Covering news and trends in the digital signage market
Run, don’t walk, over to EarthTimes.org. AIS has released an incredible outdoor waterproof digital signage display for zoos, theme parks, and national parks!
It’s springtime, and that’s the best time to visit a zoo. Baby animals!!! 
The zoo crowds aren’t as thick this early in the season, and your kids (and YOU) will have much more fun.
Now, get over to EarthTimes.org and read about AIS’ awesome digital signage for the great outdoors!
From DigitalSignageExpo.com comes word that CBS Outdoor has launched its new web-based wannaBILLBOARD.com, a service that lets local advertisers choose their own outdoor ad creative for static or digital signage from a catalog of customizable designs.
Here is the Digital Signage Expo article in its entirety:
CBS Outdoor has announced the launch of wannaBILLBOARD.com, a web-based service that lets local advertisers choose their own outdoor ad creative from a catalog of customizable, ad-agency quality designs to display on static billboards or dynamic digital signage in choice locations.
The web-based program offers clients more than 50 local categories to start from, letting them choose industry-tested templates to start the design process. Clients can then add in their business name, address and contact information, as well as a text code to action, in just a matter of minutes, the company said.
According to the company, the new program is its latest offering designed to eliminate the lack of creative as a barrier to entry, which has prevented many smaller advertisers from taking advantage of out-of-home media. WannaBILLBOARD.com will allow both large and small companies to access the kind of professional ad-agency quality designs they could not have afforded before.
The process begins with clients selecting designs from CBS Outdoor’s library of creative, which includes many categories of businesses and different style designs. The Web site allows advertisers to customize the ad space, including uploading their own logos into specified areas of the creative. They also can choose what type of media they want from a menu of different options, including billboards, bus ads, kiosks and bus shelters, among others. Electronic billboards and LCD urban panels are among the digital signage choices.
Once the design process is complete, clients can search and then choose their preferred locations, using a map element to the site that allows users to zoom in on specific areas to see the billboard in its natural surroundings. Finally, wannaBILLBOARD.com lets the client request specific space for their signage from CBS Outdoor’s vast portfolio of outdoor media, one of the largest collections in North America.
“wannaBILLBOARD.com gives local advertisers entree into a medium they might not have considered before,” said Jodi Senese, executive vice president, marketing, of New York-based CBS Outdoor. “We are offering a portfolio of the very best designs by CBS Outdoor artists, and it’s a collection that will consistently expand in choices and categories. This is a great way for local advertisers to begin the out-of-home media experience, with a hands-on-element few other advertising media can offer.”
The company said it plans to grow wannaBILLBOARD.com beyond its current stage with more enhanced features and greater customizability for clients. CBS Outdoor has begun promoting the site through radio and its nation-wide network of billboards and transit ads.
eWeek’s Nathan Eddy has written an excellent article detailing what the moderate yet positive growth of the digital signage market can mean to smaller businesses.
Industry analyst Zippy Aima believes that there are several reasons for this positive outlook, and that these reasons are tied to longer-term trends. “Traditional advertising media are losing their appeal for many consumers,” she said. “Consequently, digital signage has emerged as a way to deliver highly customized and targeted messaging in a variety of locations. And in a fast-changing world, digital signs’ ability to be updated in real time is a real benefit.”
Major vendors like Hewlett-Packard are reaching out to small business owners with special deals on digital signage, like the HP LD4200 ($1,399), a full high-definition 1,080-pixel-resolution, 42-inch display designed for indoor venues, retail environments, and advertising and control room applications.
Last Friday, USA Today featured a special pull-out section on digital signage. Editor Bill Yackey’s full article is here:
NEW YORK — USA Today featured a special pull-out section in its March 20, 2009, edition focused specifically on the digital signage and digital out-of-home (DOOH) industry. Published by Media Planet, the 16-page supplement was distributed in the New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles markets. Readership of two million is expected based on distribution of 750,000 copies with an estimated four readers per supplement copy.
