Does your brand need digital signage?

If you were to ask a dozen communication managers how in-control they feel about their brand messaging, not even a third would honestly say they're in-charge. Sure, they design their messages and sign-off on the creative product of their advertising and creative agencies. But from that point-on they start to lose control.

Fortunately, the concept of digital signage isn't complicated. While digital signage may appear in a variety of shapes and sizes, it almost always features a display unit (whether LCD/plasma, touchscreen, kiosk or a video wall) that is strategically placed for either informational or advertising purposes.

Digital signage isn't complicated or expensive anymore. You can use any TV, touchscreen, monitor or tablet to get your message across in an attractive way. Communication managers can have granular control of brand messaging; they can schedule, manage and upload content to screens at the click of a button, all from their desktop browser viz. create and display latest offers, share company news, A/B test creatives, feature social media stream or hashtags, measure real-time engagement and trigger plays to the chosen demographic when they're in the vicinity of a screen. Other benefits that are evident when using digital signage include:

1. Faster Implementation. Unlike print and display advertising, which has to be manually installed by a team of interior designers and workmen, or even manually designed on a surface, communication managers can design and instantly upload their work to a network of displays with a couple button presses. This allows for much faster implementation, which is ideal for companies that engage in time-sensitive advertising.
2. Versatility. Considering time-sensitive advertising, your network of displays can open up a new way of advertising anything that is only available for a short time. For example, a retailer in a metro station may want to advertise to those commuting. It can effectively done changing the message for the appropriate time of day. With print advertising, this is impossible, but a network of displays allows advertisers to vary their messaging across locations as needed.
3. Reduced waste and operating costs. Print and display advertising is quickly becomes stale, and when it is no longer relevant, it has to be replaced. When working with a network of displays, though, all a communication manager has to do is to design a new slide or file and upload it. No need for printing, paper waste and issuing multiple purchase orders to vendors.
4. Make instant changes across all locations. Since all displays are networked together, so when a mistake is spotted or when it’s time to make an update, the communication manager can edit and send changes to every display at once, making it extremely efficient and effective.
5. Interactive engagement. Displays can be linked to interactive content, like hashtag streaming, Yes/No prompts on touchscreens, feedback surveys and contests can be run on an exclusive network of displays across store locations or displays conducted using a Bluetooth beacon, QR code or NFC terminal. Interactive content is ideal for reducing perceived wait times and for linking a positive message with the brand. This is another capability that print and display advertising cannot match.
6. Reduce marketing overhead. In general, it takes more than a few people in the marketing team to manage digital signage advertising than print and display advertising, as all content can be produced and distributed from a central location. This translates into lower operating costs and efficient use of the marketing budget.

​If you're a communication manager or marketing leader who is still undecided about digital signage, we can help. Our devices are plug-n-play, pre-loaded with everything you need to immediately access your display templates, including a dashboard that shows key performance indicators. Ask us about starting your own digital signage network.