If you're a regular reader of the AVIXA Report in SCN, you know the Pro AV industry is growing—but not like it did in recent years. Following pandemic-related declines, the industry recovered very quickly. One might even say growth was explosive. Today, that growth has stabilized.

[Editorial: A Farewell to Skype]

While there might not be fireworks, Pro AV is still expected to remain higher than the U.S. gross domestic product. “It’s still growth, we’re in a true growth mode,” affirmed Sean Wargo, VP of market insight at AVIXA. “We’re growing better than the economies in which we exist.”

When you drill down specifically into digital signage, it’s growing faster than other solution areas within the Pro AV industry. It’s also one of the largest solution areas, too.

But digital signage hasn't exactly had the smoothest ride in recent years. Yes, there was rapid growth in 2021 and 2022, but there was a significant slowdown in 2023, and it slowed down even more in 2024. Wargo attributed this mostly to the drop in display prices that resulted from a rapid increase in display supply—but with potentially more stability in pricing, he expects a market correction this year.

Based on AVIXA estimates, you can expect the digital signage market to grow to $44.2 billion this year and continue to grow in 2026. Part of that growth will include projection (remember, digital signage isn’t limited to LED displays) that will be used for everything from live events to projection mapping. Also, some older digital signage displays are being replaced by new technology, such as dvLED, which will drive more growth.

There are plenty of potential public-facing areas where digital signage can be beneficial to customers, visitors, and even employees. Digital signage installs run the gambit, from wayfinding to digital out-of-home advertising to digital menu boards (yes, AVIXA includes them in its digital signage numbers). According to Wargo, “The opportunity is thinking about digital signage as points of delivery in public settings to communicate and convey information to all manners of audience."

Retail and hospitality will continue to lead the digital signage success story. Digital menu boards found in quick-serve restaurants create a bit of a blur between the two markets, but Wargo said they remain a key driver. Another market showing promise is transportation, with facilities investing more in digital signage for wayfinding as well as enticing travelers to enjoy a meal (see the display to the right that encouraged me to have an overpriced dinner on my way to ISE earlier this year).

However, the digital signage market is about more than the display. As Wargo explained, the potential for the content management system component of the digital signage workflow is huge. Pick your flavor, on-site or cloud-based—CMS could see almost 30% growth.

Also, look for managed services to grow significantly as well. Wargo said the “bang and hang” installation possibilities are not where the opportunities end. From servicing equipment to creating content, he said integrators should look beyond the initial install and offer add-on services to create recurring revenue streams.

Another area that warrants some attention is interactivity. Companies like Navori Labs are already using AI to track audiences and deliver personalized content in retail environments. It's not alone. The use of data being captured at the point of customer interaction and the response to that data with personalization used to be the stuff of science fiction. Now, it's a compelling use case.

[The Integration Guide to Digital Signage 2024]

Yes, Wargo acknowledged that there must be a sensitivity to privacy, but it's been shown that shoppers will share private information if it results in something that is relevant and useful. While AVIXA hasn’t quantified interactivity in its forecasts (yet), there's no doubt that personalized digital signage experiences will continue to gather momentum in retail and other markets. In other words, watch this space. After all, it's watching you.

The adoption of electric vehicles continues to soar, and consumers now have a variety of options when it comes to electric vehicle selection from plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) to fully electric-powered vehicles. Future forecasts are bold—with the increase in electric vehicle adoption and new regulations put forward by policymakers, EV car sales are expected to increase significantly in the next years. And with the total cost of EV ownership now hovering below internal combustion engine vehicles, not to mention the lure of greener pastures, the value proposition for consumers continues to rise.

The landscape is clearly changing, though barriers to broader adoption exist. Among these barriers is the EV charging infrastructure, an area where growth has been slower to materialize. In fact, most charging for light-duty vehicles today happens at the single-family home.

Power Is Information

That said, EV charging stations are far from invisible to the public eye. We see them popping up in commercial spaces, notably in retail environments. Several states, including California, have passed regulations that require a certain percentage of parking spots to support EV charging. These regulations and other incentives such as tax rebates are influencing corporate businesses to install charging stations on their properties. In addition, federal government regulations, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, have built-in funding for EV charging infrastructure.

Another trend is taking shape that brings EV charging into an exciting new realm: the ability to display dynamic media content to consumers. These emerging capabilities introduce opportunities for businesses and advertisers that don’t exist with traditional EV chargers, which essentially function like gas pumps that feed power instead of fuel to electric vehicles.

Smart and connected Level 2 AC chargers and DC fast chargers change the game for everyone. Both are IoT-capable equipment and provide connectivity for value-added services beyond simple charging. That includes a direct path for targeted, dynamic digital content and advertising on a variety of display sizes, as well as connectivity for smart energy management, infrastructure, and device management services, including optimized energy flows, remote monitoring, configuration, and over-the-air software updates.

[DOOH, Digital Signage Power EV Charger Advertising Network]

All of this creates a wide-open field of new business opportunities for AV integrators, as well as companies that equip Level 2 stations with displays, digital signage software, media players, and intelligent electrification solutions that can incorporate batteries, edge devices, and cloud services.     

Installation Skillsets

Contractors installing EV charging stations with integrated kiosks will require a broad skillset that extends beyond the integrated AV technologies. As with most AV jobs today, an inherent knowledge of IT and networking is necessary to enable bidirectional connectivity for media content, energy management, and system monitoring, among other services.

Expertise with electrical infrastructure is also paramount. Level 2 and DC fast chargers are high-power equipment that require compliance with safety requirements (such as UL certification for equipment and National Electric Code for installation). The impact of the charging infrastructure on the overall facility load will be consequent.    

Level 2 charging stations offer a much more cost-effective approach than DC fast chargers for these customers (cheaper equipment and cheaper installation), and are especially viable for brownfield environments with existing electric infrastructure. Connections to traditional utility panels are simple, and the charging station and kiosk are adaptable to a variety of electrical circuits. The ability to set a physical switch to 40 amps when working with a breaker equipped with 50-amp circuits offers a cost-effective way to deploy the charging infrastructure without requiring a complete electrical overhaul.

[The Great Outdoors]

Initial site surveys will provide detailed insights into electrical and networking requirements provided for the infrastructure and kiosk. Palmer Digital Group, whether self-installing EV kiosks or working with third-party contractors, begins each job with an extensive site survey that brings together the essential research prior to the design and installation of the charging infrastructure. That includes producing site readiness documents, confirming equipment needs for the kiosk, and evaluating potential IP, Wi-Fi, and/or Bluetooth connections for network and cloud connectivity.

The site readiness process for an EV station has some unique attributes. Like an outdoor digital menu board installation, contractors will trench for power and data lines upon confirming the proper location. Most projects will also involve a permitting process in compliance with local ordinances. The same preparation phases will also help the contractor confirm timelines for installing the EV station, from procuring third-party equipment to shipping and receiving logistics.

[BMW Revs Up Digital Signage]

The technology specified for the kiosk will also play a role in how power and data connections are prepared and established. IoTecha’s electrification solutions, for example, operate on 220-volt infrastructure. This requires trenching for two-inch conduits to effectively power the infrastructure and kiosk, and a separate 110-amp line for data.

Cat6 network category cable is required to carry dynamic media content to the player, which can be a standalone hardware media player or an SoC (system on chip) display. SoC solutions offer one less point of failure. EV charging kiosks from Palmer Digital Group and other vendors will typically provide housing inside the cabinet for a media player and/or a Bluetooth router. SoCs are typically the safer choice, as EV charging stations are often installed at some distance from the source. This also ensures dynamic content is transmitted over the cloud.

New Revenue Opportunities

What’s perhaps most compelling about EV charging stations is what seems like a continuously expanding spectrum of business models. We see smaller retail stores that don’t own the parking working with ChargePoint operators to manage the backend technologies. We see larger networks developing where business owners own and operate the infrastructure themselves. These businesses that invest in infrastructure reap the benefits of tax credits and utility subsidies.

Then there are the very progressive adopters who leverage the charging infrastructure to provide value-added services, drive foot traffic, and increase customer loyalty. No one gets excited about charging a vehicle, but the ability to target visual content to drivers and passengers who interact with the charging station opens intriguing new opportunities for revenue generation and improved user experiences.

We see dynamic out-of-media coming to fruition in retail environments that link charging content with in-store advertising, including coupons and other promotions. The ability to bring in other revenue sources through DOOH advertising adds another potential new revenue opportunity for those investing in larger EV charging networks, including those that span over multiple sites.

Contractors in charge of installing the systems can also investigate additional revenue through post-installation managed services. “Smart” Level 2 charging stations with adjustable power requirements offer interesting opportunities.

For example, IoTecha’s cloud-connected edge devices provide monitoring capabilities for remote analysis and troubleshooting that ensure reliability, charger availability, and end user reassurance. That includes the ability to remotely control, configure, reboot, and upgrade chargers, reducing operational and maintenance costs while providing greater visibility into system health and performance. These same solutions can also enable advanced opportunities for vehicle-grid integration service, from frequency regulation to providing greater capacity through bidirectional power transfer.

