Digital Signage Used in Different Applications For Maximum Results

Harley - Davidson is one of the few brands that understand the true importance of digital signage along with Foot Locker. 

It isn't that the technology involved is especially impressive, rather it's both brands use this medium to capture the shopper emotionally. 

Harley's idea is a simple one. It features profiles of local riders that are all about what it means to someone to ride a Harley. Foot locker does something similar, it features the extraordinary stories of otherwise ordinary, local athletes. 

This may appear as a soft sell approach that would be unlikely to move a product at retail, but in fact Harley's video makes you want to buy a bike, I personally like the Fat-boy. 

Apart form outstanding content displayed on the digital signage, you have to make it compelling, otherwise people will not take notice of your ads. 

For example one major manufacturer of sports wear displays a live shot of an LA beach with the tide crashing on the beach, would this influence you to go and buy some trainers? I don't think so...now compare this with a travel agent who uses a similar tactic, however they are based in New York City, so when it gets to winter and the display is showing empty white beaches with blue sky, it influences people to go into the travel agent and book a summer vacation. 

Another example is a supermarket that uses "celebrity chiefs", showing people how to prepare fish from fridge to plate, the videos consist of 30 seconds clips displayed on 42" LCD televisions and as a result hey have seen an increase in seafood sales since they deployed this signage system. 

The point to remember is that if we intend in "marketing to the shopper", we have to be responsive to the shoppers needs, then our view of digital signage at retail must broaden to include the loftiest aspirations as well as the most mundane information needs. 

Digital signage market leaders are predicting in the next 2 years instead of seeing a display on a wall, the wall itself will be the screen! However you aren't likely to see this in the Wal-Mart environment more the Armani environment.

Dave has 5 years experience in the digital signage industry from supplying digital menu boards through to deploying global digital signage networks, he also is the owner of the Worlds leading manufacturer of weatherproof LCD enclosures that are supplied to digital signage integrators throughout the world.