility, provide them with information and promote the Hyatt brand. Content includes real-time news and weather, in-house services, conference details, event scheduling and wayfinding. The screens also provide an excellent medium for Hyatt specific advertising content; no external content that is unrelated to the Hyatt and its services is displayed on the screens. The hotel solely promotes in-house restaurants and services, as well as the Hyatt Gold Passport membership program. The goal was to keep the advertising specific to Hyatt service offerings and avoid saturating visitors with un-

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Vertical View Hospitality necessary or irrelevant promotional content. Omnivex provided the Grand Hyatt New York with an easy to use system that gave them all of the functionality they required with minimal additional effort to manage the digital signage. Omnivex software offers the ability to make manual changes at the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discretion but also makes automation simple, which is particularly useful if there is an existing system (such as the Daylight scheduling system the hotel was using) already in place. The Grand Hyatt has made excellent use of automation in order to minimize manpower and drive efficiency. Unique content is delivered to screens throughout the building based on the relevancy of that information at a particular location. For instance, one player PC is connected to an in-house channel that supplies content for every guest room in the hotel. This functionality provides a high degree of scheduling flexibility and content customization. The entire digital signage system is managed remotely by the systems integrator while staff at the Grand Hyatt NY can add or make changes to content by way of advanced user permissioning built into the solution. An important factor in the installation of the screens was that the hotel wanted them to become part of the environment, so that the signage would complement the look and feel of the establishment. The majority of screens located throughout the facility are contained in custom enclosures, which are built to integrate into the architecture and existing dĂŠcor of the

hotel. For instance, large vertical LCD screens, built into custom monoliths, are positioned in highly visible locations and are used to display wayfinding, real-time news, weather updates, conference schedules and event information, corporate branding and other hotel messaging. On the Executive Suite Level of the hotel, screens showcase upcoming meetings and events as well as detailed instructions about how to get there. On the Conference Level, four 40-inch LCD display matrixes were incorporated into the recently completed renovations. The screens, which are suspended over the main floor, provide a variety of informa-

SSM

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Vertical View Hospitality tive content, such as information about in-house restaurants, hotel services, promotions and facility navigation. By making the hotel floor plan clearly visible to guests, the screens help to guide them to their desired meeting rooms quickly and easily. Additionally, Omnivex software is used to manage real time meeting room scheduling displayed on screens located outside of each meeting and conference room. There are approximately twenty 15-inch LCD panels showcasing meeting room content throughout the Grand Hyatt NY. Omnivex software automatically pulls this information directly from the hotel’s existing schedules that they use to manage the meeting room bookings. This functionality adds a high degree of relevance to the content being displayed, making it more useful for hotel guests. “The guest experience is our top priority and the digital signage system puts Grand Hyatt New York a notch above competing luxury hotels,” says Thomas Beatty, senior director of convention services for the Grand Hyatt New York. “This technology helps our facilities stand out as exceptional.” Results The Grand Hyatt New York has succeeded in providing their guests with an improved customer experience, by implementing the latest in digital signage technology. Now, managing content, posting changes and informing visitors is simple and efficient and requires little additional labor on the part of staff. Given the success of the initial digital signage installation, there is discussion about expanding the network and exploring new ways that the signage can be utilized. This deployment represents a stepping stone in exploring the many applications of digital signage at the Grand Hyatt New York. Guest communications have improved significantly since the installation of the system, but there are still other avenues for digital signage within the hotel that show promise. “The Omnivex powered digital signage system has been running at the Grand Hyatt New York for over two years now with impressive results,” says David Alter, Director of Engineering & Project Management for AVT Communiqué, which oversees the system. He continued, “Omnivex gives us the capability to stretch functionality in new ways and provide great value to guests at the hotel.” Digital signage in the hospitality sector is growing in popularity, mainly for its ability to provide guests with an improved customer experience. Competition amongst the hospital-

ity industry is high, so hotels are looking for ways to set themselves apart. “While the Grand Hyatt is starting off with enhancing the guest experience, digital signage software will eventually be used by hotels and other hospitality sectors to help their staff and suppliers make decisions,” forecasts Collard. “Internal operations can be made more efficient when intelligent content is used to help link information with the people who need it. For example, screens placed on the carts of the housekeeping staff can provide them with real time information about which rooms are booked, cleaned or occupied, which can reduce business operations costs significantly.” SSM

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Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

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Vertical View Education

LCD Displays Brighten High School Students’ Career Paths dB Audio & Video deploys state-of-the-art digital signage system at award-winning Lanier Charter Career Academy Customer Overview dB Audio & Video is a full-service integrator specializing in audio, video, control automation, lighting and acoustics. The company focuses primarily on the houses of worship, military, educational and industrial markets. dB Audio & Video has been integrating digital signage systems into its projects for seven years. dB was looking for a quality digital signage system that was not only high-performing and durable but also contributes to technology skill-building for their team. Project Scope The Hall County School System operates the groundbreaking Lanier Charter Career Academy at The Oaks in Gainesville, Ga. Serving Hall County high schools; the Academy is a winner of the prestigious ‘Building of America Award’ for innovations in education, design and technology. It provides students interested in pursuing careers in culinary arts, hospitality management and interactive marketing with a unique hands-on opportunity to learn and develop skills in a real-world environment. To help students apply and hone their skills, the Academy operates five businesses — a café, a restaurant, a gift shop, a conference and events center, and a promotions lab — that are open to the public and which students help to manage and run.

“Digital signage allows the design to come alive. I feel like I’m learning valuable design skills.” — Hailey Smith, student The Hall County School System envisioned a learning environment equipped with the latest technologies critical to its focus on helping students gain high proficiency in technology. To bring this vision to life, it selected dB Audio & Video to design a system integrating audio and video, and digital signage capabilities. dB Audio & Video turned to Samsung for quality digital signage solutions that are not only high-performing and durable but would also reinforce student creativity and help build valuable technology skills. Samsung has been the primary source of products for the company’s digital signage projects. “Samsung’s lineup more than meets the needs of our markets,” says Neil Philpott, Systems Advisor, dB Audio & Video. But apart from satisfaction with Samsung displays, there was another consideration that led to Samsung’s selection. “Samsung representatives provide what we like to call a partnering attitude,” says Philpott. “On many levels, this is a huge determining factor when we specify the products for an integration project.”

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Solution dB Audio & Video focused on Samsung network displays, all of which feature built-in PCs. Utilizing Windows XP Embedded Standard 2009, the displays offer advanced security and the ability to be controlled remotely. The built-in PC also allows easy content control over an existing network with Samsung MagicInfo™ software. The more streamlined solution eliminates the need to run extra PC wires and cables. Integrated into Samsung MagicInfo™ software, MagicInfo™ Pro and MagicInfo™ -i software allows users to control and detect the conditions of the displays with its remote management capability via LAN/WAN. It also offers a powerful Author Tool for user-friendly content development. MagicInfo™ Pro software provides easier video wall control with greater functionality. Displays can be grouped and their

Vertical View Education

content controlled as one entity, making it easy to display different content in different locations. It also provides RSS feed capability to display stock market quotes, weather updates, scores and more. “The variety of content applications as well as the expansive live feed options made Samsung the only choice for this project,” says Philpott. “Samsung’s network displays with MagicInfo software met the technology needs of the diverse project at an affordable cost.” The project employed a range of Samsung professional and commercial displays to serve the Academy’s academic, entertainment and business needs. It included the Samsung 460UXn-2 and the Samsung 320TSn-2. Designed for 24/7 operation and incorporating a slim 12.5mm Bezel for videowall capabilities, the Samsung 460UXn-2 is used as an indoor menu board. The Samsung 320TSn2, a commercial-grade touch-screen display, serves as an interactive kiosk for event information at the Academy’s reception area. The project however was not without challenge. According to Philpott, no one at the school had experience with advanced digital signage systems, and with the variety of layouts, live feed inputs and capabilities that the Samsung displays offered. While the teachers received training from dB Audio and Video, they benefited greatly from direct contact with a Samsung signage specialist. “Samsung provided invaluable help in directing teachers to new and innovative thinking, robust content applications, and troubleshooting for greater signage effectiveness,” says Philpott. “dB Audio & Video’s integration of Samsung’s display products at the Lanier Charter Career Academy underscore their real-life benefits,” says Kevin Schroll, Senior Manager, Commercial Display at Samsung Enterprise Business Division. “The changing business climate means that organizations, including academic institutions, need display solutions that not only offer superior image quality but also work in harmony with their environment and objectives. Samsung’s products offer just this.” Results The Hall County School System welcomes many visitors from other county school systems, who come to see for themselves how the Academy is successfully combining academic excellence with real-world experience,

