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The following article
is adapted from
a GlobalShop 2006 presentation by Brian
Dusho,
executive vice president, BroadSign International
Inc.
With so many broadcasting companies entering the
in-store digital signage and media networks field,
a common mistake is to target this medium like television.
The initial thought is to program content delivery
of advertising and infotainment using TV-style playlists
(lists of content in the order that the segments will
play). This in ineffective because the similarity between
digital signage and TV ends with the screen. The two
media differ in:
• Reason for audience members
viewing an ad. With the exception of SuperBowl
commercials, TV viewers generally tune in to watch
shows and news,
not to view ads. In contrast, shoppers enter a
store because of its products and services, so
if something
valuable is shown on the screen to help them choose
a product from abundant variety, they will react
to it.
• Viewing patterns. Television audiences adjust to show
times or record and view the show later. Digital signage audience members appear
randomly
throughout the store hours, so specific times are not important, but day parts
are. With digital signage, dwell times (average measured time shoppers spend
in front of the screens) are much shorter than with standard television viewing
cycles. Hence, ad scheduling must match these shorter dwell times, and if you
use playlists for each day part, they become even more labor-intensive.
• Ad schedules. Television advertising is based
on
specific times of day, while digital signage ad schedules are based only on
a
location's day parts and on average dwell time. The shorter dwell time necessitates
shorter
ad cycles, so ads must be more repetitive. Using broadcast-type playlists—that
is, unique schedules of programs and commercials for each day for each channel
broadcast—in these circumstances would be cumbersome.
• Opportunity for target audience to see an ad. The TV
advertising audience is fragmented due to the proliferation of alternative
media choices. In addition, consumers can avoid seeing ads by leaving the room
during
the commercial, using TiVo, or simply recording programs. With in-store digital
signage, the viewing audience can’t change the channel. Nail down the
dwell times and the day parts and you have a much greater chance of having
the in-store consumer see the messages.
• Accountability. Broadcasters can guarantee signal
output, but they can’t guarantee that programming is watched or what
is airing on individual TV sets. The best digital signage systems guarantee
that screens are on,
that the message is delivered to each screen, and that the correct content
is being shown on each screen. This guarantee is delivered in the form of "proof
of play" reports that justify billing the advertiser. In broadcast, all advertisers
get is a sworn declaration that their ads left the transmitter as scheduled.
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