September 2009 Archives

Toronto District School Board RFP closes this week. We saw the RFP last week (the board gave a whopping 2 weeks to deliver proposals) and counseled our clients away from participation in this bid. The RFP outlined requirements for a free, revenue-generating, non commercial system. In other words TDSB wants something for nothing and wants to make money on it while not allowing the corporate advertisers to partake in the system. Realistic? No. Possible? Maybe.

The only way such network is feasible is by mobilizing non-profits, local community sports organizations and other 'approved' advertisers.  These groups are not flushed with cash and don't spend on a dime. Time and contacts in the sector are required to make this work. Much evangelism and stakeholder education will be required. The company that decides to go after this project must be prepared to censorship and constant rejections of potential advertisers by TDSB. They must be prepared to bankroll the network as advertising potential develops. They must be willing to chase each nickel and dime from small local community organizations for advertising. ...Pattison, sorry this isn't your typical game, your reps watch to much MadMen to hustle like this.

Are there any wildcard possibilities? Yes, if one of the participants has the "The Elementary School Milk Program" or similar approved in-school corporate-backed initiatives on board with their bid. If anyone can bring the wolf in sheep's clothing to the table, they will win this RFP. Can you?

If you can, please don't lead with just revenue generation when you make your pitch. Please highlight the importance of the in-school system to provide a serious public broadcasting platform with relevant content and emergency response capabilities. Please explain the capability of digital signage to be incorporated in schools' technology curriculum. Make it relevant to the teaching staff and students in each school by building-in mechanisms for school updates, relevant news and way finding. Please don't sell-out the capabilities of a properly designed digital signage system to a strictly advertising application.

Good luck everyone, you have 24 hours to submit your bid.

What does Out of Home Play Day have to do with Digital Signage? Everything! This year's Toronto AD Club's OOH day (previously dominated by plywood and bus shelter advertising agencies) expanded to show off a few neat digital signage technologies. We arrived late but still caught the main attractions.

Samsung, the title sponsor for the event, displayed a clever mock-up of their new Omnia phone, complete with a touch user interface. The phone used a Samsung 400TSN touch screen display and a plastic or sintra decorative bezel to mimic the shape of the phone. Great application and a great way to get the public engaged with the new product. From what we saw, many in the crowd took the bait and played with the device.

Pinpoint Media Group showed off their portfolio of digital and static ad space in Mac's Milk, Esso and other convenience locations. (Pinpoint, or its parent Gallop, is the new owner of MXN's digital signage network). In addition to MXN's 32" screens, customers are able to buy into static 'billboard' advertisements plastered over the cigarette casing behind the counter and a wide range of banners and posters throughput the locations.

Poster digitization was another trend on the show floor. Two companies showcased how traditionally static wall posters are starting to incorporate backlit, transistor-controlled gizmos to create a 'storyline' effect with simple graphical elements. Backlights concealed in the 1 inch deep housing, eliminated different elements on the 'poster' hiding and revealing pre-set elements (ad copy, call to action, starbursts). The resulting 3-4 stage poster was quite effective at catching the eye. At an approximate cost of $1500 it's a bargain for some applications.

Another interesting and new product on the showcase was AdMirror's "AddMirror". Based on proprietary technology, the AdMirror allows advertisers to project ads and images onto the surface of what appeared to be an ordinary washroom mirror. Very interesting, perhaps of most interest to bar and club owners. Learn more about AdMirror here

Great event and congratulations to Kelly and the AdClub team on a successful event.

While waiting in line to watch the taping for CBC's The Hour with George Stromboloupolos we were lucky to witness the fine example of CBC's Digital Signage strategy. As many digital signage software suites evolved from broadcasting software (Omivex' Moxie, Harris' InfoCaster, Capital Networks' Audience) it would be logical to expect to see a robust, network-quality signage...

Instead, the randomly placed screens were driven by a standalone array of iPods and DVD players... The DVD players played a loop of content and once the audience line-up for the show built up, the show staff made the rounds plugging in little iPod videos into each of the screens...

Viola. If anyone at CBC is reading this, please note, we will be glad to help guide your upgrade strategy!
 

Strolling the streets of Toronto during TIFF brought us by an interesting window display at Cartier store on Bloor. Display was created by a series of all in one Compact Flash players running a carousel of pictures (JPEG). The units were encased in faux-gold covers to hide the player and screen internals. An effective and simple installation that grabbed attetion of the pedestrian traffic.

Although an effective installation, we always recommend to our customers to think of centralizing their content management and delivery. With increasing amount of vendors marketing IP-based digital picture frames, the individual CF players can be replaced by a set of simple digital frames. Content is then updated via Media RSS from any Microsoft Vista PC in the world! The resulting solution would offer the same content functionality, while allowing remote content management and even simple day-parting of content.... Sometimes signage is complicated, sometimes it doesn't have to be! 

After being extremely delayed on a connecting flight through North Carolina we had a chance to walk through downtown Charlotte. We were impressed by the well-executed menu board installation pictured. Screens are used in-place of static menus showcasing product and pricing. Although the content could have been a little more animated or engaging, the photography was crisp and professional. One of the tress screens focused on up-sale of side dishes.

The Taco restaurant staff advised that the menus are working out well and customers are ordering more sides when they are pictured on the screens.

Great job and very clean solution, whoever installed the solution!