Unlocking new markets

Despite still being a relatively new innovation, in comparison with the amount of time print has been around, digital signage has established itself as part of most people’s lives. Very rarely will you be able to walk through a shopping centre, down a high street or simply drive down the road without seeing the familiar glow of a digital sign.

The increasing call for digital signage technology is only good news for those that are operating in this sector, with their services constantly being called upon by a range of different sectors.

But what about those admiring the market from afar? Is there an opportunity for these companies to also take advantage of the work on offer within the digital signage sector and, if so, how do they go about ensuring that they are properly equipped to tackle the hoard of work that could well be coming their way?

Getting interactive

One company that is benefitting from ongoing trends within the digital signage market is Zytronic, which provides its touchscreen technology in regions around the world. Ian Crosby, sales and marketing director, says that the firm’s success rests on the success of its multi-touch sensing technology, which scales right up to ultra large-form factors of 84.

Expanding on the technology behind digital signage technology, Crosby explains that this is becoming a popular choice for marketers and brand owners around the world as it offers more interactivity than print and is more likely to catch the eyes of passers-by.

“Rather than broadcasting a message to all passers-by, interactive digital signage enables advertisers to ‘narrowcast’—target and engage—with specific potential customers delivering the specific information that they require,” Crosby explains, adding: “For example, bus operators in Seoul, South Korea, replaced 300 non-interactive digital signs with interactive touch-screens based on 46? Zytronic Zybrid touch sensors, offering commuters engaging, easy-to-access real time information about traffic, transit routes and local amenities, with the touch of a finger.”



Speaking more about how Zytronic can asset those hoping to expand into the digital signage market, Crosby says that the company has a host of options on offer to suit various applications: “The general public increasingly expects similar levels of interactivity from displays they encounter in everyday life, as they enjoy with their smartphones and tablets, and Zytronic’s touch technology enables this to happen.

“It can operate in extremes of climate. In our installation in Seoul bus shelters the screens deliver an excellent user experience despite summer average high temperatures of 29°C, winter overnight temperatures of typically -7.3°C and an average relative humidity up to 81.3 percent in July. The touch sensors are unaffected by scratches, heavy rain, ice, dirt and dust and function through 8mm protection glass.”

Crosby goes on to emphasise that Zytronic has also helped those companies already established in the digital signage market, highlighting outdoor advertising giant JCDecaux as one example.

“The Zytronic Zytouch sensor product was deployed by JCDecaux in some of its Cyclocity urban bike hire schemes,” he explains, adding: “The French firm has already rolled out several services across France and abroad, taking advantage in some cities of the durability and low maintenance requirements offered by Zytronic’s Projected Capacitive Technology. It employs a Zytouch-equipped kiosk located next to a rack of bikes, allowing users to book rentals, specify their bike preferences and validate their identity via a touchscreen.”



However, despite championing digital signage, Crosby adds that while it may seem a popular market, sign-makers should not forget their traditional roots, stating that fixed signage will always have a place in the market.

“Digital signage will never replace fixed signage,” Crosby says, adding: “The drawbacks to consider are the additional cost of hardware and the need to develop suitable content and software. However, consumers increasingly expect to interact with con-tent that they are shown—a trend the sign-making industry ignores at its peril.”

Risk of not diversifying
 
Another company known to many in this market is BrightSign, which supplies its digital signage media players to companies around the world. Jeff Hastings, chief executive, says the company has a wide ranging portfolio and is well equipped to support all sorts of digital signage projects.

Hastings comments: “BrightSign serves all vertical segments of the digital signage marketplace. From entry-level BrightSign LS players to BrightSign 4K players offering state-of-the-art technology and unsurpassed performance, BrightSign’s players are designed and built for one purpose and one purpose alone: to deliver high quality content to screens 24/7.”

Commenting on the subject of diversification, Hastings suggests that sign-makers will do themselves more harm by not moving into this market, considering the speed at which it is expanding.

He explains: “The high risk strategy at this point is not to diversify. I don’t believe that fixed signage will ever go away, but almost everywhere digital signage will be used alongside it. Sign-makers that offer both will therefore always have a competitive advantage over those that just offer fixed signs.
 
“I see the real value of what the sign industry delivers as content creation. Digital signage is simply a further delivery mechanism, and one that has been proved to exponentially increase customer engagement.”