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

“The Samsung displays bring our students’ marketing vision to life with a simple-to-use digital signage user interface. Our students are able to develop world-class marketing and ecommerce skills.” — Aaron Turpin, Executive Director for Technology, Hall County School System and building a strong technology skills foundation for its students. For example, students develop content for marketing, and exhibit it on the school’s digital signage system, including the digital menu boards for both walk-in and drive-up window customers at the cafe. The medium allows for greater options in design, color and movement, and has inspired design creativity and discussion. The Samsung displays play an important role in the school’s efforts, according to Aaron Turpin, Executive Director for Technology, Hall County School System. He says, “The Samsung displays bring our students’ marketing vision to life with a simple-to-use digital signage user interface. Our students are able to develop world-class marketing and ecommerce skills.” Public businesses are also welcome to advertise on the system, bringing revenue to the Academy while building a connection between the school and its students, and the local business community. dB Audio & Video takes pride in the strong results of the integration project. The company credits its partnership with Samsung for the Hall County School System’s satisfaction with how the digital signage system is brightening its students’ career paths. “Samsung provides unusual prompt service, and its willingness to lend a helping hand to our end-users means a lot to us,” says Philpott. “This establishes confidence in Samsung products, and in Samsung as a company who desires to keep a customer happy.” SSM

May/June 2011

Digital Dialogue

Q & A With Patrick Quinn

The Future of DOOH Signage Solutions talks with Patrick Quinn, President & CEO of PQ Media, the leading provider of global media econometrics and pioneer of emerging media research. Patrick gives insight into the growing digital signage industry and looks at some specific growth areas to watch.

Q: A:

What do you think is the current driver of growth for the digital signage industry?

The growth of digital out-of-home media (DOOH), including digital place-based networks and digital billboards and signage at various venues and locations, is being driven by several key trends, according to PQ Media’s new research included in the 4th edition of our Global Digital Out-of-Home Media Forecast. Among them, more media is being consumed outside the home than ever — 44% in 2010; DOOH remains attractive to brands because it can engage target audiences in captive locations for extended periods of time and seed the next buying decision; DOOH needs to and is gradually becoming part of integrated media solutions, complementing and activating other media; Market leaders are focused on consolidating and expanding their footprint in order to provide more scale; Operators are also investing in sales and marketing staff, and strategic and tactical improvements; Brand recall remains high, standard audience metrics continue to be pursued.

How are Digital Out-of-Home platforms changing the way companies engage their audience vs. the traditional means of print and online. Can it maintain the level of innovation is has experienced in the last decade?

PQ Media tracks all 20 major segments and more than 100 sub-segments of the media, entertainment and communications industries worldwide and there are very few that have equaled the drive, investment

and innovation of DOOH over the past decade. We expect this to continue in the foreseeable future as this industry continues to develop, the number of operators consolidates, the number of networks expands, market leaders targeting specific demographics through various venues emerge and DOOH becomes either a more regular component of integrated media solutions or part of a whole new medium comprised of multiple platforms converged, such as DOOH, mobile and social media.

Q: A:

What are the largest areas of growth for digital placed-based networks and DOOH? Why are these positioned for such growth?

PQ Media defines the global DOOH sector through two major platform segments – digital place-based networks (DPN) and digital billboards & signage (DBB) — and six venue and location categories, including cinema, retail, office, entertainment, transit and roadside. Global DPN revenue, the larger of the two platforms, grew 14.5% to $5.06 billion in 2010, driven by strong double-digit rebounds from the 2009 malaise in key leading markets in all four major regions — the Americas, Europe, Asia/Pacific, and Middle East & Africa, according to the PQ Media Global Digital Out-ofHome Media Forecast 2011-2015. The U.S., the world’s largest overall DOOH and DPN market, as well as Brazil, the U.K., Russia, China and India each expanded at double-digit rates in 2010. These markets are expected to post similar growth again in 2011, when PQ Media projects global DPN revenue will increase 15.2%. U.S. DPN revenue bounced back from a slight decline in

Patrick Quinn, President & CEO of PQ Media Patrick Quinn is the President & CEO of PQ Media, the leading provider of global media econometrics and pioneer of emerging media research. PQ Media’s proprietary research methodology and modeling system delivers the most comprehensive and actionable strategic intelligence to executives in the global media, entertainment and communications industries. As part of PQ Media’s Alternative Media Research Series, Mr. Quinn is co-author and publisher of the acclaimed Global Digital Out-of-Home Media Forecast series, which is recognized as the authoritative source for data, insights and predictive econometrics on the emerging global DOOH industry, including digital place-based networks, billboards and signage at cinema, retail, ofﬁce, transit, entertainment and roadside venues and locations.

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Digital Dialogue 2009 to post a 15% gain to $1.54 billion in 2010. U.S. growth is forecast to accelerate to 16% in 2011, driven by double-digit expansion in all five venue categories, including the largest, cinema, and the fastest-growing. Meanwhile, global DBB revenue growth jumped 23.2% in 2010 to $1.41 billion, fueled by accelerated double-digit growth in all four regions. The U.S., U.K. and the emerging BRIC markets each produced faster double-digit growth in 2010 and are projected to generate similar increases in 2011, when PQ Media anticipates global DBB revenue will rise 23.1%. U.S. DBB revenue increased 15.4% to $532 million in 2010 and is expected grow at an accelerated 18.8% in 2011, fueled by gains in all four location categories, primarily roadside, the largest.

Q: A:

How are digital billboards affecting the historic industry of roadside signage? Is it needed and are advertisers receiving a better ROI?

Even without elaborate new technology-based metrics, DBBs have been attracting local and more national advertisers for a number of years due to a several factors, including their location in the most desirable designated market areas and in the best locations within those DMAs, their ability to carry multiple brands and change ads remotely, and because operators can charge CPM rates at multiples of traditional boards, which all translates into higher and higher-margin revenue per board. Operators can do that math all day long.

Q: A:

As an example, the U.S. DPN landscape continues to be very fragmented, as PQ Media’s research identified 220 DPN operators running 468 networks in the U.S. at year-end 2010. The relatively few DPN operators offering national scale was also cited by agencies and brands as a challenge. While there were dozens of mergers, acquisitions and bankruptcies from the start of 2008 through year-end 2010, PQ Media estimates that over 90% of U.S. DPN operators generate less than $10 million in annual revenue. But further consolidation is expected and necessary over the next couple years to defragment the DOOH network landscape, provide brands with more national scale and to incorporate mobile, social and interactive media enhancements. This is part of an historical pattern PQ Media has identified in all successful new media evolution: Gold Rush-Shakeout-Breakout. DOOH, particularly the DPN segment, is in the shakeout phase and will continue to be for some time as its direction develops through convergence with other media, such as mobile, or DPN operators prove to be successful at engaging key demographics in contextually relevant environments when they’re more receptive to advertising, seeding the next purchase decision. SSM

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From a global view, what region has the largest footprint of DOOH adoption? What makes that region such a market for early adoption?

The U.S. is the largest DOOH market and continues to grow at low double-digit clip, but the big growth opportunities are in the BRIC countries — Brazil, Russia, India and China — particularly Brazil and China, where upcoming events, deflection of economic crisis, rising middle classes and cash hoards bode well for the development of DOOH in these markets.

Within the digital signage industry, there are continued talks of industry consolidation where only a small number of large solution companies will prevail. Do you agree with this or foresee a boom in technology, innovation and start-ups in the near future? Please explain position.

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May/June 2011

Don’t Forget the Little Guy Even the smallest digital signage installations can improve the bottom line.

