tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225264222024-02-07T01:26:42.921-05:00Digital Signage 101Captive Indoor Media's Digital Signage BlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-17579769734996960132012-08-09T15:54:00.001-04:002012-08-09T15:57:20.606-04:00Billboards To Transformers<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lgjolr3zcc0?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Mr. Billboard meet the Transformers. Talk about getting someone's attention! This amazing signage rests at the Munich Airport Centre Forum and has been given the name: the 'MetaTwistTower'.<br />
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The tower was installed to mark the airport's 20th anniversary. I'd be happy with a 42" television for my birthday, but the tower stands about 35 feet (10.6 meters) high and has about a 135 square foot (41 square meter) rotating LED surface.<br />
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The tower's three layers each contain three LED screens installed on rotating mechanisms which allow it to change in format and orientation. Ultimately all three layers can combine into one spectacular screen. In addition to the hardware, the content is synchronized on all three layers which ultimately come together on one enormous screen.<br />
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Is this amazing tower the future for billboards?Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-18465092829986122972012-08-09T12:18:00.002-04:002012-08-09T12:36:47.724-04:00Screen Placement Is Everything<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was recently in a restaurant that had a digital screen installed in the floor of the waiting
area; right inside the front door. Since we were seated right away, I didn't
even notice the screen until I was leaving the establishment. Luckily, someone pointed it out to me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The restaurant was
using the screen to display a live sporting event on TV, so I can only assume
that the screen is there for patrons waiting to be seated at their tables (or
simply to lower the perceived wait time). But in order to watch, I had to be
standing right above the screen and looking down-- which
was not very comforting on the neck. Additionally, if more than one person
wanted to watch, they would have to gather around the screen, forcing some people to watch it upside down. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So, I ask: Do you
think this screen is serving its intended purpose?
Is it serving <b><i>any</i></b>
purpose? <o:p></o:p></div>
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First rule when
installing a digital signage screen: People must
be able to see it! If you don't follow this rule, then why even install a
screen? It all goes back to knowing your objectives. What does this restaurant
want to accomplish by having a digital screen? Whatever their goal, they have already limited what they can accomplish by installing
the screen in the floor.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Most dine-in
restaurants I've been in have the waiting area close to the host
stands. Now, let's say a restaurant installs a screen either above or in
the host stand. Already, they've increased what they can accomplish and
given themselves a higher probability of achieving their goals. If their only
goal is to lower the perceived wait time, then they just display the same
content-- live TV. But, why stop there? Why not
break the screen into zones and display menu items (or the entire menu) in one
zone and TV in the other? Now they're entertaining <b>and</b> informing their customers. You could even take it a little further: Imagine that
the host informs you that it's
going to be a 20 minute wait because there are 5 other parties in front of you. The host could then punch your name into the system and have it pop up on the digital screen. With this arrangement, you would know
exactly when you’ll be seated without bothering
the employees. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Screen placement
is everything to a successful digital signage system. It can easily make or
break what you want to accomplish. Remember, before you install the screen, ask
'what do we want to accomplish and where will we have the best chance to do
so?'.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What are some of
the worst places you’ve seen a screen installed? How did the
screen placement limit what could have been accomplished? What would you have
done differently?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-72004868646478102492012-08-07T11:39:00.000-04:002012-08-07T11:45:44.797-04:00Hidden Opportunity For QSR With New Healthcare Laws<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Whether you you love or hate the newly initiated healthcare bill,
one thing is for certain - things are changing and not only for doctors,
hospitals, and insurance companies. What the media has dubbed as '<a href="http://dpc.senate.gov/healthreformbill/healthbill04.pdf">Obamacare</a>' includes a major change
for restaurants that will create a ripple effect into our world of Digital Signage.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Title IV of the
new law states that 'Restaurants which are part of a chain with 20 or more
locations doing business under the same name must disclose calories on the
menu board and in written form.' People in the restaurant and digital signage
industries have been paying close attention to the new menu label law. Now that
it's passed, many restaurants are rushing for a solution to comply with the new
regulations. Herein lies the opportunity for both
digital signage and the restaurant industries.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In order to comply
with the law, restaurants must display the caloric intake of each item on their
menu boards. As new products are added or the amount of
calories for items change, restaurants will be forced to
update their menu boards. These changes carry a big price tag, considering all that needs to happen— designing, printing, shipping, and installing new
signage several times each year can be very costly. By installing
digital menu boards, restaurants can easily
lighten the workload and expense of managing their menu boards and still comply with the new law.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Not only does
digital signage make managing menu boards easier and more cost efficient, but
restaurants can use this opportunity to really improve their menu board
strategy.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.qsrmagazine.com/ordering/top-menuboard-strategies">QSR
Magazine</a> recently published an excellent article on the strategy
behind a menu board. When I was reading this article, it occurred to
me that most of the strategies discussed could probably be automated if a
digital menu board was integrated with the restaurant's
POS system. For example: If the center of a menu board is considered the 'hot
spot', then restaurants could automatically move items into the 'hot spot'
based on sales numbers or other pre-defined indicators from their POS system.
By leveraging the data in their POS system and displaying it on a digital menu
board, restaurants turn their old, static menu board into their best sales rep;
the Smart Board.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Some restaurants
are worried about people choosing not to eat at their establishment
based on the caloric intake displayed on the board, so another big concern is actually getting people in the door of the
restaurant and keeping them there. This is another big
opportunity for restaurants to benefit from digital signage, but this time, on the outside
of the store. In this<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.digitalsignagetoday.com/article/195125/Not-just-menu-boards-QSR-letterboards-going-digital?utm_source=articles&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=related_content">article</a>,
a Cleveland based Dairy Queen has seen sales rise 10-15 percent above their regional average and the owner gives most of the credit to the newly installed outdoor digital billboard. The
screen allows him to keep in touch with the community, change promotions based
on the weather, and saves him a ton of time and money.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The benefits are clear and the time is right for more restaurants to make their move to
digital menu boards. I think the movement has already begun, but we'll start to
see more pop up as restaurant owners look past the initial cost and look
forward to the long term benefits. What do you think? Will 'Obamacare' affect
the digital signage industry? What is the best move for restaurants as they
work to comply with the new laws?<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-82527508756671704322012-06-27T15:15:00.001-04:002012-06-27T15:16:42.019-04:00DIGITAL SIGNAGE COMPANY LAUNCHES ON-HOLD MESSAGING SOLUTION<br />
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Louisville, KY (Press Release) June 27, 2012 - Captive Indoor Media announced the addition of an on-hold
messaging feature to its web based digital signage tool, Codigo. Used
throughout the financial industry to manage thousands of digital signage units,
Captive’s Codigo software now has the capability to send audio marketing
messages directly to users’ phone systems. With the release of Codigo Voice,
the company says it has taken steps to transform itself from a platform that
only manages digital signage networks to one that offers management of multiple
systems from a single login. </div>
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“Over the course of the
last year Captive has spent a lot of time researching which product categories
are of the most value to customers and how to integrate them to reduce the time
and complexity required in managing these services” said Brian Nutt, Captive
Indoor Media’s Founder and CEO. “The first product added is on-hold
messaging, which is widely deployed within our current customer base right
now. Codigo Voice will be an attractive alternative” said Nutt. </div>
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Customer collaboration
played a big part in the launch of Codigo Voice. When asked why on-hold
messaging was chosen, Nutt said, “We asked our customers what systems they were
using and how we could make it easier to manage them. Most replied that they wanted
an easier way to manage their on-hold marketing messages. So, we just
added that functionality to a tool they were already using.”</div>
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Codigo Voice offers
subscribers more than 7,000 songs in every genre to play while callers are on
hold or to serve as background music for their own marketing messages.
