Our customers also use terms such as “advertising screen”, in-store TV or simply “screens”. But the correct term is “digital signage”.

Like so much in marketing, the term comes from the American and combines the classic term “advertising sign” with the digital.  In this respect, the concept describes a class of marketing precisely in order to bring advertising digitally on site, i.e. to the supermarket, for example. Classically, the digital signage includes a display screen on which advertising runs in some form.

These digital advertising signs now offer new possibilities compared to previous advertising signs, from the changing content to the possible interactivity, i.e. that the display interacts with the visitor. Theoretically, we can also imagine a digital signage without a screen with the technical possibilities, i.e. when, for example, an advertising interaction with a visitor takes place via language. But classically, the term covers everything related to advertising and infotainment or customer information system with a screen.

Applications of Digital Signage

The areas of application are as diverse as the tasks. Naturally, from a marketing point of view, it makes the most sense to use it, especially in places with many “eyeballs” and ideally a certain attention span or even boredom. Similarly, when it comes to short-term (sales) objectives in advertising, proximity to the product and a cash register makes sense. In particular, the subset of the in-store TV makes sense here. This is different for long-term marketing goals, such as a brand. It takes a lot of impulses to change a brand preference or to draw attention to a new generation of mobile phones – here, large-scale displays such as on down roads or on tall buildings are more likely to be perceived unconsciously.

We see and subdivide the display advertising in particular into the following areas:

1. In-store advertising (trade)

This usually means 49-75 inch screens and (our) media players, which are either directed to the entire market or mounted and played on specific products or product groups. According to the orientation and objective, the content is created and played up by the server,  whereby the near-roukt display informs about the more detailed products and/or conveys special prices or promotions;but via the network pconnection, current news or more general advertising can also be played. These “special interst” displays are usually about 49 inches largeß and mounted near the goods.

The task of the mostly larger, “general audience” screens is to inform customers about actions of the entire market or about products that are not exhibited in the local assortment, such as the company’s delivery service. Strategically, the displays are placed in such a way that customers are looking for variety. Perhaps they let their eyes  wander through the market in search of  nach  inspiration. Or they are standing in a queue at the checkout or the issue of goods and are just getting bored a bit. Then it’s the perfect moment for well-made advertising messages that no medium delivers better than digital signage.

This form of advertising is ideal for brick-and-mortar stores as it also opens up new sources of revenue  for companies. it is the industry that buys advertising spaces on the screens from the market. Or that local, non-competitive companies, such as a good restaurant, want to put a spot on the screens.

Here you can also advertise products that the store does not sell, for example, a well-made spot for a new video game in a beverage market can create an excellent win/win situation: The game is advertised before the appropriate eyeballs, the company is perceived as “cooler” by the younger target group, the retailer generates additional income without the use of goods and risk and the customer feels better entertained in the market.

It should also be mentioned that the subgroup of in-store display marketing can be used both indoors and outdoors (for example, on the market facade).

2. Waiting room TV

As already mentioned, display advertising is excellently suited in places where many “eyeballs” are looking for something that attracts their attention. It’s not for nothing that the classic sign works. Posts on the American highways so good … about miles nothing but  road, and then finally variety in the form of an advertising sign.

The situation is similar in waiting areas: people have to somehow put the time around until their plane goes or the doctor has time for them and takes visual variety gratefully. Doctors can use this attention well to inform, for example, about new treatment methods of the clinic or to give the patient general information, for example on the behaviour during examinations. The system can also be more interactive, answering simple questions, for example. Clinics can generate additional revenue through these systems, for example by advertising a taxi company between the information or by introducing additional treatment options.

3. Outdoor

Outdoor includes any application outside a clear environment and target group, the displays are part of the public space. Most displays in this environment are advertising purposes where a homeowner rents out his house wall to an operator of such displays.

Interactivity at Digital Signage

Since digital signage systems are based on computers, other applications are of course possible in addition to playing content. In many cases, the displays become interactive and can, for example, display routes or stock and take orders.

In this respect, we distinguish between pure displays and information systems that provide all possible information for the target group.

In order to meet all the requirements of our customers, we have developed our system “TheBox” based on modern Internet technology, so that any gradation between passive and active can be applied to it.

Requirements for a Digital Signage System

Nowadays, a do-itit-yourself digital signage system is not a challenge atall, most Tv nowadays offer a player for content on USB sticks. To exchange or update content, you only have to drag new content onto the stick and  voila, a simple system is ready.

However, this method quickly reaches its limits when there are different locations in the company. Only a cloud-based solution makes sense here, in which all data is centrally stored on a server and retrieved via the Internet from the individual installations.

Since we have encountered many different requirements with our customers in terms of the different “programs” on each individual screen, we have developed our System TheBox in such a way that every single display plays a website that can be played and designed completely individually. Thus, markets in the north can show a completely different program than the markets in the south, and even in the market, each screen can show completely different content than the screen one way further. The staff in the market doesn’t have to worry about setting content, but doing it or the corporate headquarters through the cloud for each screen.

If you plan to set up an in-store TV system with you: The method with the USB stick becomes a burden very quickly and after a short time the screen is left out, as no one finds the time to play new content. And as soon as it becomes more than one screen, the project is doomed to failure.

Therefore, set to cloud-based date by setting up a website and playing the pictures and the TVs only playing the respective website. This allows them to control everything from a central location.