Digital Signage

For brands that are looking to surround the smart, on-the-go consumer with an integrated and consistent digital experience, the time is now. With the convergence of mobile devices, social media and digital signage, interactivity is everywhere. Instead of looking at each platform and channel separately — traditional vs. online; online vs. mobile, in-home vs. out-of-home, broadcast vs. narrowcast — brands are able to take a holistic approach from the start.

Original Content & Interactivity

Original content is a big part of this. The traditional approach to digital signage was to repurpose what was being done on TV or in print. Now brands are taking the opportunity to exploit the unique capabilities of digital signage with original concepts designed just for that medium.

Interactivity and accountability now go hand in hand, as exemplified by the audience-aware examples cited above that have the ability to gather proof-of-performance statistics. Audience analytics is vital to establishing the credibility of digital signage, but going forward it is going to be even more critical to claiming our due share in the highly-fragmented media mix.

For a brand today, the opportunity to reach and connect consumers with compelling relevant media has never been more possible ... or more important. But no one should be under illusions that change will occur overnight. Organizationally, many brands still approach their different platforms and channels as silos. Advertising agencies are struggling to adapt their traditional reliance on national media buys to new world of hyperlocal branding. But with upwards of 70 percent of Americans spreading their shopping investment across channel — in-store, online and mobile — the way forward is clear.

There will still be many opportunities for digital signs that are essentially push media — serving as smarter, more cost-effective replacement for the signs and billboards. The opportunity to play an active role in defining the era of interactive brands is a big one. The technology is here. The medium is proven. The need is clear.

That's why in retail, you are seeing less discussion about being "multichannel" (that's a given) and more focus on being "omnichannel" — bringing together branding assets with the technology to engage and influence a very demanding, very elusive mass audience at different touch points.