By Tony Pelura

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ick up any industry magazine or read any online trade article and you will surely read about the biggest, best, most time consuming install ever. Whether it’s a national fast food chain or a 30,000-square-foot house owned by a movie star, the focus tends to be on the size and scope of the job. And that’s not a bad thing to move the industry forward. We all do it….we want to be part of the biggest thing going. While this is definitely something to look at (we don’t want to ever ignore any opportunity), we can’t forget all of the other not-so-big jobs that can really move your business and the digital signage industry forward. This is not an economy where you can simply wait for business to come to you. You have to take the initiative and seek it out. Digital signage is a fast moving, forward progressing industry. Opportunities exist everywhere there is a flat surface. For every large casino job with a thousand flat panel screens (including their mounts and computer counterparts) installed for every purpose imaginable, there are hundreds of jobs in that same area with two mounts, two panels, and a single computer. The one big job may get one or two installers, while the rest sit on the sidelines hoping to get the next mega job. The problem is that unless you have that market as your business model, you may be

sitting on the sidelines for a long time. Instead of the “big” one that got away, look toward the hundred that are right at your fingertips. Focus on the jobs you can get, not the ones that got away. As prices of panels, computers, and other A/V accessories continually get less expensive, more and more businesses can become potential customers for the Digital Signage industry. Posters and picture frames are giving way to a 47-inch LCD with content that can be changed daily. In every town and city across America, there are thousands upon thousands of gas stations, local book stores, bars, bike shops, and hair salons. Every one of these successful, “small” businesses want (and need) the same technology tools the big guys use. Your job is to show them how they can use it and why it makes sense for them to do so. Your job is not to ignore them. In fact, go out of your way to educate them that they, too, can afford and utilize digital signage to grow their businesses. Remember the old saying, “Spend a little to make a lot.” Don’t let these potential, and lucrative, customers go by the wayside because your company wants to land the next Big Box store national account. The great thing about digital signage is that it lends itself to business customization. This is not a one-size-fits-all technology, which

is perfect for the “smaller” customer. Each of these businesses wants to be (and needs to be) unique. They have to stand out in the world against the bigger chains. Using digital signage content, customized exactly for that customer or that market, helps them to stand out. This need may be even greater compared to the large, national chain. Even if your company is involved in large scale jobs, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be looking at the solo, two or three panel jobs. In most instances, the profit on these types of jobs is much greater than the large ones. They can take your small A/V business to a medium one, and a medium one to a large one. Take baby steps by knowing your current limitations so far as the amount of business you can handle at any given time. First stake out a 10-20 mile radius from your headquarters and identify all of the small, local businesses that may be able to benefit from digital signage and, ultimately, your services and expertise. Figure that, conservatively, one in five businesses will want a plan from you, and one in five of those will hire you. That can be a terrific start as it not only lands you new business, but it lays the groundwork for future growth with these new clients. After a few months, when you see the fruits of your labor, expand your perimeter once again. And what about the ones you didn’t get the first time around? You now have done the hard work of identifying potential customers and have already planted the seeds of what digital signage is and how it can benefit them. When they are ready, it’s you they will contact to do the work. Many companies may already have these client relationships in place from past work. Now may be the time to revisit those clients where you wired their office, hung a panel in their conference room, or installed the audio for their retail shop. Educate them on the benefits of digital signage and expand the business you already have. In today’s business climate, the power of a face-to-face introduction and handshake with small business owners is more powerful then it’s ever been. It leads to room for growth, both for your business, a potential client’s business, and for your

future partnership with them and neighboring businesses. And don’t forget, all big businesses started as the small, local business first. Tony Pelura is Director of Marketing & Business Development for Video Mount Products. He can be reached at tonyp@videomount.com.

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Example of a smaller installation at a local restaurant.

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May/June 2011

Proximity Marketing: DOOH and Mobile Have Joined Together to Form an Exciting New Form of Interactive Marketing Where Every Player Wins

magine what your favorite elementary school game, Show and Tell, would be like without the “Tell.” Granted, the “Show” is what attracts people—at first—but the “Tell” is what keeps them focused on what the “Show” is all about. These two elements work in tandem to create an engaging grand production. Similarly, proximity marketing is the grand production that results from two complementing advertising technologies. Proximity marketing, which is expected to reach $1.7 billion in 2012 according to Borrell Associates, combines two of the fastest growing advertising mediums today: Mobile (19.4% growth in the next year) and Digital out-of-home (DOOH, 15-16% growth in 2011). For advertisers and brand marketers, that is a triple whammy. By recognizing, and then reaching out to customers via Bluetoothenabled devices, proximity marketing takes the next step in digital signage advertising.

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DOOH already has the “Show;” proximity marketing adds not only “Tell,” but also “Ask” and “React” to Show and Tell. The grand production just keeps getting grander. Let’s look at the combination proximity marketing creates in more detail:

Digital Signage That Becomes Dynamic They’re beautiful, they draw attention, and they offer prime location for many different clients per element. Digital signs and DOOH networks are efficiently effective. For example, DOOH networks in the London Underground are able to generate 3 to 10 times the revenue of static signage. And with lowering hardware costs, digital signage solutions are now affordable to many. Until now, DOOH has been limited by its traditional implementation: digital signage lacks the ability to measure and react to its audience. Proximity marketing adds the measurement layer, boosting the benefits

to DOOH’s versatility and increasing the efficient ROI of digital signage.

Mobile, Mobile Everywhere In 2011, mobile devices (primarily mobile phones) are the most popular form of communication and interaction. By year’s end, 91% of Americans will own cell phones, 95% of which now have Bluetooth® capabilities, and half of which will be smartphones. 2010 was proclaimed the “Year of Mobile” by industry analysts and experts predict that by 2012, over 50% of digital content will be accessed via mobile. Consumers are turning more to their mobile devices for savings, as well as to digital coupons—over $1.2 billion in digital coupons were issued in 2010, representing a growth of 41%. This far outpaced traditional newspaper couponing, which only grew by 7% over the same period. In addition, the response rate for mobile location-based couponing (23-33%) far exceeded the traditional

By Alex Romanov

Two Great Advertising Mediums Combined

print coupon response rate (1.5-2%). The “mobile channel” (or interaction through mobile phones and other devices) is quickly becoming the highest-priority advertising medium for advertisers. With the proliferation of smartphones and the widespread, everyday familiarity of Bluetooth® technology, proximity marketing through the mobile channel is ready for large-scale implementation. Like right now.

The “Nuts and Bolts” A proximity marketing-enabled DOOH element is created by attaching an interactive marketing solution (IMS) unit (for simplicity’s sake, think a small box with an internal antenna) that is capable of interacting with customers’ mobile devices and relating information to its software/database system. Software is loaded into a digital sign’s media player and the small antenna plugs into the media player’s USB to identify and broadcast to any number of mobile devices within a preset proximity range, that is 3 to 300 feet. Entering a store or approaching a digital sign, customers will be asked by the IMS system to “opt-in” to receive a message via Bluetooth. This message can be

customized to fit the advertiser’s specific need. An exclusive offer, rich-media content, coupon, buy-one-get-one offer, movie or television trailers—the message options are virtually limitless. The IMS unit will identify the mobile device/customer by its unique ID. The IMS will also log the ID for measurement (incidentally, a different message can be programmed for each return visit by the ID/customer), and the customer will then opt in to receive content. Because of the customizability of the message content and the database “memory” of the IMS unit, the overall interactive experience with proximity marketing is completely modifiable and adaptable to customers (both new and repeat). Proximity marketing gives advertisers instantly measurable results for customer buying habits and timing.

For Advertisers in General Proximity marketing also gives advertisers the ability to interact with their audience and measure the results in real time—instantly grasp what is working and what is not— then instantly react (by changing content and remeasuring) if necessary. All of this occurs within minutes, not days or weeks.

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

Retailers Get to Play Too Proximity marketing enables retailers to target customers with interactive content. It also provides retailers with two things they have always wanted in a salesman, one that works for almost nothing; and doesn’t get distracted. IMS units are virtual salesmen that can “escort” multiple customers from 3 to 300 feet away (stride for stride, that’s 120 steps of exclusive interaction). In addition, proximity marketing provides a storewide “checkout aisle,” steering customer attention to both products they are looking for, and those they might have forgotten. By offering customers on-site, in-the-moment promotions, retailers increase the chance that customers will buy: a study done by IBM found that 72% of customers are more likely to act on a message they receive while “on location” compared to messages received off-site.

