Believe in Macy's Augmented Reality *Magical* Experience
By Mike Cearley
SVP, Digital Strategy, Fleishman-Hillard  The following is reprinted with permission from the Digital Screenmedia Association (DSA). For more information, go to http://www.digitalscreenmedia.org.
For anyone creating or thinking about creating an experience with any sort of enabling technology, look no further than Macy’s. With their new Believe-o-Magic Augmented Reality experience, they show us that when you use new technologies like this:
- Don’t let the entire experience hinge on this technology
- Do what you can to extend something that already exists
- Anything that creates an emotional tie between people and/or people and a brand has a pretty good chance of use and success.
Macy’s hits at the heart of a deep cornerstone of Christmas – every little boy and girl’s belief in Santa Claus and the magic wrapped up in the whole wonder. And this year, they’re doing it through emerging technology. Beautiful.
I have written about Macy’s a few times before, primarily because of their Behind the Scenes QR Code campaign. I really liked what they did with that campaign in terms of using all their channels to raise awareness and promote the actual program. Their broadcast spots supported it, their social media efforts supported it, even their in-store supported it. It was a seemingly well-thought out campaign as opposed to so many that we see that seem like afterthoughts.
So, it made me smile when I saw their foray into another enabling technology – this time, augmented reality. To see a video of Macy's Believo-o-Magic, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xvzRXy3J0Z0
Fundamentally, I really like what they’re doing with this letters-to-Santa program. They’ve had a mailbox to Santa for the past few years, at least. It is a ritual for our family to go to Macy’s and let the kids write their letters to Santa. Our kids love it. (And oh by the way, they do make a donation to Make-a-Wish for every letter received up to $1 million. Say what you will about that, I think it’s a nice tie-in.)
At this time of the year, this is the thing that separates Macy’s from the other department stores at this time of the year. This is the reason that we go to Macy’s before any others. So, this is just a solid program without any of the fancy technology.
But it’s here, in this fancy technology that makes ME want to go and be a part of the experience myself. This year, they’ve created a Believe-o-Magic (great name, btw) mobile application that allows you to pose with characters from a Christmas narrative that they created, take a picture, make a virtual Christmas card, and send out to whoever you want, including those in your social network.
Now, I’ll be very interested to see if Macy’s audience (parents, more middle-class than not, who knows what their familiarity with emerging technologies like this is??) is the right audience for augmented reality, but what I love about it is this – they are now deepening the experience. Without ruining it. The experience is already special, just in the fact that kids can write letters to Santa and put them in a big, red mailbox. Add an enabling technology on top of it and you have an (a) richer experience and (b) one that creates a more interesting piece of social content.
This experience does not require this app or technology to exist. That’s a great thing. Take note, and as much as you can help, when you create an experience that uses any sort of emerging technology, don’t let the experience live and die with that technology. It should just be an extension, one that deepens and extends the experience.
Last month, I sat in on a session with Michael Tobin (VP, eCommerce Integration) of Macy’s and I walked away knowing that they are very in tune with connecting with consumers, on their terms, through whatever technology is best for them. They’re not afraid to experiment with these new technologies, but they’re measured and thoughtful about how they use them, too. In my opinion (based on their QR code campaign and now this), they’re very good at thinking strategically about implementing them.
This is another thing we can learn from them – how can you tie this new technology to programs that already exist? It’s (relatively) easy to create an Augmented Reality something-or-other. It’s an entirely different thing to use the technology to make something that already exists better.
It doesn’t seem like Macy’s does something just to do it. I think that’s a hard temptation to fight in today’s world, with all of this new technology around. It just screams for people to play with it and often times, spend big money doing it. But with a measured approach, you might just create believers in all sense of the word. Leave a Comment  
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What I Brought Back from CETW
By Mike Cearley
SVP, Digital Strategy, Fleishman-Hillard  The following is reprinted with permission from the Digital Screenmedia Association (DSA). For more information, go to http://www.digitalscreenmedia.org.
Last month, I attended one of the major conferences in the digital signage circuit, Customer Engagement Technology World (CETW). I have been to the conference over the span of three years and have seen its evolution into what I would deem, "the best conference that no one knows about."
I think one of the problems with any conference centered around technology (like digital signage) is that it can easily become a conference about the technology vs. what the technology can do. That’s what I’ve seen over and over with these particular conferences and unless it’s CES, I don’t think many people care all that much about the technology. Even then, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed. People want to see all the cool things the technology can do, but that’s a much different proposition that setting technologies out on display.