Uploading audio clips is easy, but users can also choose to work with Captive’s
award-winning creative team, utilizing professional male and female voice
talent to develop high-impact audio commercials. The online systems
allows users to schedule their messages remotely, managing their on-hold
messaging from anywhere with an internet connection. Visit their <a href="http://www.captiveindoormedia.com/Voice">website</a> for more details
about Codigo Voice. <i><span style="color: red; font-family: Wingdings;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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When asked what was
next for Captive, Nutt replied, “We have aggressive plans to launch several
other products under the umbrella of our flagship system, Codigo. Through
continued collaboration with our customers, we foresee helping them to influence
retail buyer behavior in a broader way than currently possible” added Nutt.</div>
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To learn more about
Captive’s products and services visit their <a href="http://www.captiveindoormedia.com/">website</a> or follow them on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/captiveindoormedia">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/Captive">Twitter</a>.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-73284234988811847962012-06-07T16:06:00.002-04:002012-06-07T16:06:35.918-04:00Using Data to Build a Content Strategy<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Does your company have the ability to leverage customer data? If so, how is it being used? And, if not, is it something that should be considered? </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">A February 2012 survey from DataXu showed just 30% of US executives reported the ability to leverage the value of their customer data. Although, a May study from CMO Council showed different results. According to the study 51% of marketers world-wide said they leveraged data moderately well, with 7% reported that they did so extremely well. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">How can marketers attain the data they need to enhance their marketing programs? One would think that most would reach for the trusty CRM system, but CMO Council found that only 30% had access to this tool. So, the majority of marketers utilize email -75%, web analytics and optimization - 72%, and social media monitoring - 56% to procure the data they need. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The collection of customer data should be the primary task of any marketer who's considering digital signage as a retail marketing tool. To get the most from a digital signage system, understanding foot traffic is vital - Who is in the store, when are they in the store, why are the in the store, etc. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Knowing customer data such as demographics, what products they've products purchased, and what time they visit can help to paint a clear picture of what content to design and at what time is the best time to display it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">How is your company utilizing customer data? If you have a digital signage system, do you use customer data to design and schedule your content? </span></div>
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</div>Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-26111390492460718562012-05-30T16:31:00.000-04:002012-05-30T16:39:22.483-04:00Mobile Marketing Mayhem<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;">Do you own a smartphone? I'm sure you have been asked this question sometime in the past year. As smartphones have decreased in price and increased in popularity, they found their way into millions of American pockets - 97.9 million to be exact. In a December 2011 study published by </span><a href="http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2012/2/comScore_Reports_December_2011_U.S._Mobile_Subscriber_Market_Share" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">comScore</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;">, they reported that smartphones have penetrated over 40% of all mobile subscribers. With more and more people seeing the benefit of smartphones, marketers have found a new way to reach their customers - mobile advertising.</span></span></div>
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<span class="grey_text2" id="ctl00_ctl00_ReferenceContentPlaceHolder_PageContentPlaceHolder_content_ctl00_CenterColumnRepeater_ctl00_CenterColumnPlaceHolder_ctl00_lblBody" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGC4i3Tg-ILhW2Ub8jjScDbn2LGfp0bg0WUzzdrFa4COnAKIrilB_elpBPDWZLm8Au6pN_Xpks7ZRxEOKTlZyZKZdrY-XEirVXMR4CkMQX2O-iU7xhtqUe3bXxtHdm6DRVgbnxHA/s1600/SmarPhone.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGC4i3Tg-ILhW2Ub8jjScDbn2LGfp0bg0WUzzdrFa4COnAKIrilB_elpBPDWZLm8Au6pN_Xpks7ZRxEOKTlZyZKZdrY-XEirVXMR4CkMQX2O-iU7xhtqUe3bXxtHdm6DRVgbnxHA/s320/SmarPhone.gif" width="320" /></a></span><br />
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<span class="grey_text2" id="ctl00_ctl00_ReferenceContentPlaceHolder_PageContentPlaceHolder_content_ctl00_CenterColumnRepeater_ctl00_CenterColumnPlaceHolder_ctl00_lblBody" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Google's study showed that 43% of smartphone owners used their phone to search in response to television ads at least once a month. Even more interesting is that 40% reported searching in response to ads they saw while in stores. While searching based on magazines and out-of-home ads were less common, the report suggests that search will increase as people get more used to using their device to get information.</span></span></div>
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<span class="grey_text2" id="ctl00_ctl00_ReferenceContentPlaceHolder_PageContentPlaceHolder_content_ctl00_CenterColumnRepeater_ctl00_CenterColumnPlaceHolder_ctl00_lblBody" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="grey_text2" id="ctl00_ctl00_ReferenceContentPlaceHolder_PageContentPlaceHolder_content_ctl00_CenterColumnRepeater_ctl00_CenterColumnPlaceHolder_ctl00_lblBody" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The report showed that 58% of respondents typically research products on their smartphones while at home, 43% searched while "on-the-go", and 31% searched while in the store. Retail was reported as the #1 out-of-home place where smartphone users take action. </span></div>
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<span class="grey_text2" id="ctl00_ctl00_ReferenceContentPlaceHolder_PageContentPlaceHolder_content_ctl00_CenterColumnRepeater_ctl00_CenterColumnPlaceHolder_ctl00_lblBody" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="grey_text2" id="ctl00_ctl00_ReferenceContentPlaceHolder_PageContentPlaceHolder_content_ctl00_CenterColumnRepeater_ctl00_CenterColumnPlaceHolder_ctl00_lblBody" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As marketers see the potential in in-store mobile marketing, they will look for more creative ways to push people to interact with their brands through these devices. This presents a great opportunity for digital signage. Google's report shows that 43% of smartphone users search in response to TV ads and 40% search based on ads seen in-stores. So, what would happen when we combine the two? </span></div>
