Posted on Apr 29, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am
Josh Coffman, over at Interpersonal Skills, has written an excellent post about digital signage in the hotel industry:
Hotels typically lag behind other industries in terms of technology spending. Capital investment is directed toward adding better amenities or renovating the property in efforts to remain competitive or drive occupancy and ADR. Tech spending is on the rise, however, and one emerging area is digital signage.
A digital signage network generally consists of large flat panel LCD or plasma displays that are driven by networked media players, which are customized, application-specific pcs. They can be updated remotely over standard internet protocols and have robust scheduling software which allows hotels a unique new way of reaching out to their guests at the point of contact. The content they deliver is only limited to the creative ability of the designer. As a new communications medium, a digital signage network can be utilized to playback relevant information to the guests (weather, airline info, news, etc.), branding messages, promotional messages, or even third party advertising which can provide a new revenue source for the hotel.
Digital signage can also replace outdated electronic reader board systems and improve employee productivity. For many hotels, displaying the meeting schedule information can be quite a chore. Employees input the information in their sales and catering software and print out a copy every time it changes. After it is printed out, they distribute copies to display cases located throughout the property. In other cases, they may have to take the printed sheet over to another computer system and input the data again manually. The meetings or group schedule then gets distributed to outdated television displays and in-room systems.
While these methods may “work”, they are outdated and inefficient. It is unnecessary for employees to waste their time inputting meeting information manually. A digital hotel signage solution can interface with the hotel’s existing sales and event management programs, dynamically distributing the meeting schedules to flat panel monitors located throughout the hotel. Employees will no longer be required to spend time updating meeting schedules and they can focus their time and efforts on catering to their guests and groups.
Not only will the digital hotel signage network improve hotel employee productivity, but it will also have the capability of displaying attractive, compelling, and dynamic content. When groups enter the property and see digital signs that welcome them personally and include their logo, for example, they will feel at home. In addition, it will reinforce their decision to use that hotel as the host of their events.
There are few aspects of the electronics world that I can honestly praise, that do not include FrameMedia in some way. RMI and FrameMedia have been working together for over a year, . . . to enable advanced FrameChannel use cases in wireless digital photo frames and digital signage applications.
Here is the press release:
At The NAB Show™, RMI Corporation, a leading provider of high-performance processors for communication and media-rich applications, today announced the availability of its Home Media Player® Application Development Kit (ADK) challenging the television and the PC for multimedia consumption in the home. The ADK is an open development system and includes a complete software Board Support Package (BSP) for customers and original design manufacturers (ODMs) targeting media-based applications such as wireless Digital Photo Frames (DPFs), Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), Digital Signage, Information Dashboards and other home networking and consumer devices.
The comprehensive RMI® Alchemy-based™ ADK development environment is complemented by ODM partners and applications partners such as FrameMedia, the leader in content and tools for wireless digital picture frames, and CoreCodec, a leading provider of digital media technology. With these technologies included, the HMP ADK provides developers a powerful environment for creating advanced applications quickly.
“RMI is truly changing the way silicon providers work with the development community,” stated Mike Wodopian, vice president and general manager, RMI. “This ADK is the first step in changing the paradigm in the wireless DPF and MID markets. As the open development environment is cultivated, more and more applications and features will be enabled, allowing OEMs to quickly and thoroughly differentiate their solutions.”
Comprehensive Application Development Kit
RMI’s Home Media Player Application Development Kit is the ideal development platform for connected, media-centric devices. The hardware includes a 10.4” high resolution (1024×768) LCD, 2GB of NAND flash, 256MB of DDR2 RAM, Wi-Fi connectivity (through partnership with Atheros®), two USB ports, Ethernet and serial ports, stereo speakers, IR receiver, and a 5-in-1 card reader.
The ADK utilizes the Linux OpenEmbedded environment to create a Board Support Package based on Linux 2.6. It includes a media stack and player from CoreCodec for D1 resolution video playback (MPEG-1/2/4, VC1/WMV, H.264, DivX, XviD), hardware-accelerated DirectFB, GTK+ middleware, a complete toolchain, filesystem, and an example application.