So, this particular conference has really put a lot of time and attention into shifting the focus to the actual engagement that all these technologies can enable. And they’re finally starting to gain some traction, in terms of attracting the right speakers, exhibitors and attendees. It’s really great to see and it was equally great to be a part of. So, I thought I'd pay homage to the show and the insight/perspective that I gained there. Here’s what I brought back:
1. Lots of good thinking, but in reality, no one has figured this out. What I mean by this is that regardless what business you’re in – be it selling digital signage, selling ad space, creating content, or even putting together large campaigns that span across all sorts of technology – this is a complicated space, communicating to consumers. And despite your particular vertical or area of expertise, people are having to think about how to connect with consumers and what that means in ways that they have never had to before. There’s no one-stop-shop who can do all of this like ad agencies of old, and even more, there’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all approach that we can take when addressing this challenge of connecting with consumers. It’s just hard. There are many things to think about, not the least of which is the power that consumers have today. More than ever, consumers expect to be a part of the entire thing, they want a say in everything, from the creation to the activation and beyond. And that’s just challenging. One part of that proposition is challenging, much less all of it.
So, beyond the fact that no one has this figured out, my takeaway is to put solid thinking around what it means to connect and engage with consumers in this technology-rich, two-way expected world that we live in. Think of yourself as a consumer and not as an advertiser. Think about what motivates you to engage with something when you’re living your life. And that’s only a start because that’s only you. We, as consumers, are fickle and particular and you are not exactly like me. And I want everyone to know that.
2. There’s a technology out there that can do whatever you want – whatever you want to dream up, there’s a technology out there that can do that. Gesture and touch, holograms, bendable displays. Technology is not the barrier and we’re getting to the point to where cost of technology is not the barrier, either.
3. Social should be a given, yet mobile was a key focus – I heard so many discussions that centered around mobile over the few days. There were numerous sessions built strictly around mobile. But nothing on social. That said, everyone talked about "engagement" as being an inherently social activity that it seemed to be inferred that social was just a baseline. I think for those outside the digital signage industry it is a baseline. For those within the industry, I feel like social is hardly thought about. Just from what I saw from the exhibitors alone, all playing some part in the digital signage ecosystem (hardware, software, networks, content), they aren’t focusing on social content or connections. I could be wrong, but I didn’t hear much talk about social in the customer’s journey, certainly not from the exhibitors. I would be interested to know what sort of social learning this group needs.
4. Everyone needs a life-long mentor – I love when I get a chance to go to New York because that means I get to see my very first boss in the business who is also my mentor. It is incredibly refreshing to catch up and get advice and a different perspective. He has made an indelible impact on me, in both my personal and professional life, and I’m blessed to have a mentor like that. We don’t keep in touch as much as I’d like to, but I hear his voice often, especially in situations where I need a little guidance. If you don’t have a mentor, seek one out. If you do have one, don’t ever lose them.
"Uh-huh" – I sat in one session where the makeup of the panel was so un-digital-signage. Chaired by Paul Price, the CEO of Creative Realties, the panel consisted Jeremy Lockhorn, VP of emerging media at Razorfish, Carrie Chitsey, CEO of 3Seventy (a mobile shop), and Michael Tobin of Macy’s — all on the forefront of creating engaging experiences with emerging technologies. It was a standing room only session. It was really great to see because what it showed me was that there was interest in hearing from this type of speaker, which is a direct reflection of the different type of audience that this show is attracting. More people from digital shops and ad agencies (not media agencies). This was huge.
"Duh" – There are still too many digital signage providers. And by providers, I mean companies who have some hand in everything that digital signage encompasses. I had the privilege of leading a couple of tours for attendees on the showroom floor. The tours were intended to expose the attendees to individual providers of services in that ecosystem (hardware, software, network, and content). Every single one of the attendees that I gave tours to said the same thing to me, "does everyone do everything?" Ha. Because that sure is what it seems like, if you listen to most of the exhibitors on the showroom floor. This is something that makes my head want to explode. The fact that there are so many different providers makes it confusing. Confusion for something like digital signage tends to cause paralysis. Paralysis causes no implementation. We don’t want that.
As always, thank you so much for reading.
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Five Benefits to Digital Signage Communication in Hospitals
By Kara Tarantino
Director of Marketing, Vericom  Patients waiting in hospital lobbies, employees dining in break rooms, physicians talking to colleagues in lounges are audiences just “waiting” for information they need and want to know. Digital signage monitors strategically located throughout hospitals, delivering engaging messaging to these audiences can go way beyond just communicating. The right digital signage platform with the right content has the power to change behavior. Here are just five of the many benefits of healthcare digital signage:
1. Elevate patient satisfaction levels. Improved communications between patients and caregivers are a key component to elevating patient satisfaction or HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) scores. After leaving the hospital, patients are sent a post-discharge survey with questions that are part of the Health and Human Services initiative to measure the quality of care in hospitals. These results are then used to compare care issues that are of concern to all healthcare consumers. Questions pertain to the quality of care received from doctors and nurses, how well pain was controlled, cleanliness of the hospital environment and more. Engaging healthcare digital signage that educates patients as well as supports clinicians in delivering quality care can go a long way toward raising these scores. The key is keeping the content relevant to where patients and staff are viewing the information, deliver it in easy-to-understand ways, and clearly show how and where to respond. Hospitals with digital signage communications impacting behavior change could see measurable results.