The supplement was created in association with the Digital Signage Association, LG Electronics,
Wireless Ronin Technologies and Black Box Network Services.
“Savvy advertisers now see digital signage and digital out of home advertising as part of their marketing mix,” writes David Drain, executive director of the Digital Signage Association, in the supplement’s introduction. “With an 11.2 percent growth in 2008, making it a $2.43 billion industry in the U.S., according to PQ Media, digital out-of-home is forecasted to have a 12.9 percent compound annual growth rate through 2012 — making this hot trend very attractive to investors.”
The supplement includes commentary from digital signage, DOOH and retail associations, ad agencies and industry analysts reflecting on the high value, applicability and growth of the medium.
Access exclusive white papers featured in the supplement.
The supplement was edited by Lyle Bunn, a digital signage industry consultant and commentator.
“Consumers are telling marketers that place-based digital advertising is the number one way to grab their attention,” Bunn writes. “Digital and video out-of-home networks are a perfect storm of advanced technology platforms, presented in front of predictable and measurable consumer behaviors that offer marketing accountability.”
WalMart stores have been using digital signage for quite some time now.
A recent 2 Hemispheres case study lets us in on the fact that WalMart stores have a plan for each month, each holiday, and each season, and when there IS nothing major upcoming, the store’s digital and other programming campaigns will think something up! Last year, for example, WalMart decided to celebrate Earth Day (April 22) throughout the entire month of April!
WalMart in-store content is routinely developed with the current season in mind. Major holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas each have a full month of programming with food and decorating ideas. Special events like Back-to-School also will lead content development. Months without significant holidays or events turn to suggestions for the season, such as backyard barbequing in the summer, moisturizers in the winter, or seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Content spots are different from ad spots that sell specific brand merchandise. the objective is the same – to drive sales – but the paths they take are considerably less direct. They are framed as a service to the customer, offering helpful hints and suggestions about new ways to use products, shopping list reminders, and advice to improve their quality of life.
Earth Month presented a unique opportunity to serve the customer, the store, and the planet. The challenge was to create awareness about our fragile environment and educate customers about how they can do their part by making a few changes in their daily routine. While everyone is keen on saving the planet, it’s also understood that people lead busy lives, have limited incomes and are not always quick to change old habits. Environmental issues needed to be chosen carefully to have a real chance of affecting change. The spots needed to suggest things that are easy to try and easy to maintain. Additionally, we didn’t want to dismiss the usual monthly mission of the content spots to enhance each customer’s shopping experience and drive sales.
April 2008’s content was conceived as a multifaceted campaign that would focus on educating customers about environmental issues, offering sound solutions and promoting environmentally friendly products available in the WalMart store. the idea was to present easy-to-achieve solutions, which would simultaneously benefit the customer and the environment.
As individuals we do small things everyday that are bad for the planet. Accordingly, there are many small thins we can do everyday that will reverse or lighten our impact on the environment. If we can successfully make changes in our daily routine and if others do the same, over time, it will ahve significant positive effect.
Our client, PRN, and their team of content strategists and writers had developed more than two dozen scripts based on the following objectives:
*Raise awareness of alternative environmentally friendly products
* Focus attention on organic foods and health and beauty products
*Introduce “green” cleaning supplies
*Connect the energy Star label with saving money
*Sustainability through recyclable products
*Green solutions are affordable – now and over time
*Power in numbers – small choices translate to big differences
Products selected for the spots were chosen for their low impact on the environment or for being smart substitutes for products that are not environmentally friendly. Each script presented an environmental concern, followed by easily attainable solutions and the potential positive effects that could result. True to WalMart’s everyday promise to their customers, solutions were designed to save them money, while providing a healthier, safer, and more sustainable environment for them to live in.
2Hemisphers then created designs and animated 20 spots based on the scripts, which included some of the following concepts:
*If each of us (200 million shoppers) installed a water filter, we could keep billions of plastic bottles out of landfills.