We discussed earlier how EV charging stations, particularly AC models, are ripe for integration into existing brownfield environments. We like to think of EV charging as a greenfield opportunity in the broader sense. The above examples only scratch the surface; the opportunities are endless, whether for a contractor managing design and installation, the business owner developing new customer-facing revenue models, or the ad agency seeking to target EV demographics.

SpinetiX has provided a is a digital out-of-home (DOOH) network designed to reach, inform, and inspire visitors around lake Constance by providing them with high-quality, targeted messaging at hallmark locations around the lake.

First conceived in 2019, the goal of the Lake Constance infotainment network was to inspire visitors of the region to discover even more leisure activities, landmarks, and entertainment in the areas surrounding the lake.

[Ready Player One: SpinetiX and 8 More Media Players for Your Next Digital Signage Experience]

Challenges Abound

No solution comes without its own set of challenges and converging the East, West, and North portions of Lake Constance was no different. Most importantly, the solution had to be easy to set up, plan, and distribute across the entire area while still allowing for targeted location-based messaging. Since guests are on different schedules, the solution needed to sustain around-the-clock power with the ability to save power with features like turning off screens automatically.

Furthermore, it had to be easy to maintain by all users in a centralized location. That includes allowing multi-user access to the cloud platform with different levels of user permissions. And, of course, the solution needed to scale across an extensive digital signage network of screens at multiple types of locations including hotels, visitor centers, and tourist hotspots.

The Content Challenge Solved with SpinetiX ARYA Cloud

Content diffused across the Lake Constance Infotainment network is fed from multiple stakeholders and falls into three categories: infotainment content, partner content, and DOOH advertising.

SpinetiX ARYA cloud enables streamlined management of the full range of content and across the entire infotainment network from a unified location at the media agency’s offices. Content from multiple sources is uploaded to the cloud and scheduled to play at specific screen locations.

[Welcome to the AV Renaissance] 

This carefully choreographed content flow is ensured by SpinetiX ARYA’s flexibility in managing content.

Plus, the Lake Constance Infotainment system benefits from a fleet of 120 SpinetiX HMP400 digital signage players that work in unison with SpinetiX ARYA cloud to ensure content is always displayed when needed and save power by automatically turning off displays during non-operational hours.

Infotainment

Infotainment content includes the base flow of information such as on-site weather, news, events agenda, as well as facts and trivia about regional activities and tourist must-sees. This type of content is created and updated by the media agency behind the project, is shown most of the time and is designed to engage guests by providing insights into the Lake Constance area as well as add value to their stay.

Partner Content

Partner content includes content supplied by the host location such as information about the hotel’s amenities, breakfast times, happy hours and more. Distribution of this type of content is free of charge and is limited to the screen at the specific host location. It is divided into 30-second spots four times an hour.

DOOH Advertising

In parallel with other content distributed across the network of hosts, DOOH advertising includes paid spots from cultural venues, tourist stakeholders, and regional leisure providers. It follows partner content spots several times an hour.

[Cloud Power: The Importance of Interoperability, Part 1 | Part 2] 

New Opportunities for End Users and Guest Alike

Visitors across the region have benefitted from an easy way of discovering even more activities and attractions beyond what they initially planned. This adds value to the experience that partner locations offer and brings increased revenue potential to local businesses. The infotainment system truly serves its purpose by, at the same time, inspiring, guiding, and informing tourists across the Lake Constance region.

The Lake Constance Infotainment network makes it possible to create attractive and consistent DOOH advertising content broadcast over a large geographical area. The flexible and dynamic content delivery system enables the creation of high-impact custom visual experiences that catch the attention of visitors across the lake region.

[AV Network's top stories, product news, and expert insights] 

While useful content informs and inspires guests and reaches them at the right place, host locations benefit from free of charge installation and the added value the system brings to their guests. This win-win-win situation has led to plans to more than double the size of the Lake Constance Infotainment system and expand its reach across three countries.

Broadsign released Broadsign Reach Header Bidder, a solution for Broadsign Reach users that enables media owners to consolidate and manage programmatic bids from multiple third-party supply-side-platforms (SSPs). Rather than the current practice of reserving a one-to-one slot for each SSP partner, the solution enables a one-to-many approach that allows media owners to simplify ad operations, maximize yield value, and increase fill rates regardless of the SSP handling the transaction. 

[Broadsign, Cartology Partner to Advance Retail Media Network]

“Continued programmatic DOOH growth is essential to the future of OOH but requires industry-wide collaboration and innovation. The Broadsign Reach Header Bidder aligns with our mission of making it easy for media owners to tap into all available revenue streams, even if from a different platform,” shared Edith Gagne, vice president, programmatic success, Broadsign. “Consolidating programmatic demand from multiple SSPs into one environment will drive increased efficiency and optimized yield management, helping to fuel programmatic DOOH momentum overall.” 

Broadsign Reach Header Bidder arrives as more media owners are increasingly working with multiple SSPs—typically reserving a separate HTML wrapper or container in an ad loop for each, which reduces the overall yield on the available inventory across all channels. The new solution provides an alternative, streamlined approach, combining pDOOH demand from multiple SSPs into one slot in the ad loop and choosing the winning bid to play based on Broadsign’s fair play auction logic. Native integration with Broadsign Control also translates to a smoother, more immersive ad viewing experience for audiences, with media owner access to features like gapless playback, screen synchronization, preemptible campaigns, and pre-caching for faster ad loading and optimization.  

[Broadsign Expands Programmatic DOOH Portfolio in the U.S. and Australia]

As part of a closed beta program, several OOH media owners spanning North America, Europe, and Australia have already begun to leverage Broadsign Reach Header Bidder to streamline programmatic transactions, including early adopter and leading Australian DOOH operator QMS. “The Broadsign Reach Header Bidder is a big step in the right direction. pDOOH continues to be an enhancer to OOH and with its ongoing growth and demand from existing and new spenders in the category, this solution helps our business continue to focus on delivering client campaigns with precision, context, and impact,” shared David Sutherland, QMS general manager of programmatic.

The “The Do’s and Don’ts of DOOH” panel held at the Digital Signage Virtual Event last week covered the complex relationships between marketers, distributors, and creatives in the digital out-of-home (DOOH) marketplace. The panel featured Emile Van De Coevering from digital signage content creator Socialure; Stephanie Gutnik from OOH publisher OUTFRONT Media; and Erin Huard from TopGolf, which uses digital signage to enhance the experience of its more than 20 million guests annually. The session was moderated by AVNation’s Tim Albright, and dove into topics such as best practices, privacy, and programmatic programs.

Best Practices of DOOH

In terms of best practices, Van De Coevering opened the conversation with advising digital sign owners to upgrade their equipment—even if it’s working fine. “There're plenty of signs that I come across that are 10 years—maybe even 20 years—old,” he said. “It is obviously very hard to create content to put on those boards and to make sure it looks good.”

“It's almost as if you have to treat your screens like they were appliances,” added Gutnik. “You hope that they're built to last for a long time, but as technology upgrades itself, you want to stay current with it. It's not always going to be a faulty screen that needs to be replaced—sometimes there's going to be an inability to play certain content or integrate with certain tech tools that you need.”

Tailored DOOH Messages

The panel then discussed the need to get clients to tailor their messages for the DOOH experience, noting that dropping a Google ad on a giant sign without sound will not have the same impact that a thoughtful campaign designed for digital signage will have. “A lot of times the elements we have are the commercial or the Google ad or other marketing materials, and that's where our work starts,” said Van De Coevering. “That's where we can be creative and figure out can we make the best use of this canvas we have—how we can make the best use and also take advantage of the different analytics this canvas offers.”

DOOH and Privacy

Analytics led the group into a discussion on privacy in DOOH, which was on everyone’s minds especially with the announcement that Google would no longer track viewers.

“I care deeply about privacy, and I hate nothing more than being followed around the Internet,” said Huard. “I don't want that to cross the lines into digital out of home. I think it's about having those conversations early with the client and setting the right expectations to say we're not going to give you all the data that you might be looking for, because there are other means of doing that. Digital out of home could be useful to play into their omni-channel marketing mix, but at the same time we don't need to know that this person looked for Moroccan rugs on their phone at home and then went to another location and saw another ad for that. It gets a bit awkward. 

“It's more important to target based upon the location that you're in. It's more of a challenge for media owners like OUTFRONT where it could be anyone driving past a billboard, but for very specialized media like TopGolf we say ‘make it millennial friendly’ and whatever business insights and metrics will play into that across the board.”

“OUTFRONT's stance is that out-of-home is inherently safe in terms of being privacy compliant when it comes to GDPR or the California Consumer Privacy Act and that's being followed on a state-by-state basis,” added Gutnik. “There's nothing associated with these screens unless you go and physically add a camera for analytics, which we don't do right now.

“When we look at like the death of the cookie, I'm not upset that they're going away in the AdTech space. Five-plus years ago, when trying to pitch out-of-home programmatically, the biggest question was, ‘How do we track viewers because OOH of home doesn’t have cookies?’ We don't get that question anymore because nobody's using them. All of the privacy advancements really are only benefiting out-of-home, in my opinion.”

Van De Coevering thought tracking analytics were fine, so long as you are transparent with what you are doing. “When you don't explain what's happening, people get creeped out,” he said. “It's a little bit scary.”