2. Empower employees. Employees who are recognized in a public forum with visually captivating digital signage messages feel valued and connected. It is this engagement and validation that empowers them to do a better job and provide better patient care. Clinical staff who are provided with reminders about adherence to process via digital signage messaging in break rooms or nursing units know that leadership is supporting their efforts. These reminders also help to ensure safety and quality of care during times of stress, shift changes or staff shortages. (For an example of how digital signage can enhance the effectiveness of communication among nurses and other direct care providers, read the Telemetry Nursing Case Study: DeKalb Medical Center.)
 3. Engage physicians on their turf. Physicians are a crucial but often difficult audience to engage. Digital signage monitors in physician lounges communicate directly with physicians in their language, providing information they are seeking. Welcoming new physicians and recognizing accomplishments by others is a powerful way to engage their attention. Events, continuing education and other important updates can be delivered to physicians where they talk to colleagues and take breaks.
Clinical staff who are provided with reminders about adherence to process via digital signage messaging in break rooms or nursing units know that leadership is supporting their efforts.
4. Limit use of the Emergency Department (ED). Digital signage can contribute to reducing ED visits by enabling viewers to register for hospital-sponsored screenings, make doctor’s appointments, attend health, prevention and wellness events and classes. Armed with information, people are less likely to depend on the ED when they are taking preventive measures and feel empowered to make proactive decisions concerning their health. Additionally, digital signage monitors within the ED can provide important information regarding follow-up care to help avoid repeated visits.
5. Increase medication compliance. What people don’t know can hurt them. Digital signage affords a great opportunity to let people know the importance of providing their caregivers with a list of medications they are currently taking. It can help people understand what those medications are and how they can possibly interact with other medications. The right messaging can stress how people can avoid being readmitted back into the hospital if they follow their doctor’s orders as prescribed and take all of their medication as instructed. Knowledge is power, and digital signage can fill those communication voids and empower patients to ask questions when they don’t understand or things are not clear.
A long-term digital signage endeavor requires getting the right relevant content to the right audiences at the right time. Delivering actionable, engaging and fresh content takes work. This is why it is so important to partner with a vendor who knows healthcare and who can provide a readily-available content library vital to your digital signage success.
Kara Tarantino is director of marketing for Vericom, whose communications solutions include ChannelCare healthcare digital signage, a comprehensive web-based system including LCD monitors, health content library, on-site survey, turnkey installation and 24/7 support. Tarantino has served in her current position for 16 of the 23 years the company has served the healthcare industry. To contact Tarantino for information related to this article, email her at marketing@vericom.net
Reprinted with permission from Digital Signage Connection. Originally appeared here: http://www.digitalsignageconnection.com/5-benefits-digital-signage-communication-hospitals
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Retailers Look Beyond Return on Investment to Return on Engagement
By Ron Bowers
SVP, Business Development, Frank Mayer & Associates The following is reprinted with permission from the Digital Screenmedia Association (DSA). For more information, go to http://www.digitalscreenmedia.org. Has Retail Confidence Turned the Corner?
"American consumers have been taking a deep breath and making a decision that it’s OK to go shopping again," NRF Vice President Ellen Davis has declared. If the results of Black Friday weekend through Cyber Monday are any indication, consumers have exhaled and given themselves permission.
 Spurred by heavy promotion and earlier openings, retail sales during the Thanksgiving weekend rose 16.4 percent; shoppers spent 9.1 percent more per person than last year, and sales hit $52 billion compared to $45 billion last year, according to NRF. This is higher than the average increase for November and December over the past 10 years. If correct, this would indicate a continued retail recovery that began last year after holiday sales fell the previous two years. NRF has posted that the earlier store openings on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, while easy to condemn, were actually very well received by time-crunched consumers and retailers trying to stop the bleeding. Meanwhile, online shopping continues to win over millions of Americans this holiday season, with a record number hitting websites on Cyber Monday.
Retailers and brands are courting the consumer with discounts and offers, but what happens next? They will get a short-term return on their investment, but those focused on long-term engagement will be best positioned for the future. Retailers and brands that use the promise of self-service technology and social media to empower customers will create relationships that keep shoppers coming back when the holiday hype has modulated. Quite simply, the challenge of retail technology deployment goes beyond return on investment to include return on engagement.