Engaging Consumers Intimately There’s little else in their possession that consumers feel more comfortable using than their own personal mobile device. Customers are intimate with these devices, and familiar with their use, unlike a standalone kiosk or in-store display. Therefore, the information

May/June 2011

“

There’s little else in their possession that consumers feel more comfortable using than their own personal mobile device . . . Therefore, the information that comes to their device is automatically important to the customer.

that comes to their device is automatically important to the customer. Proximity marketing overcomes the traditional problems associated with the mobile marketing channel: privacy and security. The primary consumer concern about mobile marketing communications has been the “intrusiveness” factor associated with advertising via SMS texting and email. And because proximity marketing is effected through Bluetooth ®, and requires “opting in,” the intrusiveness factor and security concerns are put to ease in the mind of the consumer.

Proximity Marketing in Action Recently the Mac’s/Couche-Tard convenience store chain implemented a proximity marketing program to be rolled out across its 1,400 stores in Canada. Pinpoint Media, the company responsible for managing the digital signage network in these stores, added the IMS system for the

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”

store chain. With 1.5 million customers visiting these locations, the retailer can expect a minimum participation of 10% unique i.d.’s (mobile devices). That’s approximately 4.0 million customers per month interacting with, and receiving advertising, rich media content, and coupons from its digital signage network. A further program consisting of loyalty program/reward-based promotions will be added soon, making this implementation a truly unique and cost effective marketing solution.

Saving the best for last… ROI Finally, let’s discuss the greatest benefit of proximity marketing over traditional forms of advertising and promotion: return on investment. Traditional mediums are extremely efficient and often fail to reach the intended audience. Take direct mail for example: the typical positive response rate is 1% from a mass mailing. Furthermore, direct mail can cost upwards of $50 to

$100 for unqualified leads. Proximity marketing, however, can deliver conversion rates of 20 times this; and since the customers opt in, the leads are qualified. After the initial investment, proximity marketing costs retailers approximately only 1% of the cost of tradition marketing programs such as direct mail. Proximity marketing is the culmination of two of the fastest growing advertising mediums. It is the logical next step in digital interaction between advertiser and consumer. Proximity marketing is the grand production of Mobile and DOOH advertising technology. Now, not only can you “Show” and “Tell,” you can “Show and Tell and Ask and React.” Consider it a 21st century adaptation of your favorite childhood game. SSM

Alex Romanov is the founder and CEO of iSIGN Media. He can be reached at alex@isignmedia.com

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Next Generation The

Outdoor Digital OOH is no longer a novelty;

he next generation of outdoor advertising has arrived and it is showcasing the outdoor advertising industry in a whole new light. The colors are vibrant, the images are crystal-clear and every eight seconds a new design is displayed, keeping audiences engaged. Forward-thinking advertisers are relying on this new medium to reach out to thousands of consumers daily.

Why Digital?

Digital billboards display static messages that resemble standard printed billboards when viewed, but because the display is driven by electronic files and not hard copy posters, advertisers have immediate creative flexibility to change messages throughout the course of a day. Images can be scheduled to run at certain times of the day, on particular days of the week or even on specific boards within the network. Marketers are using this medium to build intrigue and stay topof-mind with their audiences by seamlessly customizing time-relevant messages to consumers, creating countdowns to special events and varying the creative content an endless number of times. Turnaround for brand new designs is only 24 hours and there are no physical production costs, offering limitless creative possibilities. Especially in urban areas, digital billboards are attracting the public on-the-go in new innovative ways. A study by media research

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company Arbitron found that nine out of ten people notice advertising copy on digital billboards some or most of the time, and nearly two out of three find digital billboards to be a cool way to advertise. Plus, brand recall hit 50 percent for some advertisers. Advertisers, both non- and for-profit, have been increasingly turning to large format digital OOH assets in downtown areas across the country to promote products and initiatives. Beyond highway-based digital OOH properties like bulletins and posters, digital transit shelters and video boards in pedestrian

Outdoor Advertising

it’s a new mainstay. areas are also proving to be attractive assets to advertisers. With the addition of 4G WI-FI and Near Field Communications technology, these digital properties can deliver mobile content across individually selected locations and create even greater opportunities to instantly engage and interact with audiences. By allowing consumers with WI-FI & NFC-enabled cell phones to download content, advertisers can directly connect and interact with consumers, create an ongoing dialogue, continually update downloads to react to current market conditions, and research and quantify results.

[ By Greg McGrath ]

How Advertisers are Benefiting

In the last year alone, advertisers have utilized digital OOH in exceptionally creative ways. American global technology company, Intel, chose to include digital OOH as part of its multimedia campaign to unveil Smart TV – its integrated, interactive television that seamlessly marries the power of the Web to the television viewing experience. As part of the campaign, Intel used digital video screens on the Las Vegas Strip in the lead up and during this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show. Consumers visiting the Vegas Strip were able to text a phone number displayed on the digital screens airing Smart TV video shorts. Upon receiving an email link in response, consumers could then upload a photo of themselves directly to the screens to show their support for the new technology. Each photo was displayed for six seconds as part of a larger rotation of the overall submitted photos. By directly involving the consumer on a personal level, Intel was able to successfully create an interaction with its brand. Similarly, Yahoo! unveiled an interactive transit shelter campaign, coined the Yahoo! Bus Stop Derby (www.busstopderby.com), which ran in 20 high traffic locations throughout San Francisco from November 2010 to January 2011. The highly successful campaign used

May/June 2011

Advertisers, both non- and for-profit, have been increasingly turning to large format digital OOH assets in downtown areas across the country to promote products and initiatives.

interactive games to showcase Yahoo!’s mobile app offerings to San Francisco residents and commuters, many of whom spend their down time at transit shelters and using their smartphones to get information and stay connected on-the-go. Through a groundbreaking reporting system that collected real time data on the campaign, Yahoo! was able to measure the campaign’s game play, time, location, usage trends and click streams, finding that more than 175,000 games were played in the duration of the program.

Non-profit organizations have also found digital OOH to be an effective means of communication with the public for special initiatives and campaigns. In October 2010, Maria Shriver and the Alzheimer’s Association partnered with Clear Channel Outdoor to use our medium to showcase a groundbreaking new study called The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Takes on Alzheimer’s. The campaign highlighted the epidemic's effect on women as caregivers, advocates and people living with Alzheimer's Disease on digital displays in both Sacramento, California and on the East Coast in New York City's Times Square. Other non-profit organizations have also launched and completed successful digital campaigns across the country to raise awareness of special initiatives and assist in fundraising, including the Junior Giants, the San Francisco Giants Community Fund’s innovative and noncompetitive baseball program for children aged 5-18 years old; California Arts Council, a state agency whose mission is to advance California through the arts and

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creativity; the Trust for Public Land, a national, nonprofit, land conservation organization that played a key role in preserving the land next to the iconic Hollywood Sign, among others.

Engaging with the Community

In addition to growing interest from the advertiser community, many municipal governments have also embraced digital billboard networks as the technology allows transportation agencies, police departments and other emergency services an extraordinarily effective means of quickly notifying people away from their homes of important public safety information, such as severe weather conditions, disaster preparedness needs, and highway closures and serious traffic incidents. Through an agreement with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), several leading outdoor advertising companies display “Wanted” messages on all of their digital billboards across the country to assist in the apprehension of fugitives. A protocol is also established for high priority “hot pursuit” messages to assist apprehending suspects in the immediate aftermath of the commission of a felony. Since the partnership began in 2007, the initiative has led to the successful apprehension of more than 30 criminals as a direct result of information displayed on digital billboard networks across the nation. Through a partnership with Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), the Justice Department and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), digital billboard networks across the country are utilized to help recover abducted children through the distribution of AMBER Alerts. The digital networks enable law enforcement to display both text information and any available photographs on its billboards, which are located in high-traffic areas. Digital OOH technology is transforming the industry as the most flexible and responsive advertising platform. As this medium continues to expand with new advanced technologies, advertisers and communities will continuously have creative and impactful opportunities to connect and interact with key audiences in new ways. SSM Greg McGrath is Group President of the Western Region for Clear Channel Outdoor. He can be reached at gregmcgrath@clearchannel.com

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Content Guidelines for Digital Billboards Best Practices for Creating Dynamic Content for Digital Outdoor Advertising Contributed by Gina Peterson

FOR THE PAST DECADE

, digital LED (light emitting diode) billboards have been reshaping the outdoor advertising industry. This new wave of billboard advertising lets outdoor operators post higher returns than ever before simply because one digital billboard face can now act like ten or more static billboards. Outdoor companies are able to have numerous clients advertise on the same digital billboard throughout the day. But when outdoor companies have thousands of dollars worth of cutting-edge technology, they don’t want to waste its capabilities. The digital billboards content must be vivid, use contrast properly, and be effectively brief. Outdoor operators should know that the artwork/content created for LED billboards must be approached differently than artwork created for magazine/newspaper advertisements or television commercials. Print advertising has one chance to convey all necessary information to customers, whereas digital advertising can show several messages in a series of rotations giving advertisers multiple chances to convey the necessary information to customers. Though digital billboards show an ad for approximately 6 to 10 seconds, those that are most effective should be “devoured” in a glance. The message must be concise. It can be a person, a service, a product, a call to action, a promotion, etc.