O Factoid: A study by Grand View Research suggests the global digital signage market could be worth as much as $20bn (£13m) by the year 2020. O

Leading on from this, Hastings explains the BrightSign can help those companies that want to take advantage of the work in this sector with its range of solutions. He explains that the technology is not too complicated to use and can be used in a range of digital signage applications.


Hastings explains: “Anyone comfortable with using a computer can publish content in any of the popular graphics or video formats to a Bright-Sign player, schedule playback, distribute it over a video wall or even manage content remotely over a network.

“All BrightSign models include free BrightAuthor software, providing an easy way to create and publish presentations using an intuitive drag and drop interface. All players are equipped with Ethernet for network connectivity to take advantage of remote publishing capabilities, measurement and feed-back reports, content management and network administration tools.”

Fuelling further growth

One company that has taken full advantage of BrightSign technology is global petroleum firm Shell, which has introduced digital signage to its forecourts in Turkey as part of a move to boost sales in the country. Although the company is obviously not focused on this technology, it has been able to put the digital signage to good use alongside fixed signs—thanks to the installation expertise of Linova Digital Medya Teknolojileri.



Tolga Sözen, chief executive of Linova Digital, comments: “This project represents a significant business opportunity for Linova. We need to have total confidence in the performance and reliability of the network.
“The BrightSign players themselves are cost effective and totally reliable. Choosing BrightSign has proved critical in delivering this project on time and on budget, and will enable us to meet all goals for the full duration of the contract.”

Picking up on this, Hastings of BrightSign adds: “BrightSign players are purpose built using solid state technology, and are therefore completely reliable. The players are routinely chosen as the proper solution for any type of digital signage requirement due to their advanced feature set, powerful media handling platform, and easy integration with new technologies such as BTLE, NFC and Google Sheets.”

He adds: “The most appealing feature of digital signage for sign-makers has to be the opportunity for on-going revenue. Having made an investment in the screens and players, customers will definitely want to keep renewing the content. Someone needs to create that content, stream or otherwise load it onto the players, store it, schedule it, verify playback. Using a well-designed network like BrightSign Network, sign-makers can do all of this without leaving their desks.”

Tailoring your solutions
 
Also highly active in this sector is AOPEN, which specialises in small-form factor computing and touch display technology for digital signage, kiosks, and point-of-sale. Erik Siera, business development manager Europe and sales manager for the UK and Benelux, says the firm is well placed to help companies thinking of diversifying into this sector with their move.



Siera comments: “When it comes to understanding the needs of vertical industries, our experience is diversified and unparalleled. The needs of retail are different to those of education or healthcare and our close engagement through both our channel business and helping end-customers to tailor the ideal solution to suit any business.
“If we talk about sign companies expanding into the digital signage, I would suggest them to study ROI on digital signage vs. static signs. AOPEN is able to help to connect to the digital signage eco-system, like DS software vendors and others. If they believe in what they do and why they do it, they will be able to approach their customer in the right way.”

Siera also highlights how AOPEN can offer companies environmentally-friendly solutions when diversifying, which will in turn make their new business offering even more attractive.

He comments: “At AOPEN, we are firmly focused on sustainability. We manufacture durable products for reliable, green and powerful computing, offering our channel of professional AV and electronic system integrators a solid solution for any scenario.

“AOPEN was one of the first companies that realised the potential of digital signage. We started educating our partners on the advantages of moving from simple box moving—classical PC industry—to AV and digital signage. We have seen the companies become value added system integrators.”

Citing examples of how Siera has helped companies not usually associated with the digital signage sector utilise this technology to their advantage, he points us in the direction of the AOPEN website, which features a whole host of examples of how digital signage can be used in various environments. From sports retail stores and restaurants, through to hotels and cinemas, Siera says the scope for expansion in digital signage is tremendous, with only further growth expected in this sector.



He adds: “Technologies are developing and are becoming easier to adapt for companies. The industries that do not follow the high-demanding needs of the consumers will have to take a very small niche in the market.


“AOPEN is educating our partners. Any company can become a part of our educational program by joining our Channel Partner Program. Our sales are used to educate as well. Get in touch with AOPEN, we will do our best to help you to diversify in to newsectors.”

So, it seems there is plenty of room for further growth in the already expanding digital signage market. Whether you are a traditional sign-making business looking to add another string to your bow, or even a company outside of the signage sector, there is plenty of business to be had. The other vitally important factor is that there a huge number of suppliers that now have the technology and support capability to help even the novice in this field get started.

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