 At Customer Engagement Technology World (CETW) recently, I was honored to chair an insightful discussion centered on the importance of Return on Engagement vs. Return on Investment. It was led by three of the most respected and recognized B2C industry voices: Danna Vetter, vice president of consumer strategies for ARAMARK; Jennifer Nye, marketing and brand management strategist for Kohler Company; and Laura Davis-Taylor, SVP, managing director at ShopWork BBDO.
Looking beyond the economic metric of ROI to the behavioral metric of ROE, Laura Davis-Taylor focused our discussion by asking the questions: - How has technology altered the traditional shopping path?
- How are smart retailers responding?
- What brands are serving as inspirational examples for others to follow?
 How do Self-Service Technology and Social Media Inform What Happens Next?
I think we can all agree there is no longer just a traditional shopping path but many paths to purchase facilitated by mobile and social technology. Mobile helps consumers shop across all channels. Social media gives shoppers context and community, enlisting friends virtually in discovery and purchase decisions. These technologies work hand in hand to facilitate the kind of engagement that can turn trial and purchase into loyalty and evangelism.
Consumers have been a beacon for retailers, rapidly adopting mobile and social platforms to empower their shopping. Smart retailers are those who aren’t afraid to experiment to find out what works for their customers across retail environments. The retailers that will best use social shopping in their marketing are not just talking at, but are listening to, consumers and adapting what they’re delivering based on consumer response and interactions. This is engagement, defined by Wikipedia as: "the repeated interactions that strengthen the emotional, psychological or physical investment a customer has in a brand."
How a customer experiences a retailer or brand is no longer just within her head or with those in the immediate vicinity. The consumer has become the reviewer, the broadcaster, and the brand advocate. Marketers can remain passive in this remodeled environment or they can facilitate behavior and try to harness its power. These could be the best of times or the worst of times for brands and retailers that don’t heed the consumer’s acceptance of the engagement shopping model. Brands like Starbucks, that understand the opportunity offered by the new Facebook model of streaming content and encourage social media sharing through their in-store merchandising and mobile applications, are leading the way on one end of the spectrum. Walmart is far ahead as it develops an application that facilitates social sharing through impromptu communities. Customers will ultimately be able to engage in-store via their phones with other shoppers, asking and answering questions, seeking and giving opinions on products and deals.
As discussed at CETW, the way we deliver customer interaction is evolving, and the only limit to what technology can do is our imagination and retail implementation. The focus should be on breaking down the bricks and mortar between customer and retailer and engaging in a two-way dialogue aided by emerging digital media and in-store self-service interactive solutions. We need to incorporate this new model into our planning and development. The challenge of a deployment should not be just return on investment, but return on engagement as well.
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Japanese Vending Machine Tests Transparent LCDs, Video Analytics
By Dave Haynes
Editor, Sixteen:Nine  The Japanese tech news site DigInfo TV has a post and video up about a concept involving a transparent LCD, vending machines and video analytics.
This concept model for a next-generation vending machine, which features a see through display, is being developed by Sanden, a large manufacturer of vending machines, in conjunction with Okaya Electronics and Intel. This concept model has a vertical, 65-inch, Full HD transparent display. The products behind the display can be seen through the glass, and you can simultaneously see high definition text, pictures, and Flash animations on the display.
“This vending machine uses the Intel SandyBridge Core. It features Audience Impression Metric, or AIM, and can do anonymous face recognition. So this machine can recognize whether customers are male or female, or old or young.”
When there aren’t any customers, the machine shows a large digital clock and animations, to attract the attention of people passing by. If a customer stands in front of the machine, it estimates their attributes from anonymous video analysis, and shows advertising content to match the customers demographic.
“In this demo, we’re suggesting that vending machines could be used to purchase luxury items, such as cosmetics and wine. The machine also has a public safety mode in times of emergency, which shows information such as evacuation routes.”
Kinda sorta interesting. The monochromatic, almost gothic creative being used is a total head-scratcher. I know these transparent LCDs can do color, so why wouldn’t you. These machines have big glass faces so why not use them, I suppose. Whether they really need to be interactive is an open question.
Certainly, the Stratacache guys with their PrimaSee product see a lot of legs in the transparent LCD market.
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Google's Maps Go Indoors; Digital Wayfinding Guys Twitch
By Dave Haynes
Editor, Sixteen:Nine If your company has been developing wayfinding applications, particularly for things like airports and malls, you’ve probably been thinking Google might present a bit of a problem at some point.
That point appears to have arrived, with Google’s announcement that the maps it serves up that allow billions of people to get from here to there will also know help people find their way inside the “there” part of the journey.
Google Maps for Android devices – phones and tablets – now enables users to figure out where they are and where they might want to go once inside.
 Starting today, says the Google mapping team’s blog, with the release of Google Maps 6.0 for Android, that directory is brought to the palm of your hands, helping you determine where you are, what floor you’re on, and where to go indoors.
Detailed floor plans automatically appear when you’re viewing the map and zoomed in on a building where indoor map data is available. The familiar “blue dot” icon indicates your location within several meters, and when you move up or down a level in a building with multiple floors, the interface will automatically update to display which floor you’re on. All this is achieved by using an approach similar to that of ‘My Location’ for outdoor spaces, but fine tuned for indoors.
Mall of America in Minneapolis before and after, with a floor selector We’ve initially partnered with some of the largest retailers, airports and transit stations in the U.S. and Japan, including:
- Mall of America, IKEA, The Home Depot, select Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, Daimaru, Takashimaya and Mitsukoshi locations and more. Watch an IKEA demo here.
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Narita International (NRT), among others.
- JR and Tokyu Corporation
For a detailed list of participating locations, please visit our help center. And this is just the start–we’ll continually add new indoor maps to public buildings across the world. If you’re a business owner interested in getting your location’s floor plan included in Google Maps, visit maps.google.com/floorplans.
So what does this mean for the interactive wayfinding companies? Probably too early to say.
Right now it is a mobile application meant for people who are walking around clutching their Android handset or tab. But it will not be long before we see digital signage devices running off Android in something more significant than test lab benches.
What will clearly differentiate what the digital wayfinding guys do is the visual look and feel and the much tighter, layered and interesting spin they can do. Google Maps are awesome, but by the sheer demands of scale, are pretty vanilla in their look.
There might actually be some interesting integration to start people off on the big wayfinders you see in places like airports and push them through some Google interface to the handsets. Leave a Comment
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Opera Goes Holographic Using Projectors, Transparent Film
By Dave Haynes
Editor, Sixteen:Nine  This is pretty interesting. There have been virtual and augmented fashion shows using transparent film and projectors, but I’ve never heard of a holographic opera.
The projector giant Christie has a case study up on its UK site about a virtual opera, written by Franco Battiato to honor the 16th century Italian philosopher Bernardino Telesio.
The set, singers, dancers and performers appeared on stage, but they were not physically there. They were just holograms. The Philarmonia Mediterranea orchestra, directed by Carlo Boccadoro, was the only piece of the puzzle physically present at the show, playing live and having the added challenge of syncing the music to the holograms’ singing and dancing on stage.
The Comune di Cosenza commissioned the opera, which ran for three days at the Rendano theatre in Cosenza, Italy, to full houses.
The production of the show took nine days. During this time Christie partner Gianni Guerrini worked closely with production company International Music and the UK company Musion, which provided the Eyeliner technology to create the holograms.
The whole opera was filmed beforehand at the theatre. The production company set up a TV studio at the theatre using a black background to then be able to super impose different backgrounds behind the acting and singing scenes.
While the scenes were being filmed in the studio, they were also broadcast live onto the stage, already prepared with the holographic screen, to make sure it all fitted well and the holograms looked as natural as possible. Post production and effects were done separately in a studio.
Rossani comments: “The cameras were connected to AYA for recording and then they hooked into the Pandora box. We tried filming in High Definition (HD) interlace and progressive, to see which one gave us the best natural movement and realistic effect on the holograms. We chose interlace 1080 HD because it gave us smoother contours and the movement was perfectly natural.”
“The sync between the live audio and the recorded images on the performance nights was quite a big job. Everything was controlled from the sound desk, the Digidesign Venue. We used a Digidesign desk and a Mac 5. A DMX interface, going through the light board, was only used manually to pause lights,” Rossani recalls.
The hologram effect on stage was achieved by using a transparent screen foil from UK company Musion, a reflecting surface and three powerful Christie Roadster HD18K projectors. The foil is positioned at a 45 degrees angle on the stage and the projectors and reflecting surface are opposite each other one at the top and the other at the bottom of the screen. The image is projected directly onto the reflection screen and this appears then projected onto the Musion screen. The result is an eye trick that presents the images vertically (i.e. standing) and with virtual physicality, creating a 3D image that seems to be moving in midair. Using this technique together with clever lighting and the depth of the stage, the holographic effect is achieved.
Working with Guerrini, production manager David Broccoli adds: “For this project we used a main screen of 14 metres from Musion on the stage and a smaller one positioned behind it to add depth the scenery. A challenging aspect of this setting was to create multi layered, well proportioned projected scenes using Pandora’s Box. Every scene was composed by the overlapping of different clips and graphics on stage. All of the elements were captured separately and brought together on the stage to create the scene in different layers. We have to fine tune the projectors and screens to create a visual balance ensuring that the proportions and synchronicity were spot on.”
Guerrini, expert in the use of AV for dramatic arts explains: “The main foil was served by two Christie Roadster HD18K projectors in edge blending configuration, both connected to one Pandora’s Box server that provided two independent outputs. A third Roadster HD18K with a second Pandora’s Box server projected on the second foil. These projectors were considered the best projectors for the job, with the combination of 16:9 format and 18K power essential to produce the desired results in brightness and resolution. The show was unforgettable and the holograms kept the audience at the edge of their seats all night, it was magic in action.”
