Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Digital Signage the Next Medium?

Advertisers are always looking for ways to reach your eyeballs. But simply entering our field of vision is just the first step. The advertisement should engage us, be relevant to our situation and help us make a purchasing decision. Historically, “out of home” advertisements (as opposed to “in home” ads seen on TV, for example) have been the static variety –large billboards along the highway or posters on walls with unchanging content.

With the advent of electronic displays, it has become possible to duplicate the concept of static ads (think of old TV sets used for information display in lobbies) with ease. This has been going on for well over 15 years. This method of conveying information is called “Digital Signage”. Companies such as Scala, to mention one among many, have been providing software, media players and related technology necessary for Digital Signage. Ad Signage companies such as Focus Media have been contracting with location owners (such as office tower owners), and using Digital Signage technology, create and display content in elevator lobbies. As the content and business owners, Ad Signage companies have been operational for over ten years; however, as we near the end of this decade, it is not clear that their business is thriving.

As the owner of a Digital Signage technology company, I have had the opportunity to occupy an inside-the-ring “seat” in this industry for the past couple of years. I believe that the ecosystem is broken, the business model is upside-down and the technology needs to be revamped. Allow me to outline why I think this is so and how Digital Signage industry can be reinvigorated... MORE in my whitepaper (click the link below).

PG's Digital Signage Whitepaper: "Business IPTV Service – A New Cloud Business Vertical"

Whitepaper Summary: Digital Signage business of video ad delivery to public display and mobile screens is at a tipping point in 2009 but the current ecosystem is not set up to tip it right! Business model and technology solutions have to be reconfigured into a cloud business vertical –“Business IPTV Service”: a business and technology platform that telcos and other cloud service providers own over which multiple ad signage virtual operators function. If ecosystem rebuilding starts now, Business IPTV Service will be a multi-billion dollar business in Greater South East Asia alone by 2015.