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Three basic design principles graphic designers use on a daily basis to solve visual creative problems include: 1. Composition 2. Typography 3. Color

Composition

Layout is the design principle that determines the finished look of an advertisement. The most important principle for creating effective outdoor content is visual prioritization of the message, or hierarchy of communication. Consumers can’t hear and understand four messages at once; they can’t see and understand four messages at once, either. Define the items (ABC levels) you want to communicate and prioritize each piece in order of importance according to the following information. People read in chunks of information. They scan across, then down, and pick up information in logical sections. The more distinct those sections of information, the faster people interpret the meaning or the purpose of the message. Visual and written information that overlap on another can cause a reader to pause and sort the two apart before understanding the message. Using hierarchy of communication helps speed comprehension and increases retention of the message.

Hierarchy of Communication:

Use the levels as guidelines to first capture the viewer’s attention with a clear, single point of communication. Then give the viewer definition or detail that points back to the first level. Finally, give them the information they need to inspire an emotion, an action, or a purchase. Level A: A photo, logo, service, product image or price. Whichever is the most important piece of information. Level B: Supporting information that gives definition or detail to support level A. Level C: Relevant information that tells the customer where, how or who to contact for the information in levels A and B.

Typography

Typography is the arrangement and appearance of type on a page. The importance of typography in designing content for digital billboards can’t be overestimated. The accuracy, precision and balance of geometric forms can give letters the elegance and sharpness they deserve. Select easy-to-read typefaces. Large, bold fonts make it easier for your audience to read and comprehend text from different viewing distances. In addition, text using all capital letters is harder to read. Use text made up of both upper- and lower-case letters. Using text with all caps should be limited to short messages. Using a limited amount of text will help viewers’ readability and comprehension. Example: This Text Is Easier to Read from Far Away THIS TEXT IS HARDER TO READ FROM FAR AWAY

Make it a Campaign

In order to achieve maximum advertising flexibility and return on investment, a digital billboard should take advantage of day parting. A day-parted schedule advertises time-sensitive promotions at the time they are valid and targets specific demographics at the time they will see the billboard Digital billboard control software allows multiple clients to advertise separately on the advertising display. The software easily updates and automatically rotates through a series of individual clients’ digital advertisement slots. The slot belonging to one advertiser may also have unique digital content showing at each rotation. This provides a better chance to attract the attention of different demographics and promotes campaigns of ads with small amounts of text (i.e. information) instead of a single text heavy advertisement (see ineffective design image below). Below is a campaign of digital advertisements for a zoo with each ad containing similar design characteristics. The information is broken into four separate ads, making it easier for viewers to comprehend on a digital billboard rotation.

ADDITIONAL ADS IN THE ZOO CAMPAIGN

TRADITIONAL PRINT AD DESIGN

DIGITAL ADVERTISING DESIGN

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

May/June 2011

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Incorporating

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NSCA Conference June 13-17

Color

Take full advantage of a digital billboardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s color capability by using rich, vibrant colors. Bright, saturated colors (colors with no white in them) work better than pastel or low-contrast colors. Certain colors tend to evoke specific emotions or ideas, so choose them carefully to help support products and ideas. Colors that provide good contrast make content more appealing and easier to read. Achieve effective contrast by using colors with different values (how bright or dark a color is).

Avoid White Backgrounds

With LED technology, the color white is not your friend. It wastes power, shows imperfections, generally looks bad and poses a concern in most regulatory environments. Even though digital billboards are fully capable of producing white and pastel colors, it is not recommended. Taking advantage of the color capabilities is thoughtful and in general more pleasing to the eye. If white or pastels must be used, the content should only be scheduled for daytime viewing. Use black as your base color. Don't be afraid to use a lot of black!

Black Backgrounds:

For digital billboards, black is the absence of color. Black is created with the use of less light. White is the blending of all colors and the use of more light in digital billboards.

Digital Signage Technology for Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Applications

Digital billboard advertising gives outdoor companies the ability to be creative with their advertising and expand their customer base. Having effective message content is absolutely critical for your digital billboard to bring the sales lift you expect. SSM Gina Peterson is the Commercial Creative Services Manager at Daktronics Inc. For more information about digital billboards, please e-mail the Daktronics at outdoor@daktronics.com

May/June 2011

putting the

Context into Mobile By Steve Gurley

he growing number of mobile applications is creating a need for “mobile context.” Mobile context is defined as a match between a consumer’s environment (e.g. a venue such

as a store, hotel, restaurant, etc.) and the best mobile experience (e.g. mobile app, ad campaign, transaction, etc.) for that environment. Before a context can be established, a venue’s patrons must be made aware that one or more mobile experiences exist for that venue. Once the awareness is established, the venue’s patrons must then be educated on the scope of the mobile experience as well as the value of the experience. There are several techniques for creating a context. The most common are 2D Barcodes and SMS/Text Messaging campaigns. These methods cannot however be easily adapted or managed. A more superior method for creating mobile context is a new and burgeoning technology called digital signage. Digital signage is defined as a system for centrally managing the delivery of multimedia messages to electronic displays installed in venues (environments) for the purpose of educating, entertaining and/or influencing viewer behaviors.

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Hundreds of thousands of digital signage screens are in use worldwide and thousands more are being deployed daily. Very few however are being used to create a mobile context. Mobile app developers, wireless carriers and mobile advertisers can use digital signage to set mobile context, help venues create a more engaging experience for their visitors and increase their awareness of and dependence on a given mobile experience. The first step is to define the target audiences for the mobile experience and identify the venues in which the target audiences can be found. Once the venues are identified, the next step is to find the digital signage network operator(s) that service those venues. When looking to identify a digital signage network operator, it is important to note that not all signage operators are the same. Some are venue owners who operate their own digital signage networks, some are third parties who manage networks on the behalf of client venues and others are third parties that manage networks for their own benefit but allow venue owners to have access to a portion of the screen real estate. Venue owners who manage their own networks are generally the easiest to approach about promoting a mobile context. These operators intimately understand the purpose of digital signage and are likely to have a higher propensity to listen to ideas that can enhance the

It is important that those who promote the mobile experience understand their message’s position within the playlist and play schedule. The mobile message must play at a time that the desired audience will be present and receptive.

value of their signage network and business. One should know that third party network operators can be sold on promoting a mobile context, but it is likely to be a much more difficult and complex discussion. Third party network owners have a wider range of motivations for doing business than improving the fortunes of the venue owner. For the purposes of this discussion, we’ll focus on those venues in which the venue owners manage their own networks. Once the target audience and corresponding venues have been