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<span class="grey_text2" id="ctl00_ctl00_ReferenceContentPlaceHolder_PageContentPlaceHolder_content_ctl00_CenterColumnRepeater_ctl00_CenterColumnPlaceHolder_ctl00_lblBody" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="grey_text2" id="ctl00_ctl00_ReferenceContentPlaceHolder_PageContentPlaceHolder_content_ctl00_CenterColumnRepeater_ctl00_CenterColumnPlaceHolder_ctl00_lblBody"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">Using in-store digital displays to grab the attention of shoppers and push them towards using their smartphones to dive further into product information, promotions, or sign up to receive the latest deal. Integrating mobile marketing with digital signage makes measuring both a little easier. Marketers can use mobile marketing to measuring the effectiveness of their digital signage and digital signage as a distribution tool to promote their mobile marketing campaigns - Two very complementary marketing methods </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="grey_text2" id="ctl00_ctl00_ReferenceContentPlaceHolder_PageContentPlaceHolder_content_ctl00_CenterColumnRepeater_ctl00_CenterColumnPlaceHolder_ctl00_lblBody"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="grey_text2" id="ctl00_ctl00_ReferenceContentPlaceHolder_PageContentPlaceHolder_content_ctl00_CenterColumnRepeater_ctl00_CenterColumnPlaceHolder_ctl00_lblBody"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">Please share how your company is capitalizing on this mobile marketing mayhem. Are you using digital signage? If so, how have you integrated the two?</span></span></span></div>
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</div>Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-4636015886273547212012-05-22T14:51:00.000-04:002012-05-22T14:53:46.622-04:00More Decisions Being Made In-Store<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Facing a prolonged recession, high unemployment, and the
ever-changing economy, the majority of U.S grocery shoppers are looking to save
money wherever they can. But, according to<span style="background-color: white;"> Point
of Purchase Advertising International (POPAI), the global association for the
marketing at retail industry, when it comes to making decisions on what to buy
more decisions than ever before, 76% to be exact, is being made in-store. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">POPAI's
study pin-pointed five key findings that marketers should note when developing
and implementing a shopper program:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Shoppers
are making more decisions in-store</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Although
today's shoppers are empowered than ever to make educated buying decisions, it
turns out that more shoppers are utilizing in-store marketing and branding cues
to make an overwhelming portion of purchase decisions - 76% (an all-time high).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Brands
on display are more likely to end up in the cart</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
study found that nearly 1 in 6 brand purchases are made when a display with
that brand is present in store. Displays are best targeted to a core group of
loyal, female stock-up shoppers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Retailers
are missing out on opportunities to enhance in-store experience</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Shoppers
are spending less time but more dollars during their shopping trip. Whether
it's using product displays in secondary locations or working with brand
marketers to build customized in-store displays to reflect the retail
environments, there are plenty of opportunities for retailers to turn their
in-store marketing up a notch. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
number of displays in secondary locations has increased 13% since 1995 - 47% in
1995 to 60% in 2012. Retailers are embracing the idea of cross promoting
products and placing displays away from the home aisle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Creative
sets apart in-store marketing and turns the subconscious shopper into conscious
buys</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">When
asked if they'd recalled seeing any in-store displays, 56% of shoppers said
they did recalled seeing in-store displays with endcap and free-standing
displays being cited the most. When presented with compelling and visual
displays, shoppers become more engaged and conscious to the value proposition
being offered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Another
interesting find was that 13% had eye fixations on in-store displays and 66% of
all that observed resulted in a purchase, which shows the importance of
grabbing the shoppers' attention and getting them engaged with a product. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Shoppers
using plastic more like to impulse buy and more decisions in-store.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Those
using a debit/credit card, or another non-cash payment, tend to spend more than
they plan - and do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://popai.com/2012/05/09/76-purchase-decisions-made-in-store/">Read
the full POPAI report here</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With
more and more people turning to the internet for purchases like clothing,
electronics, etc, the grocery store remains the one place where consumers must
get up and go to the store. Of course you see local grocery advertising
specials on TV, radio, and print, but as this report states the in-store
marketing remains a powerful tool of persuasion for marketers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I
look at this report and see a major opportunity for retail marketers and
digital displays. The report states that when shoppers are presented with
visual displays they become more engaged and conscious to the value proposition
of an item. Digital signage is proven to have a higher recall rate than print
materials. If retailers were to use digital screens built into free-standing,
endcap displays, or even coupon dispensers they would have a better chance of
capturing the buyers attention and engaging them with the item. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Another
opportunity to engage shoppers would be to add touch screen displays or kiosks
through the store. The kiosk can be used to draw the shoppers' attention but
also engage the user by allowing them to browse certain recipes for the
product, check out other users suggested use of the product, etc. If printed
materials can change a shopper’s conscious of the valued offer, just imagine
what an interactive kiosk that helps to improve a shopper's fettuccine
alfredo would do for perceived value.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Digital
displays would also help retail marketers to better target certain audiences.
