Platt Retail Institute: Digital Signage Integration - The Perfect Marriage
Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion, is a summary of a current article from the Platt Retail Institute's Journal of Retail Analytics.
Mobile devices and digital signage complement each other by shoring up the other's weaknesses and amplifying their strengths.
Mobile devices can provide consumers with engagement and selectivity of products and services, something familiar because of web advertising and online shopping. They also permit operators to measure consumer interactions such as the number and type of individual interactions and point of sale (POS) transactions.
An example of how mobile/signage communication could work is coupons delivered from the sign to the device, which can be scanned at the POS terminal. Consumers will appreciate the perk of saving money for simply interacting with a sign. Digital signage network owners will enjoy more accurate and profitable ways of charging advertisers.
There is also one advantage that digital screens have over mobile devices - size! This further benefits the engagement experienced by the consumer. By offering a viewer games, polls, and other creative interactive content, digital signage can increase engagement and run advertising seamlessly within the content.
One challenge is how to initiate contact with the mobile device without infringing on the consumers' privacy rights. This means it may be wiser for digital signage owners to allow the consumer to make a conscious decision to opt into mobile/signage communication rather than sending them unnecessary messages when the target is within certain proximity of an outgoing signal. It should be the signs' responsibility to capture the audience. This means enticing content and creativity on the part of the digital signage network owners.
Once the consumer has been attracted, direct them to their mobile device for further interactivity. The cellular device can now take over and maintain the viewer's attention. Using this form of pull messaging will help digital signage avoid being compared with spam.
Technology and synchronicity variances among various mobile devices leave digital signage network owners feeling somewhat helpless for now. This however does not mean that they are unable to make smart strategic decisions regarding how they deliver the interactive experience and how they reward the consumer for opting in to this experience.
Discussion Questions: What do you think of the potential of reaching consumers in store by integrating mobile devices and digital signage? Where do you see the greatest opportunities for merging the two technologies?