Broad Ecosystem of Partners
RMI’s Partner Alliance has assembled a broad ecosystem of partnerships including ODMs as well as Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) with a range of capabilities and solutions well suited for the HMP and related consumer media markets.
CoreCodec and RMI have partnered to bring the world’s most powerful embedded media player technologies, CorePlayer and CoreUI to the HMP ADK platform. These technologies are included with the platform, allowing third-party developers to add audio, video, and picture support into their applications quickly and efficiently.
“CoreCodec is excited to have our technology included in this offering,” said Dan Marlin, CEO of CoreCodec, Inc. “This ADK raises the bar for digital photo frame and portable media player device capabilities, while significantly reducing OEM time to market.”
“The market RMI is addressing is exciting and we think that our development is a great fit for what users are trying to do,” said Jon Finegold, Co-founder of Frame Media. “We set out working with RMI over a year ago and the advancements that we have seen are unmatched. We look forward to extending this relationship and driving this market together.”
The ADK is immediately available directly from RMI or through its distribution channels for $499.
About Frame Media Inc.
Frame Media is the leading platform provider for content delivery to wireless digital picture frames and connected gadgets. Its flagship product, FrameChannel, can be branded and tightly integrated to work with any Wi-Fi enabled photo frame or connected gadget, transforming these devices into dynamic information appliances. With FrameChannel, a frame owner can program a unique stream of content that is updated dynamically, marrying their own photos with fresh content from a library of hundreds of channels including news, sports, weather, traffic, stock quotes, horoscopes and imagery from leading photographic collections. For more information please visit www.framemedia.com. Frame Media can be reached at info@framemedia.com or 718-235-3006.
About CoreCodec
CoreCodec, Inc. (www.corecodec.com) is the leading provider of mobile and embedded media player technologies for general-purpose computing devices. With over 70 million users worldwide, and 1100 supported devices on 8 operating systems, CoreCodec players and technologies power every class of device. From cellular phones to televisions, PDAs to in-car GPS, CoreCodec is at the center of the digital ecosystem.
About RMI
RMI Corporation is a fabless semiconductor company providing High-Performance Super System-on-a-Chip (SuperSoC™) Processor solutions for the Infrastructure, Enterprise, and Consumer Media markets. Applications include Wireless, Networking Security, Thin Clients, and Connected Multi-Media. RMI offers a broad platform of advanced MIPS-compatible processor solutions with both 32/64-bit architectures supporting frequencies from 300MHz to 1.3GHz. RMI is headquartered in Cupertino, CA with branch and subsidiary operations in Texas, United Kingdom, France, India, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China. More information about RMI can be found on the company’s website at http://www.RMICorp.com.
Digital signage company .advancedMethod is proud to announce that they have added AccuWeather, the premier weather, news and information provider, to their express digital signage system. Through this partnership, express users will now have the option of including AccuWeather’s reliable and engaging content as part of their messages.
express users will have the ability to incorporate AccuWeather’s Associated Press-provided content on their signs including United States and World News, the latest in Sports, Business and Entertainment, and be kept up to date on the latest advancements in Health and Science. AccuWeather continually strives to “deliver the best-looking weather graphics and the most-accurate weather data to digital signage to engage viewers and maximize the impact of advertising messages.” By offering customers AccuWeather, .advancedMethod continues their commitment to provide top of the line additions to their express digital signage system, all at a competitive price, to help users stand out from the crowd.
.advancedMethod’s express prides itself on being a new kind of digital signage system: one that is easy to use, easy to update and easy to buy – express includes the basic player and software necessary to create your own content right out of the box, plus industry-related templates, even “live” news feeds. express is designed to dramatically simplify the deployment of digital signage, whether that means to a single sign or a gigantic network.
The .advancedMethod team members have unique backgrounds having worked with Apple, Smart Technologies, Da-Lite, EIKI International, Packard Bell Computers, and Adobe. More information can be found at www.advancedmethod.com.
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About .advancedMethod:
Founded in 2002 to provide innovative web-based communications services, .advancedMethod engineered new concepts in streaming video and in creating eVideo, a proprietary methodology for delivering a “live” presentation with available bandwidth. This mastery was then applied to digital signage solutions, resulting in a robust digital signage operating system, user-friendly authoring tools, and 24/7 support services.