Having the ability to change content on the fly allows retail marketers to
target group A from 10am to 12pm, group B from 3pm - 9pm, and so on. Unlike
print materials, digital gives marketers the ability to target who they want,
when they want, and at the exact location. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-75768438027549392942012-05-04T15:44:00.002-04:002012-05-04T15:44:32.796-04:00Digital Signage Industry Trends According to an IHS iSuppli Signage report, digital signage displays are projected to reach 17.3 million units in 2012, which is up 12% compared to 15.4 million units in 2011 and up 28% compared to 13.5 million units in 2010. The market is projected to see continued success with total shipments reaching 25.8 million units by 2016.<br />
<br />
IHS iSuppli recognizes the growth in mainly contributed to:<br />
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- Increased use for installations in commercial markets such as retail and hospitality, along with public areas such as sporting arenas.<br />
- Decrease in the price of LCD screens in the 40",42",and 46" sizes<br />
- Improved technology: super-narrow bezel video walls, interactive touch-screens, and high-brightness outdoor displays<br />
<br />
IHS iSuppli reports, that among the markets where digital signage displays are most often employed, the three highest-performing segments were retail, hospitality/healthcare, and government/corporate. They expect to see the same trend in 2012.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.isuppli.com/Display-Materials-and-Systems/MarketWatch/Pages/Digital-Signage-and-Professional-Display-Market-to-See-Sturdy-Growth-Continue-in-2012.aspx">View IHS iSuppli Report Here</a><br />
<br />
So, how is this relevant to the end-users of digital signage systems?<br />
<br />
I see the decreasing price of LCD screens being passed down the chain. The initial hardware investment scares lot of companies when tossing around the idea of digital signage. If providers can lower implementation cost, and take away from some of the sticker shock, more companies may see digital signage as a 'less risky' investment therefore increasing the possibility for further deployment.<br />
<br />
The decreasing cost of hardware is one thing, but as time has gone on we've also seen digital signage software become more robust with features and decline in price. Increased competition has forced SAAS companies to reduce price and add value-enriched features in order to stay competitive and differentiate themselves in the market. I think this trend will continue and price for software will continue to drop while the software itself will provide users with better ROI reporting and more user-friendly interfaces. These trends will attract the attention of more analytically-driven marketers thus making digital signage a more popular marketing vehicle within the marketing department.<br />
<br />
The third major element that will evolve as the digital signage industry grows is and increased need for good digital content designers. Whether companies choose to bring it in-house or go through an agency, as interest in digital signage grows and equipment becomes less expensive, having a designer that can whip up some well-branded content will be a much needed asset for any team. Software companies will continue to make editing templates easier for their users and offer content services for those who want it - Delivering everything the user needs to keep their signage fresh.<br />
<br />
So as the industry grows and the price decreases, digital signage will develop into an out-of-box solution. Any mom and pop retail, restaurant, etc will be able to afford and maintain their systems with ease. I don't think digital will ever replace paper merchandising, but I do see it becoming the more popular solution in the future.<br />
<br />
What are your thoughts for the future of the digital signage industry?Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-64952939644092589152012-03-21T15:21:00.003-04:002012-03-21T15:57:39.793-04:00Billboard Used To Vote For New QBIf you are a sports fan, odds are you've heard the news of future NFL hall-of-fame quarterback, Peyton Manning, choosing to take his talents and play for the Denver Broncos. While this really doesn't interest me, I was excited to see how one Broncos fan asked the city of Denver to vote for who they would like to see as their next quarterback. Local business owner, Tariq Suleiman, used a giant outdoor digital billboard to poll the city of Denver to see who they wanted as their next quarterback - Peyton Manning or Tim Tebow?<br /><br /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/934052406" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1498120294001&playerId=934052406&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="425" height="350" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed><br /><br />Unfortunately for the Bronco fans that voted for Tebow, they didn't get their wish. But I give lots of props to Tariq and his use of the digital billboard. What a great way to get the community involved. I guess someone should have shared the results with John Elway.Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-54727809540710562662012-03-20T10:18:00.009-04:002012-06-08T10:43:39.129-04:00More Branch Touch PointsIn the beginning... there were financial institutions. Banks and Credit Unions were among the first adopters of digital signage as a marketing tool. Most would have a screen in a lobby area displaying CNN or C-SPAN with a stock ticker scrolling the bottom to keep patrons up-to-date on the latest financial news. Today, we're seeing a new trend - more digital, less print. Financial institutions have been witness to branch visitors being more engaged by the digital displays and have elected to add more screens in more places while finding the new method to be far more cost efficient. <br />
<br />
Financial institutions are choosing to add screens in an effort to 'touch' their visitors in more places around the branch. The branch lobby is no longer the only place you'll find a screen and TV and news might not be the only thing to watch. The strategy behind engaging visitors has expanded to such places as the main entrance, deposit / withdrawal stands, teller lines, drive-thrus, coffee bars, and of course the main lobby. With screens in multiple areas, financial institutions are able to tailor their message for that screen - promoting products, welcoming visitors to the branch, introducing them to the tellers, etc.<br />
<br />
The results are in - Banks and Credit Unions see far better recall with digital signs than the comparable print ones. So, with their visitors already receiving their marketing messages via screens, financial institutions are now switching gears. Now, they want to interact with their visitors by adding yet another touch-point in the branch - interactive kiosks. Touch screen kiosks allow the visitors to learn more about products/services they've seen on the digital displays. Many allow visitors to print requested information or possibly talk with a personal banker about the offering. Most importantly, an interactive kiosk is a simple way for a financial institution to gauge the success of the new age, digital banking center. <br />
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In addition, financial institutions are finding that digital is far most cost effective. In the past, if the Marketing Department needed to change a rate, they would need to re-print all their marketing materials displaying that rate. Now with a couple clicks, that rate is changed on all of their digital displays. Not only do they save money from printing and shipping, but the time that is saved is a huge factor. Marketing Departments could spend weeks waiting for new print materials while updating a digital sign only takes a few minutes. <br />
<br />
