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5 for 5: The top digital signage headlines from February

It's time for a look back at the most-read articles on Digital Signage Today in February, recapping the biggest news headlines of the month.

March 5, 2015 by Christopher Hall — w, t

February's over and we've moved into March, which means the madness of DSE week is nearly upon us. But before the digital signage industry decamps to Las Vegas for next week's Digital Signage Expo, let's take a moment to review the month that just passed and its top digital signage headlines.

So without further ado, here they are, in reverse numerical order, the most popular features and news items from February, ranked by page views.

5. "Analytics-driven digital merchandising in QSR drive-thrus"

Dynamic signage and media expert Lyle Bunn takes a spin through analytics and merchandising in the drive-thru.

"Consumers love the convenience and speed of drive-thru at quick-service restaurants, and so do the foodservice establishments that offer this safe, easy service option. Drive-thru can account for as much as 70 percent of location revenues and establishes the location as the 'go-to' place for future visits.

"Whenever the term 'digital signage' is used, the term 'analytics' is increasingly used in the same sentence or quickly follows. Organizations want their digital merchandising to both reflect and provide consumer insights, preferably simultaneously. Where forward-thinking retailers such as Walmart have already embraced this approach successfully, QSR operators are now integrating analytics in their digital media use, and drive-thru success can improve…"

Read the rest of the article here.

4. "New interactive map aims to make King's Island visits more fun"

Reflect Systems recently released this video of an interactive map it has developed for the Ohio-based amusement park King's Island.

The map gives wayfinding directions to food and attractions, and also gives detailed information on rides selected by users, including height requirements and current wait times.

Watch the video here.

3. "Planar to unveil transparent OLED technology at Integrated Systems Europe 2015"

Planar said it anticipates adding transparent OLED technology as a product offering in early 2016.

Planar Systems Inc. announced it will feature new transparent OLED technology this month at Integrated Systems Europe 2015.

According to the company, the 55-inch prototype at ISE 2015 will utilize Organic Light Emitting Diode, a.k.a., OLED, technology to improve the transparency of see-through displays, creating new opportunities for experience design while overcoming a major hurdle to transparent display adoption. OLED displays are self-emitting, eliminating the need for a backlight or enclosure.

"The vision of transparent displays, popularized for decades in science fiction movies and television shows, is now nearing reality," said Jennifer Davis, vice president of marketing at Planar Systems. "This technology is poised to revolutionize space design, customer engagement, and the digital display of information and branding for decades to come, and we are proud to be a pioneer in this next wave of transparent display development."

Read the rest of the story here.

2. "12 truly awesome tips for dynamic digital signage content"

Straight from the horse's mouth, here's a whole year's worth of advice for creating effective digital signage content — one for each month of the year.

This experimental piece was something of a tryout for changing up content formats a bit. While some thought the presentation a bit jumbled, it still rose to No. 2 in the monthly rankings with tidbits of advice such as the following:

• "Digital signage content messaging should be more than a 'Buy This' command. An effective message should succinctly tell viewers how a product or service can solve a problem or achieve a goal. Even though digital signage makes it possible to put more information in front of viewers than a billboard or a poster, marketers should avoid turning their presentations into an animated brochure with an overabundance of copy." – from inLIghten's Doug Braun.
• "Design matters - keep it simple. The look and feel of your signage should engage and reinforce your brand. Limited fonts, thoughtful contrast between background and text colors, and rotated information vs. static displays all help avoid clutter and give your signage a clean, intentional look." – from Tightrope Media Systems' Grant Gartland.

Take a look at the infographic-style piece here.

And finally, it's no surprise this one came in an No. 1, as the industry is always trying to stay ahead of the coming trends:

1: "Predicting the top 10 digital screen media trends for 2015"

We wrap up our year-end and year-ahead review with the seventh annual top 10 digital screen media predictions by digital media expert Keith Kelsen.

"All screens are part of the continuity of marketing and messages including the increasingly powerful pocket screen. It really comes down to what businesses we are in — on the retail side, on the advertising side, or on the corporate communications side. These are all distinct categories of digital screen media, digital out-of-home and digital signage. This marks my seventh annual Top 10 Trends for the industry — trends that are changing in exciting ways, trends that always include the good, the bad and sometimes the ugly..."

In his far-reaching piece, Kelsen looks at the following topics:

1. "Moment of Truth" is now "Moment of Everywhere"
2. My Smartphone is now my smart button? Or is the IoT (Internet of Things) now the IoE (Internet of Everything)?
3. BYOS – bring your own screen
4. Go big, go small or go home
5. Content and emotive understanding
6. Digitizing America, are we there yet?
7. Bigger data, smaller chunks, big picture
8. New business models
9. DOOH growth
10. TBA

Read more about them all here.

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