It Is Not Just Advertising – Digital Signage use outside of Retail

Posted by: Richard Williams | Posted on: March 27th, 2010 | 0 Comments

Digital signage is now a common sight in retail stores, shopping malls, and now with the growing use of outdoor digital signage, even along high streets and roadsides too.

But advertising is not the only reason companies and industries are turning to digital signage and are using LCD screens out of home, they have many other uses too:

Entertainment/infotainment

Whilst advertising is not a need for many healthcare practices, it can be used to provide other service to patients. Having to wait is one of the most irksome aspects about visiting a doctor’s surgery or hospital. But the waiting time perception can be reduced by providing entertainment.

Entertainment and infotainment (information presented in an entertaining way) are an effective method of keeping people occupied in waiting rooms. And it needn’t cost the healthcare center anything either as often advertising partnerships can be employed who will provide the equipment and content in exchange for being able to display their own adverts amongst the content.

Transportation companies have also employed this digital signage model and many buses and trains now contain screens that display advertisements, entertainment and infotainment to keep passengers entertained on journeys.

For advertisers this type of partnership works really well as whether it is a traveller on a bus or somebody waiting in a clinic’s waiting room, they are a captive audience which means they a have little choice but receive the advertising messages.

Information – Providing information such as location and way finding is one of the main uses of digital signage outside of advertising. Digital signage is far more engaging a medium to relay information and is also extremely flexible as messages can be uploaded centrally making the old fashioned notice board a thing of the past.

Information can also be supplied interactively by combining touch screens with the digital signage screen making it ideal for zoos or other attractions where information can be provided when requested. Information screens can service the needs of everybody and areoften used for outdoor digital signage to give directions

Replacing traditional signage

From fire exits to no smoking signs, digital signage is a far more eye-catching and effective method of displaying simple messages. Fire exits signs for instance can be programmed to alter colour in times of fire or to flash direction arrows to escape routes making them a far more practical warning notice.

Raising profile/image

Regardless of the information that has to be displayed, digital signage is a far more modern and attractive medium to use making the company or building where it is used appear contemporary and modern.

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