I’m not much of an opera guy, but this would have been fascinating to sit in on. Here’s a video report, but in Italian.
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John Underkoffler to Deliver Keynote Address at Digital Signage Expo 2012  Digital Signage Expo (DSE) has announced that John Underkoffler, chief scientist and technological visionary at Los Angeles-based Oblong Industries, will deliver the Wednesday, March 7, keynote address at the 2012 Las Vegas event.
Underkoffler, who is known for his groundbreaking optical and electronic holography work at MIT Media Laboratory and his role as science advisor on films such as the Minority Report, will present “Through and Beyond: A Pixel Dialogue.”
The address will describe his vision of the radical shift in the coming decade that will change the way we think about digital displays: what they’re capable of, what they’re good for and how, at a fundamental level, they will impact our way of life.
His predictions are based chiefly upon new the forms of interactivity enabled by sensing, computation and networking integrated at the device level into future screens. But according to Underkoffler, most or all of the raw technology components necessary for the transition are already extant today in the form of the ‘spatial operating environment,’ the commercial platform that is the real-world successor to the gestural computing technologies envisioned in the film “Minority Report” (which, despite nearing its 10th anniversary, still provides one benchmark by which the evolution of display technologies is popularly measured).
Underkoffler will use examples from this unusual fictional-into-real UI (User Interface) design trajectory to sketch some of the field’s most important and imminent advances, as well as their current and future impact on the world of digital signage.
In addition to “Minority Report,” Underkoffler has been science advisor to films such as “The Hulk” (A. Lee), “Aeon Flux” and “Iron Man.” He also is active on several boards and serves as adjunct professor in the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Richard Lebovitz, educational director for Atlanta-based Exponation LLC, which produces DSE, said, “John Underkoffler’s unique ability to envision how and where technology will take our industry, and the manner in which it will be transformed, promises to be both educational and exciting.”
He added, “DSE is pleased to be able to offer attendees the opportunity to hear a speaker whose observations will have a truly meaningful impact on the way they will be doing business in the future.”
This article is reprinted with permission from the Digital Signage Connection and originally appeared here.
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DSE Unveils Advisory Board  Digital Signage Expo (DSE) has unveiled its Advisory Board for 2012, with more than fifty professionals representing Advertising Agencies, Banking/Financial, Corporate Communications, Education, Entertainment/Public Spaces, Government, Health Care, Hospitality, Restaurant & Food Service, Retail, Stadiums & Arenas, Transportation, Industry Consultants, Digital Place-Based Network & Digital Out-of-Home Networks, and Content & Creative sectors. They include:
- ARAMARK Corporation
- BBDO Shop Work
- Best Buy
- Brawn Consulting
- Build-A-Bear
- Calgary Telus Convention Center
- Columbus Regional Airport Authority
- Disney Swan & Dolphin Hotels
- Dunkin’ Brands
- Fairplex
- Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority
- Lowe’s Companies
- Mayo Clinic
- MGM Resorts International
- N2
- Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
- OOH Pitch
- Platt Retail Institute
- Raytheon Company
- Razorfish
- Seaworld Entertainment
- Servus Credit Union
- Starcom Worldwide
- StoreStream Metrics
- The BUNN Company
- The Handa Group
- The John Marshall Law School
- The PreSet Group
- Thomas & Mack Center/University of Nevada
- Tracy Locke
- University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
- WalMart
- Wells Fargo
- Wendy’s International
All DSE Board members and their organizations are actively doing business in or have invested in digital signage and interactive technologies, represent a variety of professional expertise, and generously share their knowledge by answering a “Question of the Month,” a resource important to those seeking specific industry perspectives on technical or business challenges related to the DS field. Additionally, many board members volunteer their time and contribute ideas to the creation of DSE’s annual professional education programs. Both a listing of the full 2012 Advisory Board and answers to the monthly questions can be found at www.digitalsignageconnection.com.
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LCD Price-Fixing Suit Settled  After the $585-million government fine for price-fixing, Sharp, Samsung, Chimei Innolux, LG and four other LCD manufacturers now must pay $388 million to settle the class-action suit from end users. The companies won’t admit to the crime, but they agreed on the settlement in a price fixing case from a 2007 class action lawsuit.
That suit specifically cites LCD panels sold between 1999 and 2006 — the companies were alleged to have driven the price up. For that, the group will pay a total of $388 to settle the claims, with Sharp paying out the largest single amount of $105 million, Samsung with $82.7 million, followed by Chimei Innolux with $78 million and LG with $70 million.
