No limitations

Sign-makers have the opportunity to stand out from their competition by being at the forefront of this technology and using superior quality products to create long-lasting solutions for their customers.

The on-premise and out-of-home markets are among the fastest growing markets in the UK and Europe. Sign-makers can leverage this technology to bring attention to a company’s corporate brand and also provide them with a revenue source through advertising and sponsorship opportunities. This application of out-of-home digital displays is now considered a vital part of many companies’ marketing strategy as it brings in an untapped, consistent revenue stream.

As the technology continues to advance, the display itself can become more interesting to look at since we are no longer limited to a flat, square box or rectangle displays attached to a building.


Curved and angled displays can help draw a viewer’s eye, freeform elements can be designed into a building’s architecture or installed over windows as it still lets people inside to see through the display to the outside, and overall building aesthetics or ambiance no longer has to be sacrificed to implement video display elements.

Totem displays also can be a freestanding visual centrepiece of any shape to demand attention and visibility to branding and marketing efforts. Business owners can also design the experience they want for their customers and passers-by in an exciting yet tasteful way. So with all this in mind, it really does pay for sign-makers to engage with this technology and see how to increase their revenues while increasing the impact of their customer’s brand or marketing message.

Changing times


The way people are interacting with information is changing rapidly and as a sign-maker you need to advise your client about the new ways of communicating striking messages. LED digital signage used for ticker tapes, very large in-door and outdoor displays, and architectural displays work very well, but it can be a limited technology in some respects.
 
A case in point is that lots of different research has shown that young people, under 35 particularly, go up to a screen and now expect to touch it, not something a display constituted by LEDs can manage. So to cater for this growth market, we have just launched an amazing range of touchscreens, which are incredibly easy to use and enables the non-technical person to create powerful presentations.


The PCAP screens, which look like large tablets, are now available in sizes from 22 to 55?. These screens are incredibly sensitive to touch and work just like the small tablets. The units are supplied with a dual operating system (Android and Windows), which means you do not need any other boxes. Just plug the unit in and connect to the internet via LAN/Wi-Fi. The screen has a ten-point touch interface and you can simply add a URL address and link to a website. Alternatively, take advantage of the unique free software package supplied by Fairfield for PCAP screens. You no longer have to get a website specialist to prepare touchscreen content. The software package allows you to load up images at multiple levels so that you can design the complete customer experience.

This is an excellent opportunity to improve your profit margins by providing a complete package including all the media to your client. You will be able to upload JPEGs and videos, and even design your own templates.

New applications


Advances in technology combined with decreasing costs are opening up new applications for digital signs alongside traditional signage applications, offering a complementary medium that can add a highly visual dimension to communications. Ease of use is also a key consideration; the new generation of signs can be updated remotely from anywhere using mobile devices or a laptop, offering maximum flexibility and convenience.

New interactive technologies now in development are set to bring audiences closer. One such development in the retail sector is face recognition software that can identify customers entering a store in real-time allowing retailers to adapt the content of store entrance displays to age and gender groups, while gathering intelligence on shopping patterns and footfall. Out of doors, screens incorporating weather-responsive screen sensors are now also available, which will adapt the current messaging to trigger the desired reaction in passers-by.

A number of sectors are also increasingly recognising the potential of large screen LED displays for monetisation.

Advanced software providing flexible programming allows users to collaborate with major brand partners and local businesses, generating advertising revenues through shared use to help fund and recover the cost of LED screen installations.


With the potential to generate substantial income streams for those involved, this approach is opening up new opportunities. Such schemes have already been successfully deployed by organisations as diverse as local authorities, retailers, property owners, and sports clubs alongside existing signage solutions.

These new developments have across the board applications for a range of sectors in which traditional signage companies will already have an established presence. Adding digital solutions to their portfolio allows traditional display and signage suppliers to offer more choice for their customers, while responding to their changing communications needs in an increasingly digital age.

Exploiting these new technologies can be highly successful and without risk by partnering with an established digital specialist with the necessary technical and industry expertise, such as Messagemaker, allowing companies to offer the latest technology and achieve strong returns.

A creative canvas


The flexibility of digital has allowed advertisers to take advantage of out of home media in a more engaging and dynamic way. Storm was created to allow brands to take total ownership of our digital out of home (DOOH) sites for any amount of time they wish—as little as one hour, even—and we are experts in flexible and creative DOOH.

Flexible DOOH means brands have the opportunity to reach their target audiences at, say, specific times of day when they might be more open to that message. Likewise, we can update copy instantly based on factors like weather, public holidays or events, football scores, and even pollen count. This kind of contextual relevance allows brands to own the moments that matter. It can also elevate a campaign, reaching valuable audiences with the perfect message—activating purchase consideration and building brand fame.


All Storm sites, the locations of which are hand-selected to provide the most effective coverage, feature state-of-the-art digital screens, and architectural design. This means that, not only is the content on screen pin-sharp and visually stunning, but the structures themselves are beautiful and often complement the surrounding area. Our Billingsgate Tower site, for example, features a bespoke ‘fish scale’ design which appears to shimmer in the wind—paying homage to the famous Billingsgate fish market nearby.

The creative marriage of technology, through state-of-the-art digital screens which can be updated instantly, and the benefits of traditional out of home allow advertisers to reach the right people, in the right place, with the right message.

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