About EIKI Digital Systems, Inc.
With more than a half century of experience in professional audiovisual communications technology behind it, EIKI Digital Systems, Inc. was established in 2008 to broaden the scope of The EIKI Family of Companies. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, EIKI Digital Systems shares management and a focus on the ProAV channel with its older sibling, EIKI International, Inc. of Rancho Santa Margarita, California.
About AccuWeather, Inc. and AccuWeather.com
AccuWeather, The World’s Weather Authority®, presents accurate, localized, branded forecasts and severe weather bulletins to over 110 million Americans each day via the Internet, mobile devices and IPTV, through the airwaves, in print and on digital signage. The 113 meteorologists at AccuWeather deliver a portfolio of customized products and services to media, business, government, and institutions, and inform millions of visitors worldwide through the free AccuWeather.com website. AccuWeather also provides content onto more than 200,000 third-party Internet sites, including CNN Interactive and ABC’s owned and operated stations, The Washington Post and The New York Times. Visit www.AccuWeather.com for more information
Posted on Apr 23, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am
PRWeb.com has posted a press release informing us that Scala partner New Vision Media has implemented “the first multi-screen digital passenger information and way-finding system in the Kursky Rail Terminal, Moscow’s largest terminal by passenger volume.”
Here is the press release:
Passenger Information and Way-Finding at Moscow Train Terminal Finally Sheds its Industrial Past
From metal to microcomputer: Kursky Rail Terminal modernizes its message
Moscow (PRWEB) April 22, 2009 — Scala, the leading provider of end-to-end digital signage and advertising management software, announced that New Vision Media, a Scala Certified Partner in Russia, has implemented the first multi-screen digital passenger information and way-finding system in the Kursky Rail Terminal, Moscow’s largest terminal by passenger volume.
Built in 1896 during the reign of Nikolai Romanov, Russia’s last emperor, Kursky Rail Terminal’s passenger information system remained stuck in the nineteenth century. Until New Vision Media approached the owners to modernize the station’s signage in 2008, it had four large boards communicating passenger information throughout concourses. The boards used magnetic metal letters that required three staff members to manually update content each night. They had to align letters by hand with great precision, but inaccuracies and spelling errors were common, and the boards were also difficult to read.
This process limited the amount of information available to passengers because it was not updated in real time. It was also costly to employ staff to update boards nightly.
New Vision Media identified contemporary digital signage technologies as a solution for reducing labor costs and providing additional communication benefits to the station and its operators. The operators backed the proposition based on their need to enhance the information offered to passengers, lower operational costs and reinforce a modern image and approach courtesy of the network’s deployment, a first in a train terminal in Russia.
New Vision Media worked closely with terminal administrators to specify and install screens across the site, with the largest comprising five large-format video walls of multiple 40″ LCD panels. The panels are suspended more than 65 feet (20 meters) high to provide concourse-wide visual impact. The implementation alone required a significant amount of design and development work in terms of construction, refurbishment and installation and, where possible, site impact has been mitigated by delivering content wirelessly.
These screens display schedules for long distance and domestic trains in real time next to additional information, such as local news, weather, general travel information, and Euro and Dollar exchange rates. This information is generated by New Vision Media from online sources (RSS feeds) and fed to the screens’ branded templates created in Scala. Unlike the original design, this solution is more automated.
The network is capable of broadcasting advertising messages from third parties and, in the future, advertisers may have the opportunity to target passengers in the terminal.
As part of its full-service offering, New Vision Media uses Scala Designer to create a range of animated templates that allow images, text, movies and feeds to be composed quickly and effectively. Size, layout and assets are pre-configured to ensure each item is consistent with the brand guidelines and visual requirements of the station, providing few opportunities for misspelled words or missing letters. Once completed, these templates are scheduled and remotely broadcast to the network using Scala, via New Vision Media’s network operations center in Moscow.
Anecdotal customer research conducted suggests that passengers are highly satisfied. They cite that the screens offer more helpful, relevant and appropriate content than before in terms of assisting them on their travel, helping them navigate the terminal efficiently, and providing added-value content (news, weather, etc.) in a format that is easy to see and read.
