Traditional versus digital POP – Time to start moving?

Traditional versus digital POP – Time to start moving?
Tags: Retail, Retail Digital Signage
June 14, 2011 - Ben Stagg

The topic of traditional print versus digital advertising is not new. However, it is still a current, hot and unresolved topic in advertising and marketing, particularly when it comes to retail point-of-sale. Brett King writes in Huffpost Business: "The question over Digital or Traditional is the wrong question. The question should be, how do we better engage customers today so that they are compelled to buy?"

How indeed? We do know that customers are researching considered purchase products online before visiting the retail location. One big plus for digital signage is the ability to continue delivering the same dynamic messaging the customer has become familiar with during their online search, and carry it all the way through to the point of purchase. Our own experience with over a thousand digital signage deployments tells us that the brand that stands out in the retail environment is the brand that stays top of mind and the brand that makes the sale.

While printed POP displays still have a role at retail, these static and often dated displays simply cannot compete with the animated, full-motion messaging of a digital signage program. In a typical showroom environment offering several brands competing for the customer's attention, a digital sign providing information and product differentiation at POS will prevail over printed POP every day. Digital POP also brings the messaging customers are familiar with into the showroom alongside special promotions and supporting information. While traditional POP is passive, digital is active, interactive and provides value to the customer.

Without having to reprint messaging for specials and seasons, digital POP is also flexible to any messaging needs. The freedom from printing and reprinting also makes digital cost effective — and environmentally friendly.

So is it time to start moving advertising from traditional to digital? We'd say it's at least time to start enhancing traditional advertising with digital. Like King stated, it's more about engaging customers in a compelling manner. And that's what digital takes to the next level: customer engagement with a compelling message.