Programmatic and DOOH

With time running out, the quartet jumped into a discussion on programmatic advertising and what it means for DOOH. “Over 88 percent of digital ads are sold programmatically, with a very small fraction of that in out-of-home, but it's certainly going to grow,” said Gutnik. “DOOH is not the digital world where you can refresh and there's a new opportunity for an ad to play. We have a limited number of screens and, because of that, it makes supply that much more valuable. For advertisers who are getting into programmatic out-of-home for the first time—who have been buying programmatically in other channels—there's a lot of education to be had in terms of saying that some of these screens might actually be sold out.”

For more coverage of The Digital Signage Event, visit our hub page.

On March 4, The Digital Signage Event gathered AV professionals to connect, collaborate, and discover the ever-expanding world of digital signage. This single-day experience was hosted by Systems Contractor News and AVNation, who brought together the industry’s foremost experts for discussion and networking.

The Digital Signage Event featured a virtual exhibit hall with key digital signage vendors including Vistar Media, Planar, Hall Technologies, Peerless-AV, Synnex. If you're interested in learning about digital signage technology and trends from these companies, the exhibit hall will remain accessible until April 4. 

Here’s a rundown of the panel discussions that took place at The Digital Signage Event. 

If you weren't able to join us on March 4, all presentations are available on demand at thedigitalsignageevent.vfairs.com until April 4.

Potent, Powerful, Purposeful: How Digital Signage Can Increase Your Bottom Line

Opening Keynote presented by Beth Warren of Creative Realities Inc.

The way business and brands will grow in the future isn’t the way it grew in the past—and technology has become a mediator and a medium of making the cash register ring. In this session, we’ll explore how digital signage technologies can help drive the acquisition of new customers, retain and keep customers in their current habits, and how to ensure digital always remains a potent, powerful, purposeful source of business growth irrespective of vertical or consumer target. We’ll take a deep dive into brands and enterprises who are doing this wit and wisdom, and critique those that could do with some serious transformation.

[ Digital Signage Event Keynote Outlines Opportunities for Consumer Engagement, by Matt Pruznick ] 

The Do's and Don'ts of DOOH

Panel discussion:
•  Tim Albright, AVNation Media
•  Stephanie Gutnik, OUTFRONT Media
•  Erin Huard, Topgolf
•  Emile Van De Coevering, Socialure Inc.

With digital signage everywhere, how can you and your customers leverage the power of DOOH? This expert panel will dive into the dynamic world of DOOH and demonstrate how to leverage the power of the various delivery networks. Get your client’s message across various platforms and deliver real results.

Wonder Walls

Panel discussion:
•  Megan A. Dutta, Systems Contractor News
•  Christopher Anderson, Georgia Aquarium
•  Parker Dingler, SYNNEX Corp.
•  Peter Lawrence, CTS, Planar
•  Samantha Phenix, Phenix Consulting LLC

Video walls have become the hallmark of memorable corporate lobbies, and are now being used as no-touch replacement options in a myriad of install locations—like museums, restaurants, and more. This panel will reveal how to build video wall systems that connect with their audiences no matter where they are.

[ Capitalizing on Video Wall Opportunities, by Parker Dingler ]
[ Getting Ahead of the Curve with Today's Advanced LED Video Walls, by Peter Lawrence, CTS ]
[ Paint Outside the Lines with Non-Conformist LED Displays, by Peter Lawrence, CTS ] 

The Brains and Soul of Digital Signage Software

Panel discussion:
•  Tim Albright, AVNation Media
•  Christopher Fox, Openeye Global
•  Taylor Hanger, Alpha Video
•  Eric Lamb, Vistar Media
•  Tomer Mann, 22Miles

From demographic analytics to dynamic ad creation, this panel will dive into the emerging science and art of digital signage software. These experts will discuss where the software can make integrators and marketers lives easier and where the technology is headed.

[ Digital Signage Event Panel Talks Software Design, by Matt Pruznick ]
[ Digital Signage Software: A New Foundation for Public Safety, by Tomer Mann ]
[ Assembling the Digital Signage Puzzle, by Mary Bakija]
[ To Build or to Buy: Your Signage Network's Operating Software, by Eric Lamb ]

Digital Signage Download

Hal Truax, Hall Technologies

Hal Truax gives a 15-minute overview of Hall Technology's latest digital signage innovations.

Opt Outside: Digital Signage Heads Outdoors

Panel discussion:
•  Megan A. Dutta, Systems Contractor News
•  Will Amos, All Point
•  Marielle Crisanti, VWMason Technology Consultants
•  David Thibeau, Planar
•  Megan Zeller, Peerless-AV

With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing millions of people outdoors, what are the latest trends in weather-proofed digital signage? This dynamic panel will chat about the factors you need to consider to brave the elements in your latest digital signage installation.

[ The Need for Adaptability Drives LED Video Wall Installs, by Cindy Davis ]
[ The State of Digital Signage, by Cindy Davis ]
[ Privacy and Digital Signage, by Carolyn Heinze ]
[ Taking Fine-Pitch LED Outdoors and Changing the Game, by David Thibeau ]
[ The Art of Hospitality, by Megan Zeller ]
[ Reinventing and Reinvigorating Outdoor Signage in the World of COVID, by Megan Zeller ]
[ Integrating for the Hospitality Experience, by Jennifer Guhl ] 

On March 4, The Digital Signage Event took a deep dive into the ever-expanding world of digital signage.

The day featured panels on topics ranging from video walls to digital signage software to DOOH and hosted a virtual exhibit hall filled with the hottest digital signage innovations. Read our in-depth coverage of the day's panel discussions.

Here are the products and services we highlighted at the event.

Planar HRO Series

Planar HRO Series fine pitch outdoor LED video walls are built for close-up daylight viewing, featuring 3,500-nit brightness and a 16:9 aspect ratio. Offering some of the finest pixel pitches available for outdoor LED displays, 1.5 millimeter and 1.9 millimeter, the series delivers impactful visual experiences for audiences even in direct sunlight.

Hall Technologies HIVE Control

The HIVE Control system leverages modern IoT, legacy control, and automation systems to deliver an end-to-end AV solution. Hall Technologies' subscription-based native cloud platform allows its customers to configure, modify, analyze, and scale without the cost of licenses or per room costs.

Peerless-AV Seamless Kitted Series dvLED Mounting Systems

Peerless-AV says its Seamless Kitted Series dvLED Mounting Systems set the bar for high-quality design while achieving top aesthetic results for unique applications. Offering a slim, space-saving, and aesthetically-appealing design, the Kitted Series can be adapted to support all dvLED video wall needs, ensuring the top aesthetic results.

Hiperwall Hidralink—Available From Synnex

Hiperwall’s HidraLink software—available exclusively through Synnex— provides users a low-cost solution for displaying individual desktop applications on up to eight HDMI displays, keeping organizations connected and decision makers informed. HidraLink is  designed to be ideal for business signage, emergency response, retail, data monitoring, and other applications. 

22Miles Protection-as-a-Service Suite

Protection-as-a-Service (PaaS) solutions operate within a customizable software platform to address evolving public safety measures through digital signage and wayfinding. The suite includes TempDefend facial and body temperature detection software, Touchless Touch voice and gesture activation, Secure Mobile Control for any OS with a QR code scan, and the Digital Notifications Suite.

Broadsign

Light up the world with Broadsign's digital signage platform. Broadsign’s software helps media owners unlock the full value of their network through automation, business optimization, and support for programmatic media sales. Users can generate revenue from their network with specialized sales tools backed by powerful optimization engines., reach new buyers with programmatic ad sales, efficiently manage digital media with the company's content management system, and deliver campaigns across a network of any size with automated workflows.

Crimson AV Unistrut Menu Board Mount

Crimson AV's Unistrut Video Wall Mount with 8 Alignment Points & Push-In/Pop-Out Technology is designed for ease of use and installation; the VWG3U unistrut menu board mount makes installing video wall systems quick and simple. Mounting directly to unistrut channels in minutes, even large configurations can be quickly assembled by a single installer. Alignment is made easy with eightt different adjustment points, and no tools are required for wall break adjustments, ideal in situations involving uneven walls. One touch lock-and-key mechanism keeps the display secure, while the push-in/pop-out technology ensures fast display servicing.

Dell 86-Inch 4K Interactive Monitor

Dell says its 86-inch display (model C8621QT) delivers intelligent, responsive technology for improved collaboration. The design features 20-points of touch and integrated speakers. This interactive touch monitor seamlessly integrates an optional Dell OptiPlex Micro PC, which allows IT to select the best option for your business needs and provides all-in-one convenience.

Muxlab 4K Digital Signage Player Plus with MuxLab DigiSign Plus Software 

The MuxLab DigiSign Plus CMS works with the 4K Digital Signage Player Plus and allows users to easily create, arrange, manage, and schedule video, images, audio, and HTML content from a variety of sources, including content streaming via an H.264/H.265 codec over a local Ethernet network, the Internet, via internal memory, and external USB 3.0 memory devices.

Sony Bravia 4K HDR Professional Display

The FW-100BZ40J is robust and rigid and designed for a wide range of B2B applications. A new Cognitive Processor XR delivers superb picture quality, amazing color, contrast, and clarity. High brightness of 600-nit (typical)/940-nit (peak) is achieved. A powerful Android OS SoC platform ensures fast boot-up, smooth apps and a seamless user experience.

