Article

Digital signage 5 for 5: Content design, digital engagement ... and zombies

It's time for a look back at the most-read articles on Digital Signage Today in October, and what we can learn from them.

November 28, 2014 by Christopher Hall — w, t

The most-read articles and blogs on Digital Signage Today in October show a marked interest in digital signage content design and retail digital signage at the shelf — and with zombies.

From an arresting use of street furniture and augmented reality to a look at common mistakes in content design, the articles and blog posts with the most page views in the month of October run the gamut:

5. "The 5 most common design mistakes in digital signage" - Digital signage blogger continues a series of posts on content design aimed at helping end-users create compelling digital signage content.

In this post Industry Weapon blogger Kelly Eisel focuses on what not to do when creating a design, looking at these five most common mistakes customers make when creating content for their digital signage:

1. Multiple thoughts per slide;

2. Too much text;

3. No hierarchy;

4. It's boring; and

5. Lack of supporting elements.

Read the blog post for details on those mistakes here.

4. "What is the future of digital engagement?" - The recent Digital Screenmedia Association Symposium in Dallas took a wide-ranging look at engagement and the technology of creating experiences for, and relationships with, consumers.

This year's Digital Screenmedia Association Symposium in Dallas brought together a wide spectrum of technology providers, end-users and brands to explore the connected experience.

The discussions were far-reaching — some touching directly upon digital signage and some somewhat more tangentially related to the medium — and provided both practical and high-level perspectives on improving consumer engagement via connected experiences.

Marketing and engagement strategies are in many cases transitioning from the old one-to-many approach to the new one-to-one strategies and relationship building. And whether it's through mobile and loyalty or digital signage experiences the way brands build relationships and learn about their customers is undergoing seismic shifts on an ongoing basis.

"We've gone from 'Mad Men' to 'math men,'" one speaker said at the event, in discussing how data-driven marketing has changed her brand's approach to market. "We count everything."

Read the rest of the article for a complete rundown of the symposium here.

3. "Best digital signage layouts: 3 designs for 3 types of viewers" - A digital signage content expert looks at the three main types of viewers and offers three types of design to suit.

In this post Visix blogger (and president) Sean Matthews looks at different content layouts best suited to different kinds of audiences. Matthews said his company finds there are three main types of audiences and that each one can be engaged through different layouts that appeal to them within the viewing environment: passersby, waiters and loungers — and provide content templates aimed at each.

Read the blog post for details on those readers and the templates here.

2. "Shopper conversion through retail shelf media"- A dynamic signage expert consultant takes a deep dive into shelf-level digital signage.

Digital signage expert Lyle Bunn takes a wide-ranging look at shelf-edge digital signage that maximizes shelf space without displacng product frontage while being installed and operated to better merchandize product. Here's a taste of what he had to say:

The answer to confusion is always "no." As product selection at the retail shelf is, by definition, a source of confusion for consumers, brands have a significant opportunity for point-of-purchase conversion through shelf-level or service counter promotion.

When connecting the dots that represent the information and touchpoints on the ever-changing path to purchase, they ultimately converge at the shelf level. Even online ordering, the ever-increasing torture of physical space retailing with its "showrooming," is supported by shelf-level media. The culture of shopping is moving forward as consumers seek information, inspiration, ever-changing stories that put the product in the context of their needs, wants, life and events.

...

"Empowering the consumer to have control and access to product information easily and conveniently is the key to their decision regarding what they buy. The value of shelf-level digital media is that it is convenient and dynamic, and is a useful alternative to the mobile device though it can also be used in conjunction with mobile to increase the brand reach" said Suzana Spratley, CEO of the digital engagement agency TechTAP.

Read the rest of the in-depth article for more on shelf-level digital signage here.

1. "'The Walking Dead' take Vienna with augmented reality-digital signage campaign"- A Vienna tram shelter turns "Scary Shelter" in a "zombie apocalypse" on digital out-of-home.

The zombie-centric hit TV show "The Walking Dead" kicked off its fifth season in Austria with a gory augmented reality and digital signage campaign.

TV network Sky Austria and Austrian out-of-home ad firm Gewista (part of the JCDecaux Group) converted a Vienna tram stop into the "Scary Shelter," a two-day experiential campaign featuring digital signage and augmented reality making it appear as though the zombie apocalypse was hitting the capital.

The installation combined zombie footage shot for the campaign with a real-time feed of the Vienna streetscape, surprising people waiting for trams and allowing passersby to "appear" in the screamfest.

Karin Zipperling, the senior marketing manager at Fox International Channels, said on the Gewista website that there is now a worldwide tradition of "spectacular happenings" to start off new seasons, including last year's "Morphing Billboard" promotion in Berlin. "We hope that we can repeat this success with the Scary Shelter," she said.

Read the rest of the article, with a video of the "Morphing Billboard" in Berlin, here.

About Christopher Hall

---

None

Connect with Christopher: