Companies of All Budgets Can Use Digital Signage

Posted on Jan 30, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

Digital Signage Today has a great article by Jack Nargundkar, vice president of marketing and business development for Cilutions, Inc., about digital signage opportunities. The article is by Jack Nargundkar; the boldface was done by me.

A prevailing myth continues to be that digital signage are costly applications, which only large, display-needy environments such as airports, casinos, college campuses, entertainment parks and sports stadiums can afford. But the spread of broadband Internet access among small to medium businesses (SMBs) and the availability of subscription-based digital signage software mean companies of all budgets have he ability to run a screen network.

SaaS means opportunities for SMBs Current digital signage service offerings in the marketplace are mostly targeted at the large enterprise with a significant number of locations or target sites, typically over 100.  Also, the typical large enterprise opts for an end-to-end managed digital signage service, where it selects the digital signage hardware/software components that it needs.

There are a few SMB customers, who also choose an à la carte option for convenience and just drop-in required digital signage components into their existing network infrastructure. Some SMBs opt to save on overall digital signage service implementation costs by buying the relevant digital signage components, but choosing to manage the digital signage service in-house.

However, by using a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, digital signage service can be positioned to appeal to a larger untapped SMB market segment. Typical SMBs have fewer than 50 digital signage sites or screens. These SMBs would much rather prefer the cost-efficiencies afforded by a hosted digital signage service, wherein the minimum requirement is for them to have an existing broadband connection to the Internet.

In this increasingly popular SaaS model, a low-end SMB does not even have to commit to buying any computer hardware or software upfront. With a simple broadband Internet connection, an SMB can access digital signage applications as a Web service for a small monthly fee. Also, using some sort of a barter plan, the SMB can independently negotiate for advertising and/or programming space on third party LCD screens within its community.  For a more tech-savvy SMB that already owns LCD screens, a more sophisticated Application Service Provider (ASP) version of the hosted digital signage service can provide additional content management and distribution options.

By making these increasingly popular digital signage solutions more affordable, the SaaS business model can provide a unique competitive advantage to the 4.8 million broadband-enabled SMBs.

The question then becomes what is an affordable monthly fee to a typical SMB? A cost-benefit analysis targeted at specific verticals within the SMB segment has shown that there are certain verticals which are more amenable to the value provided by a hosted digital signage service. These broader categories that are favorably inclined to a hosted digital signage service include automotive franchises, beauty salons, convenience stores, healthcare establishments, hospitality services and legal offices.

Broadband means digital signage for everyone.

Per government estimates, there are more than six million small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) in the United States. AMI-Partners’ research has shown that U.S. SMBs possessed a strong Internet and high-speed network infrastructure, making this group a huge untapped market opportunity for digital signage.

Among medium businesses (those with 100 to 999 employees), the penetration rate of broadband Internet access is nearly 95 percent. Even among small businesses, 62 percent of companies who owned at least one PC are using broadband Internet, with an 84 percent adoption rate predicted for 2009. It is estimated that there is a total addressable market of approximately 4.8 million broadband-enabled SMBs.

A more affordable medium for SMBs: Fortunately for the SMB market, the costs involved with operating digital signage are dropping, particularly those paid up-front. The cost of flat panel displays – a major cost component in any overall digital service offering – continues to tumble. The SaaS model means software is paid for over time rather than a one-time fee for a license.

Large corporations that own or lease their private networks to run mission-critical applications have a harder time cost-justifying upfront capital expenditures related to digital signage. Given the overall size of the market, which Cap Ventures estimates at 2.7 million digital signage sites, the urgent need is to reduce or eliminate the initial capital investment costs that make it a non-starter. With a falling capital investment involved, the SMB segment is more likely to take interest in digital signage.

In these tough economic times, SMBs that take these incremental steps can help catapult the digital signage business into a period of rapid growth over the next several years.

FASTSIGNS: Advertising Is About Communication and Image

Posted on Jan 28, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

From the January 20, 2009 Marketwire website comes this VERY good article about why a business should use digital signage. The FASTSIGNS people are absolutely spot-on right!  (The words belong to FASTSIGNS; the bold-facing was done by me.)