Captivate and Broadsign are working together to expand programmatic access to Captivate’s far-reaching network of elevator and large format displays in highly-trafficked office buildings via the Broadsign Reach supply-side-platform (SSP). 

More than 1,800 of Captivate’s displays across Canada have been onboarded and are now available to more than 30 demand-side-platforms (DSPs) globally that are integrated with Reach, with Captivate’s U.S. inventory to follow. The integration is allowing media buyers to tap into Captivate’s premium audience of high household income earners in a simpler, more flexible and measurable manner. 

Building on Captivate’s long standing partnership with Campsite, which was acquired by Broadsign in 2019, the companies say their new partnership reinforces Captivate’s commitment to evolving how digital out-of-home (DOOH) is bought and sold, and diversifies its ability to grant media buyers on-demand access to key audiences during their consumer journey. 

With Captivate’s network now accessible via Broadsign Reach, the company can better service the North American market by connecting it to new digital media buyers via Broadsign’s extensive network of omnichannel and DOOH specialty DSPs. In turn, media buyers have a wider pool of programmatic DOOH inventory to select from when targeting their intended audience, as well as greater flexibility to adapt ad creative and timing for greater relevancy and to maximize reach.

“The ad space is incredibly dynamic and continues to develop alongside technological advances and shifting audience behaviors,” said Barb Huggett, general manager at Captivate Canada. “This collaboration with Broadsign will help us reach digital buyers looking for new ways to target audiences with impactful messaging while also improving campaign performance. Programmatic has long been a priority for Captivate and this integration helps further diversify our offering to media buyers looking to harness the many benefits that DOOH has to offer.” 

“We are extremely excited to expand our work with Captivate to surface their inventory to new buyers through our extensive network of DSP partners. We expect their unique inventory will continue to be of keen interest to programmatic media buyers looking for effective ways to connect with their target audiences today and in a post-pandemic world,” added Adam Green, SVP and GM, Broadsign programmatic platforms. 

Eric Lamb, VP of publisher solutions at Vistar Media, virtually sat down with Tim Albright to chat about the state of the digital out of home (DOOH) market. In this deep dive, Lamb discusses what makes a programmatic DOOH system, the current trends of the signage market, where things might be headed moving forward, and more.

About Vistar Media

Vistar Media was founded in 2012 by leaders in the digital advertising space, who saw the opportunity to bring the intelligence and efficiency of programmatic technology to the impactful medium of out-of-home.  Vistar has built a complete end-to-end programmatic ecosystem for digital out-of-home (DOOH). This includes a demand-side platform (DSP), supply-side platform (SSP), and data management platform (DMP), integrated together to enable data-driven, automated, and measurable DOOH transactions.  The company has also built core infrastructure software for media owner networks (Cortex), to help ensure they are stable and can smoothly run programmatic campaigns, as well as unique customer experiences.

For more information, visit vistarmedia.com.

Volta, a leader in commerce-centric electric vehicle (EV) charging networks, has received an oversubscribed Series D financing of $125 million. Goldman Sachs acted as exclusive placement agent to the Company in connection with the financing.

Unique to the EV market, Volta's business model centers around evolving spending habits caused by the move to electric vehicles by building charging infrastructure that reinforces the desired behavior at each location, essentially creating its own digital-out-of-home (DOOH) market.

Volta's charging stations feature eye-catching 55-inch digital displays from Peerless-AV, doubling as a sophisticated media platform providing brands a way to reach millions of shoppers seconds before they enter the store to make a purchase. These sponsor-supported charging stations provide free energy to customers who are able to plug in their vehicles where and when they shop. Volta's business partners who install charging stations experience immediate returns; they report an increase in spend, dwell time and engagement on site. 

Currently located in 23 states and over 200 municipalities, Volta's unique approach has gained significant acceptance and penetration in the market.

"The electrification of mobility is one of the largest infrastructural shifts of our generation and Volta's charging network is ready to anchor the accompanying consumer behavior that will change along with it," said Scott Mercer, founder and CEO of Volta. "As we transition out of the carbon economy, we will see a fundamental transformation of our existing fueling infrastructure. Businesses anticipating this shift can take advantage of a revenue transfer from gas stations to retail locations in the community where consumers go, live, shop and play."

The Series D fundraising caps a banner year for Volta, bringing the fast-growing company's total equity financing to over $200 million. The capital raise will further accelerate Volta's efforts to unlock the value of their contract portfolio, and increase their investment in product, engineering and network infrastructure. It will also allow Volta to begin its international expansion.

"Since our initial investment in Volta in 2018, excitement and interest in electrification—and specifically solving for public charging solutions—has continued to gain momentum," said John Tough, managing partner at Energize Ventures, a major and existing investor in this round. "Our conviction in this team has similarly grown, and we believe Volta is poised to lead this market as the most capital-efficient and highly utilized EV charging network in the country."

As digital signage technology has matured, software developers now offer increasingly sophisticated functionality that is significantly easier to install, manage, and utilize. This has helped systems integrators, IT technicians, and other installers to not only streamline large-scale network deployments, but add value through an increasingly broader array of applications. 

Digital signage software in particular can more freely interact with third-party systems. Combined with other cutting-edge developments around AI and automation, businesses now have direct access to detailed analytics that allow them to adjust their technology and business operations on a real-time basis. 

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, digital signage software has increasingly played a leading role in helping businesses return to operations. Retail stores can suddenly comply with new health and safety standards through temperature sensors, density monitoring, traffic management, and distance measuring. The functionality can be as strikingly granular, down to detecting whether employees and visitors are wearing masks—and even detect the color and fabric of each mask. These features, once again, let users make necessary adjustments to their daily operations easily and on the fly, enabling them to focus on their core businesses.

While the user experience associated with digital signage software may be intuitive, large-scale deployments comprised of hundreds—or, in some cases, thousands—of displays, either on campus, across multiple sites, or on a national level mandate thoughtful planning and consideration. For the design, integration, and management of these systems to be successful, it’s important that the appropriate stakeholders invest the effort in following a number of crucial steps along the way. Here are some of the best practices to take into consideration . . . 

Decisions, Decisions

Deploying a large-scale network encompasses six main steps: 

• Software selection
• Hardware selection
• Determining content requirements
• Assessing user requirements (including roles, company hierarchy, and approval workflows)
• Automation requirements (including APIs and integration needs)
• Day Two support

During this process, it’s crucial to think beyond deployment so that the care and feeding of these systems is seamless, and so that the organization achieves its desired return on investment. Prior to deployment, integrators and tech managers should develop solutions that address several key questions:

• How will the network be supported, and who will manage it?
• Can this solution meet all screen-based communication needs?
• Is this solution flexible enough to cover all potential use cases?
• Is this solution scalable and future-proof?
• How to optimally manage and monitor the health of the network?
• Does this solution offer robust tools to save time and money? 

Selecting a CMS

Even minor issues can create devastating scenarios on large-scale networks, which makes software reliability paramount. An organization’s risk exposure to failures is increased with System on a Chip (SoC)-based solutions, as software glitches can crash displays, and require on-site intervention. This is why reliability should be top-of mind when choosing a content management system (CMS). 

It’s also necessary to consider how—and who—will use the CMS. While it’s important to select a CMS that offers an intuitive workflow, professional use cases also require a certain level of sophistication. Your CMS should support the scalability, flexibility, and functionality required now and well into the future. 

To that end, systems integrators and tech managers must consider the organization’s present needs, and what will be required when the network reaches scale with multiple users, role management, open architecture, APIs, automation, and operating expenses/total cost of ownership. At the same time, the CMS must remain flexible and user-friendly while enabling users to create rules, automate functions, access advanced user monitoring and management features, and leverage APIs that boost workflow efficiency when a network has matured.

One common mistake is letting hardware drive the decision behind software selection. In this scenario, the hardware dictates which CMS solutions are supported, immediately limiting software options. This can result in an increased total cost of ownership, as the CMS may not be optimal for the desired use case.

Another mistake to avoid is selecting software that forces the user into a specific hardware choice. Software should offer flexibility; a large deployment often has multiple use cases and stakeholders, and software that is interoperable across multiple hardware platforms can produce a significant savings of time and money. 

Those charged with hardware procurement should seek out multiple quotes from comparable offerings, and be willing to negotiate the best terms. Network operators need to select hardware that takes into considerations elements such as aesthetics, content, and costs associated with each use case.

Making the AV Work With IT

There are several IT concerns that tech managers and AV integrators must address during a successful digital signage deployment:

Player endpoint security: media players should be placed in secure areas (such as a server/IT room, behind walls, or in secured enclosures) to prevent unauthorized access to the equipment.

Connectivity: Most digital signage players require an internet connection to function properly. Tech managers and AV integrators should be aware of what network locations the players will need to access (such as the CMS server, or certain data feeds). All other connectivity to external or unauthorized sources, or other network locations, should be locked down.

When deploying a digital signage network designed to scale to multiple sites, it’s necessary to ensure that the server’s back end is equipped to support the number of players that will be connected today, and into the future—in other words, it’s important that the infrastructure is ready to scale up when needed. It’s also necessary to be familiar with the network topology between each of the sites, and to pay extra attention to the security concerns associated with having devices in multiple locations, but connected to the same central CMS server.

Cloud or On-Premise?

When an organization has limited (or no) IT specialists on staff, cloud-based digital signage solutions are ideal. A cloud-based system is also well-suited for applications that do not require digital signage players to connect to sensitive internal resources on the enterprise network.

On-premise solutions are best for organizations demanding the highest level of security, such as military and defense agencies, financial and healthcare institutions, and government offices. Generally, these organizations don’t want any element of their digital signage gaining access to networks outside of the system’s own secure internal network. On-premise solutions are therefore a better choice for companies that want to create deep software customizations, and leverage server-side APIs.

Best Practices for Security

The larger the project scope, the more vulnerable it is to malicious parties—especially when digital signage displays are visible to the public. In many cases, insurance companies require a third-party security audit to assess how secure these systems truly are. 

There are several best practices to keeping a large-scale digital signage network safe:

• Only authorized users should gain access to the CMS for content and player management.
• Users should not upload or store highly sensitive information in the CMS.
• Ensure that all media player endpoints are locked down from a network perspective. 

Expanding on the last point, only whitelisted or verified IP addresses should be accessible by the endpoints. That includes the CMS server, as well as specific data feeds. 

Digital signage software developers work hard to remain compliant with the local and federal laws that apply to network and data security. Most systems provide easy integration points for Single Sign-on, Active Directory integration, and third-party multi-factor authentication systems to ensure that the identity of authorized users is verified at multiple stages prior to granting log-in access to the CMS.

Training Equals Optimization

An organization is more likely to benefit from its investment if its end users are properly trained. Every operator should understand how to use the technology and manage the content to fulfill their specific responsibilities for their digital signage networks. IT and technical support staff need to apply the appropriate best practices for troubleshooting common issues within digital signage software.

Depending on the organization, it may be more beneficial to outsource both deployment and management of a large-scale digital signage network. That is really a question of time and expertise. If the company’s staff is made up solely of content creators and managers, it’s wise to rely on a third party that is specialized in the intricacies of deployment and management. Having less-knowledgeable staff attempt to execute technical tasks often ends up being more expensive than outsourcing these tasks in the first place. 

Effective Communication for All

Mostly every large or enterprise-level business vertical today has a need for a digital signage network to communicate. For retail outlets, large-scale digital signage networks offer an efficient, streamlined method of communicating with customers, adapting messaging to targeted consumer demographics (as well as the analytics functionality that enables companies to continually improve their messaging). Quick-service restaurants use digital signage to quickly update menu items and pricing on a regular basis, and to make real-time suggestions to customers based on available inventory and promotions. Live event venues tend to use digital signage for both of these communication requirements, and moving forward all three will need digital signage software that delivers the audience analytics and access control applications to monitor visitor traffic and behavior.

In reality, all markets will benefit from the advantages that a scalable, flexible, large-scale digital signage network can offer in creating an experience that is both enjoyable and informative for both customers and employees. With the incorporation of AI applied technology, such as Navori’s Computer Vision, users are able to gain an in-depth analysis of factors such as population density and demographic profiles, enabling them to adapt their messaging accordingly - rendering their signage truly “smart.” Communication is key, and digital signage is the most effective way to offer non-touch, easily updateable, real-time information to all audiences.

Jerome Moeri is the founder and CEO of Navori Labs. Jeffrey Weitzman and Jordan Feil also contributed to this article.

They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway, but they’re nowhere as crisp or sharp as the new large format LED “Welcome to Nashville” sign that will greet visitors as they descend on Lower Broadway in downtown Nashville. 

The screen is just one of a new 15-screen digital network being installed at Fifth + Broadway, a mixed-use development that sits at 5th Ave & Broadway, downtown Nashville’s busiest and most iconic intersection, and Pearl Media is the exclusive advertising and media partner for the new project.

[The Digital Signage Best Practices Guide]

"The dynamic digital media platform that we’re offering brands is unparalleled in downtown Nashville," said Josh Cohen, president/CEO of Pearl Media. "Our location at Fifth + Broadway is unlike any other property in Nashville directly located on the famous Broadway in one of the most vibrant places in all of Tennessee. Pearl Media is absolutely thrilled to be the exclusive media partner offering this premiere advertising opportunity."

Greeting workers, residents, and visitors heading to Lower Broadway is the “Welcome to Nashville” sign, a 40-foot by 25-foot large format 8mm pitch LED sign perched atop Seventh Ave North at Broadway. The sign is one of two Samsung XPE080 direct view LED installations at the development. The other is the “L Street Live” sign, a 48-foot by 20-foot 8MM display that shines over Sixth Avenue North—which is part of the interior portion of the project. 

[Digital Signage Spotlight: LED Video Walls]

“Nashville is one of the most vibrant cities in America and Samsung is so proud to help the city welcome visitors with its latest installation at the new Fifth + Broadway,” said Mark Quiroz, vice president, Display Division, Samsung Electronics America. “Not only does Samsung’s LED technology shine as bright as some of Nashville’s stars, it also provides a platform for digital marketing and advertising, and acts as an additional method for direct communication for patrons.”

On the inside of the dining, retail, office space, and residential project are four double sided kiosk directories and three wall-mounted directories featuring Peerless-AV's 55-inch Xtreme High Bright screens. The screens will provide directory information to Fifth + Broadway visitors and display advertising and branded content. 

“Selecting the right digital signage solutions can be difficult—it's hard to anticipate how the industry and society might change with how they prefer to receive communication,” added Brian McClimans, vice president sales, North America and APAC, Peerless-AV. “On top of making sure digital signage content is engaging in general, Peerless-AV's all-weather rated Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Displays will provide Fifth + Broadway with a display that can easily withstand direct sunlight and other weather conditions, ensuring they can be seen and are durable no matter what the conditions may bring."

Also included in the network are two large format Hyoco 9mm pitch LED screens located at the National Museum of African American Music. These lightweight screens are part of Hyoco’s PCB series, featuring 8-foot by 16-foot modules and its individual small Louver LEDs, which are designed to maximize brightness and contrast while optimizing the widest viewing angle. As is the case with other Hyoco products, these individual modules boast the removable pixel technology that offer easy troubleshooting and replacement, if necessary. 

“Digital Out of Home (DooH) is one of the most cost-effective, efficient, and brand safe forms of advertising there is today,” concluded Anthony Petrillo, chief revenue officer at Pearl. “When you look at what’s in Fifth + Broadway combined with what’s around, brands seeking to connect with these desirable consumers in one of the country’s most desirable cities will have an unrivaled platform to do so."

[Unexpected Connections: The Emotion Behind Good Content]

Combined these assets make up the most dominant and robust digital screen installation in downtown Nashville and will transform the area while providing a brilliant, dynamic canvas for brands to engage with office workers, residents, and visitors alike as they explore the area within and around the development.  

Navori Labs continues to work closely with West Edmonton Mall, North America’s largest shopping center, to scale and update a diverse digital out-of-home network that drives engagement in public and private spaces. Navori’s QL digital signage software is powering retail, hospitality, entertainment, and corporate content across a mix of video walls, menu boards, and digital signage displays. 

The multi-phase rollout has extended media presentation and interactive wayfinding to food courts, hotel lobbies, event venues, and meeting spaces—as well as along walkways with the heaviest shopper traffic.

Located in the Western Canadian city of Edmonton, West Edmonton Mall is home to more than 800 stores and services, over 100 dining areas, two hotels, and 12 world-class attractions. Navori’s strategic rollout has fully centralized content management and delivery, helping West Edmonton Mall improve the customer experience and increase engagement with shoppers, Fantasyland Hotel guests, and visitors to the Ice Palace, which hosts a variety of sports, concerts, and fundraising activities. 

[The Integration Guide to Video Walls 2020]

The centralized content management and delivery strategy has been instrumental to the success of the network, which allows unlimited users to contribute media with minimal training. This includes real-time updates such as price changes, promotions, and COVID-19 guidelines. The network has also provided a quick return on investment for West Edmonton Mall by eliminating printing costs associated with traditional menus, advertisements, and meeting space signage.

“Navori Labs has been an integral part of our marketing strategy,” said Tiffany Banh, digital marketing coordinator, West Edmonton Mall. “The QL software fulfills our need for flexibility, scalability, and ease of use. The Navori team supported us throughout the whole process and provided an effortless rollout. Our continued partnership with Navori is valuable in helping us achieve business success.”

West Edmonton Mall’s QL digital signage solution architecture includes an on-premise QL Server and a QL software driving each screen. Navori’s seamless integration with third-party data systems and support for a wide range of multimedia formats allows West Edmonton Mall to provide a diverse mix of video, graphics, and text to shoppers and guests, while clean integration with West Edmonton Mall’s back-end business systems drive reliable content updates, meeting room occupancy information, and effective wayfinding experiences.

“West Edmonton Mall required a technology provider that could ensure reliable and efficient management of all digital signage content and hardware across the entire property,” said Jerome Moeri, CEO, Navori Labs. “Our QL software is helping West Edmonton Mall meet its daily objectives across a very complex, multifaceted business environment that has helped staff grow more productive, reduced installation and support costs, and provided a foundation for network monetization through dynamic advertising capabilities.”