*Organic foods are good for the earth, air and water, and are healthy for you and tastes great
*Green cleaning supplies are earth-friendly at budget-friendly prices
*Changing a regular light bulb to a compact flurescent can save you $47.00 in electricity costs – a pretty big deal for a little light bulb.
*Organic health and beauty products are naturally good for your body and for the earth.
*Replacing your old appliances with Energy Star products will save you energy and money.
To complete the campaign, a series of short ID’s were created that reinforced the Earth Month 2008 messaging. WalMart’s everyday tagline, “Save money. live Better.” worked perfectly for the campaign, adding renewed significance. A lifestyle spot was also created using a combination of photography and organic graphic animation. Unlike the other spots, this one was purely aspirational, aimed at creating a positive vibe throughout the store. the final touch was to replace the usual lower-third bar with one especially designed for Earth Month made from fresh green grass.
The result was a campaign that transformed Walmart’s in-store network for the month of April. it brought to our attention how some of the seemingly harmless things we do every day, such as ddrinking bottled water or turning on an incandescent light bulb, are bit-by-bit adding to our environmental problems. It provided solutions that are easily attainable – that is with very little effort, all we have to do is change a few habits and adopt a new mindset. The added incentive was that many of these things are healthier for us and can save us money both in the short and long term.
Being the largest retailer in the country affords WalMart the opportunity to affect real change with the sheer number of customers that they can reach with their messaging. Walmart is possibly one of the best venues to run a campaign like this, where we were not asking the public to become fanatics about saving the planet – just asking everyone to do what he or she can to make small adjustments in their lives. What’s the power of 200 million shoppers? Simple choices can add up to a bright future.
As you walk around your local WalMart store, or ANY big store for that matter, look carefully at the digital signage. Chances are, there is some kind of campaign being flashed all over the store, and the digital signage helps both the store AND the customer notice “things” more clearly and more efficiently.
Advanced Imaging Pro brings us the news that C-nario and Vizrt have joined forces to form a strategic partnership that will bring together C-nario’s global digital signage solutions expertise with Vizrt’s well-known real-time 3D graphics and other video assets.
“Joining forces with C-nario boldly expands the use of our technology into new horizons. Our core technology is already adopted worldwide to cover elections, news and sports events. Whenever interactive graphics, video content and live data meet we are always there,” says François Laborie, Executive VP Marketing at Vizrt. “With the recent evolutions of the digital signage market, it was only a matter of time before a key player decided to offer a higher level experience to its customers. C-nario has a perfect platform to address digital signage networks and we have the ideal solution to display content in a unique and unprecedented manner. C-nario has always charted the new territory and is regarded as an innovator in this market, and we are happy that they chose Vizrt to complete their extensive offering.”
“We were looking for a solution that could give us great 3D graphics and we found it in Vizrt’s revolutionary technology. Vizrt brings a wealth of expertise in real-time 3D graphics and a reputation as a supplier of advanced technology that is both reliable and practical. Vizrt’s technology also enhances the integration of the broadcast world with digital signage and offers content creators the opportunity to create high impact displays,” said Yael Elstein, C-nario’s Vice President Marketing. “We identified the need for Vizrt’s unique technology in digital signage environments, based on input from our customers. This partnership confirms our commitment to deliver the most advanced digital signage solutions to our customers. Vizrt’s technology, combined with our solutions, will give our customers a very powerful and cost-effective platform, enabling them to gain and maintain a competitive advantage.”
Planet-Tek Systems, a privately held digital signage management solutions company based in Ontario, developed The Marketplace Station last year at Whole Foods Market in Canada. The Marketplace Solution was designed to suit the needs of not only current businesses, but also the future needs of future businesses!
Rob Hoyt, Retail Concepts manager for Seventh Generation, a leading brand of environmentally friendly household products, tells us that “I was impressed with the store-wide digital station concept that allowed for us to connect with consumers contextually in different departments. Our digital campaign part of a marketing strategy that will help us to build both brand and product association in each department directly to consumers as part of their shopping experience across the store and drive them to the home cleaning aisle. It’s all about education. If we can help people understand the environmental and personal health connection between the products they are putting in their cart and what they clean their home with – it is a powerful message. The Marketplace Station helps us to do that.”