Advertising is about communication and image, and nothing conveys those messages more affordably, flexibly or effectively than the right sign or graphic. The effective use of signs and graphics are an integral way to extend the value of an advertising campaign, especially in these economic times. From in-store posters to vehicle graphics, trade show graphics to floor graphics, promotional banners to special event signs, at client meetings and in prospective client presentations, signs and graphics are being used to reinforce advertising messages.

Because of their relatively low cost, long life, and 24-hour-a-day work ethic, signs can carry a marketing message to more people per dollar invested than almost any other medium. A well-designed, well-placed sign can generate tens or even hundreds of thousands of impressions per day for months or years at a time — and depending on the nature of the business and the type of sign selected, it could pay for itself with the very first customer it attracts. According to a survey of 2,475 shoppers by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 50% of those surveyed learned about a business from their on-premise sign.

“Signs and graphics affordably extend any advertising message,” says Drue Townsend, senior vice president of marketing with international sign and graphics franchisor FASTSIGNS International, Inc. “Signs can put your advertising message in front of the customer when and where they are ready to learn or buy. With today’s technology, virtually any wall, window, ceiling, vehicle, or floor surface can be turned into a work of marketing ‘art’ by simply utilizing a vibrant graphic.”

Ad agencies are increasingly using signs and graphics to extend the value of their clients’ campaigns and reinforce its message. Signs featuring large-format, full color graphics are powerful tools that grab the buyer’s attention, and help put the campaign in places beyond where television, radio, the internet and other media typically reach.

There are virtually no limits to what a good signage program can do for a business, organization or event. Keep these tips in mind when putting a signage plan into effect:

--  Make it memorable -- fast.  You only have a few seconds to attract
    attention. Limit the number of words and use full color, large format
    digital graphics to bring products or services to life to make the message
    more memorable.

--  Keep it simple.  A logo, a colorful representative image, and a
    message that gets right to the point are effective designs for impactful
    signs.

--  Add variety.  A good signage program isn't just a single sign. Carry a
    theme through all signs and graphics: on vehicles, on walls, the floor or
    windows, the side of the building, and more!
    

Bottom line… advertising is about communication and image. Implementing signs and graphics can help convey messages for any business, effectively and affordably.

FASTSIGNS® sign and graphics centers use innovation and technology to make the sign buying process fast and simple by offering consulting, design, production, file transfer, delivery and installation for a full range of custom sign and graphic products. For more information, visit www.fastsigns.com.

Daily DOOH Announces Top Ten Digital Signage Vendors

Posted on Jan 26, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

As I mentioned last week in the post about EnQii’s participation in the NRF’s convention and expo, the Daily DOOH has indeed published an article listing their Top Ten Digital Signage Vendors, and the reasoning they used in their choices.

Their Top Ten List is as follows:

=1 Cisco
=1 EnQii
3. Broadsign
4. C-nario
5. YCD
6. ScreenRed
7. Scala
8. Remotemedia
9. TELentice
10.Stratacache

Some of the criteria used in the DOOH’s choices were:

Please read the entire article; it will not only clarify all of these things; it will also give you lists of other digital signage companies that bear watching!

The Daily DOOH’s article can be found right HERE.

EnQii President to Speak About Digital Signage at NRF Convention and Expo

Posted on Jan 22, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

From Digital Signage Central comes this article about EnQii president Stuart Armstrong’s speaking engagement at the 2009 National Retail Federation’s Annual Convention & Expo last week, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

Entitled “Creating Competitive Advantage with In-Store Digital Signage”, the half hour speech at 3:00 P.M. is designed to point attendees in the best direction regarding the use of in-store digital signage.

Armstrong will be joined by Bernie Shimkovitz, president of Alliance Financing, in order to demonstrate various business models and how to avoid the traditional up-front capital expenditure (CapEx) outlay for a network.