So, more digital signs are popping up in the branch, kiosks are being implemented to engage branch visitors physically, and time and money are saved by going digital. What’s next for the financial centers? In my opinion, we will see marketing departments integrating all these systems along with social media to increase on the level of engagement they have with their visitors. Eventually, the branch will not only be a place for transactions and information, but will be a fun place for their customers to visit.Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-23017748129829825362012-03-19T09:29:00.006-04:002012-03-19T16:02:01.365-04:00No Such Thing as a Free MovieWhen was the last time you went to the movie theater? Better yet - How often do you go to the movie theater? If you're anything like me, it’s once or twice every few months. The sad thing is that there's no better place to catch a flick. But have you seen the price of a movie ticket recently? It's extortion! A seat will cost you between $8 and $15, depending on location and whether the movie is in Imax or 3D. <br /><br />Recently, a friend told me about a website that offers passes for free sneak preview movie screenings. It’s searchable by ZIP code, so users can find upcoming screenings in their area and print invitations online. The first time I used the service, I was very interested to understand how and why this website operates. I mean, how can they offer me free movie tickets and run a website that is also free to use? <br /><br />Arriving at the theater, my questions were answered. Having heard that the seating would fill up fast and worked on a first-come-first-served basis, I got there about 45 minutes early. Even getting there that soon revealed a line that stretched out the door and a packed concession area. Organizers made us leave all cellphones in the car using metal detectors to ensure that we did, so distractions within the theater were limited. After waiting in line for 15 minutes, we arrived at our seats where we watched ad after ad on the big screen while waiting for the movie to start. That's when it hit me: The theater benefited from the website because of ad revenue. 200 people were in the theater viewing ads for almost 30 minutes. Plus, for people like myself who can't sit still, the concession area begged me to visit. Talk about a captive audience!<br /><br />I still had one more question: How do the movie studios benefit? When the lights dimmed and the movie started, I saw it. The theater was packed full and all eyes on the screen. I remembered the person taking tickets at the door saying "only 50 more people" when I passed, but the line had well over 50 people in it. There was a very high demand to see that movie. Boom - there it was. Movie studios can gauge opening day numbers based on the sample data of free screenings. And with multiple shows happening in different areas, they can even make predictions of where the movie will be most successful. Wow—that’s a powerful forecasting strategy.<br /><br />To sum it up, everyone wins! I win because the service eliminates my biggest pain point of going to the movies – the price. The theater wins because creating the captive audience allows them to raise advertising rates and make advertising in the theater more attractive, plus increase sales of concessions. The studios benefit because the sample data gives them an idea of the movie’s public demand. And the website benefits because its service provides all of the these benefits, making its service valuable on multiple levels. Who thought going to the movies could be so educational?Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-45499049718096016642012-03-14T13:45:00.005-04:002012-03-16T09:35:20.523-04:00Branding Your Digital SignageAs a marketer, your strategy is focused around building, protecting, and growing a brand. The brand speaks for who your company is, what it does, and what the public can expect from it. These are the reasons why it's imperative for a company to always keep your brand identity consistent throughout all marketing outlets either internally or externally. One outlet that often gets overlooked are the digital signage networks.<br /><br />Why is branding your digital signage content so important? Well, would you send a print advertisement to the press without your logo it? Would you run a TV commercial without saying or displaying your company slogan or tagline? Ultimately, would you ignore putting your company name on any marketing communication? I hope your answer was - Of course not (to all three ridiculous questions). Well, your digital signage system is no different. Hundreds to thousands of people will see your screens so why not use that opportunity to put your brand in front of them. <br /><br />Imagine someone waiting in line for service, looking at the screen the entire time. A weather file says "5-Day Forecast Brought To You By 'insert company name here'." The file is branded with your company colors and logo. Now, later on that day, this person and a friend are talking about golfing this coming Thursday, but this person know it's going to rain. They say "I saw in 'insert company name here' that it's supposed to rain" - That's the 'BOOM' moment. Now, think about if that file wasn't branded - That 'BOOM' moment never happens and that is a missed opportunity.<br /><br />Now that's a pretty basic example of how branding all digital signage content would benefit, but the same affect applies to other situations - community events, announcing contest winners, corporate recognition, etc. Marketers also want to ensure that the same marketing message is communicated through all channels. That way every person has the same idea of what to expect from that brand (aka consistency). <br /> <br />There are a few challenges a company faces when it comes to digital signage content. It's a relatively new idea, so a lot of companies don't have the resources to create Flash animation, high quality and resolution images, etc. So, how can a company manage their system and customize their content to fit their brand?<br /><br />Well, many digital signage providers offer templates that allow users a little customization to fit their brand. They may let the user drop in a logo, change some text, colors, etc. Users benefit from the flexibility and it saves them a lot of time designing content, which in return saves them a lot of money. Adding to that, some digital signage companies can even offer Creative Services that will design the content for you. They work with you to understand your brand, come up with ideas, or create an idea that you have. <br /><br />Whether you have the resources to create high quality content, use customizable templates, or have a media company design it for you; your brand is important to your digital signage and your digital signage is important to your brand. Utilize your system to build on your brand and capitalize on every opportunity.Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-13807551193452910792012-03-07T10:26:00.007-05:002012-03-07T15:46:40.134-05:00Digital Signage : Audience or UsersViewers? Audience? How do you refer to those who see your digital signage? It's important to remember that your viewer or audience is what makes a digital signage system a successful a failure. They determine whether the content is effective, if the screen is in the best location, and ultimately, whether a company sees any return on their technology investment. <br /><br />Because the success of a digital signage system depends so heavily on the audience, system administrators must research what is expected to be on the screen. Once a system is installed, it's imperative to get input from the audience; ask them what kind of content they’d like to see. A simple formula to success: Ask questions and listen to feedback. <br /><br />This begs the question: When the 'audience' starts interacting with the digital signage and becomes involved with the project, are they still considered merely a passive 'audience'? In my opinion, they become more than that. They become participants, users, and even fans. Getting your 'audience' involved with the process will help to fine tune your content and make the implementation process a lot simpler. In doing this, you’ll also earn trust and build brand loyalty from your 'audience' because you're listing to their needs, and delivering accordingly.Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-13158572682168959512012-01-20T10:25:00.004-05:002012-01-20T10:40:26.582-05:00CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council ConferenceCaptive Indoor Media is proud to support the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Conference and the entire credit union industry. We hope you will join us this year for what is sure to be a revitalizing and energizing event. <a href="http://www.cunamarketingcouncil.org/events/conf_12/conference_12.html">Register today</a> and get inspired!<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.cunamarketingcouncil.org/events/conf_12/conference_12.html"> CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council</a> is March 7-10 in New Orleans at the Hyatt Regency. Come gain the knowledge and skills you need to grow your credit union and maximize your business potential. After four days packed full with workshops, keynote speakers and breakaway sessions you will return to your credit union rejuvenated and inspired to take your marketing initiatives to the next level.<br /><br />Captive has been attending this conference for years and we always look forward to seeing our customers and other credit union marketers. Hope to see you in New Orleans!Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-89621565519266263372012-01-05T14:40:00.006-05:002012-01-06T08:55:52.450-05:00Still GrowingCaptive Indoor Media has yet again made its way into Louisville, Kentucky’s <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/print-edition/2011/10/28/fast-50-captive-indoor-media-llc.html"> Business First Fast 50</a>. The award recognizes the top 50 fastest growing companies in Louisville, and for the third year in a row Captive finds itself in the same class as Louisville’s top businesses. <br /><br />In 2011, Captive Indoor Media’s growth in customer base and lift in revenue can be contributed to a number of factors: new customers switching from legacy systems, a sales strategy focused on customer-based referrals, and the development of long-term, mutually-beneficial customer relationships.<br /><br />“40% of new customers in 2011 switched from a previous vendor” says Brian Nutt, President/CEO and Founder of Captive Indoor Media. When asked why so many new customers had decided to switch to Captive, Brian replied “I would say this is due to more brand awareness in the financial industry, reliable products and services, a helpful and knowledgeable staff, and mostly to our current customer base.”<br /><br /> Captive Indoor Media gives the most recognition to its customers. “We let our customers do the talking for us” says Cash Rowland, National Sales Manager at Captive Indoor Media. “Most of the deals we won were either because a customer brought them to us or spoke so highly of our products and services.” <br /><br />Captive Indoor Media employees go to work every day with the same goal in mind: Make every customer a champion. “We work side-by-side with customers daily to develop our offerings and best fit their needs” claims Brian. “We understand that in order to continue to grow year after year, we must keep our customers satisfied, and what better way to do so than through innovative customer collaboration.”Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-46166165991605286762011-12-22T11:22:00.004-05:002011-12-22T13:18:49.998-05:00Happy Holidays!We did it again! Check out our new end of the year holiday video. Santa's belief numbers are down a lot this year. How will he boost awareness and spread his holiday cheer all across the world? You'll need to watch to find out. <br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hnJT4J8nmMI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Did you like the video? Please comment. <br /><br />Happy Holidays from the Captive Indoor Media team!!Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-41298024218978480072011-12-15T14:18:00.009-05:002012-01-06T08:58:23.719-05:00What's the ROI of 'here' or 'there'?Does screen placement effect digital signage ROI? For example, is it fair to measure the ROI of a screen placed in a retail environment the same way as a screen placed in an office cafeteria? The answer is obvious - No. It's unfair to measure their success, or failure, the same way. Think about it - the objective, or goal, of these screens are completely different. One serves the purpose to promote, advertise, and sell while the other is there to inform, remind, or entertain.<br /><br />Measuring digital signage effectiveness is not a simple task, but before trying to monetize any return, make sure what you're measuring even makes sense. Start with measuring the objective - whatever that may be - Because the return on objective, most of the time, will often show whether or not you are getting what you expected from your digital signage system. <br /><br />Screen placement is one thing. Deciding an objective is another. But content is <i><b>the</i></b> thing - and knowing when and where to schedule it can make a big difference. Let's say you have a beautifully placed screen in a bank lobby with the objective of entertaining and lowering the perceived wait time for customers. The screen is at eye level and anyone who sits down in the lobby looks at that screen. But, one thing is off - The content is not entertaining. Instead the screen is pushing information about bank products bank product and services with the occasional word scramble. If the objective is to entertain, then the majority of the content must be entertaining (TV,trivia, fun facts, etc). When you go to measure your return on objective, odds are you won't receive the return you expected. So, not even the best placed screen and clearly defined objective will save anyone from poorly designed and placed content.<br /><br />In conclusion, YES, screen placement does effect digital signage ROI along with many other attributes. However, sometimes it's not the ROI that should be measured, but rather the ROO (Return on Objective). Digital signage is still a young marketing tool with a lot of grey area in monetizing return. As time goes on more and more formulas will form to help attach dollar signs to digital signage. That said, one thing will never change - the objective!Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-42916110445014867662011-11-03T12:58:00.004-04:002011-11-03T15:11:06.458-04:00Tips from a Designer<img src="http://www.captiveindoormedia.com/CaptiveWebsite/images/DeskOfBBASS.jpg" alt="BBASS Art" /><br /><br /><br /><i>Need some assistance designing content for your digital signage? Well, below are 5 best practices that Captive's very own Creative Director, Brandon Bass, uses when designing content. Hope this helps to get you started. Happy Designing! </i><br /><br /><b>1. Size it up</b><br><br />It may seem obvious, but it’s critical to begin with a composition that fits your screen! Widescreen LCD monitors are sized to a 16:9 aspect ratio—and when you turn that same screen “tallways”, that portrait orientation now has a 9:16 aspect ratio. We design our typical content at a pixel dimension of 1366 x 768, but to create content at “Full HD”, you can size your composition to 1920 x 1080 pixels. Images should be at least 150 dpi (dots per inch), and animated graphics (SWF) should be set to 24 fps (frames per second). <br /><br /><b>2. Create a billboard</b><br><br />Digital signage screens are like billboards—a lot of people will look at them, but they might only have a short period of time to make an impact. Keep this in mind as you design content, making text large, legible, and on-screen for a comfortable amount of time to read and comprehend. It’s also important to keep your message simple and succinct. Chances are, you’re audience isn’t going to read the fine print on a retail digital screen, so it’s more important to hit the high points with big headlines, bulleted details, and a compelling call to action.<br /><br /><b>3. Catch glances</b><br><br />Using striking imagery and animation is another key facet of good digital signage content. The most effective graphics are recognizable instantly, hitting you with an immediate punch, but subtle images can get results, too. Aim to use photos that leave room for your text, so that the copy and image work together to occupy the ad space. When possible, use interesting animation effects on text to bring words to life and draw attention to the information, but avoid making images move too much while displaying text that you want your audience to read and digest.<br /><br /><b>4. Stick to a palette</b><br><br />The best brands in the world associate themselves instantly with a distinct color palette. When designing content, try to reflect the look of your logo or website, sticking to a restricted color scheme that viewers can begin to identify your company by. You might decide to tie a specific color to certain products or services so that, for instance, a content file with lots of red always advertises auto loans. The most important thing to remember is that consistency creates long-lasting connections between visual and mental functions, while inconsistency breeds confusion.<br /><br /><b>5. Make a storyboard</b><br><br />When it comes to any kind of design process, careful planning and organization never hurts. Make a storyboard of what you’d like your ad to contain, including ingredients like an introduction or headline, a main message or key points, and a conclusion or call to action. You can use thumbnail sketches of what each portion of the ad should look like to determine the best placement of images and text, making an effort to keep each section of the ad visually interesting and compositionally unique.Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-25906390883117505802011-11-03T10:27:00.003-04:002011-11-03T10:51:00.568-04:00Best In Show<img src="http://www.lanternhillfarm.com/uploads/photo/b-StreetSense.jpg" alt="Derby Winner" title="Derby Winner" /><br /><br />Just getting started with Digital Signage? Having the freedom to play multiple pieces of content lets you provide more information to your audience but can also increase the likelihood of Visual Overload or missing important messaging. Here are some tips to maximize the effectiveness of your digital signage without going overboard.