The government gets its big dollar lawsuit… the end-users get to cash-in on a class action… but what do the integrators and installers get? Nothing! And that presumably means the law sees integrators as working neither on the side of the defendants, nor working for the victims.
Here are the details: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-57338749-17/lcd-makers-fined-$388-million-for-alleged-price-fixing/
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Chief Adds Medium and Large Ceiling Mount Accessories  Chief's latest offerings are the MAC230 and PAC230, which the company is calling "aesthetic ceiling mount accessories." These aesthetic covers conceal cables and media players for a clean, professional look.
The MAC230 is compatible with MCSU universal ceiling mounts and installs directly into a MSBUB universal interface bracket. The PAC230 installs directly into a PSBUB universal interface bracket and works with PCSCU universal ceiling mounts. Both products ship will all necessary hardware and tools.
The MAC230 is here: http://www.chiefmfg.com/Series/mac230 and the PAC230 is here: http://www.chiefmfg.com/Series/pac230
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Advantech to Introduce OPS Compliant Media Player at ISE Next Month  At ISE in Amsterdam next month, Advantech will launch its latest digital signage technology, including Intel Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) compliant media players, ION2 based advanced graphics digital signage platforms, scenario touch computers and more. These can be used in various applications such as kiosk, POS, medical, home automation, etc.
The highlight will be ARK-DS220, the OPS compliant digital signage media player powered by an Intel Atom D525 dual-core processor (fan-based) and Intel Atom N455 single-core processor (fanless) with integrated NVIDIA GT218 (ION2) graphic module for Full HD playback. Compliant with the Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) as implemented in Philips and NEC public displays, its slot-in module design effectively lowers deployment and field maintenance costs.
As this is a new product that's not officially been announced, it's not on the company's websit, yet. When it is, it'll be here: http://www.advantech.nl/
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Sharp's Indoor Perimeter Advertising System  Sharp’s indoor perimeter advertising system, consisting of the PN-V series of thin‑bezel monitors, will debut at the ISE SHow next month in Amsterdam.
The Sharp perimeter system can be quickly assembled and is also protected by safety glass, making it suitable for all indoor events. The displays can also be adapted locally to the lighting conditions of the hall, and their resolution ensures pan shots are displayed without any disruptive moiré effect.
The pre-mounted system for hall events has a been successfully used at various sports events in 2011, including the finals of the European Handball Federation (EHF) Champions League in Cologne.
Developed in partnership between EHF Marketing GmbH, the marketing arm of the European Handball Federation, the Sharp LCD Perimeter Advertising System let organizers integrate the LCD system into the event’s entertainment concept in the arena.
That system was made up of individual 152 cm diagonal (60”) screens with a strong 1366×768 pixel display. The bezel gap is only 6.5 mm.
Here are all the specs: http://www.sharppromonitors.com/pnv.html
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Christie Releases Awesome Digital Signage White Paper  It’s a simple formula, really. The bigger something is, the more likely it is to be noticed. That formula is particularly true with digital signage – an emerging technology that is still struggling to gain a foothold in the sectors where it should really thrive: retail and public spaces.
Many factors contribute to why digital signage in these sectors is still an industry largely waiting to happen. But one of the biggest, is the small size of the displays, and the resulting lack of true impact.
Download this white paper from Christie to better understand how the company's MicroTiles are affecting the digital signage landscape: https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/documents/Christie-MicroTiles-Whitepaper.pdf
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Wireless Ronin Announces $3.3 Million Registered Direct Offering  Wireless Ronin today announced that it has entered into agreements to sell approximately $3.3 million of its common stock in a registered direct offering. Pursuant to these agreements, the company will issue 3,320,500 shares of common stock at $1.00 per share. The company expects net proceeds of approximately $2.9 million, which it plans to use for general corporate purposes, including working capital. The closing of the offering is expected to take place on or about Dec. 12, 2011, subject to customary closing conditions.
The shares are being offered by the company pursuant to a shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which was declared effective on Sept. 29, 2009. A prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus relating to the offering will be filed with the SEC. Copies of the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus may be obtained from the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
For complete details, go here: http://www.wirelessronin.com/
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Are Your Digital Menu Boards A Distraction?
By Judy L. Hoffman
PR Communications Specialist, Noventri  Many Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) are turning to digital menu boards over standard menu boards because of the ease of updating menu items and maintaining store compliance. Unfortunately, poorly-executed digital menu boards can actually brew unhappy customers and slow down lines. Why?
The goal of digital menu boards is to make food selection an easy matter. Once customers are in line they should be able to use the menu boards as a reference for their selections.
Menu board content that is less than exceptional can be confusing and frustrating and will slow down lines, leading to more frustration. Add to this the unnecessary motion, such as flashing and bouncing, that promotional video offers and you’ve got the perfect mix for frustration. The eye of the viewer or customer is distracted and will struggle to hone in on desired menu items.
