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News - New Focus
(updated 25 February 2010)
Screen Events has updated its education programme and confirmed speakers for Screen Media Expo Europe which takes place at London’s Earls Court on May 5-6. Devised in partnership with the Imperative Group, the two-day free learning programme is in full swing with a stellar line-up of industry experts confirmed and only a few slots left to fill.
Associated forums with Media Week, The Screen Forum and Strategy Institute are also taking shape as key topics and featured speakers are unveiled. Additional workshops on Digital Signage in Banking and Building Next Generation Retail Media Networks have also been added to the show floor. Register now for these events at www.screenevents.co.uk.
“We’re investing all our energies in to our 2010 education programme,” comments Screen Events Director Mark Pigou. “It has been intelligently devised with three presentation channels running over the two days. Interested companies have been briefed to submit high quality, well deliberated presentations and we’re pleased to say that this is paying off. The industry recognises the need to step up and deliver more innovation, education and knowledge, to make presentations more interactive and engaging.”
The current list of fully confirmed speakers and their presentation topics is as follows:
Day 1 Channel 1: Screen Science
The Dawn of Dynamic Retail: How Walmart upgraded its signage network and discovered the power of customer relevance.
Presenter: Mike Hiatt, Former VP of Walmart Stores now Principal of Dynamic Retailing LLC.
What can digital signage networks do to grab a greater share of marketing budgets?
Presenter: Ivan Clarke, Independent Media Advisor.
Tapping into the super niche: bigger isn’t necessarily better.
Presenter: Gavin Anderson, Founder, Baby TV.
Day 1 Channel 2: On Screen
Designing and developing content for new technologies: Christie Digital Micro Titles.
Presenter: Alex Hughes, Strategy Director, Amigo Digital.
Day 1 Channel 3: Screen Feed
This Advert Needs You.
Presenter: Tim Harvey, Digital Signage Consultant, Dynamax Technologies.
Day 2 Channel 1: Futurology
The future is now.
Presenter: Stephen Randall, CEO, LocaModa.
Day 2 Channel 2: The Smallest Screen
Title: TBA.
Presenter: Kelly Moulton, VP Marketing and investor in Never.no.
Day 2 DOOHExpo
Title: Why real ad dollars are not in DOOH yet: Obstacles to going mainstream .
Presenter: Brian Dusho, CEO, BroadSign.
Running on Day 2 alongside Screen Media Expo, Media Week’s DOOH Media Summit will adopt an international perspective on digital’s new frontier. Graham Thomas, former deputy chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi UK and Europe, will introduce the summit as chairman and case studies will be presented by Five, Virgin Trains and The North Face. Other presenting companies include Camelot, Digicom, OVAB Europe, JCDecaux Airport and Amscreen. Mediaweek.co.uk’s DOOH blogger will chair a panel session on DOOH opportunities and threats with panellists from Posterscope, Clear Channel, The Sunday Times, OAA and Glue.
The Digital Signage Strategies Forum, produced by Strategy Institute, will also be held alongside Screen Media Expo on 4 and 5 May at Earls Court. The event will deliver eight case studies from UK, Switzerland, USA, Norway and Spain including the following speakers: Adam Lloyd of Ericsson Ltd, Bastien Schupp of Infiniti Europe, Fiona Alexander of University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust and Kris Collins of University of Bedfordshire.
The Screen Forum is launching its Green Screen programme at a special breakfast briefing held on Day 1 during Screen Media Expo. The event will feature speakers from leading companies in the sector that are championing advances across the digital signage sector to improve the industry’s green credentials. A set of sustainable guidelines – covering technology choices, measuring the media and the green alternative – will be agreed by the working group and published post event. These will allow the industry to seek best practice in providing the greatest media effectiveness for the least environmental impact.
Steven Platt of the Platt Retail Institute is running a paid for workshop on the use and application of Digital Signage in Banking on the afternoon of Day 1. Specific details will be announced shortly.
Also, a new paid for workshop will be held on the morning of Day 2 entitled Building the Next Generation Digital Signage Network for Retail. Michael Hiatt and Bill McMullen will explain to delegates the most important attributes of a next generation retail media network and how they are being used at Walmart and other major retailers.
For the latest information on Screen Media Expo, DOOH Expo and associated conferences, summits and workshops, email info@screenevents.co.uk.
www.screenevents.co.uk
DailyDOOH has released its third annual list of top global software vendors, with UK based EnQii again ahead of the pack.
The annual list, says DailyDOOH, is intended as an objective, arm’s-length analysis of the strengths and overall offerings of companies providing software, hardware and related services to clients running digital screen networks. “EnQii has, again, come out on top,” says DailyDOOH’s Adrian J Cotterill. “They are truly active on every continent and are much more than just a software vendor. Their mature customer base and their new support for licensed music convinced us that once again they deserved top spot”
The Top 10 in order, with last year’s positioning in brackets:
1 - EnQii (1)
2 - Stratacache (2)
3 - BroadSign (3)
4 - Scala (5)
5 - Omnivex (new entrant)
=6 - SignageLive (6)
=6 - WireSpring (8)
8 - CoolSign (new entrant)
9 - C-nario (4)
10 - Dynamax (10)
“With hundreds of software platforms, it’s a difficult task to give a fair assessment of all that’s offered on the market, but we have guidelines that we apply and that helps enormously in thinning out the numbers of companies that deserve a more serious look,” explains Cotterill. Several variables affect the selection of top vendors, including global presence, management team, financial stability, track record, product roadmap and development team size, breadth of solution, customer service and the sophistication of the technology options.