<br /><br /><b>1. Determine Your Message</b><br><br />Before you create a show or start to look for screen content, determine your message. Are you focusing on a certain product or service this month? Are you trying to reach a specific type of customer? Once you’ve answered these questions, you can build your show to promote specific services and schedule it to target specific audiences, helping you meet your goals. <br /><br /><b>2. Create Playlists of Similar Media Files</b><br><br />For the most captivating digital signage show, dedicate zones to play a specific type of media. That way,your audience will gain familiarity with the zones and will become comfortable watching specific zones. Building playlists is the easiest way to keep similar files together in groups. For example create a playlist with similar files such as a video message from your CEO and a TV commercial. With files grouped together as a playlist you’ll be able to keep them together regardless of what zone you drop them into or what show you’ve created. Also, because video and highly animated files can overwhelm some audiences, it’s a good idea to create a playlist of low-impact static JPEG images which could still include advertisements and announcements. <br /><br /><b>3. Choose a Layout That Fits Your Needs</b><br><br />Choosing how to layout your show is important. Create a simple 2-zone layout that allows you to display a scrolling ticker of community events, stock tickers or news feeds as well as a larger zone to focus on your services and promotions. Choose a 3 zone layout to display even more information! By determining your needs prior to creating the show, you’re more likely to have engaging and informative show that will provide consistent messaging, potential cross selling and the ability to educate your customers; keeping them coming back in the future!<br /><br /><b>4. Watch Your Aspect Ratios</b><br><br />Aspect Ratio refers to the shape of your screen or content, based on the measurements of the width and height, respectively. LCD screens typically have a 16:9 aspect ratio when displayed in landscape mode. Screens can be rotated 90 degrees for placement, style, or functional purposes. When this occurs, the numbers in the aspect ratio are reversed and the orientation becomes portrait.<br /><br /><b>5. Working with 2-Zone Layouts</b><br><br />As a rule of thumb, avoid letting your zones compete for attention with an overload of movement. For instance, use a larger zone for important promotional information and community events within the ticker zone or play new feeds, stock or a custom text ticker. A two zone layout with a ticker at either the top or the bottom accomplishes this goal.<br /><br /><b>6. Switch to Full-Screen for Emphasis</b><br><br />Sometimes you really need to get the full attention of your audience, so switch the layouts of your shows for emphasis. Create a new show with a full screen layout. When changing layouts for emphasis it’s important to include your current promotions, timely announcements, upcoming events and anything else that you want to occupy the whole screen. Schedule this kind of show for peak traffic times or switch to it at various points through the day or week.<br /><br /><b>7. Working with 3 or More Zone Layouts</b><br><br />The more zones you have the smaller each zone is, making it harder for viewers to focus. Avoid putting too much information into the smaller zones as they are often harder to follow. Shift the focus to larger zones that are playing marketing messages, services offered or community events.Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-14954244866649105972011-10-31T09:55:00.003-04:002011-10-31T12:09:42.720-04:00In-Flight EntertainmentPeople are traveling more than ever these days. We go from taxis to airports, airports to shuttles, shuttles to taxis, taxis to subways, from subways to; yeah, you get the point. Throughout our modes of daily transportation, it's no secret that advertisers are looking to reach us when we are most "captivated". Digital screens have been popping up in taxis, trains, subways, and planes for a while now and won't be going away anytime soon. They try to cross-sell products/services, keep us informed of travel information, build brand recognition by displaying branded content, or even allow their audiences to order in-travel refreshments. Most important, the digital screens help to lower the perceived wait, or travel, time of the trip. But, in my opinion, digital signage does something even more - add to the customer experience!<br /><br />Let's take a look at your typical airplane trip. You board the plane looking for "Row G Seat 2." You struggle through the other passengers putting the luggage in the overhead compartment, and after a few minutes of "excuse me" you find your seat. After getting your luggage situated you look forward to see a digital screen in the headrest of the seat in front of yours. On the screen you see "Welcome (Enter name here), thanks for flying..." within the airlines branded content. Once everyone is settled, the Captain does a live broadcast from the cockpit and then the in-flight safety information video plays on everyone's screen. Although the video also explains what else this screen will do for you during your 12 hour flight. This touch screen allows you to call flight attendants, order food and beverages, even check whether the bathrooms are occupied - reserve a spot - and alert you when it's your turn. <br /><br />Not only does the screen serve as your personal flight attendant, but as your in-flight entertainment as well. The screens make every seat a window seat. With the push of a button your screen shows the view from a camera on the outside of the plane. So if your on the right side of the plane and your Captain says "and to your left you will see the Las Vegas strip", you won't have to crawl across anyone to see it. If that's not enough, you can also watch satellite TV, purchase movies, or surf the web. No more watching boring in-flight movies. You chose what it is you watch. You chose how you are entertained.<br /><br />Passengers aren't the only ones who benefit from the digital screens, but the airlines and in-flight staff do as well. The airlines benefit from the multi-zone content - In one zone you have the movie that a passenger may have purchased (which is revenue for the airline), but in a smaller zone on the right side of the screen are the ads of the airline, Sky Mall, or other paid advertisements. This would add a new and much needed revenue stream for the airlines. Then there's the in-flight staff. Being able to communicate with passengers via the screens would make their lives a lot easier. Attendants could take beverage or food orders, requests for extra pillows or blankets, etc and save themselves the hassle of making two trips. Airlines could then possibly reduce the number of flight attendants on each plane resulting in less overhead. <br /><br />There's countless benefits for digital signage in transportation, but as I mentioned all these benefits really add up to just one thing - <b>The customer experience!</b> As many transportation companies are already implementing such technologies, I hope they remember to think about and plan around the customer experience. Goals and metrics should be measured by attributes such as perceived wait time - Measure the actual time of trip v.s. the perceived time, Expectations and Performance - Measure what was expected and how the company performed compared to those expectations.<br /><br /> If companies concentrate on the customer experience, I firmly believe that those customers will become fans of the brand and tell the world about their experience with a company. And today, that's what it's all about.Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-32730392638363794062011-10-18T15:19:00.009-04:002011-10-19T12:23:11.943-04:00The High Cost of Wayfinding<div><a href="http://www.fd2s.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/LaCantera3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="400" src="http://www.fd2s.