On The Road With Digital Signage Today

Kentucky Derby Museum takes racehorses digital in Louisville

I recently went on a road trip for Digital Signage Today, which included some great signage examples at Churchill Downs, finally meeting colleagues in person at Networld headquarters, industry insights from thought leaders, and more.

We took Digital Signage Today on the road to Louisville, Kentucky, including a visit to the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs.

February 24, 2023 by Daniel Brown — Editor, Networld Media Group

Last week I had the opportunity to hit the road for the second time as editor at Digital Signage Today. (The first trip, in which I flew with Delta, showed me the power of digital transformation in airplanes and airports).

Now, I'm a former Kentucky native turned Michigander (yes, I wear shoes now! My visit to my homeland included some innovative signage installations at the Kentucky Derby Museum at Louisville's Churchill Downs, insights from thought leaders in attendance at the DSF and possibly the best public speaking I have heard all year courtesy of Sean Thompson (VP of IT at Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers).

Sunset at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

Racehorses go digital

It's an odd confession for a former Louisville native, but it was a bit of an irony that this was the first time I've visited the Kentucky Derby Museum. I was impressed by the commitment to digital media, with crisp projection displays lining the halls. It was a nice example, for me, of how mindful design and integration, along with dynamic content, helped enhance museum spaces — which, for folks my age and older, traditionally tend to come with mental images of static content and dusty corridors.

Granted, I doubt many museum visitors make a point of peering at the hardware and mounts like I did when I was studying the Epson projectors!

I couldn't help but wonder about the comparative advantages and disadvantages of projection versus dedicated LED screens, though I imagine that in the museum space, there could be an advantage to the portability and flexibility of projection, particularly in spaces which may double as event venues or which may have rotating physical and digital exhibits throughout the year.

The museum halls were lined with creative displays and homages to famous moments and figures in Derby history.

Unlike the average Derby fan, I was as interested in the hardware as the history it was projecting, and I was intrigued to notice the Epson projectors neatly arranged on its ceiling mount.

Another innovative signage installation involved the main concourse/reception hall, which included a 360 degree screen space.

I wasn't able to capture high-quality video with my camera, and I reached out to the Kentucky Derby Museum, who explained that they do not currently make video of the 360 degree presentation available outside the venue (though we're in the process of requesting some still images from the good people of the Kentucky Derby Museum's media team).

In the meantime, I can say that chest-rattling base and dynamic video content that can wrap around the entire space (or use variable content zoning to show different scenes while underlying narration tells a story) is a powerful way to engage visitors in a way I had never yet personally experienced.

The digital elements were a nice complement to traditional exhibits throughout museum spaces, showing how digital and analog can complement and accentuate each other when effectively mixed.

The human face of digital technology

I also had numerous, powerful illustrations of the principles that we have been covering in recent interviews with executives and thought leaders and coverage/book review content, namely that the digital signage and marketing industry is becoming ever more aware of what Kamales Lardi calls "the human side of digital transformation."

Whether it is the use of digital projectors to bring museum spaces alive and make the history of horse racing vivid for a new generation of visitors at the Derby Museum, or the power of networking at industry events, remembering to create experiences, to leverage surprise and delight and to engage your audiences on a human level — this is the key to success, regardless of your vertical. Whether it's using the power of nostalgia and story, as Kurt Dupont recommends, or whether it's using digital signage to create a unique experience for hungry customers while they purchase a burger at Freddy's, we have to keep the customer's experience at the center of every tool and element we use in crafting the memorable moments that are the holy grail of marketing and brand experience, from DOOH to retail and restaurant design.

Another example was in the many networking opportunities and stories I have found while speaking to people at in-person events, including the Self Service Innovation Summit last winter or connecting in Louisville with partners and colleagues at the Digital Signage Federation's Meet'n'Greet (including friends of Digital Signage Today like Michelle Montazieri, who last Fall provided one of our most powerful interviews on the people side of digital signage).

Sean Thompson, VP of IT for Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers, tells the story of digital transformation at Freddy's.

I also heard, hands down, one of the best industry talks of my career to date given by Sean Thompson, VP of IT for Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers, who shared the story of how a growing QSR chain leveraged digital signage to completely renovate the customer and employee experience and fuel growth while optimizing ROI — all while sharing classic jokes, Carl Sagan quotes and what I believe is the first example of Shakespeare humor I've ever heard at an industry event.

One of my favorite analogies, by the way, about digital signage that Thompson shared not only illustrates a major point we've seen in our coverage and interviews, but principles I saw at the Derby Museum (and, in my earlier plane trip, with Delta's digital strategy).

"You know, there's only one rock that we eat, and it's NaCl, table salt," Thompson said. "You don't just show up and chug down table salt, that's disgusting. But if you make any kind of dessert, you make something sweet, you have to have salt — it enhances flavor. And that has been since the 90s, my view of technology — it's an enabler."

The principle recurs daily in digital signage and marketing, and I was reminded of themes from thought leaders like Stephen Dorsey and Brandy Alvarado-Miranda; content must never be an afterthought, it must be at the center of digital signage. It's not just about having the newest tech and screens, it's about the story and message you use those displays to express. As we saw in our October conversation with Scott Schoeneberger, we've got to put people over shiny things.

Again, putting people and customers first, even in our public speaking, with emphasis on using content to craft memorable experiences, we can transform not only our digital signage and marketing but also our public speaking on that topic — granted, the use of vivid, humorous digital content alongside these presentations is yet another value-add. I can say that I will never forget this brand because I haven't laughed so hard in a digital signage context to date; and that's an instructive lesson.

Hearing the classic starting bugle in person at Churchill Downs was one of the more memorable moments of the trip.

While my media focus allows me to work remotely, visiting our offices in person provided unique opportunities to network, learn and collaborate that are hard to replicate in any other way.

Lastly, as a remote/hybrid worker, it was great to finally visit countless colleagues in person at Networld Media Group headquarters and build stories and strategies together. The energy, warmth, and humor of in-person connections is unmistakable, no matter how powerful technology and digital communication becomes.

While I passionately advocate for all the innovations in our industry (including the promise of holograms as the future of communications), I strongly recommend folks to attend in-person events and to visit their colleagues at least occasionally, regardless of their vertical.

There is a special magic when we get on the road, and travel creates happy accidents, memories — and, often, partnerships — that can last a lifetime!

All images courtesy of Daniel Brown.

About Daniel Brown

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Daniel Brown is the editor of Digital Signage Today, a contributing editor for Automation & Self-Service, and an accomplished writer and multimedia content producer with extensive experience covering technology and business. His work has appeared in a range of business and technology publications, including interviews with eminent business leaders, inventors and technologists. He has written extensively on AI and the integration of technology and business strategy with empathy and the human touch. Brown is the author of two novels and a podcaster. His previous experience includes IT work at an Ivy League research institution, education and business consulting, and retail sales and management.

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