Digial Signage: Waiting For The Tipping Point

A point in time when momentum for change becomes unstoppable.

When will this time come, or has it already for digital signage? I figure I would weigh in, every market research company has and charges lots of money too, so why not me on my two cents worth blog? I have a lot of industry experience and insight to draw upon, and besides its free. Simply put, I am going with 2010. While it is a nice round number, it also appears that several more stars, industry outlooks and consumer trends, will be aligning and create even more momentum and reasons to consider investing in a digital sign solution for your business. What are those trends and indicators? A couple of the many I came across preparing an update for a recent strategy presentation for a client are as follows:

1. IT spending. Its forecast to rebound in 2010 with context aware computer spending, like digital signage, a key area (CAC uses things like location, presence and other social & environmental information to aniticpate an end-user's needs).

2. More and more large IT companies are getting serious about digital signage (e.g. Cisco, HP, Intel).

3. Decling Print Ad Sales. One man's loss is another ones gain I suppose. As magazines and newspapers continue to shutter, digital out of home and digital merchandising spends will gain more momentum and continue to grow.

4. Burge King Revamp. BK recently announced an effort to revamp all 12,000 stores with a sleek new interior design that includes digital menu boards. While 12,000 locations is a ginormous amount (as my daughter likes to say) and whether they even ever get passed 1,000 only time will tell. But the significance is the trickle-down effect this will have on the many other large and small fast food and fast casual restaurant chains that will look to emulate this.

5. Detroit Airport Mandate. As part of a huge redesign the Detroit Metro Airport mandated that all new foodservice vendors with menu displays use a digital menu board system.

You can see how it all begins to add up. Not to mention price erosion continuing in hardware and the consumers insatiable appetite for more information and desire to be able to make more informed decisions at point of sale. The day is fast approacning when most new construction and renovation projects incorporate digital merchandising of some form or another. Its no longer a matter of if but when, 2010.

Using Google SketchUp For Digital Signage Project Development

I have spent a lot of time using all sorts of 3D CAD software designing everything from small handheld products to full blown 100’ x 100’ trade show exhibits, so I was a bit skeptical when I finally got around to trying out SketchUp, a free 3D CAD software application from Google. Ever since Alias Sketch! was cancelled it has been difficult to find a quick and easy replacement to create 3D models on a Mac, but to my surprise I was impressed. Now SketchUp doesn’t have the rendering engine to generate incredible 3D photorealistic images like Alias Sketch! did, but it does good enough and includes texture mapping and animation capabilities ideal for doing an interior fly through of a proposed Digital Signage installation. SkecthUp also does not have the sculpting ability that other 3D CAD applications have to create complex organic shapes, but for modeling 3D store interiors, kiosks and merchandising fixtures it’s a breeze. In addition, thanks to Google’s efforts to model all the worlds’ architecture with SketchUp in Google Maps, there is a HUGE repository of all sorts of SketchUp 3D models available for free download. Using this library helps add detail and accuracy to your models quick and easily. Google SketchUp is currently available for free or a fee but with all the functionality packed into the free version there is plenty you can do at no charge. More consultants and integrators specializing in digital signage should use SketchUp to help avoid common miscommunications with clients in advance of those costly and time-consuming on-site installation misunderstandings.

GET may do for Digital Signage too (Good Enough Tech)

In addition to being green, mass transit does have other advantages to driving yourself to the office. For example, you can read something interesting too. A good read on my commute to NYC this morning came from the recent issue of WIRED magazine. From netbooks to Flip camcorders, sometimes the low cost simple tech is good enough to transform an entire industry, trading power or fidelity in exchange for low price, flexibility, and convenience. Case in point, using Google SketchUp in new and interesting ways (more on this to follow). Can you think of many Digital Signage solutions that GET the it? I can. Drop me an email if you would like to find out more.

Infographics Worth 1000's Of Words

While your customers might not dwell long enough to delve into graphically rich information displayed on your digital sign, a well designed infographic can draw your attention and explain complex information quickly and easily through the use of graphics and visuals instead of lots and lots of text. A treasure trove of examples have been archived by the folks at Good Magazine on Flickr here. And the grandfather of the infographic Richard Saul Wurman published a great compilation from industry leading designers called Understanding USA.

Digital Sign Networks Step #2 Content Content Content

A couple of mantras to consider posting on your creative directors wall or better yet, anybody's wall who develops your digital signage content or thinks they now how to design effective and compelling content for Digital Signage networks:

- "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler," Albert Einstein

- "Simplicity is the key to happiness in the modern world," the Dalai Lam

- "Less is more," Mies van der Rohe

Read why simplcty is the key for outdoor creative competing for the attention of today's time starved consumer.

Digital Sign Networks Step #1 Location Location Location

Whether you want to install a digital signage network that is supported by advertising or fo in-store merchandising and messaging be sure to study layout and customer flow (in addition to installation considerations). Locating a digital sign in the correct location will help increase impulse purchases at point-of-sale, reduce perceived wait time, spread word-of-mouth, increase recall, and improve overall customer in-store experience.

Scalable Vector Graphics To The Digital Signage Rescue?

Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), is a language that describes a drawing based on the points and shapes that compose them so they can be displayed in any resolution as clearly as possible. Compared to pixel graphics like clipart using BMP or JPEG formats, SVG is typically a smaller files size and requires less CPU power for play back. It is also royalty free and an open standard. Developers can build and add functionality to an SVG file. Programming (scripting and event support) can be used as a platform to build graphically rich applications and user interfaces. SpinetiX, based in Switzerland, has done this with a new digital signage solution. In the process they have created one of the smallest hardware players in the industry along with one of the best warranties, lifetime. Their tiny Hyper Media Player (HMP) come with a Win PC authoring tool (The Hyper Media Director, HMD) so you do not need to be an SVG programming wiz to create content to distribute to your HMP (using either internet or a removable thumb drive). In a marketplace where many solutions are available and similar, SpinetiX is a breath of fresh air, an innovative and exciting new solution. XML & Javascript gurus of the world: sign-up now for your free trial version.