Magazines Archives - 2007 March

Digital Signages Driving Up Business
Cover Story

Like it or not, digital media is here to stay and these dynamic live signages are becoming an integral part of the urban retail landscape in cities like Singapore, reports Angeline Yeo.

More often than not, commuters in the Singapore trains and buses have their eyes glued to advertisements on the mobile-TV screen., enticing them to make a return trip to their stores.

“Correlating store-traffic data with display locations and the content played will become much more sophisticated in the years to come which will enable micro targeting within stores,” says Gill, adding that the frequency of content updates will only increase as technology becomes more advanced.

“We are likely to see a trend towards updating content on a daily or even hourly basis to truly maximise the system’s targeting capabilities.”

1-2-1View’s clients who are using the one-click solution to change advertising content throughout their chains include Singapore’s Barang Barang furniture and lifestyle chain, where a digital signage network has been installed at five of its outlets; and Express Flowers, who has the system installed at five locations across the island.

The company most recently installed a digital signage network in Singapore’s Marina Square shopping centre, while its projects around the region include Siam Centre and Siam Discovery premium shopping malls in Bangkok and the Thai Royal Project Foundation, which saw a network of 42-inch plasma screens installed at 11 Royal Project outlets in Thailand, including the Suvarnabhumi Airport, Chiang Mai Airport and the Golden Place at Hua Hin.

With the obvious benefits of digital signage and the growth of the trend hard to refute, it seems like the end of traditional print-signage providers. Indeed, Gill shares the same sentiments. “With the cost of all peripherals and components for digital signage falling rapidly, I think static advertising signage will eventually become a thing of the past,” he states.

“You just can’t beat the convenience and flexibility of dynamically updating content over the Internet and via mouse click to zone in on niche audiences.”

Yeo of Click Grafix, however, thinks otherwise. “It is not possible to completely do away with print signages,” she says. “For some retailers, going the digital route will always be outside their budgets.”

She believes that printed flyers are still effective as POP solutions. For example, ads on printed flyers with information on new store openings, promotions or sales placed at the cashier can easily be picked up and retained.

“Printed flyers are very effective reminders of the store, its brand or promotions,” Yeo explains. “They are also easy to slip into bags with the purchases, further reinforcing the store’s presence and brand even after customers have left the store.”