Verizon Media and Broadsign have extended their partnership to directly integrate Verizon Media’s programmatic demand-side-platform (DSP) with the Broadsign Reach programmatic DOOH supply-side-platform (SSP). Using the combined solutions, Verizon Media advertisers can now access Broadsign’s global programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) inventory as part of their omnichannel buys. 

The partnership is another step in Verizon Media’s continued expansion into DOOH, as more advertisers recognize the value of the medium in omnichannel campaigns, and a growing number of consumers note DOOH’s ability to capture their attention. Eighty percent of consumers recall DOOH advertising, with highway, retail, grocery store, and gas stations as the top venues, according to a recent research study commissioned by Verizon Media and Toluna. 

Related: Broadsign, AdMobilize Partner to Provide AI to DOOH Networks

Integrating the Verizon Media DSP with Broadsign Reach allows buyers to better tap into consumer audiences and combines Verizon Media's DOOH planning, targeting, and measurement suite with Broadsign Reach’s expansive global network of roadside, transit, retail, and place-based digital screens. In addition to expanding Verizon Media’s DOOH footprint in the Latin American and European regions, the collaboration provides buyers with enhanced creative capabilities and transparency, as well as support for programmatic guaranteed deals, among other advancements. Verizon Media currently offers DOOH measurement and attribution through its relationships with third-party measurement parties, and will be rolling out a new proprietary solution leveraging its verified first-party data.

“DOOH premium campaign placements add a unique value to advertisers’ programmatic omnichannel buys,” said Greg MacDonald, VP, marketplace partnerships at Verizon Media. “Together, we’re making it easier for our customers to optimize their creative when planning and delivering campaigns, as well as expand their audience reach. We’re pleased to deepen our relationship with Broadsign and continue to bring Verizon Media DSP customers the most diverse and expansive omnichannel opportunities at scale.”

“Programmatic DOOH is following a similar trajectory to display advertising, but at the speed of light,” said Adam Green, SVP and GM, Broadsign Reach. “The past year has seen programmatically available screen inventory reach critical mass with the next steps in the evolution of the industry being enhanced forecasting, decisioning, and dynamic optimization. The integration between Broadsign Reach and Verizon Media will help deliver on that vision. Verizon Media is an omnichannel trailblazer, and one of the first DSPs to have recognized the inherent value that pDOOH brings to the table, and this collaboration marks a huge step forward for omnichannel advertising and pDOOH, bringing benefits to buyers and media owners alike.”

LumenAd, a Seville, Spain-based advertising company, has recently begun deploying two Christie Crimson laser projectors in its projects with digital out-of-home (DOOH) media.

[Christie Crimson Laser Projectors Illuminate Sydney Opera House]

LumenAd now offers video projection for outdoor advertising as an alternative to conventional platforms like paper, vinyl, canvas, and LED. In doing so, it is bringing to the market a new kind of versatile advertising that integrates into the surrounding environs. This premium support, called Big Brand, is aimed at major brands that wish to reinforce their image by identifying with values like respect for the environment, quality, and innovation.

“In addition to the size, image quality, and versatility, the video projection ensures impeccable visualization in DOOH projects, and also affords other major benefits in terms of environmental sustainability and its non-aggressive integration in the urban landscape,” said Alfonso Callejas, CEO of LumenAd.

The company is using the two Christie Crimson projectors in a DOOH installation on the façade of Galia Nervión, a well-known building located in the heart of Seville’s main shopping district. The screen is strategically placed at the crossroads of two of the city’s main avenues, which is a high-traffic area frequented by vehicles and pedestrians.

From a technical viewpoint, the installation is an international milestone given its complexity and novelty. There are three buildings involved: two of them host the projectors on their rooftops while the third (Galia Nervión) acts as a screen. The equipment is not visible and does not occupy the public space.

The result is a “full-motion” screen covering 460 square meters (40 meters wide by 11.5 meters high) with a resolution of 3840x1080 pixels, which covers part of the building’s east and south façades. Together, the two Crimson projectors with WUXGA resolution (1920x1200) produce 50,000 lumens.

Besides the actual projector itself, one of the two “projector buildings” also houses the equipment for content playback and the monitoring and control systems, all of which are completely automated and remotely controlled. To synchronize the two screens, the video signal is relayed wirelessly to the second projector, producing one single screen split down the middle by 90 degrees at the corner of the building.

To protect the projectors outdoors, LumenAd designed a special casing that accounts for factors including humidity, ventilation, and waterproofing. The throw distance of the two projectors to the screen is approximately 50 meters, and the distance between the projectors is 90 meters. The screen can be visualized from 10 to 300 meters.

The content is only screened at night. It was decided to forego use during daylight in order to make a bigger impact at night and to ensure that the messages stand out clearly in the urban space. At the same time, the projections fulfil all existing environmental regulations on the maximum light output of information supports at night. Some of the brands which have already used the support are Motorola, Vodafone, and McDonalds.

“Unlike LED technology supports, which generally work with low resolution, here we can assure a minimum of high definition and the possibility of screening in 4K, giving brands the guarantee of impeccable visualization,” Callejas said.

The LumenAd CEO went on to explain why the company chose Christie Crimson 3DLP technology laser projectors: “I would say that the main reason is the lamp consumption,” he said. “Calculator in hand, if you bear in mind that the installation is operating an average of five hours a day, 365 days a year, you would need 4.5 lamps (400 hours, without taking them to their limit). The Crimson’s 20,000 hours of operation, even reducing it by half, means a big saving on running costs, and if you multiply that by two, as is our case, then the savings are even greater.

“Apart from the issue of the lamps, we also looked at the requirements for power consumption and ventilation, which are less in the Crimson as compared with the Roadster; this was very important for us, considering that we are operating outdoors, inside our own self-designed casing, and it allows us to better control issues like humidity. I was also swayed by the precision of the electronics, the built-in Christie Twist, and the much more complete information on the projector like temperatures, and the preview screen.”

Callejas did not wish to conclude without recognizing “the wonderful consulting work by Julio España and Jorge Vilaplana on behalf of Charmex (the Christie partner who supplied the projectors), and also Marcos Fernández and Carlos Lachica from Christie España.”

Audience intelligence company AdMobilize has partnered with Broadsign to provide DOOH networks with integrated audience measurement solutions. With this integration, media owners and their advertisers are now able to access more granular data related to the specific audiences exposed to their campaigns.

[Broadsign Partners with Place Exchange to Extend Digital Campaigns to DOOH]

The integration with Broadsign allows AdMobilize audience data to be passed to Broadsign in real time. It is now a core feature within the AdMobilize platform, enabling media owners to report audiences for specific campaigns across relevant inventory. This new capability can be used to help advertisers better understand campaign performance and how to optimize creative over time. For instance, the aggregated insights generated by the AdMobilize system can help all parties optimize campaigns by analyzing audience viewership down to each ad copy served. Anonymous, aggregated metrics such as total impressions, attention time, gender, age, emotion analysis, gaze-through rate, and more are available as part of the audience reporting module. 

“AdMobilize and Broadsign have collaborated on a number of client projects over the past few years,” said Francois Hechme, VP products at Broadsign. “Access to high-quality audience measurement data is a critical driver of DOOH industry growth. We are thrilled to advance our relationship and to offer an innovative integration to media owners and advertisers alike.”

Accurate, high-confidence audience data is an important element for enabling digital media buyers to measure campaign performance and transact programmatically. AdMobilize audience analytics data can be fed live into Broadsign Reach, which the company said grew 460 percent in 2019.  

With its computer vision and AI software, AdMobilize can provide data regarding high-value audience impressions, vehicle volume/speed, and other key KPIs across a large set of DOOH formats in real time and 100 percent anonymously. 

“Partnering with Broadsign to integrate their marketing platform and AdMobilize AI solutions creates immense value for DOOH networks of all types, while also helping advertisers optimize their campaign performance,” said Mike Neel, global head of marketing/sales at AdMobilize.

Reflect has announced a partnership with AdMobilize, the audience intelligence company that focuses on powering DOOH and Retail networks with real time, fully anonymous AI. The partnership comes to fruition after mutual client interest and market demand exploded in 2018, the companies said.

Reflect is supporting AdMobilize audience intelligence solutions across multiple types of hardware including AdMobilize AI sensors, Intel and BrightSign media players across their retail and advertising client portfolio. With extensive software integration plans, the pair is looking to create a robust audience intelligence solution for clients in North America in 2019 and beyond.

"Audience intelligence is becoming increasingly necessary in understanding the behavior of consumers. Our partnership with AdMobilize provides valuable tools and data. Both are used to help our clients better understand their customers and ultimately reach their business and advertising objectives with their digital signage networks," commented Lee Summers, Reflect CEO.

AdMobilize’s computer vision and AI software can provide, in real time and 100 percent anonymously, data regarding viewership, demographics, emotion, attention and other key KPIs. Mike Neel, Global Head of Marketing/Sales says “Retailers and DOOH clients are seeking audience intelligence solutions to optimize their business models and create new value for stakeholders. Working with the team at Reflect to create AI-powered solutions for their impressive client base is a win-win for all.”