George Andreoglou, President of The Marketplace Station, says that “As digital signage networks are becoming more prevalent in the retail sector, I believe this is one of the best examples we have seen to date of a vendor making use of the medium and synergizing their brand and category in an innovative and effective manner across the landscape of the store.”
Seventh Generation’s The Market Place Station campaign began this month.
Please click here to read the complete article at MarketWire.com.
All Digital Media, Inc. has chosen FrameMedia’s SignChannel “to provide a cost-effective alternative to conventional large scale digital signage advertising for small and mid-sized businesses in the Minneapolis region, while generating monthly revenue with minimal upfront investment.”
Alan Phillips, founder and CEO of FrameMedia, tells us that “Digital wireless picture frames offer a great alternative to high cost, large scale digital signage because a wireless Wi-Fi frame provides targeted content based on the flexibility of its placement, such as restaurant booths and waiting areas, without the need for professional installation. By utilizing SignChannel, All Digital Media has created a win-win situation for both itself and small and mid-sized companies looking to stretch their advertising dollars.”
All Digital Media, Inc. has, in fact, purchased over a hundred wireless digital picture frames and placed them in local businesses with smaller budgets, such as restaurants, gyms, spas, and fitness centers – businesses with a high concentration of clientele/customers – and, by using SignChannel, are able to generate quite a sum, per frame, per month!
“SignChannel has offered us the opportunity to take a practical, grass-roots approach to reaching advertisers in teh local community, right here in the Brainerd Lakes area. Through the innovative use of a Wi-Fi digital frame, we’re generating revenue with a highly customized advertising vehicle and getting in front of an audience at strategic locations where they’ll be most captive, such as waiting rooms in doctors’ offices or on the treadmill at the gym. We are excited to be the first in Central Minnesota to provide this unique service,” says Wes Hughes, owner and principal of All Digital Media, Inc.
Digital Signage, FrameMedia, Interactive marketing, SignChannel, Wireless Digital Signage, wireless digital picture frame
All Digital Media, Digital Signage, FrameMedia Alan Phillips, SignChannel, Wes Hughes, wireless digital picture frame, Wireless Digital Signage, wireless frame, wireless picture frame, wireless Wi-Fi
From The Briefing Room comes the news that Panasonic Professional Display Company and Dynasign have joined forces “. . . to bring the only truly integrated, all-in-one digital signage solution for a wide range of environments, including: schools and universities, restaurant and hospitality; retail; healthcare; and corporate.”
Andrew Nelkin, president of Panasonic Professional Display Company, tells us that “Our new partnership with Dynasign reinforces the fact that an integrated digital signage network, when deployed properly and with the right tools, can be a powerful messaging medium, for a wide range of environments. We’re excited to be partners with Dynasign in developing this new digital signage package, and believe it will help customers see that this robust new system has capabilities that can help improve communications and messaging in their businesses, wh ile contributing to the bottom line as a cost-effective, comprehensive solution.”
neonSource, neonNow, and neonPlayer digital signage products were all introduced at last month’s Digital Signage Expo in Vegas. Westinghouse Digital’s latest signage innovations were created specifically for the hospitality, education, food service, retail, and point-of-sale industries.
According to John Araki, vice president and general manager, Commercial Business Unit, at Westinghouse Digital, “Our new solutions are very easy and intuitive to use and do not require a dedicated IT person for execution.”
Click here to read details about Westinghouse Digital’s neonNow, neonPlayer, and neon Source.
Thinking Screen's mission is to bring millions of connected screens to life by working closely with hardware manufacturers and content providers to transform these devices into dynamic information appliances with superb tools and content.
Our digital signage product, SignChannel is a very easy-to-use, low cost digital signage subscription service targeted primarily at the small and medium business (SMB) market.
Find out more about Thinking Screen at Thinkingscreen.com.
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