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DSA Excellence Awards honor best in digital signage, kiosks & mobile

The Digital Screenmedia Association has announced the winners of the inaugural DSA Industry Excellence Awards.

April 18, 2011 by Christopher Hall — w, t

The Digital Screenmedia Association recently announced the winners of the inaugural DSA Industry Excellence Awards, honoring the best digital signage, mobile and self-service kiosk technology deployments across all vertical market segments.

The honorees ran the gamut from educational digital signage projects, like the award-winning deployment at the Vanderbilt University Library in Nashville, Tenn., to travel and hospitality kiosk deployments, like the award-winning B-Cycle bike-rental kiosks in Denver.

"We were extremely proud of the high caliber of entries for our first year in launching the awards," DSA Executive Director David Drain said in the announcement. "As you review the award-winning entries and watch the videos on our website, you will discover innovative and effective uses of screen media technology for the benefit of the customers and the organizations that deployed them."

The judges panel for the awards included an all-star cast of digital signage, kiosk and mobile technologies experts, including digital signage strategy architect Lyle Bunn; Creative Solutions Consulting President Janet Webster; Razorfish VP for Emerging Media Jeremy Lockhorn; and AT&T Mobility Lead Program Manager Marshall Millikan.

"Overall. I would say that the wide range of entries demonstrates the growing range of dynamic signage applications and the ever- increasing standards of practice being applied to initiatives," Bunn said in an email. "These award winners reflect the achievement of business and communications goals through the thoughtful application of technologies, playlist strategy and content."

Digital signage mainstay Wireless Ronin Technologies received an Excellence Award for its iShowroom application deployed at Chrysler Group LLC dealerships. Chrysler launched iShowroom in 2009 as part of the revitalization of the corporation and its dealer group and as a way to differentiate its sales process coming out of the recent recession and bankruptcy. The iShowroom is a data-driven sales support system that matches buyer preferences to vehicle features, allowing the customer to create a "wish list" and view matching vehicles in dealer inventory.

"DSA recognition confirms that we provide industry-leading digital signage software and technology solutions," Wireless Ronin Technologies President and CEO Scott Koller said in a recent announcement. "Chrysler has improved the way their sales force interacts with customers and demonstrates that marketing technology will continue to expand its role in the customer engagement process."

Here is the list of Excellence Award winners:

Best Entertainment/Gaming Deployment - Digital Signage
Project: SSL Digital Cinema
Client: Screencast (SSL)
Submitted by: Super Red

Best Government/Education/Non-Profit Agency Deployment - Digital Signage
Project: Vanderbilt University Library
Client: Anode
Submitted by: vislogix

Best Health Care Deployment - Digital Signage
Project: Care Media Networks
Client: Care Media Holdings Corp.
Submitted by: EnQii
Also contributing: Saddle Ranch Productions

Best Restaurant/Food Service Deployment - Digital Signage
Project: Zippy's Digital Menu Boards
Client: Pacific Digital Signs
Submitted by: NEC Display Solutions

Best Retail Deployment - Digital Signage
Project: Rogers Feature Phones
Client: Rogers Communications Inc.
Submitted by: Cineplex Digital Solutions

Best Travel/Hospitality Deployment - Digital Signage
Project: Digital signage and interactive wayfinding
Client: Royal Caribbean International
Submitted by: Four Winds Interactive

Best Other Deployment (industry not listed) - Digital Signage
Project: iShowroom
Client: Chrysler Group LLC
Submitted by: Wireless Ronin Technologies

Best Travel/Hospitality Deployment - Mobile
Project: Continental Airlines mobile application
Client: United Airlines
Submitted by: United Airlines

Best Entertainment/Gaming Deployment - Self-Service Kiosk
Project: Union Bank "Game Face"
Client: Union Bank
Submitted by: Inwindow Outdoor and Dentsu America

Best Government/Education/Non-Profit Agency Deployment - Self-Service Kiosk
Project: Wisconsin Institute for Discovery
Client: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
Submitted by: Float4 Interactive
Also contributing: Sensory Interactive, Zebra Dog

Best Health Care Deployment - Self-Service Kiosk
Project: SoloHealth Station
Client: SoloHealth LLC
Submitted by: Frank Mayer & Associates

Best Retail Deployment - Self-Service Kiosk
Project: Fi.d.o Pet Tag Engraving Kiosk
Client: PETCO
Submitted by: The Hillman Group
Also contributing: AtomDesign

Best Travel/Hospitality Deployment - Self-Service Kiosk
Project: B-Cycle Bike Sharing Kiosk
Client: B-Cycle
Submitted by: KIOSK Information Systems

Best Other Deployment - Self-Service Kiosk
Project: Smile Activated Vending Machine
Client: Unilever Holdings Italy
Submitted by: SapientNitro

The panel selecting the winners for the DSA Industry Excellence Awards included the following judges:

· Lyle Bunn, strategy architect, Bunn Co.
· Robert Porter, founder & CEO, Euro Kiosks Network
· Sean Andersen, director, Interactive Services, Six Flags Entertainment Corp.
· Sarah Bang, president/CEO, FSCC
· Randy Chancey, manager, F&B Technology, Disney Parks and Resorts
· Greg Clore, vice president, Information Technology, Dave & Buster's, Inc.
· Stephen Kendig, senior vice president, SoloHealth
· Jeremy Lockhorn, vice president, Emerging Media, Razorfish
· Faith MacPherson, director, HRIS Transactional Services, Avery Dennison
· Jared Miller, managing director - Self-Service & Emerging Technology, United Airlines
· Marshall Millikan, lead program manager, AT&T Mobility
· Alex Richardson, managing director, Selling Machine Partners
· Janet Webster, president, Creative Solutions Consulting
· Paul Flanigan, general manager, Experiate
· Sean Whiffen, cofounder, AutonetTV

Award winning entries, including videos and judges' commentary can be viewed here.

The winners of the three final categories, Industry Deployer of the Year, Network Operator of the Year and the Screenmedia Integration Award, will be announced April 27 at the beginning of the opening keynote session at Customer Engagement Technology World, taking place at the Moscone Center North in San Francisco.

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