Volume 5, Issue 10 — October 9, 2013

This month I want to discuss the final type of digital signage Kelsen writes about, the Point of Sale (POS). The POS signage may be the least used in education, because so many of us are not really sure how to use this. We really need to dig into marketing and state of mind to really understand. To do that, we need to partner with the experts who are running our retail points, and others in our business offices.

I find a few obvious places on campuses for POS digital signage. The first is the campus bookstore(s) and our dining services operations. We need to look beyond that though, and think about any place where cash is exchanged. At Bates for example, we have a service spot for our computers sales and service. Faculty, staff and students can buy printers, bags, computers and other peripherals at this location. Many schools with larger sports programs have stadiums or facilities that include both food sales and logo-apparel. We may have smaller convenience stores on our campuses where there are retail activities.

I think of the three types of signage, and this is the one that requires those of us in IT to be in a position to find partners. Our first partner I discussed a moment ago — the experts on your campus in marketing and business. Our next partner has got to be a great integrator, with a firm understanding of, and experience with, digital signage in POS environments. I don’t think that the stuff we use in our other signage networks will fly very well in these POS networks, because they are just too expensive. In your bookstore, for example, you could have a dozen different digital signs.  You simply can not pay $7,000 per install for each of these signs, like you may do in other locations. That would make ROI really difficult to achieve. Also, you don’t want huge 50” and 60” monitors, you want smaller ones, in strategic locations that appeal to people that are looking at specific items.

It is no surprise to colleges today that they cannot continue to increase the tuition for students. We all need to start looking at other ways to make money. Certainly, fundraising is one of them. However, smart business offices are going to look really hard at income sources other than tuition and donors. Those constituents are already hit very hard, and have some level of fatigue. However, we have students, alumni and really importantly, visitors to our campuses who have money to spend.

Perhaps the time that we have the biggest influx of “new” customers to our campus is during sporting events.  Typically, these are also people who may be interested in buying apparel and food. Unlike what we may do with all our other work, this is a place where we NEED to be business oriented. This is a situation where you can see a very clear ROI, if done properly. For integrators, this is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door at some of the schools that you have not got into yet. Come in with a great business proposal and you may make a long term partner.

What are some very interesting uses you have found for POS in the educational market? Have you had any experiences that have clearly added a benefit to the shopper, and to your bottom line? If so, give me a shout! I look forward to hearing from you.

It is easy to see that digital signage has gone mainstream. The market is growing by over 35 percent and industry experts expect more than 22 million digital signs to be deployed by 2015. That’s one digital display installed every 3.5 seconds.

The growth of digital signage is no surprise considering the many benefits it delivers. To read more about the digital signage market, check out this digiital signage infographic. Can you guess how much digital advertising was sold in 2011?

So, what are the drivers behind the growth in digital signage?  Here are three contributing factors:

1.  It has never been more affordable.

Prices of LCD displays — even larger flat screens and videowalls — have come down dramatically.  It has never been more affordable to deploy digital signage.

2.  Displays have never been easier to install.

Displays are getting lighter, thanks to advances in edge-lit LED technology. Mounting options have been simplified through VESA standards or purpose-design mounts from some display manufacturers. Plus, embedded media players, which available in a growing number of displays, make installation less complex.

3.  Digital signage advertising has never been easier to create.

Media players can play back PowerPoint files or jpg images taken from cell phone cameras. Your clients’ marketing teams can put together professional graphics, or you can sources common messages (think “Sale”, “Grand Opening” or “Breakfast Specials”) from a growing number of stock photography sites (some of our favorites are iStockPhoto, Getty Images, Pond5 and Artbeats). Many of these sites also have high-quality video and animations that you can use as-is, or further customize to your needs.

In short, deploying digital signage is easier than ever.  Easier on the wallet.  Easier on the back.  And easier on the nerves. We will continue to see aggressive market growth as more and more businesses see the benefits of digital signage.

How much digital signage business is your company doing?

This column was reprinted with permission from InfoComm and originally appeared here.

By Ron Bowers
SVP, Business Development, Frank Mayer & Associates

The Digital Screenmedia Association is all about connection. The DSA was created to bring the suppliers of interactive technologies like kiosks, mobile, digital signage, RFID and NFC together so we could communicate and collaborate about how individual pieces combine to create a compelling experience around a product. The experience of connecting with a product or environment can set consumers on a path that leads to purchase and initiates a relationship that can lead to loyalty.

Lindsay Wadelton of AT&T Mobility shared how her company’s flagship store on Michigan Avenue in Chicago has transformed the brand experience. It is hard to miss the eye-popping digital signage in the Explore Zone that highlights AT&T’s diverse device lineup and accessories. At the same time, it’s the hands-on aspects of the new store that communicate the company is about more than just phones; they convey a connected mobile lifestyle of convenience and personal services.

The new Connected Experience Zone features “lifestyle vignettes” that highlight categories such as music, home security and entertainment and offer customers a glimpse of how solutions can be used in their everyday lives. The Community Zone features “community tables” that encourage customers to shop and play with apps, accessories and devices. The environments are set up for self-exploration or side-by-side interaction with store associates.

We also heard from Jared Schiffman, founder and CEO of Perch Interactive, a start-up whose interactive table-top displays combine the benefits of online shopping with hands-on product exploration. Perch has offered Nordstrom a successful and innovative experience for their customer engagement. This solution encourages shoppers to touch and pick up products on display. When they do so, they get rewarded with information, animations and media that connect them more closely to the brand.

George Burciaga, CEO of elevate DIGITAL has reinvented the “billboard” through creating a multi-sensory outdoor touchscreen. Burciaga showed displays with large 46- to 55-inch touchscreens that offer not only hyperlocal deals for retailers within the vicinity, but a wealth of content, such as city and transportation information, news and attractions. A social element that allows consumers to take video and photos for sharing via Facebook or email enhances advertising impressions generated by the display.

All three presentations were developed independently. What was confirming for me was that all three touched on the same theme. Interactivity drives engagement, and consumers who engage with a product are more likely to buy a product, connect with the brand or service and create a loyalty relationship based on the interaction.

All three of these companies are targeting consumers who are looking for something beyond their desktops. When millennial shoppers engage they may seek a retail environment and assisted selling, but they are perfectly comfortable with self-navigation and decision-making how, when and where they want it.

The demand for the kinds of self-directed, multi-sensory product experiences showcased at the DSA symposium is here to stay, and we as an industry are poised to entice the next generation of shoppers into retail and out-of-home environments with exciting product displays that help them connect personally and socially with what is before them.

This column was reprinted with permission from the Digital Screenmedia Association and originally appeared here.

Samsung

The transparent, 1080p, 50-inch LCD makes it possible to have physical objects behind the display be completely visible, while simultaneously having a picture or video floating in front of the display screen.

A video illustrating the transparent 3D display in operation can be found here. The video illustrates the transparent 3D display configured for use by a real estate company. In this application, a physical model of a town is placed behind the display screen, while the video on the display indicated properties for sale in the town.

A principle difference between the transparent 3D LCD TV and a conventional 3D LCD TV relates to the backlight. In a conventional 3D LCD TV (and also in a normal 2D LCD TV), the backlight and LCD panel are fixed together. In HiSense’s transparent 3D LCD, the backlight is distanced perhaps a foot from the LCD panel. The physical objects are positioned between the display panel and the backlight.

A very significant point is that the new HiSense transparent 3D display requires that users put on passive polarized glasses to see the 3D image. Clearly, this requirement puts constraints on possible applications for the display.

HiSense stated that the transparent 3D is not really intended for consumers. Rather, the prototype is intended to test the interest level of corporate buyers for applications on office walls or as an advertising display. Other potential applications include use in museums and other attractions where it could be used to create displays that combine real objects — such as artifacts — with 3D images.

Although called a prototype, the demonstration unit looks as if it could quickly be made into a product. In fact, HiSense commented that the company is anticipating availability in 2013 for a price of about $3,000.

It is interesting to note that the HiSense prototype is not the first effort at development of a transparent 3D display. A somewhat different approach was under development by researchers at the University of Bristol (Bristol, United Kingdom). This project was called MUSTARD, a clever acronym for Multi User See Through Augmented Reality Display.

A copy of a recent article published by the Bristol group can be found here. A video explaining the configuration and principles of operation of the MUSTARD display can be found here.

The researchers describe MUSTARD as a “dynamic random hole see-through display, capable of delivering viewer dependent information for objects behind a glass cabinet.”  The system consists of two liquid crystal display panels between which physical objects can be placed.  The rear LC panel serves as a dynamic mask while the front panel provides the data. The system can include head tracking.

In as much as the MUSTARD approach is autostereoscopic, the main constraint of the HiSense approach is mitigated. On the other hand, although MUSTARD is LCD based, it is a more complex and likely more expensive configuration.

The bottom line for transparent 3D displays is that both these candidate approaches have a drawback that would limit their potential for commercialization. This is a category of 3D display technology whose time may not yet have arrived.

The more savvy restaurants are incorporating video into their menu boards, taking their marketing efforts to a whole new level. Integrating dynamic content alongside the core menu information not only creates visual impact — it increases customer engagement with the menu itself and gives restaurateurs the ability entice hungry diners with more than just static text and imagery.

Compelling moving images — imagine a steaming burger, a drink being poured or ice clinking in a glass — prompt a Pavlovian response in customers, often leading to a sale of the featured product. The use of video-based menu boards is finding its way into virtually every category. Salad bars showing fresh ingredients as they’re chopped up, coffee shops showcasing a frothy top added to a steaming cappuccino, juice bars showing fresh oranges being fed through a juicer, the possibilities are endless. In each case, the proprietors are using visuals to create a desire for their products, with compelling results.

While it’s not unusual to see many of these more innovative video applications in digital menu boards, there exists a great dichotomy within the industry whereby some restaurants are embracing video, and others continue to use digital signage simply as a substitute for a static sign.

Forward-looking restaurateurs understand that their menus are much more than a simple list of what coming out of the kitchen on a given day. A digital menu board is a valuable sales tool. It’s an extension of their brand, and an important point of customer interaction. In most cases, customers engage with the menu board for several minutes, while the actual time spent engaging with the cashier or waiter can be just a fraction of that time. So why not improve the depth and quality of that interaction with rich media that puts customers in the mood to order generously?

Using the best available technology, a “digital menu board” can become a “digital selling board,” attracting attention and making the restaurant’s tastiest offerings look more tempting than ever.

This column was reprinted with permission from the Digital Screenmedia Association and originally appeared here.

The focus of this series “Power of Content” is to help people with content strategies and how they relate to digital screen media.

Independent research firms KRC & Vanson Bourne reported in a recent survey of 5,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 69 that there is an overwhelming agreement amongst shoppers that retail ads and promotions do not resonate. And the channels most likely to be LEAST APPEALING are ads through mobile apps, email, online and in-store. However, over three-quarters agree that they would be more likely to purchase from a retailer again if they provided offers targeted to their interests, wants or needs.

Furthermore, around half of those surveyed are prepared to share online preferences and shopping behavior in exchange for receiving ads or promotions that are more targeted to their personal interests and needs.

Almost all would be willing to share at least one piece of personal information if it means they receive more customized offers. And 78 percent of shoppers would be willing to share their email address.

To attract and converse with today’s “digital everywhere” shopper, the store must meet the consumer on their own turf by providing true ”digital destinations.” Digital destinations are a well-calibrated combination of psychological, emotional and social ingredients that engage the shopper’s persona, augment the retail store’s physical environment and enhance the brand’s image. And at the heart of these digital engagements is “gamification.” Gamification is the study of how games can be designed and used to engage shoppers and create a more stimulating, fun and persistent shopping experience. For more than a century consumers have been exposed to games when they shopped. These ranged from Green Stamps to redeeming a free gift for cereal box tops.

Gamification – A chance to win from genres of games, providing the psychological motivation to play and win.

”Gaming digital destinations” are captivating, fun, bold engagements within the store that carry on beyond the four walls of the space to provide a truly omni-channel experience. At the same time, they create an entertaining experience that motivates the shopper to come back to the store to play again and again.

The gaming digital destinations involve not only the larger screen experience but also the consumer’s mobile screen and the associate’s tablet. And it continues at home leveraging the relationship created at the gaming digital destination.

Gamification relies on an understanding of human psychology to inspire and motivate shopping behavior. The key psychological, emotional and social ingredients of gaming digital destinations include:

• Emotional Drivers — Creating a connection with the consumer by triggering one or more of the eight psychological drivers: self-creation, mastery, dreaming, security, playtime, sport, sanctuary and connection
• Selfie-Sharing — Creating a two-way conversation between the brand and the digital shopper
• Personalization — Using unique visual choices that align products with the distinctive persona

Using these key ingredients, the retailer and the brand can engage the digital shopper to have fun on their in-store Gaming Digital Destination and when the consumer leaves the store, continue that conversation on their pocket screen and home screen — anywhere, anytime.

In the third installment, I will highlight omni-channel and gaming digital destinations.

The PN-K322B 4K LCD from Sharp is available in both a touch screen and non-touch version and will be 32″ diagonal with a 350 cd/m2 of brightness. It’s an edge-lit LED-based LCD offering DisplayPort, HDMI and network content ports. And, it will scale 2K to 4K. And, for those of you who go, ho-hum, reading the 2K to 4K scaling line — you’re wrong. Don’t overlook this. Scaling 2K (or 1080p) to 4K looks incredible — even with crappy scalers. This new model will officially debut in November and will have 10 touch points and can be mounted horizontally, vertically or flat.

We saw it (and took a photo) at the Whitlock Convergence Show last week in Durham, NC. Mac Rumors is also reporting that Sharp showed the display at CEATEC in Japan earlier this month using Mac OS X with full touch support.

All the specs are here.

For more information or to register online, click here.

The theme will play a large role in almost every one of the seven DSE 2014 educational seminar tracks, with speakers expanding upon the different ways that return on investment (ROI) and return on objective (ROO) impact decision-making, with forward-looking perspectives on the industry.

“In order to substantiate investment in digital signage and interactive technologies, companies want to know what benefits they can realize from their investment. However, there are different methods to calculating a return because individual project goals, venue environments, and target audiences are unique to each situation. That’s why DSE’s 2014 educational offerings will help attendees focus on ROI and ROO at each step, beginning with the importance of planning and goal setting,” said Richard Lebovitz, educational and editorial director for Exponation LLC, which produces DSE.

Attendees will be able to choose from 28 general conference and seminar programs presented by an outstanding faculty of peer professionals and industry specialists. DSE’s educational oversight committee reviewed scores of proposals and selected the most relevant and timely topics that will be presented at DSE 2014 in the following tracks:

• Digital Signage Fundamentals
• Interactive Technology
• Digital Out-of-Home Networks
• Hardware, Software & Connectivity
• Network Design, Management & Operations
• Content University
• Special Interest

Go here to register.

The Simplicity Series is designed for digital signage applications in either landscape or portrait orientation, with no distracting logo or uneven side bezel, which can look awkward, especially in portrait orientation. At a depth of less than 1.7”, Planar Simplicity Series displays are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The media playing capabilities of the Planar Simplicity Series support playback of a variety of formats including video, audio and images. Inputs and external controls include HDMI, VGA, DVI, Component Video, RS232, Ethernet (RJ-45) and IR Remote Control.

The Planar Simplicity Series is available now in 32” and 42” sizes through Planar dealers. Additional sizes will be available in early 2014. For additional information, click here.

Here are the details.

NanoLumens today announced its Studio Pro Series LED displays for broadcast studio and live events applications. Launched last wee

The company claims to have eliminated the annoyances of pixilation, moiré artifacts and inconsistent color while cutting down on studio lighting conflicts and noisy operation with the Studio Pro Series too. The Studio Pro Series display draws about as much power as a household appliance and can be plugged directly into a normal 110 volt wall socket. Additionally, all NanoLumens displays are made from up to 50 percent reclaimed material and can be completely recycled.

Complete specs are here

Omnitapps Business Multi-Touch Suite 3.0 now includes more languages than the previous version, and also offers the Windows 8 metro style option, new applications and a configuration switcher. Besides the default content, a great feature of the Omnitapps Business 3.0 version is the opportunity to get inspired by market-related content.

Here are the details

All the specs are here

The company says the high degree of robustness exhibited by Zytronic’s touch sensors means that unlike conventional front-facing sensor technologies, they are proven for use in even the most physically demanding of operational environments, including unattended, outdoor deployments. Able to detect touch events through thick layers of protective glass, they are effectively invulnerable to impacts, scratches, liquid spillages, exposure to extreme temperatures, shocks, vibrations, etc. This ensures system longevity, with the likelihood of costly maintenance work thus being markedly reduced. Other displays, due to their utilization of some form of optoelectronics) often require unsightly bezels in which to house the sensing devices, while MPCT negates the need for a bezel. Zytronic’s palm rejection technology is another major advantage, eliminating the effects of false touches, when users accidentally activate the touch sensor through bringing parts of their bodies or other items into contact with the front glass.

Here’s a complete list of Zytronic’s products.

The line is divided up into four main categories of products:

1. Elo Corporate Collaboration Solution: A 70-inch touch screen with integrated Intel Core i5 computer running Microsoft Windows that mounts less than 4 inches from the wall and requires only AC power and a network connection.
2. Elo Digital Whiteboard Solution: Elo’s 70-inch touch screen integrated with Hitachi StarBoard software.
3. Elo Directory Solution: Elo’s 55-inch touch screen integrated with JibeStream NovoTouch software (wayfinding software). The NovoTouch interface allows for directory listing templates and 3D maps to build way finding applications quickly.
4. Elo Virtual Receptionist Solution: Elo’s 42-inch touch screen integrated with WinTech’s ALICE receptionist software (allows employees to communicate with visitors in the lobby from their desks using face-to-face video or audio-only conversations). Guests are automatically greeted and told how to use the interactive directory without losing the personal touch of human customer service.

Elo @ The Office solutions will all start shipping within 30 days. Here are all the specifics.

Focusing specifically on the retail sector, Platt Retail Institute (PRI) released a research article this month on retail attitudes and adoption trends of multi-channel and omni- channel marketing (OCM). Sponsored by Digital Signage Expo, the research article was published recently in the Digital Signage Connection. The original research was conducted earlier this year in cooperation with the American Marketing Association.

Findings include that 67 percent of retailers are either currently evaluating an OCM strategy or plan to implement an OCM strategy within the next three years. Larger retailers, in terms of annual revenue and e-commerce revenue, are more likely to adopt OCM than smaller retailers. Among the goals to be achieved by OCM, almost one-third of retailers deem unified customer experience and brand recognition as the most important.

Interested in reading the entire report? Go here.

The Challenge

A colloquium located on the building’s eighth floor incorporated a video wall, but at five years old, it was time for an upgrade. The room, at 90 feet wide and 30 feet deep, can host as many as 150 people and is used most often as a social gathering space, as well as for hosting presentations, dinners and conferences.

Upgrading the existing video wall incorporated a number of challenges. First, the room is finished in wood panels that could not be modified, so it was important for the new wall to fit seamlessly in the existing space.

“We were working within specific size parameters to fit an existing enclosure from an older video wall that we were removing from the location,” Vincent DiStasio, vice president of Video Visions, said. “We wanted to accomplish the job with minimal retrofitting to the beautiful woodwork in the room.”

Second, the room overlooked the city of Philadelphia and users often wanted to leave the shades open, particularly in the evening when the sun sets over west Philadelphia. Whatever screens were installed, in turn, needed to be able to perform in a variety of lighting situations.

Third, the university was operating with a strict budget, so it needed to get the maximum impact for its investment.

The Solution

The Wharton School partnered with Video Visions, a Philadelphia-based A/V company, on a number of audio-visual installations on campus. In addition, the school already used displays from NEC Display Solutions in 57 group study rooms in Huntsman Hall.

“We really consider Video Visions and NEC our partners in this,” Marko Jarymovych, IT technical director, public technology with the Wharton School, said. “We also use large screen NEC displays at our campus in San Francisco. We’ve always been happy with their products and support.”

For the new video wall, Video Visions used 46-inch NEC X463UN displays mounted on push/pull brackets in a 4 x 3 configuration. The wall is supplemented by two 55-inch NEC X551S displays on carts to accommodate the width of the room. Content is controlled by a Crestron DM video processor.

“We thoroughly enjoy working with NEC and chose to lead with their product line due to the fact that they have a wonderful sales and technical team that backs up their product lines,” DiStasio said. “As the integrator, we always know that when working with NEC, we will get the product support that both we and the client need.”

According to NEC, the ultra-narrow bezel and wide viewing angle of the X463UN displays make them ideal for video wall installations. The 700 cd/m2 maximum brightness and direct white LED backlighting make them ideal for any lighting situation, the company said.

“Obviously these are decisions that are not trivial, and we wanted to make the best choice possible,” Jarymovych said. “On a relative scale we didn’t spend a large sum of money, but on a project like this we live with the decision for years.”

The screens were able to function with the existing wiring, eliminating the expense of changing out that wiring. In addition, the screens can handle content from a variety of sources, including laptops and tablet computers.

“Video Visions really helped us in terms of product selection and handling the logistics of the installation and implementation,” Jarymovych said. “For me, this is where a partnership with someone like Video Visions, and in turn leveraging their partnership with NEC, is really helpful. I’m managing a whole portfolio of projects, so the fewer technical details I have to be involved in and the fewer field decisions I have to make, the more efficient I can be with my time in dealing with other issues. To me, that’s the real value in that partnership.”

This case study was reprinted with permission from the Digital Signage Connection and originally appeared here.