Digital Signage: Consumers Want Control
Posted by: David Little in Marketing, tags: MarketingA recent report from market researcher iSuppli reveals what anyone who uses the latest electronic gadgets intuitively knows. People love to touch screens, interact with technology and get the results they desire. From Apples popular iPods and iPhones to most of the GPS navigation devices on the dashboards of many cars on the road today, touch screens are becoming the de facto way folks like to interact with technology. Perhaps you have a friend like mine who is a control freak. If so, then this technology is just what the doctor ordered.
According to the iSuppli forecasts, vendors of the touch screen technology stand to reap the rewards of this consumer love affair. Consider this: worldwide shipments of touch-screen modules will reach 341 million units in 2008, or about $3.4 billion in value. In five short years, global shipments of touch-screen display modules will more than double to 833 million units.
I’ve often compared and contrasted television and digital signage in this space, usually pointing out the benefits of the latter, such as its ability to reach audiences at the point of purchase when they’re actually looking to spend money. Sadly, however, digital signage has the potential to suffer from the same tune out factor my friend integrates into his normal TV viewing. Without the right messaging, its possible that digital signage will blend into the background and fail to connect with its audience at the most opportune moment.
The cable TV industry has a good reason to push hard in developing this next generation of interactivity as companies like AT&T and Verizon roll out competitive offerings that push the interactive envelope.
When coupled with digital signage technology, such touch-screen sensors can transform ordinary linear digital signage content (in other words, a succession on visual and audio elements presented one after another) into dynamic, interactive content that lets the public seek out the information about a product they desire. Interactive digital signage combines the best of the kiosk world namely touch-screen interactivity- with the power of consistent messaging delivered when the sign operates in a traditional linear mode.
The significance of the iSuppli data is that it quantifies something we all intuitively know. People like to touch screens, interact with technology and get what they want. Look at the incredible success Apple Computers has had with the iPod, the iPhone and the iPod Touch. Those products have hit a nerve with the public. Simply touch a screen, interact with the interface and satisfy a desire.
Basically, such interactive, hybrid digital signs can playback messaging designed to attract the attention of passersby while in linear mode and with a simple the touch of screen be transformed into an interactive resource consumers can use to find the product information or other piece of information they desire.
To compete in the battle to influence the buying decisions of consumers, digital signage content producers soon will be forced to incorporate interactivity into their presentations just to stay competitive. Thats not to say all digital signage content must give consumers control over whats being presented. However, its hard to imagine a digital signage future in which interactive hybrid digital signs arent at the least added to the mix, delivering the interactive control over what consumers access.
To do otherwise is out of step with consumer expectations nurtured through a succession of technologies, including iPods, Blackberry devices, and GPS navigation units to name only a few, that put them in charge and promise that control is just a touch away.
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