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

identified and once it has been determined that the venues have a self-managed digital signage network, the next step is to identify and articulate how the mobile experience will benefit the venue. Venue management will only be comfortable promoting the mobile experience via their signage network if the experience can have a positive benefit on their business. It is therefore essential that those advocating the mobile experience be able to clearly articulate the value to the venue. After selling the venue on the value of the mobile experience, the next step is to craft a message that defines the scope and value of the mobile experience to the venue’s patrons and guests. It will then be essential to get the venue owner’s approval of the message. Once the customer-centric message is crafted and approved by the venue, it must then be repurposed (e.g. made into graphics, videos, illustrations, etc.) so that it can be displayed on digital signage. Many times owners of venue-managed signage networks have their own in-house creative staffs that can repurpose the message. If the venue does not have an in-house staff, then they will likely have a relationship with an outside creative agency that can repurpose the message. If neither option exists, then third-party creative suppliers can be retained to repurpose the message. When repurposing a message, it should be remembered that an effective digital signage message must be highly graphical and motionoriented. The challenge is to create a signage message that can be viewed and understood in less than 15 seconds. One should always remember the adage that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” The digital signage network operator will integrate the repurposed message into their network’s playlist. The playlist defines the times and dates that the signage message will play, on which screen(s) the message will play, and what priority the message will have on the screen’s layout. The priority of the message determines whether it will play on the entire screen or concurrent with other messages as a part of multimessage screen layout. It is important that those who promote the mobile experience understand their message’s position within the playlist and play schedule. The mobile message must play at a time that the desired audience will be present and receptive. Once the message is displayed on the signage and if everything is done correctly, venue patrons will then know about the mobile experience, understand the value of the mobile experience and know how to engage with the mobile experience. The mobile context will then be set. SSM Steve Gurley is Senior VP of Marketing at Symon Communications, Inc. based in Plano, TX. He writes a popular blog at www.steve-gurley.com and can be reached at sgurley@symon.com

May/June 2011

Signage Solutions

Products Signage Solutions & Products Digital signage products and solutions for today’s applications

Digital signage products and solutions, along with the technology which operates them, make the industry what it is today. Every issue of Signage Solutions Magazine features new products and solutions contributed by their respective companies. Please take time to review the products and see the full descriptions on our web site at www.signagesolutionsmag.com

Matrix LCD Video Wall Planar’s Clarity™ Matrix LCD Video Wall System is an optimal digital signage video wall solution for retail, public venue, airport, education and other markets. Clarity Matrix is a commercial-grade, ultra-narrow bezel LCD video wall system that produces high quality images across any configuration of its 46” LCD panels. It is dependable (50,000 backlight life), bright, quiet, easy to install and maintain. Key features include its ultra-thin profile (less than 4”depth), 7.3mm image-to-image tiling, unique mounting system for precise screen-to-screen alignment, off-board electronics that eliminate heat build-up, and Planar’s built-in processor, BigPicturePlus™. www.planardigitalsignage.com.

Broadcast Digital Signage as HDTV Cable Channel Create your own in-house digital signage channel with the Contemporary Research QMOD-HDSC HDTV Scaler Modulator. Just connect the signage player, and the QMOD's internal scaler formats the video for HDTV broadcast. You don't need to add expensive PCs at each display, just tune in - the TV is the signage player. www.crwww.com

Outdoor Digital Signage Enclosures Keep your expensive LCD, LED, and plasma screens safe from moisture, dirt, and vandals with durable aluminum display enclosures from Black Box. Ideal for both indoor and outdoor digital signage applications, the IP54-rated enclosures feature a fully sealed and tamper-resistant design. An anti-reflective, 4-mm tempered glass window on the front enables clear viewing when the cover is closed. Versions are available for 30"–52" displays. The enclosures have integrated fan cooling and air movement features with a display depth that enables air to circulate at the front of the window. Also available with AC cooling, as well as with built-in heaters and in special configurations for touch screen and back-to-back screen applications. Custom colors are also available to match your organization’s color scheme. www.blackbox.com/go/DispEnc

Digital Signage Content Management Announce is Visix’s new digital signage content management application offering robust media management, animated templates and themes and extensive data mapping tools. Announce provides powerful, yet friendly, desktop design tools all within the browser. Announce enables non-artists to easily create attractive multimedia messages and manage media content based on type, keywords, categories and name. Skilled designers can create animated fill-in-the-blank templates comprised of text, graphics and animated content while setting transitions, timing and Z-order using the effects timeline. These templates ensure all users consistently deliver high-quality content meeting organizational standards. www.visix.com

Business Management Software for Digital Signage Harris Punctuate is the first business management software solution designed specifically for digital-outof-home networks. New design features in Punctuate v1.2 provide tighter integration with InfoCaster, including support for sellable items through inventory creation and a scalable architecture that supports thousands of players across large networks. Other new features provide more robust support for business operations, including enhanced capacity to view, track, sell, schedule and bill for advertising in both video and still screen regions. Improved reporting features deliver detailed campaign performance and confirmation reports. www.digitalsignage.harris.com

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Signage Solutions

Products

Laser Phosphor Display (LPD) Solution Seamless 25” Laser Phosphor Display (LPD) tiles can be organized in any size or shape to display uniform imagery, viewable from nearly 180 degrees, in any indoor lighting environment. Complete solutions meet the needs of even the most inspired creative applications. In addition to displaying brilliant images, LPD scales to deliver the lowest cost of ownership, while meeting the highest standards of environmental impact. Prysm makes life-like, life-size HD displays that offer immersive user experiences. www.prysm.com Lightweight Media Player The Carousel Player 110 is a new, lightweight media player for Carousel, a digital signage platform by Tightrope Media Systems. It features an Intel® Atom™ Processor with an NVIDIA Ion Chipset for smooth transitions, crawls and video. Available as a media player for connecting to a new or existing Carousel system -- or a Solo model for a standalone solution (includes webaccessible digital signage system). www.trms.com Digital Signage Software Application Fusion is SpinetiX’s new digital signage software application, designed to dramatically simplify the implementation of small-scale signage projects. Now installed within every SpinetiX HMP Hyper Media Player, Fusion allows content to be managed via a web browser interface and can therefore be accessed either locally or remotely using a PC, Mac, Linux or iPad platform. www.spinetix.com

Wireless Video Presentation System The Wireless Video Presentation System from Black Box gives you an easy and inexpensive way to make any VGA projector wireless. As an 802.11b/g receiver device, it enables multiple PC or Mac® laptop users—even mobile PDA users—to project computer screen video presentations, including video, from right where they sit, eliminating the need to plug and unplug video cables at the projector to switch presenters. Because the Wireless VPS II communicates with handheld devices running Windows® Mobile , presenters no longer need to lug a laptop along to a meeting to participate. To share information, you simply log in to the system from a PDA and begin sending images through the room’s projector for everyone to see. It even comes with a “plug-and-show” token for fast setup by meeting participants. The system also supports 4-to-1 split-screen projection, so four users can display their screens on one screen at the same time—which is ideal for meeting collaboration and training. Plus it enables access from hundreds of feet away and even works as a wireless access point, so users can access and display video from the Internet or a wireless LAN. www.blackbox.com/go/VPS

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

May/June 2011

Signage Solutions Products

Signage Solutions & Products

New Pro LCD Displays New PN-“E” Series of Professional LCD Displays, offering large-format monitors of choice for sophisticated digital signage and display applications. Developed for commercial use, the 60- (60 1/16-inches diagonal), 52- (52 1/16-inches diagonal), 47- (46 15/16-inches diagonal) and 42-inch (42 1/16-inches diagonal) screen class monitors offer full 1920 x 1080 (1080p) resolution from most any analog or digital RGB source as well as HD video for outstanding image quality, and 10-watts per channel of stereo audio with built-in speakers. The monitors are compatible for 24/7 use in both landscape and portrait modes. To ensure maximum flexibility for signage and display applications, they offer an optional input/output interface expansion board along with Signage Controller. www.sharpusa.com

1x4 Video, Audio, and Control Distribution Amplifier A professional-grade active distribution amplifier which distributes YPbPr video, stereo audio, and IR or RS232 control signals from a single source to four remote destinations via inexpensive twisted pair cable, such as Cat 5 or Cat 6. The DIGI-V3SD-T4 features 1080i and 720p video performance, high-fidelity 20Hz to 20kHz audio performance, and IR or bidirectional RS232 extension up to 1,000 feet when used with Intelix DIGI -V3SD series twisted pair receivers. In addition, the unit also features local monitor support and is linkable for additional remote destinations. www.intelix.com

