Digital Signage

Sure, digital signage has been a popular messaging solution for entertainment venues like sporting events, movie theaters, amusement parks, casinos, museums ... but imagine the uplift in sales that can be realized by using it to provide real entertainment.

Consumers are bombarded with messages at every turn today and have become immune to all but the most innovative, most engaging signage displays. Interactivity and mobile integration have become key to engagement with digital signage because they can turn passive customers into fully engaged buyers.

There are now digital signage players that have been enhanced with special scripting to deliver audio and video streams to an existing TV, opening a whole new world of exciting entertainment opportunities. Bars, restaurants, cafes, gyms, retail chains and other public venues can use them to engage their visitors and enhance their experience while building brand awareness and driving increased revenue.

One of our customers in this arena is Roqbot, the developer of an award-winning business music service service. Combine Roqbot with our digital media player and you have a social jukebox system getting major attention through the introduction of an engaging visual element. With the solid-state digital signage controller connected to the Internet and an existing TV, it can be used to play Roqbot's streaming music and synchronized video of the applicable cover art and yes, even promotional images/videos provided by the business subscriber or sponsors. Read more

The digital signage industry is only just beginning to hit its stride and move into more "non-traditional" areas such as education, hospitality, retail. We are seeing a rapid drive of broader range environments that are finding that they must "bid, compete" for people's time and attention.

Waiting areas in pharmacies, healthcare institutions, call centers/support organizations, offices are using digital signage to present a high interest, highly effective controlled message. Even in manufacturing operations and employee communications firms are using their intranet to keep employees abreast of company and industry information as well as enhance their training/education.

Digital signage has matured to a point where it is no longer simply a paper sign replacement but in the case of retail is a seamlessly integrated part of the total point of sale system/operation.

This integration will become even more prominent in the coming year and years as digital signage will become so ubiquitous that it will be there delivering your message but most of the information will be registering without your fully being aware. This coming year we'll see music and focused as well as open information systems being widely adopted as well as real-time message management.Read more

"I'm surprised you aren't mad at me... I thought you might hold it against me for killing 3 of your guys." – John Smith., Last Man Standing, New Line Cinema (1996)

There's been a number of girl books published recently that put down the "pre-adulthood" male (they call them guys).

With trepidation, we enter into this discussion because one of the first things a married guy learns is he's wrong…all the time! Of course, women have better role models. In the U.S., there's Oprah, Rachel Rae, Ellen DeGeneres, Julie Roberts, Katie Couric. Guys have Jerry Springer, Charlie Sheen, Will Farrell, Donald Trump, (add your favorites).

Women rush to maturity, adulthood. Guys fight it as long as possible…sometimes into their 50s, 60s and beyond. Females say this is because men in their 20s are living a new kind of extended adolescence.Read more

By Jeff Hastings, BrightSign CEO

This year, social media and customer contact tools changed the rules of engagement for retailers and consumers.

Large and small retailers are using mobile and social media customer contact/relationship programs to bring consumers into the store.

But getting prospective customers in the store is less than half the challenge. Today, digital signage is being used to bring sale information and special offerings to life, enhance store and product branding and deliver engaging product demonstrations. Delivered in HD, these messages allow the customer to learn more at their own pace, without feeling they are being pressured to buy something.

Small- to medium-sized retailers realize that one of the most powerful and most effective selling tools that multi-outlet major chain operations have is their own smart video networks that deliver entertaining and informative video messages to shoppers while they are in the store. Most of them include company and supplier messages intermixed with music video and sports event airings. But the messaging is often fixed and lacks last-minute modification flexibility.

In addition, the more expensive, more controlled national/regional digital signage solutions these chains operate are built around the PC, which means people with IT and graphic design software expertise are required to manage and modify the signage activity. Read more