“This is an excellent platform to convey some of the knowledge we have amassed at EnQii about digital signage,” Armstrong said. “I’ll be showing how to drive increases in core metrics such as conversions and sales uplifts, as well as putting teeth into cross-channel merchandising. And both myself and Bernie Shimkovitz with be talking about the effectiveness of digital merchandising when applied to financing options.”

Enqii was recently rated #1 of the Top Ten Digital Signage Vendors, according to the Daily DOOH.

Signage Live Joins the Twitterati!

Posted on Jan 21, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

Well, well, it seems that Signage Live has joined the social networking crowd at Twitter! I’m impressed, and greatly so, because this means that their CEO, Jason Cremins, understands the immense power of social networking, and has come to realize what a Twitter presence can do for any business.

Mr. Cremins will be keeping the Twitter crowd informed about Signage Live insights and news AS IT HAPPENS – Twitter’s specialty – as well as news about the upcoming ISE show in Amsterdam.

Digital Signage at the Inauguration

Posted on Jan 20, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

Thanks to digital signage, more people than ever will be able to watch Barack Obama’s historic inauguration “up close and personal.”

Digital Signage Expo gives us the details:

While Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States in an inaugural ceremony projected to attract well over a million spectators, four enormous mobile video screens — including the world’s largest high-resolution mobile LED unit — will assure that everyone gets an up-close view of the historic moment.

The mobile video screens, provided by GoVision LP of Keller, Texas, and manufactured by Daktronics Inc. of Brookings, S.D., will provide live video footage of the event backed by state-of-the-art image processing. The largest of the four screens, known as “GoBigger,” boasts a massive 19-by-33-foot display utilizing Daktronics HD-X technology, which features higher contrast and wider viewing angles than any other display of its type, according to the company.

The event marks the second time GoVision, a leading provider of larger-than-life LED video walls and mobile units, has been chosen as the exclusive mobile video provider for the presidential inauguration ceremony. The company also provided four jumbo screens for President George W. Bush’s second inaugural ceremony in 2005.

In addition to the four truck-mounted screens in downtown Washington, GoVision also is setting up mobile units for watching parties at the Canadian embassy and in Chicago’s Grant Park.

“We think January 20 may go down as the biggest large-screen rental day in history,” said Chris Curtis, CEO of GoVision, who has been fielding calls from organizers of events in several cities across the country.

“We are pleased that our screens will be a little part of history on the world’s biggest stage,” added Myron Linde, Daktronics mobile and modular sales manager.

PDM, EnQii Partner to Bring DOOH Media to Australia

Posted on Jan 19, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

From Digital Signage Today.com comes an interesting article about the new partnership between PDM and EnQii, its purpose being to target the Australasian digital out-of-home (DOOH) media market.

EnQii has a customer base of over 100 customers in 14 countries, and a proven track record of over a decade.  This is due to EnQii’s RemoteTransfer™ software, which has had no system outages since its launch, in spite of a 75% increase in network traffic in 2008 alone.

“We have been aware of PDM’s outstanding work in the Australian marketplace for several years, and are delighted EnQii has been selected as the technology partner to support their remarkable growth,” said EnQii vice-president Asia Pacific, Joe Rossi. “We are also pleased to have secured the rights to PDM’s Acuity software, which automates the day-to-day running of a DOOH media network. To support PDM and to pursue other opportunities in the region we are also announcing the opening of our Melbourne office.” 

For more details about the PDM/EnQii partnership, click on over to DigitalSignageToday.com and read the article in its entirety.

Digital Signage Expo Will Showcase New Products!

Posted on Jan 16, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

From INewsWire comes a preview of the newest, most cutting-edge technology for digital signage and all kinds of interactive technologies!  The Digital Signage Expo will be in Las Vegas at the Convention Center, from February 24-26.  If you want to attend, or wish to exhibit, please contact Chris Gibbs at 770-649-0300 ext. 17, or visit the Digital Signage website, where you will find even more information!