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/LaCantera3.jpg" /></a></div><br><br /><br><br /><br><br /><br><br /><br><br /><br><br /><br><br /><br><br /><br><br /><br><br /><br><br /><br><br /><br />The Mall, According to Wikipedia, is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with enabling visitors to <span style="font-weight:bold;">easily</span> walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version of the traditional marketplace. <br /><br />I kind of chuckled at the word "easily". Honestly, it's not so easy to navigate from point A to point B anymore. There's kiosk shops, carts, photo booths, rides, and other hurdles all over today's mall. But, if I look at the back-lit mall map, I don't see any of these obstacles. Just a clear, easy path to my destination. And sometimes the map is so outdated that when I get to where the Radio Shack supposed to be on the map, I see the new cookie shop that replaced it. Turns out the Radio Shack moved to the other end of the mall for more space. So, why not update the map?<br /><br />It seems like at least once a month our local mall has a one store closing and another one opening. That would call for a lot of map updating, which could potentially be expensive. Think about it - There is usually several directory maps in the mall and continually printing new graphics is costly. Add in the labor expense to replace the old one and it's easy to see the potentially high cost in updating the ever-changing mall maps. <br /><br />So, what can be done to keep the mall patrons informed of new stores and store closings while keeping costs down? Simply go digital! By replacing these traditional back-lit maps with screens and designing a digital version, patrons would be able to get clear directions to the shops they are looking for, and the content could easily be updated using a web-based software. No need for printing or labor intensive replacements. Just edit the design and press 'submit!<br /><br />Not only are digital maps easier to update, but patrons could interact with a digital screen. Let's say I'm looking for Foot Locker. Using my finger, I press Foot Locker on the screen. It shows me how to reach my destination, but also informs me of other shoe stores in the mall and tells me which shoe stores are having sales. Let's see that old kiosk directory do that!<br /><br />Lastly, digital signage just looks better and brings life into the mall. Using animated or interactive graphics is a lot "cooler" than a boring static images. It's like a fresh coat of paint in your living room. Just ask any company that's replaced static posters with digital signage. They will tell you that more people are attracted to the screen than the poster.Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-58122571908421874042011-09-07T11:22:00.000-04:002011-09-07T12:00:49.651-04:00Evolution of the TVScrolling through my Twitter feed this morning, I found a great blog post from the always interesting <a href='http://www.mashable.com/2011/09/07/television-birth-infographic/'>Mashable.com</a>. Their salute to the TV and it's evolving size, quality, and price got me thinking. Can you imagine hanging a high-end CTR on the wall of a retail space and displaying ads or way-finding content to your customers? Ha. <br></br>
It's because of the evolution of the TV that digital signage was born. It's the continuously shrinking size and price plus the improvement in quality that allow the digital signage industry a chance to survive. So, not only am I saluting the TV for the endless hours of information and entertainment, I'm giving the TV a bear hug for providing me with a fun, and fulfilling career. <br></br>
Cheers!<br></br>
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Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-69253743654001560322011-08-31T10:01:00.003-04:002011-08-31T14:50:28.641-04:00Using Digital Signage Internally
<br />By now, the usage and benefits of digital signage are clear to marketers. When I ask "what are your goals?" or "why indoor digital signage?", the most popular answers have been "to display ads to our customers at the point of purchase" or "to increase cross-selling opportunities." Every so often someone tells me they want to entertain their customers with news or trivia while they’re waiting. Almost all answers are customer-centric, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, there’s a huge potential benefit that companies often overlook when planning digital signage use: Employees!
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<br />How many companies have push-pin bulletin boards hanging in a break room, hallway, or lobby that employees use to communicate departmental progress or personal achievements? I've worked in a few places that used this easy-to-ignore method of communication, and most of the time documents would just hang there unnoticed until someone took them down. Another issue that I've noticed with companies is the lack of interdepartmental communication. If you are in Marketing - What's going on in Accounting? If you are in Accounting - What's going on in R&D? You get the idea. Things change so fast that there's not enough time (or space) on the bulletin board. Using a digital sign for a company bulletin board is far more eye-catching than papers hanging on the wall and provides more flexibility. At Captive, we have a screen in each department. Each week, department heads send updates to the project administrator. So, right now, I can tell you what each department did last week, what they’re working on this week, and where we stand YTD on company goals just by turning around.
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<br />I found a really great blog that talks more about using digital signage for internal communication. <a href="http://www.openpr.com/news/189844/Achieve-effective-internal-communication-with-Digital-Signage-Solutions.html">Check it out</a>. Let me know what your company does to communicate? Newsletters, bulletin boards, digital signage? What methods are you using today and how could it improve?Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-48415433114283614832011-08-29T15:43:00.002-04:002011-08-29T16:10:03.579-04:00Face 2 Facebook with Digital Signage<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uGsDMgkj5b0?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uGsDMgkj5b0?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>
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<br />Recently, I wrote an article that discussed combining digital signage with social media. In the video above, Coke Cola uses digital kiosks at one of it's summer festivals so those attending the event would share their experiences with friends and family via Facebook - <b>Before they even leave the event!</b>
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<br />This benefits Coke in a couple of ways:
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<br />Coke is encouraging people to tell their friends about the "good time" they're having in hope to attract more people to the event.
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<br />Plus, the post to Facebook will be there until the user takes it down - So, Coke is turning their customers' Facebook page into a Coke billboard
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<br />Digital Signage + Social Media = Very Smart MoveMatt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22526422.post-39635062994234032272011-08-26T09:41:00.004-04:002011-08-26T15:52:44.472-04:00Digital Signage ProjectionsNow more than ever, marketers have more choices on how they will promote their brands' products or services. The internet has given birth to a wide variety of marketing avenues such as corporate websites, web advertising, email, social media, QR codes, and more. The emerging internet technologies have clearly had an impact on the amount of print materials marketers are using in their strategies. Why use print when you can go digital? Digital marketing is more dynamic, easier to change, and often has a smaller price tag.
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<br />Since its inception, there's no question that digital signage has made itself into one of the fastest growing marketing mediums on the planet. In March 2009, Digital Signage Magazine published <a href=http://www.digitalsignageweekly.com/article/27376.aspx"> an article</a> that quoted MultiMedia Intelligence saying that “the digital signage market will more than double in size by 2012, having grown by 34 percent from 2007 to 2008." And here we are in August 2011 and DigitalSignageToday.com published <a href="http://www.digitalsignagetoday.com/article/183779/Global-digital-signage-market-to-close-in-on-14-billion-by-2017">another prediction</a> by Global Industry Analytics Incs. They say that "the global digital signage market should hit nearly $14 billion by 2017."
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<br />With the growth of new interactive marketing strategies, what do you think will happen with print marketing? Can print survive in a digital world?
<br />Matt Deatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435307403200293010noreply@blogger.com0