Touchless Interactive Screen A new solution for retailers across the globe - the FW - a 46" touchless interactive screen that is sure to captivate any lucky bystander. Beyond dazzling consumers with touchless interactivity, the FW is the perfect platform to put marketing initiatives into action and meet company objectives. Whether they push high-margin products or drive turnover of slow-moving inventory, our clients are able to educate their customers and build brand loyalty while at the same time improving their bottom line. www.simbioz.com

1080p Video Extender over CAT5 cable Simplify your digital signage setup with this USB-line powered, CATx-based VGA extender kit. The Wizard Multimedia Extender LP’s transmitter plugs into a USB port on a host PC or player and extends that power over a twisted-pair cable link, transmitting low-voltage power via a spare wiring pair to its receiver. With no bulky transformers to plug in, you can reduce clutter locally at the source and remotely at the display. Even at its maximum distance of 500 feet, the extender supports the transmission of Full HD 1080p video on its VGA connectors. In addition, it features adjustable skew compensation and supports advanced Display Data Channel (DDC) protocols via standard stored settings or by emulation, so you can ensure crisp, sharp video display. www.blackbox.com

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Digital Signage Graphics Platform X2O Media’s next-generation NITRO graphics platform provides unparalleled performance and exciting new display possibilities for any kind of dynamic digital signage content. NITRO combines stunning graphics and real-time animations with powerful features such as an innovative Channel-in-Channel™ capability for a virtually unlimited number of overlapping channel layers, and integrated 3D support for the creation of 3D objects and tickers. X2O will be introducing products powered by the NITRO graphics platform throughout 2011. www.x2omedia.com

Signage Solutions

Products

All-weather Outdoor LCD Display 46-inch full-HD 1080p all-weather outdoor LCD TV is designed with an outdoor-rated ASA plastic resin exterior that protects the internal TV components from rain, dirt, insects and other outdoor elements. Built into the exterior is an anti-reflective, impact- and scratchresistant window that protects the 46” full-HD 1080p LCD screen with 4000:1 contrast ratio. The integrated 20-watt speakers and user-friendly operating controls are sealed against rain and moisture. The TV’s internal climate control consists of a filtered multi-fan airflow system that quietly keeps the unit cool in temperatures up to 122o. A thermostatic heater automatically protects the TV in external temperatures to -24º F., while at the same time controls humidity and condensation. www.sunbritetv.com

Configure Control Panels For Specific Users Control server software allows users to access personalized Web-based control panels. Each user can login to the Display Express control server to access the panel assigned to the user and have defined access to the display control network. Demonstrate features from iPhones, change news and information sources on the fly from your desktop, use a wireless tablet to test operations as you walk a facility, trigger site-wide emergency broadcasts—all without touching the primary system pages, schedule, or features. www.crwww.com

High-Speed HDMI Extender Kits With Full 3D Support The high-speed HDMI extender kits are a perfect solution for remotely located Blu-ray™ players, Sony® PlayStations®, Apple TVs®, video codecs, and matrix switchers. The AT-HD4-SI40SR extends full HD 1080p or 1920x1200 signals from an HDMI source up to 130 feet over a single Cat 5/5e/6/7 cable. Featuring HDBaseT technology, the AT-HD4V110SR extends HDMI sources up to 350 feet at 4Kx2K resolution while providing bidirectional RS232, IR, and Ethernet pass-through. In addition, the units provide support for Deep Color, HDCP, and full 3D, while preserving 7.1-channel digital audio, including DTS-HD and Dolby® TrueHD. HDMI.org only certifies HDMI cables up to 33 feet, posing a challenge for installers needing to deliver a reliable signal from remotely located devices. To address this issue, Atlona's HDMI extenders feature two independent power supplies and allow the transmission to be reliably extended by up to 130 feet at 1080p, 200 feet at 720p/1080i by the AT-HD4-SI40SR, or 350 feet at 4Kx2K (four times the resolution of 1080p) by the AT-HD4-V110SR. www.atlona.com

HDMI Cable Bracket This unique cable bracket is used to secure HDMI cables to a product's input and output connectors. It reduces the stress on the HDMI connectors and prevents intermittent or complete signal loss due to a loose cable connection. Its compact design allows for easy installation with most HDMI cables and devices, including in space constrained areas where HDMI connectors are stacked, or as a retrofit to secure previously installed cables. www.extron.com

Digital Signage Software NCR Netkey Digital Signage software is powerful yet easy-to-use, and addresses the business processes and workflows required to develop, deploy, operate, manage and report on networks of digital signs displaying advertisements and a wide variety of content and media types. Key features include: drag-and-drop playlist creation, content scheduling and delivery, ticker and RSS newsfeed enablement, campaign management, and proof-of-performance reporting. NCR Netkey Digital Signage is available either as perpetual licensed software or software-as-a-service (SaaS). www.netkey.com Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

May/June 2011

Signage Essentials Understanding the Basics

The Role of Technology in a Digital Signage Strategy By Joseph Agostini

echnology, technology, technology. Although there are several important aspects that go into a digital signage network, technology is bringing ever-changing opportunities to marketing strategies. Just a few years ago, digital signage simply referred to the place based screens at the point of sale. And while those screens, depending on venue, remain the most influential to a customer, web and mobile screens, undeniably, now play a major role in digital media strategies. Consider that over 80% of the U.S. population, including children, use cellular phones. Integrating mobile marketing into digital signage strategies takes advantage of a great opportunity to engage consumers around the clock. Targeted messaging can be sent to those subscribers via text message, which can be customized to maximize returns on investment based on time of day, day of the week, or month of the year. Research tells us that mobile advertisements elicit purchases in nearly 10% of mobile phone users; most of which are purchased either on the same mobile device or online. Failure to devise a digital signage strategy that includes the mobile market would leave billions of dollars in revenue on the table. Although the world wide web is less than thirty years old, it has quickly become the core of everyday business. Do you know any reputable companies that do not have a website? I would hope not. In most cases, having a strong web presence is the best way to reach clients when they are not in the store, but rather in their home or at work. A functional and captivating website is an invaluable tool. The ability to accept credit cards, ACH transfers, and PayPal directly through a website is another way technology is helping to drive sales, and as such, should be incorporated into online strategies. To put things into perspective, about 1/3 of

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U.S. citizens surf the internet for information. With the ability to research, compare, and purchase nearly any product in the comfort of their own homes, internet users are a perfect target for strategic marketing. The ever-evolving internet has also brought social media to the forefront. Evident from the popularity of the movie “The Social Network”, Facebook, Twitter, and their likes bring an extremely effective meth-

“Interactive touch screen technology brings a great way to not only educate consumers about products, but to actually sell them immediately with the touch of a few buttons.”

Example of Jack-in-the-Box kiosk where customers order and pay without speaking with an associate.

od of promoting products to the masses. Nearly every medium-to-large corporation has a presence not only through a website, but also through a social media site. With the right social media campaign, potential and current customers can be influenced around the clock. Customers can even follow said companies through their own profiles. Every new product, sale, event, or any other news can be delivered by companies directly to their targets, whenever they choose to send influencing announcements. Marketing strategies should include this low risk, highly beneficial complement to traditional digital signage. Interactive touch screen technology brings a great way to not only educate consumers about products, but to actually sell them immediately with the touch of a few buttons. Jack-in-the-Box is a great example of how it is utilized to maximize return on investment. At nearly all their locations, they now have a touch screen menu that organizes food items by type. Consumers can search through options, add items to their order, customize ingredients, and purchase their meals without taking the time to speak to a live person. Additionally, at the checkout screen, customers are offered upgrades such as combo meals and supersizing, an automated function that the computer will never forget to offer. Not only does the digital screen increase sales, but because employees are removed from the ordering process, it reduces labor costs and saves time. Network operators should also take into account technological advances that will yield additional options of which to market through. In the very near future, virtual mirrors will be a reality. Imagine walking into a clothing store and picking out clothes either off the rack or on a digital interactive touch screen. Then, to save time and effort, you stand in front of a mirror rather than taking items to a

Signage Solutions

Signage Essentials

Imagine walking into a clothing store and picking out clothes either off the rack or on a digital interactive touch screen. Then, to save time and effort, you stand in front of a mirror rather than taking items to a fitting room. The mirror not only reflects you, but an infrared scanner outlines your body and sends information to a computer. The computer analyses your measurements and couples it with your clothing selections. The mirror then reflects you and your clothing choices while a digital screen gives you a 360-degree virtual view of how you will look. fitting room. The mirror not only reflects you, but an infrared scanner outlines your body and sends information to a computer. The computer analyses your measurements and couples it with your clothing selections. The mirror then reflects you and your clothing choices while a digital screen gives you a 360-degree virtual view of how you will look. If you choose to move forward, your choices will be printed out to include the correct sizes and chosen colors of each clothing article selected. Then, only the prescreened clothes need to be tried on, or, if

you are comfortable with your selections, purchasing can be completed on the touch screen and articles can be picked up on the way out. Again, this technology is not far from becoming reality and common marketplace. Technological advances are driving consumers to shop in non-traditional methods, if they can still be considered non-traditional. Web, cellular, and other non-place-based purchasing methods are now commonplace. Because consumers are following technology, so must digital signage strategies.