Here is a partial list of what you can expect to see in the way of new digital signage/interactive technology at this year’s Digital Signage Expo:

•    BroadSign’s Creator, a web-based content creation tool that allows simple and intuitive template-based dynamic messaging.
•   Adder Corporation’s new Adderlink X50 Extender allows greater user flexibility among others: a system administrator who works on a PC that is located in a secure or isolated area at the site, or the ability to make presentations in a room where it is not feasible to have a computer.
•    AdFlow Networks’ Media Player Engine, an interactive selling tool that encourages impulse buying, may be updated in real-time, is easy to use and requires no IT resources or large up-front investment.
•    Allure Global’s DigiBox allows display of fully animated digital movie posters with movie times and ratings in full color.
•    DT Research’s DS1700, 17-inch all-in-one-signage system which provides an integrated computing display in one slim, mountable package, ideal for digital signage and kiosk applications.
•    NEC’s new MultiSync 15 Series with new mechanical design, comprehensive output panels and robust functionality.
•    Omnivex’s Moxie offers digital signage design and management tools, through a browser interface.
•    Samsung’s Matrix Interlocking Display 2 allows sturdy, stable video walls up to four displays high, by an unlimited number of displays wide.
•    Thomson’s PRN’s new interactive product Display TV merchandising solution.
•    Tightrope Media Systems’ new Carousel 5.2.0 offers Carousel Touch, allowing interactive bulletins through touch screen panels.

According to the President of ExpoNation, LLC, and producer of Digital Signage Expo Chris Gibbs:  “The Digital Signage, Interactive Technologies and Out-of-Home Network Industry is still growing.  As of this date, we have a record high number of exhibitors and more registered attendees for 2009 than we had for the 2008 show.  Those statistics suggest that organizations are focused on the significant benefits and opportunities that our industry’s technology and solutions offer.”

The Expo will feature, among many other things, a full day conference called “Revolutionizing Interactive Marketing in Public Spaces with Mobile and Gestural Digital Signage.”

The International Pavilion will host exhibitors from around the world, and the New Product Pavilion will showcase what’s brand new in the world of digital signage!  And there’s more, much MUCH more!

The full press release for the Digital Signage Expo may be read here.

Digital Signage Enhances Customer Experience

Posted on Jan 14, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

More and more, retailers, hospitals, schools, and other businesses and institutions are discovering that digital signage can enhance their customer/patient/user experience in many ways, much more than traditional, one-dimensional printed signs and ads could ever do.

For one thing, a digital sign can offer captivating, memorable, creative content, showcasing services, merchandise, people, sales, new products, etc. in ways that grab the attention and are remembered long afterward.

OTX (Online Testing eXchange) conducted several surveys and studies about digital signage, and came to the conclusion – supported by charts and other data – that “Most adults say advertising on digital signage catches their attention – and they consider such advertising unique and entertaining, and less annoying than both traditional and online media, according to a study by OTX (Online Testing eXchange) conducted for SeeSaw Networks.”

To see some of the data and charts collected and compiled by OTX, concerning digital signage, click here.

Symon Communications Releases New Software

Posted on Jan 12, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

Symon Communications‘ newest suite of digital signage products, including version 10 of its content management and distribution software, an enhanced version of its content design and scheduling software, a newly-developed version of its system administration software, two new Microsoft Vista-based media players, and a new addition to its OnTarget content services, were released on Jan. 6, 2009.

Symon’s platform is based on Microsoft’s most state-of-the-art multimedia architecture, which makes this new release a significant advancement in digital signage and out-of-home network technology, allowing Symon’s customers many benefits, among which are advanced graphics and sophisticated 3D animations.

Charles Ansley, president and CEO of Symon, has this to say:  “This new suite of products is a revolutionary advancement in visual communications technologies that Symon is well known for and that will allow us to quickly react to market needs, customer requests and emerging trends.  Our new platform and architecture expands our ability to create the very best digital signage applications thereby improving customers’ out-of-home networks and ultimately benefiting their clients.”

According to the article about Symon’s software release, “Any business looking to improve its branding, corporate image, improve retail selling abilities, or enhance a guests, visitor, or employee experience will find new Symon digital solutions ready to help them meet their goals.”