Likewise, the administrative owners of Kursky Rail Terminal are pleased that phase one of this unique development has proved effective. Working with New Vision Media, they are likely to look at developing further products and services using the screen network in the coming months.
“As a first of its kind project in Russia, we are delighted that we have been able to take an antiquated information system and bring it up to date. In doing so, we are offering passengers a much more dynamic and proactive information system more akin in style to other media they consume elsewhere. The provision of real-time information has been a big hit with passengers as it directly helps them in planning their journey and also with our clients who, through this project, have experienced considerable cost savings over the previous system,” said Vitaly Korol, Managing Director, New Vision Media.
Adding to Korol’s comment, Oscar Elizaga, VP Operations for Scala EMEA said, “In some countries we have become familiar with the digitization of information and way-finding systems. New Vision Media’s experience with Kursky Rail Terminal reflects today’s cutting-edge mindset with regard to large-scale screen and content deployment at rail terminals. Not only is it an excellent example of its kind, it is to be applauded given it is the first of its kind in Russia. I look forward to working with New Vision Media in the coming months to capitalize on this experience and develop our offering to the Russian transport sector.”
For images of the installation, please visit http://gallery.schubert.com/categories.php?cat_id=22.
About New Vision Media
New Vision Media is a Scala Certified Partner in Russia. The company provides digital signage solutions based on Scala’s wide range of design and content management platforms. An individual approach to each client makes it possible to scope, design and implement custom solutions using proprietary know-how, techniques and methods gained from many years of experience in developing signage solutions. New Vision media partners in Russia are Mirax InTV and Mobil TV among others. More information is available at www.nvme.ru
About Scala
Driving more than 200,000 screens worldwide, Scala is a leading global provider of digital signage and advertising management solutions. Scala is the world’s first connected signage company, offering the leading platform for content creation, management and distribution in digital signage networks and the first unified platform for advertising management of both traditional and digital signage networks. The company’s digital signage customers include Rabobank, IKEA, Burger King, T-Mobile, Virgin MegaStore, Warner Brothers, The Life Channel, Rikstoto, Repsol, NorgesGruppen and thousands more. Advertising management customers include CBS Outdoor, Clear Channel Outdoor and Magic Media, among others. Scala is headquartered near Philadelphia, USA, and has subsidiaries in Canada, the Netherlands, France, Norway and Japan, as well as more than 450 partners in more than 60 countries. More information is available at www.scala.com.
Posted on Apr 22, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am
In this video from itbusiness.ca, CDN interviewed four experts in the digital signage market place in Canada: Haroon Mirza of Cognovision, Wayne Gowanlock of Edcom, Tobin Costante of LG Canada, and Sid Oziel of Samsung Canada about the digital signage market in Canada. Click below view the video.
Posted on Apr 20, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am
From Self Service World.com comes this very informative article about how self-service and digital signage can help the bottom line:
The question has always been asked, but as the economy continues to worsen, it has become more pronounced: How will self-service and digital signage help the bottom line?
It is a question organizers of KioskCom Self-Service Expo and The Digital Signage Show plan to answer when the show convenes May 6-7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. As businesses look to cut costs in a shrinking economy, executives have to be more focused than ever on efficient and effective ways to communicate with customers, employees, patients, and students.
“The real question businesses face is how does this address and solve a problem they have,” said Lawrence Dvorchik, general manager of the event. “It’s kind of always been there, but I think people are more openly focused on it than they would admit to before.
“Now it’s front and center. Granted, it’s cool technology, but it needs to be more than that. It needs to make their operations, communication and overall business better. That’s one of the reasons for our success, it’s the laser-beam focus of how this technology solves a problem for businesses. It’s been proven that when they work, they really work.”
Last year, the show floor saw more than 300 exhibitors and about 3,000 attendants. Dvorchik said he thought the conference would draw close to those numbers this year, if not more. To entice attendees, he said he is providing free full conference passes — as opposed to exhibit hall-only passes — which last year cost up to $1,500.
Attendees can hear a host of customer-facing technology users from many different industries talk about the challenges they’ve faced and the solutions they’ve discovered.