Menu board content and layouts should closely resemble standard menu boards. After all, they have worked successfully for some time. Familiarity equals ease of use. Content should be easy to read, with minimal distractions. Only then will lines move with ease and not distract customers.
Judy L. Hoffman is a freelance marketing and public relations consultant and as the PR Communications Specialist at Noventri, has nurtured a keen interest in the digital world and the effects of digital signage in the field of marketing and public relations.
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AOpen Announces WarmTouch All-in-One Multi-Touch Panel PC for Digital Signage  AOpen has announced the availability of the WarmTouch WT22M-RH, an all-in-one multi-touch panel PC. Offering a 21.5” multi-touch display with an LED-backlit panel, the WT22M-RH has a built-in PC based on the AOpen Digital Engine technology, including the Intel Core i3 Processor. It supports dual-channel DDR3 memory and something called Watchdog functionality that can trigger a corrective action to automatically recover from lockups, reducing IT support or help-desk calls. It's enclosed in an aluminium casing with a dust- and water-resistant panel and body. It's aimed at both indoor and outdoor digital signage applications.
Full specs are here: http://www.aopen.nl/news_detail.aspx?prdc=&model=&ntype=ProductNews&auno=12817
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Canadian Retailer Mark's Rolling Out Store Redesigns with ADFLOW Solution
By Dave Haynes
Editor, Sixteen:Nine ADFLOW Networks seems to be on a bit of a roll lately. On the heels of a nice joint marketing deal with Acosta and an announced rollout of interactive health stations  in Rite-Aid store, the Burlington, Ontario-based software firm is announcing a deal to be the digital signage provider “for all store redesign initiatives” for Mark’s. Mark’s is an apparel chain in Canada with hundreds of stores, selling business casual wear and the sort of rugged, safe stuff people working in trades pull on in the morning. The chain is owned by Canadian Tire and has started co-locating stores in the last couple of years. “Mark’s is incorporating multiple in-store digital displays – both passive and interactive – into the DNA of their new store design,” says a release about the deal. “The new shopping environment features captivating, dynamic digital media throughout strategic areas of the store.” Mediavation, Mark’s long-standing agency partner, is the driving force behind this initiative and the key creator of the in-store digital media strategy and content creation. They recommended ADFLOW Networks to help them achieve their vision for Mark’s. Joseph Levy, President of Mediavation: “After much due diligence, Marks and Mediavation decided to partner with ADFLOW Networks to provide a unique in-store digital signage solution, mainly because of ADFLOW’s years of experience and proven expertise.” Tom Ranieri, AVP Store Design at Mark’s, adds, “We felt that ADFLOW had a powerful and flexible system that allowed us to seamlessly integrate our multi-platform in-store digital signage strategy.” The Calgary-based retailer is focused on brand enhancement, in-store customer experience, customer education, and driving sales. The in-store digital media network has large-format screens mounted in prominent locations throughout the store, and also has touch-enabled, interactive LCD displays called Touch Points. There is also a four-panel video wall at cash. Mark’s was a client for several years of Digital View>EnQii>ComQi, but I’m not sure how current the relationship was between the two. I know the company had been actively looking around for a while, as I have chatted with a Mark’s guy at a couple of DSE shows and forums. The retailer was an early innovator with in-store digital, going back to at least 2004 with a fairly significant rollout of interactive stations and big screens. Leave a Comment
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So, that's rAVe DS [Digital Signage] for this month! Remember, we are here to HELP the AV market penetrate the DS market. Only 12 percent of the DS market is integrated by AV companies. The other 88 percent is IT-based. Now, there are AV publications and even an association that would like to draw those IT people in to AV (it would increase readers, right? – and more readers means they can charge more for ads). That is NOT what we are doing. rAVe DS is specifically designed to pull AV into the DS market and teach AV companies how to take business away from the currently dominated by IT market.
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read a 100% opinionated ePublication that's designed to help AV integrators. We not only report the news and new product stories of the digital signage industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that's why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: we run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write anything good (or bad).
Don't like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send me feedback, don't reply to this newsletter — instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas: Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe [Publications] has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter rAVe ProAV Edition. rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004. rAVe Rental [and Staging] launched in November 2007. rAVe ED [Education] launched in May 2008. rAVe DS [Digital Signage] was launched in January 2009.
To read more about my background, our team, and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com
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Copyright 2011 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln. – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – (919) 969-7501. Email: sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe DS [Digital Signage] contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |
A 
I’m not an accountant. I am actually a sales and marketing type. But I am very familiar with return on investment (ROI). It is a basic business principle that we all live with. If a project doesn’t eventually pay for itself, why do it? We are all in business to make a profit. That’s what makes our world go around.