The integrated solution comes from a demand to integrate the two platforms to the benefit of end users and their customers. By building AdMobilize AI into the Reflect core product, end users will have access to granular insights related to their digital signage networks and retail footprint. The end result is creating impressive, memorable experiences so retailers communicate with consumers more effectively (and vice versa). Last week at the ICX summit in Dallas, end users were able to see live demonstrations of the solution at the Reflect Innovation Lab.

As of today, the solution is readily available for any current or new Reflect customer looking to acquire audience intelligence for their network. 

Broadsign has announced that it has been selected by Pattison Outdoor Advertising, a leader in Canadian OOH media, to provide a suite of software tools designed to optimize operational efficiency and yield on more than 4,000 programmatically enabled screens across Pattison’s network.

The project will center on Broadsign’s ad-serving solution to automate the delivery of targeted content to Pattison’s screens. Broadsign Direct will also be incorporated to enable real-time inventory availability and booking for sales teams and to help optimize network yield. Finally, all screens, which are currently connected to Broadsign’s Campsite digital OOH exchange, will also integrate with the Broadsign Reach programmatic platform. Together, the programmatic platforms will enable Pattison to attract new advertisers from a wide variety of both national and international demand sources.

“Optimizing our digital assets and amplifying our programmatic capabilities are key missions for us over the coming years. We’re confident that the experienced team at Broadsign will provide the solution we need to continue to stand out as a leader in Canadian out-of-home,” said Cam Milne, Vice President/General Manager, Pattison Onestop.

“Pattison is a force in the Canadian OOH space, and we’re excited to see how Broadsign’s experience in network optimization, automation, and programmatic selling can help them further realize their network’s potential,” said Maarten Dollevoet, SVP of sales, Broadsign.

Zytronic has announced that its touch technology has been used to create the double-sided, 55” interactive display in the slimline Blade kiosk created by Design to Production and currently being piloted in Australian Volkswagen showrooms. It is based on Zytronic’s Zybrid touch sensors together with their latest ZXY500 multitouch touch controllers which, when mounted to either side of the Blade display, adds only 12mm to the slim profile of the unit, bringing the whole kiosk in at a thin 40mm.

The critical factor is the selection of Zytronic’s projected capacitive ZXY500 controller. With its proprietary ASIC coupled with in-house developed touch detection algorithms, the touch sensors can be mounted almost directly in contact with the display surface, reducing parallax and enabling the super slim form-factor.

Using Zytronic touch technology was part of the Blade’s design specification from the earliest design phase: “For the Blade to be interactive, was key,” said Design to Production director Peter Gordon. “That’s why we love Zytronic because they make the best, high performance capacitive touchscreens. The feedback we received regarding The Blade has been very positive. People just can’t believe The Blade is touch enabled on both sides — they couldn’t figure out how we added touch and maintained such a slim profile. That’s a testament to the projected capacitive technology that Zytronic produces — it’s market leading.”

“There’s incredible attention to the detail,” said Peter Gordon. Which is one reason why the Blade has caught the eye of the automobile industry in Australia, with some 20 units taking part in a pilot trial in Volkswagen garages around Australia. The Blade is beautifully resolved and ships with low-profile castors that allow the unit to be easily relocated in a vehicle showroom — all you need is power.

For Peter Gordon, the magic is all in the slender profile and the success of future product development is in concealing the touch technology as to be almost invisible: “We’ve been manufacturing kiosks for quite some time; we know what impresses people; and it’s the thickness of the unit that is always the key. The slimmer that silhouette; the more impressive the kiosk — hence the name, Blade. With their latest ZXY500 touch controller, Zytronic leads the market in this respect. I mean, Zytronic must be doing something right because everyone knows they’re the best!”

The Blade is built to exacting standards in Sydney by the Design to Production manufacturing team. “We use state of the art equipment and only the best manufacturing techniques,” said Gordon. “There are other double-sided kiosk and signage products in the market but not many are touch enabled. Those that are, use inferior touch technology, and are noticeably chunkier as a result. The Blade is ‘a first’ in that regard.”

Being touch enabled, the Blade in-built content invites patrons to tap an on-screen icon to request more information. A selection of brochures is available and the customer can have the desired material emailed to them immediately. Naturally, the sales team are also alerted for follow up — informing Volkswagen regarding the vehicle the user is interested in, as well as their name, along with age and gender data derived from the on-board Quividi real-time attention analytics solution.

Peter Gordon concluded, “It’s early days, and there are myriad potential applications for The Blade.” Design to Production are in discussions about using The Blade to entertain children with interactive showroom games (“how many bales of hay can you fit into the back of an Amarok!”), acknowledging that keeping the family entertained allows patrons to dwell longer and have the time required to make a significant decision such as the purchase of a new car.

Broadsign and OOH advertising service provider Starlite Media are teaming up to transform out-of-home advertising in grocery stores and retail centers. Starlite has begun deploying the complete Broadsign Platform to convert its growing network of 6000 static outdoor ad displays to free-standing digital units and scale quickly with programmatic capabilities. Spread throughout prime in-person transaction areas in grocery-anchored retail centers across the U.S., Starlite’s digital network is expected to reach 500 screens by the year’s end with 2000 more screens planned for 2020.

Already underway, the conversion will transform Starlite’s existing network of static signs into intelligent, digital kiosks running on large format screens with video analytics, remote management and proof-of-play capabilities. Future advancements by Starlite and its other partners, driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI), will also augment Starlite’s retailer executions and consumer relevancy. With Broadsign Reach, Control and Direct powering the network, Starlite will support programmatic transactions to simplify how it distributes and manages content. As the company integrates with dynamic content platforms, it also plans to leverage the Broadsign API extensively. 

“By partnering with and standardizing on Broadsign for our digital transformation, we are opening new creative possibilities for advertisers, such as dynamic content with full motion and sound, to reinvent and personalize the customer experience. This will help our retail inventory generate more revenue, all while streamlining our backend,” said Dave Kelshaw, chief digital officer, Starlite Digital. “Broadsign is helping us to modernize the look of our inventory and showcase the great digital advertising opportunities that they enable. With real time-analytics, a rules-based content engine, and programmatic buying, Starlite’s network brings increased advertising ROI and greater peace of mind to advertisers who are confident that the right ad content is shown to the right audience at the right time.”

“Retail centers are prime real estate for advertisers to reach their target audience close to the  point of sale. By taking advantage of the Broadsign platform, Starlite will be able to extend its network of screens and appeal to more advertisers and consumers. This will in turn open up a new revenue stream while helping to give its locations a more modern look,” said Maarten Dollevoet, senior vice president of  sales, Broadsign. 

ReflectMedia has been selected by amusement-resort operator Cedar Fair Entertainment Company to activate a strategic in-park advertising and sponsorship program. This agreement represents not only a continuation of a partnership that started in 2014 but also an expansion of Reflect’s role with Cedar Fair.

Out-of-home is one of the fastest growing categories for advertising and paid media, driven by the effectiveness of reaching engaged audiences on their daily journeys. Cedar Fair’s eleven parks include such iconic locations as Cedar Point, Knott’s Berry Farm, Kings Island, and Canada’s Wonderland. Millennials and families experience fun and excitement with regular season activities, as well as highly experiential events like Halloween Haunt and WinterFest programs.

“We constantly seek the best ways to entertain and engage our 26 million annual guests at every step of their experience with us, and Reflect has been critical to our success in this endeavor,” said Matt Shafer, corporate vice president, strategic alliances, Cedar Fair. “Their innovation in delivering the insights and services we need have been instrumental in helping us define, create and communicate the value behind our in-park digital advertisements and sponsorships.”

The new Cedar Fair Media program will enable opportunities for experiential marketing activations, strategic sponsorships, and digital media across a variety of digital touchpoints, including the FUN TV in-park media network. Digital programming on the network has been highly rated by guests for the extremely engaging entertainment, information, and promotional content.

“Place-based media is able to reach audiences on the go, in places where they are highly engaged. This is why brands and agencies are actively incorporating more out-of-home and location-based entertainment into their marketing and media plans,” said Matt Schmitt, President and Co-founder of Reflect. “We are excited to work with Cedar Fair to activate strategic, brand-right programs that are focused on delivering results while also heightening the guest experience.”

Reflect has been the exclusive provider of in-park media content management for all Cedar Fair parks since 2014, powering digital experiences through the ReflectView content management and delivery platform.  ReflectView provides a flexible platform to display dynamic messaging and media that effectively deliver the latest promotions, park messaging, and entertainment content. Reflect’s latest innovation, AdLogic will manage, deliver and report on advertising campaigns on Cedar Fair’s digital media network. AdLogic is a robust, automated delivery platform purpose-built for the place-based digital media market.

BrightSign announced that its media players are now fully supported by Adomni, an open online platform to find and buy digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising.

“We are elated to partner with BrightSign, the leader in the industry, and are thrilled to roll out the new Adomni Ad Marketplace for BrightSign,” said Jonathan Gudai, CEO of Adomni. “Now, BrightSign media player owners can unlock new revenue streams by connecting their digital screens to the Adomni digital out-of-home marketplace. Our one-of-a-kind technology, paired with the BrightAuthor and BrightSign Network platforms, provides screen owners with full control over the advertising content that is purchased.”