Experts will talk about maximizing existing data and on-screen content production to be used across multiple platforms and giving advice on the next logical step for first-time deployers — do you add content, invest in additional machines or try digital signage or handheld speakers?
“I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all for any of these solutions,” Dvorchik said. “There are many options to choose from, and people need to really understand the value of these options and select what works best in their situation.”
One scheduled speaker is Robert Fort, chief information officer and vice president of information technology with Virgin Entertainment Group, who will talk about how his in-store digital signage network pushes customers to listening stations that are tied to loyalty programs, blending all the components together to create a sales lift and enhance the customer experience. The company recently announced that it is closing all its stores, but that business deal does not impact the lessons attendees can learn from the store’s programs, Dvorchik said.
“You can imagine there’s quite a bit of noise in that kind of store,” he said. “He’s very in tune with it being something customers pay attention to, rather than something they’ll ignore.”
And Ron Potesky, a corporate communications executive for Ricoh Americas Corp., will speak about why his company chose to use wind- and solar-powered digital signage in New York City. The 35,000-pound sign will be 55 feet off the ground, and it will go dark if it doesn’t get enough power, as a message to consumers and other companies that resources are important.
“It’s about their program that they launched of eco-friendly digital signage, and why they went green,” Dvorchik said. “It’s easy to put up a digital sign, which uses a lot of energy. There’s always a risk with (solar-powered) digital signage that on a dark day it’ll go out, and they’ve got it up in Times Square. Ron and his group weighed the options, and chose this route. It will be exciting to hear from him why they made that decision, and how it impacted their brand and their strategy.”
Other education sessions include a discussion of how digital out-of-home media is reviewed, analyzed and purchased by advertisers. The discussion will be led by former NIKE digital signage expert Pat Hellberg, ConAgra vice president of marketing and communications Gerald Johnson, and Ray Rotolo, senior vice president and managing director of Schering Plough DOOH agency Chrysalis.
There will also be a session on employing digital signage on a limited budget, with tips on choosing low-cost but effective software, for example.
“People are looking at every item within their businesses and how effective and efficient they are,” Dvorchik said. “Those that are not are being replaced with alternative ideas. Getting the best practices of successful — and sometimes unsuccessful — projects first-hand helps to further that process. Coming face-to-face with the solutions that can help allows organizations to test drive the technology and ensure that they work with a company that meets their every need — from understanding their strategy to their deployment timeline to the cultures working well together. All these factors contribute to an organization’s success, and we want to do everything in our power to make sure they have access to the tips, tools and techniques for success.”
Posted on Apr 17, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am
• 08 Apr 2009
LAS VEGAS — POPAI, The Global Association for Marketing at Retail, has announced the winners of its 2009 Digital Signage Awards.
Thirteen awards for digital signage were presented at this year’s GlobalShop event, plus a single “Viewers Choice Award.” That honor went to X2O Media for its work with Bass Pro Shops.
The other winners were:
Advertising, interactive content
Gold: No award was given.
Silver: The Integer Group for Proctor & Gamble (Clairol Haircolor Advisor Kiosk)
Bronze: Digital Display & Communications for Rogers Communications (Rogers Talkspot)
Advertising, non-interactive content
Gold: MODERNISTIC for Best Buy (Mall of America Living Standee)
Silver: Rivet for Nokia (N96 Retail Video)
Silver: PRN for Walmart (Earth Month Campaign)
Bronze: PRN for Sam’s Club (Fresh Meat Campaign)
Advertising, network implementation
Gold: Artisan Complete for Home Hardware (Channel “H” Test)
Silver: John Ryan Performance for Caja del Mediterraneo (The Caja Mediterraneo Network, phase 2 rollout)
Bronze: ADFLOW Networks for Koodo Mobile (Sales-assist Kiosk Networks)
Experiential, non-interactive content
Gold: Artisan Complete for Molson Canada (Molson Heineken Experiential Bar Content)
Silver: Artisan Complete for Diageo Canada (Diageo Smirnoff ICE Experiential Content)
Bronze: Artisan Complete for Liquor Control Board of Ontario (Vintages Ontario Wines Campaign)
Experiential, network implementation
Silver: Nanonation for Emerald Coast McDonald’s (Digital Menu Boards). No gold or silver award was given.