Digital strategies can include concepts such as the virtual fitting room. By consulting with network integrators, marketing personnel can include plans that will utilize all technologies available and even some that will be in the near future. The integrator will know the latest technology and should be able to offer guidance as to what is possible in the world of digital signage. SSM Joseph Agostini is Vice President Network Operations at Seatac Digital Resources, Inc.

Advertise Here. Reach close to 19,000 decision makers in the following industries: • Marketing/Advertising • Arts, Entertainment, Recreation • Banking, Finance • Bars, Nightclubs • Casinos • Corporate Communications • Digital Out-of-Home Networks • Educational Facilities • Government

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Signage Solutions Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

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May/June 2011

By The Way

“Engagement” Out-of-Home

AOOH

EOOH

“…the people make up the network.” By Mike Cearley

Media consumption and consumer behavior

and “always on” technology have evolved to such a high point that there is no longer an easy formula for moving someone down the decision/purchase funnel. That same technology has transformed the places and things around us into consumption & interaction “screens” – “Out-of-Home” is no longer just the mass awareness platform that agencies and brands have relied on in their media mix to achieve maximum impressions. There is a “new” Out-of-Home and it’s all about engagement. I don’t like the “Digital Out-of-Home/DOOH” moniker. I’m starting to dislike “digital signage” just as much, but unfortunately, these are the two most widely-used terms in the industry. Ask anyone in the industry what they actually do, and 9 people out of 10 (if not all 10) will give you a response with “DOOH” or “digital signage” in it. And if you asked them what exactly that is, I’d put a solid bet on a response that included something like this – “it’s a network of screens held together by digital technology. Network. Screens. Digital technology. Bleh. 1995, anyone? Is OOH, DOOH, and digital signage anything more than Awareness Out-of-Home? Digital signage (technology + a display) has enabled brands to be more effective at creat-

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ing awareness, with dynamic loop times and dayparting and on-the-fly content updates, but at the end of the day, it’s all about pushing content out to as many eyeballs as they can. It’s about impressions. OOH/DOOH can be an extremely effective channel at achieving those impressions. Here’s the thing(s) about Awareness though: • Relies more heavily on the channel (or “screen”) than it does on the brand story • The media component is driven by mass reach, not targeted personalization • Brand is at the center, communication is to many • It’s a push message, meaning it’s a “talk-to” communication, meaning it’s a 1-way communication, meaning there is no real brand/consumer engagement • Consumers are guided down the funnel, literally, by screen (the placement of the screen guides the brand story) • The technology is the thing which keeps everything connected So, sure, if you want to talk about networks and technology, er “DOOH” & “digital signage”, here’s where we should be talking. This is what I hear people talking about now – hardware and software and networks and installations and everything else. If you boil it down, it’s all an awareness discussion. But, I don’t see the true potential in using the OOH/DOOH channel as a more efficient

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By The Way

awareness channel. Display technologies drive more consumption; they don’t drive more engagement. And this is the big differentiator – do you want to use OOH, even DOOH as an awareness channel? Or do you believe that the places and things around us have the ability to engage consumers where they are and actually drive them deeper into the brand experience? This is the “new” OOH and this is its potential. Engagement Out-of-Home is predicated on the understanding that a) everyone and everything is connected and b) the places and things around us have the ability to be turned “on.” Everything is a screen, but the screen is not what makes up the network in Engagement OOH; the people make up the network. They are made stronger by technology – enabling technologies here, not display technologies – and brands can and should take advantage of these developments. Engagement OOH provides a unique opportunity for brands to go beyond just being there and allows them to tell their story in a way that they would not have otherwise been able to tell it – in an individual, 1-to-1 engagement. (And it doesn’t have to be on a mobile phone. It can be on a floor in a store.) It’s less about the technology and more about the interaction. That’s the nut – engagement OOH enables brands to be more effective at driving interaction – not awareness – on everything around us. As compared to Awareness OOH, Engagement OOH: • Relies more heavily on the brand story than it does on the channel (or “screen”) • The media component is driven by targeted personalization, not mass reach • In one sense, the brand can be at the center, but communicate to one. In another sense, the consumer is at the center and the brand has the ability to engage with them. The key is that it’s a personalized communication

•

• •

It’s a push/pull message, meaning it’s a “talk-with” communication, meaning it’s a 2-way communication, meaning there is actually real brand/consumer engagement Consumers are guided down the funnel by interaction The brand story is the thing keeps everything connected

So, maybe we still need to be talking in 1995 speak. I have a feeling that I’ll continue hearing more talk in these terms, at least for the foreseeable future. If you look at social media and the way it had been talked about until the last year or so, it was all talked about differently, too. Now, there are enough buzz-words to make someone feel sick. But whenever I hear “DOOH” or “digital signage,” I always stop and give it pause and really try to determine what people are talking about. And most of the time, they are talking about true “digital” Out-of-Home or true “digital” signage. Interactivity is either an afterthought or void from the thought altogether. I just look at it a little bit differently. For every action, there is a reaction and we have the responsibility, not to mention the opportunity, to be there and interact and have a 2-way communication so the relationship doesn’t end as soon as they walk away. It gets stronger. I believe that can only happen through engagement. It’s important to note that I am not a media guy and never have been. I’ve always been an experience guy, so that’s immediately where my mind goes, regardless of the “channel.” I love this space because it truly is a blank canvas, not confined by structure or surface, or technology or medium – only by the limits of our imagination and the strength of a brand’s story. SSM Mike Cearley is Senior Vice President of Consumer Engagement at Fleishman-Hillard. He authors a blog, www.11thscreen.com, where he explores all things Digital/Interactive Out-of-Home and its convergence with our everyday lives. Mike can be reached at 1thscreen@gmail.com.

Advertiser Index BLACKBOX www.blackbox.com .............................................................................................................................................. 21 CHIEF www.chiefmfg.com ..........................................................................................................................................Back Cover ITSENCLOSURES www.itsenclosures.com ............................................................................................................................ 11 INFOCOMM 2011 www.infocommshow.org ........................................................................................................................... 28 MITSUBISHI www.mitsubishi-presentations.com .......................................................................................... Inside Front Cover NEC DISPLAYS www.necdisplay.com ...................................................................................................................................... 3 PANASONIC www.panasonic.com ......................................................................................................................................... 25 PEERLESS MOUNTS www.peerlessmounts.com ..................................................................................................................... 7 QVS, INC www.qvs.com ......................................................................................................................................................... 29 SEATAC DIGITAL RESOURCES www.seatacdigital.com ........................................................................................................... 5 SYMON COMMUNICATIONS www.symon.com ...................................................................................................................... 9 VIDEO MOUNT PRODUCTS www.videomount.com .............................................................................................................. 33 X20 MEDIA www.x2omedia.com ............................................................................................................................................. 17

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Number of screens in your current or planned network?  1-10

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 101-500

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What industry best describes your current profession:  Transportation  Healthcare  Arenas/Stadiums  Financial/Corporate  Houses of Worship  Marketing/Advertising  VARs/Integrators  Retail/Restaurants  Public Spaces  Hospitality  Education  DOOH Network

What title best describes your current position:  President/CEO  Owner  Manager  Marketing/Communications  Facility Manager  Designer/Architect  Integrator/Installer  VAR  Information Technology  Network Manager

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