BrightSign operators can also choose how much of the share-of-voice can be opened up to purchase by outside advertisers; from as little as 10% to as much as 100%. Early adopters of the Adomni and BrightSign integration include media owners with screens in hotels, casinos, medical offices, bars, restaurants and convenience stores.

“Our collaboration with Adomni gives DOOH advertisers unrivaled control in how they structure and execute their campaigns,” said Jeff Hastings, CEO of BrightSign. “The BrightSign platform with Adomni lets advertisers determine precisely when and where their ads are displayed, and adds analytics to clearly demonstrate the ROI of those campaigns.”

BrightSign has announced a partnership with AdMobilize, the audience intelligence company that focuses on powering DOOH and retail networks with real-time, fully anonymous audience intelligence. The partnership comes after more than a year of collaboration in an effort to bring the solution to market.

BrightSign Series 3 and 4 XT, XD and HD expanded I/O digital signage media players can now support AdMobilize audience intelligence with a keen focus on enhancing the consumer experience by understanding engagement.

"The ability of AdMobilize to anonymously measure engagement with sophisticated computer vision technology on BrightSign players is a testament to the work both teams have put into this integration," said Jeff Hastings, BrightSign CEO. "This all-in-one solution integrating intelligence and a CMS of choice with our player hardware is ideal for our retail and DOOH customers."

AdMobilize’s computer vision and AI software can provide, in real time and 100 percent anonymously, data regarding viewership, demographics, emotion, attention and other key KPIs. Rodolfo Saccoman, CEO/Founder of AdMobilize said, “Most marketers today have little knowledge regarding how consumers are interacting with their brand in the real world. Over the past 18 months, we have seen a massive influx of end users demanding physical-world engagement data in order to make the experience for their customers more intuitive, relevant and interactive. Together with BrightSign, they can now do that at scale and with a complete turn-key solution, all while ensuring total privacy protection.” With BrightSign hardware now supported, only a simple USB camera sensor needs to be added to activate the application.

The integrated solution comes from a demand to reduce the hardware footprint for analytics solutions in digital signage. By running both the AI and CMS applications on the BrightSign player, it significantly enhances the enduser’s ability to deploy across a network. One such example, which will be showcased at Integrated Systems Europe 2019, is with Signagelive (stand 8-C430), a global leader in enterprise content management solutions for digital signage. The trio have been testing the integrated solution on a variety of BrightSign players since late-2018 and have active global projects with customers in DOOH and retail.

As of today, the solution is readily available for any current or new BrightSign customer looking to acquire audience intelligence for their networks. Deployments for DOOH and retail projects began in early 2019. Both BrightSign (stand 8-C165) and Signagelive will showcase how audience intelligence enhances the digital signage experience at ISE 2019.

The Digital Signage Federation (DSF) has appointed its 2018-19 leadership of the DSF Global Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Council, an affiliate organization with a worldwide purview specifically to support the needs of companies involved in the intersection between out-of-home advertising and the digital signage industry.

The primary objective of the DSF Global DOOH Council is to provide a resource for DSF members to build their capacity to support out-of-home advertising companies, agencies, and brands. Much of this capacity will be developed through conformity of analytics, ad buying, and technology deployment. The group will work on achievable goals in 2018-19, including:

• Identifying gaps in the commercial relations between out of home advertisers and digital signage networks and plan for ways to bridge these gaps using the platform of the DSF.
• Adoption of existing industry standards and practices, all of which will be communicated to DSF members.
• Creating professional development resources for the digital signage industry to provide a broad understanding of ad buying practices; this will include the development of the DOOH Summit before DSE in March 2019.
• Working with related industry associations to collaborate on aligning the goals of signage technology and out of home advertisers.
• Creating an environment where qualified digital signage suppliers and networks can support the business interests of advertisers.

The 2018-2019 Council Members are:

Global Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Council Co-Chairs

• Sheldon Silverman, CEO and founder, SmartBomb Media Group
• Kym Frank, president, Geopath
• Michael Cooper, global president and CEO, Rapport Worldwide

Council Members

• Matthew Hurwitz, manager, international creative advertising, Sony Pictures
• David Krupp, president and COO, Billups
• Susan Danaher, founder, The Danaher Group
• Jeffrey Martin, president and CEO, Right Media Solutions
• Travis Macionsky, VP, director, Horizon Media
• Joel Braswell, sr. manager, connections planning, Coca-Cola
• Michael Provenzano, founder and CEO, Vistar Media
• Chad Stolle, EVP, global chief innovation officer, UM Worlwide
• Paula Fernandez, global head of data and technology, Kinetic
• Guillermo De Lella, Groupo Alsur
• Fernando Mayorga, chief technology officer, livedooh GmbH
• Ichiro T. Jinnai, director, out-of-home media services division, Dentsu
• Joe Copley, director, strategic partnerships, Seedooh

Chairman's Advisor to the Global DOOH Council

• Philip Cohen, president, CMN Holdings and former DSF Chairman

“The shared insight of this group is necessary to grow opportunities for all parties involved in out-of-home advertising," said Rich Ventura, vice president of strategic management, NEC Display Solutions, and DSF chairman. "The DSF membership will rely on this council for leadership and knowledge in the global DOOH ecosystem.”

The DSF Global DOOHCouncil leadership may call on the DSF membership for input and direction. Other members may be added to the council throughout the year.

A fan of ABC’s Shark Tank? Then you’ll definitely recognize WaiveCar, a start-up bringing together digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising and car-sharing. The company accepted a $500k investment on the show in Q4 2017 and has since deployed a fleet of 19 vehicles in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, with an additional three vehicles in New York.

The growing fleet of Chevrolet and Hyundai electric cars, which are free to drivers for the first two hours, is outfitted with double-sided LCD screens that serve as roving billboards; advertising costs 2.9 cents per 15-second spot.

Adomni, creators of an online platform that makes DOOH advertising accessible and affordable to businesses of all sizes, collaborated with Five Tier to build a robust DOOH solution that makes it easy for advertisers to create, upload and schedule ads to run atop WaiveCar’s vehicles. Five Tier’s marketing automation software integrates with Adomni’s DOOH platform to create a self-contained solution that enables advertisers to create and push advertisements directly to WaiveCar’s fleet of vehicles.

The LCD screens atop each WaiveCar are connected to BrightSign HD1023 media players, which route advertising content to the screens as chosen by the advertiser. BrightSign’s GPS capabilities make it possible to further target advertisements based on specific geofencing requirements. For example, a coffee shop in Santa Monica can specify an ad is displayed only when WaiveCars are within a certain proximity of the coffee shop. The ability to control when and where the ads display increases ad placement ROI.

“We’re extremely proud and excited about this collaboration with Five Tier, BrightSign and WaiveCar,” said Jonathan Gudai, CEO of Adomni. “Brands are now empowered to create their message through Adomni and Five Tier and then immediately see their advertisement on a WaiveCar. This is a perfect example of the new, progressive chapter we’re entering in DOOH advertising.”

Broadsign International has reached an agreement with Westfield Corporation, one of the world’s largest shopping center owners and managers, to power Westfield’s existing digital media network of 500 screens located at 18 flagship shopping centers across the U.S.

The full Broadsign platform will be used to power the Westfield Network, which is designed and managed by Esprit Digital, a full-service digital signage installation, maintenance, and support provider. This includes Broadsign Control to automate the delivery of targeted and contextual messaging and advertisements to Westfield’s network of digital screens, as well as Broadsign Direct to help Westfield’s brand ventures team more efficiently manage and sell ad space. Westfield will also be integrating its inventory with Broadsign Reach to make its network available programmatically to global media buyers.

“When the right content is displayed to the right audience, advertising and messaging is complementary to the shopper experience,” said Charley DeLana, EVP of brand ventures at Westfield. “We want to provide advertisers with every opportunity to reach consumers in interesting and exciting ways, and Broadsign allows us to execute on this forward-thinking vision.”

The partnership includes integration with Quividi’s audience analytics software to detect Westfield’s audience demographics. The network also integrates behavioral and environmental triggers such as weather and location data to add further context to campaigns, and TINT software to stream user-generated social media content to screens in real time.

The ability to optimize content to be relevant to Westfield’s hundreds of millions of annual visitors—regardless of the location, the time of day, and the screen in question—helps deliver efficient ad content for brands and enables Westfield to better connect with consumers.

“Successful shopping malls are those that go beyond a simple retail destination to create a unique and exciting experience,” said Maarten Dollevoet, SVP of global sales at Broadsign. “Through our partnership, Westfield is able to merge retail and media to create an environment that is beneficial to visitors, retailers, and advertisers alike.”

All involved parties will be part of a panel at DSE, with the aim of sharing the experience of this integration and discussing how digital media screens at shopping malls are impressing viewers with aesthetics, functionality, and experiences:

Premium DOOH - The components of a thriving network

Digital out-of-home strategy summit, room S231

Tuesday, March 27, 2:30 p.m.

Moderator:

· Stephanie Gutnik, Broadsign, vice president of business development

Panelists:

· Dave Taylor, Westfield Brand Ventures, senior director of digital operations

· Brett Warner, Quividi, head of business, Americas

· James Brenner, Esprit Digital, owner

· Quinn Cox, TINT, head of business development/partnerships

For more information on the partnership, join Broadsign at DSE at booth 1731.