The newest addition to WireSpring’s product line, FireCast Digital Signage EasyStart is designed for networks with fewer than 10 screens and optimized for the Pro AV integration channel. EasyStart provides a ready-to-use hardware and software solution for only $1350.
Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) March 31, 2009 — WireSpring today announced FireCast Digital Signage EasyStart, a new product that brings low-cost digital signage to small networks and AV integrators.
Why launch a new digital signage product? To begin with, the market is changing.
Ten years ago, the cost and hassle of building a digital signage network scared away all but the most determined marketers and venue owners. Today, screens are popping up everywhere, and organizations of all sizes have begun installing digital signs to deliver timely messages to their customers and employees. From schools and doctor’s offices to churches and corporate break rooms, businesses are searching for an easy way to communicate with their audience and update the messaging on-the-fly.
Many companies want to build a small network, but can’t find a good solution.
The products available for small digital signage networks are far from ideal. Bill Gerba should know, since his company WireSpring has been in the digital signage business for almost nine years, and has published the Digital Signage Insider blog for the past five. “We get an incredible number of inquiries from people who are deploying 10 screens or less,” he noted. “After collecting a few thousand requests, we realized there’s a whole market searching for a better solution, and decided to build the product they asked for.”
FireCast Digital Signage EasyStart addresses this need.
Starting with their acclaimed FireCast enterprise software, WireSpring created a special version designed for smaller projects. “There were some features — like being able to view your screens live from a web browser — that were impractical for networks with hundreds of screens, but made sense when managing just a few,” Bill explained. “We selected the best features from our enterprise product, made it easier to use, and bundled it with the playback hardware so all you have to do is connect the box to your screen,” he said. The system can be used for installations as small as a single screen, and doesn’t require Internet access for content updates.
Affordable doesn’t mean underpowered anymore.
EasyStart is priced to fit smaller budgets, with a complete hardware and software solution selling for $1350 — and no recurring fees. Despite the affordable pricing, EasyStart includes all the key features of high-end products, like multi-zone layouts and on-the-fly content creation. Customers just need to add a screen, like an LCD or plasma display, and they can be up and running in minutes.
Key features include:
- Show videos, pictures, news updates, web pages, and live TV
- Create great-looking content with the built-in templates
- Update content from a web browser
- No recurring fees
- Free trial for qualified customers and resellers
EasyStart can be used to deliver relevant messages in many types of venues:
- Schools: Keep students, teachers, and visitors informed about events
- Churches: Encourage people to join or donate, and recognize current donors
- Corporate Lobbies: Provide visitors with wayfinding maps and meeting locations
- Restaurants: Create digital menu boards that change throughout the day
Small networks also provide a lucrative opportunity for AV integrators.
“Less than 5 percent of the DS market is integrated by AV companies,” according to Gary Kayye, CTS. As he explained in his rAVe DS newsletter, the very companies who are best suited to help smaller organizations deploy a digital signage system are only handling about 5% of the projects. The main reason? Very few digital signage products are tailored to the Pro AV market.
FireCast EasyStart changes all that. The system is a one-time purchase, and works on a standalone or networked basis. AV integrators can easily bundle it with a screen, installation, and even content creation to create a turnkey package. Unlike many standalone systems, EasyStart supports advanced content formats like Adobe Flash 9 and provides built-in templates for creating content, thus reducing content creation costs. Plus, WireSpring offers a reseller program that includes volume pricing and enhanced support services for AV integrators.
WireSpring helps companies streamline their sales process and communicate more effectively with their customers and employees in retail stores, banks, corporate campuses, and other venues. The company’s FireCast product line is used to power digital signage networks, self-service kiosks, and other transactional and informational applications for customers worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.wirespring.com
WireSpring also invests heavily in market research and education, with new findings and tips published regularly on the company’s blog at http://www.wirespring.com/blog
Last week I had the opportunity to speak at GlobalShop’s Digital Signage conference, sponsored by Digital Signage Today. Several speakers from all disciplines came to talk about best practices (and executions) in digital messaging. Here are five things I learned:
Size doesn’t matter
Linda Hofflander, vice president and CMO for Wireless Ronin gave an outstanding presentation entitled “Challenging the Retail Challenge.” She suggested to never rule out a test size. The size of a test is only determined by what you really want to know. A two-store test can be just as valuable as a 200-store test. It all depends on what you want to know and how you can learn it.
She’s absolutely right. At Best Buy, we have done tests with as many as several hundred stores and as few as a single store. We tend to worry that a poor size won’t validate the results. Don’t let the size of your test get in the way of learning.
Seven steps to create a value-based network
Another bell-ringer from Hofflander. After learning about the challenges facing digital signage execution, you need to put the steps in motion to create a values-based network:
Self Discovery: You must know what you want; don’t expect anyone else to know.
Vision: Think big. Think scaleable. Think flexible. Think long term.
Reality: Know what you can do now. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Partnering: If you know about what you want, picking a partner is easier.
Discovery: When you find the partner, show yourself and your true colors.
Alignment: We’re all on the same page.
Solution: The end result of the first six steps.
As Ms. Hofflander said, “The original author was a client of ours, George Yunis, senior director, creative services for ARAMARK. George co-presented with Steve Goertz, sales VP from Wireless Ronin at DSE 2009 on ‘How ARAMARK Got the Digital Signage it Wanted.’ George outlined for session attendees how ARAMARK serves 15,000,000 consumers daily, operates 3,000 locations nationwide, serves 10 lines of business and use one digital signage solution via Wireless Ronin Technologies.”
The ‘one more beer theory’
Jeff White, owner and CEO of The Bar Channel, gave the most entertaining talk of the day, avoiding the usual rhetoric and providing a terrific, up-front attitude to understanding how to succeed with digital signage.
Jeff’s “one more beer theory” is a tangent on dwell time. Within any venue or network, the better job you do of keeping the eyes on the screen, the longer people will stand around and watch. In the case of bars, if people stick around they tend to purchase more beverages, so the financial reward to the venue is cyclical and positive: The venue earns revenue with eyeballs on the screens because the eyeballs stay in the seats because the network has great content, meaning the venue provides value to the network. Money all around.
Interactivity with mobile technology and digital signage
This is more of an extension of what I’m learning about digital signage and mobile technology, but I was very interested to hear Steve Gurley, vice president of marketing at Symon Communications Inc.
In particular, Gurley proposed quick progress toward more interactive engagement between digital signage and mobile technology. Instead of the passive mode of sending a text message to a location to get more information, the return message will be a call to action for the viewer to take the next step in the experience, like being directed to a site with real rewards for the effort.
Also, he said we’ll see customers and viewers interact with the digital signage and change the signage right on the spot. The idea is that a customer can select something to watch from a menu of options. The customer sends a text message to a computer and the computer plays the new content.
I took advantage of a break in the day to wander through the show floor. I didn’t know there were so many ways to hang stuff in a store. This was my first time at Globalshop, and I couldn’t decide what was more impressive, the hundreds of different ways to put products on a shelf, or the elaborate and truly amazing vendor booths. Can we even call them booths any more? Perhaps we should call then vendor provinces.
Traffic was low, but not unexpected given the economic situation. Yet I’m still sure plenty of business was done on the floor. I’m just happy I’m not a fixture guy for a retailer. Now that’s a job.
Overall, a very worthwhile trip, and I’m thrilled I was a part of it.
As producer at Minneapolis-based Best Buy, Paul Flanigan manages the U.S. chain’s in-store video network and coordinates with internal partners on the Best Buy stores in Canada, Puerto Rico and China. He oversees the business model, creative, execution and research associated with the network.
Posted on Apr 10, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am
April 07, 2009
(M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) — Stand C45, Screenmedia Expo Europe, 7-8th April 09, National Hall, Olympia, London, UK — Today at Screenmedia Expo Europe, Europe’s biggest digital signage and DOOH media event, Roku announced the availability of Frame Media’s SignChannel content service with its networked high-definition BrightSign digital signage solutions. The newly available combination of BrightSign digital signage control solutions with SignChannel’s content service deliver flexible digital messaging capabilities with streaming content such as news, weather and more.
“We are thrilled to be working with Roku and the BrightSign team,” commented Alan Phillips, Frame Media’s CEO. Mr. Phillips commented further, “the feature-rich BrightSign HD players coupled with SignChannel content service delivers a complete, ready to implement digital signage solution. Users simply select relevant content channels to playback over the networked BrightSign unit and complement it with their own messaging content to reach their audience in a meaningful way.”
According to Anthony Wood, CEO and founder of Roku, “SignChannel provides Roku with an even stronger value proposition for our users who are seeking cost effective digital signage content.” Mr. Wood also said, “By pairing a ready-made content solution with BrightSign networked digital sign controllers, we’re able to provide users a way to easily implement an affordable, rich media display without the complications of a PC-based solution.”
Streaming Content Resource for Meaningful Digital Signage, SignChannel is a low cost content service that allows a business to display timely messages, products, and services at any Internet-enabled location around the world. The SignChannel user can take advantage of Frame Media’s vast array of timely up-to-the-minute content including weather, news, traffic, finance, and RSS feeds, as well as thousands of other available Internet sources. A user can also develop custom content using simple templates and other standard business software tools. SignChannel is available world-wide in four major languages with content from virtually every country. Users can manage their content for any and all globally located displays from any other Internet location. SignChannel is Frame Media’s commercial version of FrameChannel, its Internet platform for the selection and delivery of personalised content to wireless digital photo frames.
The BrightSign HD2000, HD1010 and HD210 are fully integrated; high-definition digital sign controllers that offer plug-and-play networking to streamline content management for robust, high-impact digital sign and kiosk applications. When combined with SignChannel content service these units allow the user to create powerful and affordable digital signage across a wide range of display platforms, from 22 to over 60 inches. Roku is demonstrating its BrightSign networking solution with SignChannel in Stand C45 at Screen Media Expo Europe in London’s Olympia National Hall, April 7-8th.
About Roku: Roku develops products and software for digital media delivery including digital signage in Saratoga, CA. BrightSign solid-state digital sign controllers set new standards for both individual and networked digital signage applications with its superior HD video quality, reliability, price, ease of use and interactivity.
Online information of BrightSign units is available at www.brightsign.biz.
For sales inquiries, please contact sales@brightsign.biz or +44.
For information about our BrightSign partner program, please visit www.brightsign.biz/partners.php.
About Frame Media, Inc.
Frame Media is the leader in content and tools for wireless digital picture frames and connected devices. Both its flagship product, FrameChannel and its new commercial product, SignChannel, can be branded and customized to work with any Wi-Fi enabled photo frame or connected device, transforming them into dynamic information appliances. With SignChannel or FrameChannel, a frame owner can program a unique stream of content that is updated dynamically. The owner can couple their own photos or product/service information with advertising and fresh content from a library of hundreds of channels including news, sports, weather, traffic, stock quotes, horoscopes and imagery from leading photographic collections. The owner selects the channels they are interested in, sets the rules for each channel and the frame updates continually with entertaining and informative content fed directly to their wireless or wired Internet connected media player or wireless picture frame. For more information please visit www.framemedia.com.
CONTACT: Emily Logan, Frame Media Inc.
Tel: +1 781 235 3006 ext: 105Peter van der Sluijs, Neesham Public RelationsTel: +44 (0)1296 628180e-mail: peterv@neesham.co.ukM2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com.
Digital signage company .advancedMethod is proud to announce that they have added AccuWeather, the premier weather, news and information provider, to their express digital signage system. Through this partnership, express users will now have the option of including AccuWeather’s reliable and engaging content as part of their messages.
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April 07, 2009
business to display timely messages, products, and services at any Internet-enabled location around the world. The SignChannel user can take advantage of Frame Media’s vast array of timely up-to-the-minute content including weather, news, traffic, finance, and RSS feeds, as well as thousands of other available Internet sources. A user can also develop custom content using simple templates and other standard business software tools. SignChannel is available world-wide in four major languages with content from virtually every country. Users can manage their content for any and all globally located displays from any other Internet location. SignChannel is Frame Media’s commercial version of 