Some well-known and respected companies, such as Real Digital Media and Nanonation, were not considered for the list, says DailyDOOH, because they do not actively market and have offices outside of North America. Some companies that were on the 2009 list, such as TELentice and Ryarc Media Systems, it adds, dropped off because of financial woes or (with Ryarc) limited success in expanding outside its home base of Australia and securing more than one big customer.
“As a global supplier of switching and extension solutions for digital signage deployments, Magenta has had the pleasure of working with many of the companies on this list,” says Bob Michaels, CEO of Magenta Research, which sponsored this year’s Top 10. “The selection process of any vendor isn’t so much about the features of a company’s products, as it is about the experience of its team.”
www.dailydooh.com
Digital signage is one of the catalysts helping to lift the retail industry out of recession, according to a recent poll carried out by KG at the recent ISE 2010 in Amsterdam. The company conducted a survey amongst a sample of show visitors to explore views on digital signage developments and their likely impact on town centres and the retail environment in particular. Some 79% of those polled believed digital display technologies will be very important or vital to revitalising the high street in the year ahead.
LG’s Future of the High Street survey revealed support from 32% respondents for the resurgence of town centres, with most believing it will be driven by retailers finding new ways to deliver better customer service. They also believe customers will choose service over convenience. A smaller but significant 17% believed town centres will increasingly become social hubs, driven by ‘lively and imaginative displays’ that attract good business.
Recent developments in simple, cost-effective and powerful digital display solutions packages were seen by 81% as being able to improve customer service, if used appropriately, and over 90% believe that digital signage can actually increase retail spending which has strong implications for SME retailers looking for innovative yet affordable routes out of the downturn.
While the survey confirmed strong support for digital signage in the retail sector, the respondents did believe that some of the perceived barriers for adoption included concerns over the creation of content, no clear understanding of the return of investment, and the difficulty of incorporating new systems into their existing IT infrastructure, all at 16% each.
“These figures underscore widespread belief in the power and impact of digital signage in the high street,” says Luc Grare, director of LG Business Solutions for Europe. “They also confirm what we have thought for some time - that in a tough retail environment, digital technology that can inform, advise and entertain their customers is going to give that retailer a competitive.”
Grare went on to explain the significance of these findings for SMBs which make up over a third of the European digital signage market. “These smaller retailers,” he says, “need the same quality, reliability and ease of use from their displays as larger organisations but at lower costs. LG’s long understanding of this market is behind the development of the simple, powerful and cost effective display tools we have introduced.”
www.lge.com
PSCo’s new video wall bracket system is designed to support integration and maintenance of the new ultra narrow bezel LCD screens. And with its years of experience working with video wall products in permanent installation and live event applications, PSCo’s technical team has now come up trumps with a feature rich bracket specifically for use with Samsung’s UT and NEC’s UN range of 46in LCD video wall products, boasting a host of benefits for AV integrators and the perfect finish for end customers.
“We identified the need for a bracket system that would make installation and maintenance of video walls quicker, easier and more cost effective,” says PSCo’s Technical Manager Ed Martin. “We’ve worked with Infinite Plasma screens for five years now and our accumulated experience in installing and servicing temporary and permanent installations has been invaluable. A wealth of hands-on knowledge has been distilled into this system and the result is something that is configurable, flexible and easy to work with. The modular design allows quick and easy assembly of any video wall configuration by simply bolting brackets together.”
The system can be used either as a wall mounted or freestanding solution and incorporates a three-position side-shift feature, enabling screens to be moved horizontally in order to provide maintenance access to neighbouring screens. The brackets combine features for both rental and fixed installation applications in a single design. In rental applications the bracket can be quickly reconfigured without tools for left, right or lift on assembly and optional roto-lock quick release components can be fitted to reduce build times.
The system is scalable to any size or shape of video wall, with flexible options for multiple leg positions in freestanding situations. The leg assemblies are height adjustable with levelling feet and a small foot print. The whole system has been designed in order to minimise of risk of damage to the LCD panels and bezels through excessive handling.
“The brackets are designed around an open modular framework that provides ample ventilation space behind,” concludes Martin, “and solves the issue of where to place cabling and peripherals like line drivers and distribution amplifiers. Adjustable bobbins in all four corners make it easy achieve perfect alignment across all four edges of the panel and standardising these mounting points, we’ve even made it possible to mix brands within a single wall with perfect alignment – adding a new level of future proofing to an installation.”
www.psco.co.uk
Vue Cinemas has implemented its advanced digital signage solution throughout its new flagship cinema at London's Westfield Shopping Centre with Sony’s Ziris Canvas HD and 30 HD screens and projectors throughout the multiplex. The cinema deploying the advanced technology to increase dwell times, cut advertising production costs and deliver a 21st century entertainment experience at every touch point.
Opening its doors for the first time on February 12, the new Vue multiplex at Westfield, Europe's largest shopping centre, boasts 14 screens and a scintillating VIP experience. Representing the 69th Vue cinema to deploy Sony display technology in the past three years, this deal demonstrates the cinema chain's commitment to using innovative technology to deeply enhance the cinema experience within a modern cinema environment.
Central to the customer experience at the Westfield site is Sony's Ziris Canvas video wall. Comprising of 15, 47in full 1080 slim bezel screens, the high profile display delivers a highly customisable multimedia platform for the cinema to promote the latest films and upcoming events in stunning HD. Fifteen additional 42, 47 and 52in LCDs and projectors throughout the foyer environment will display relevant customer information, giving Vue the versatility to extend the entertainment experience beyond the cinema screen itself.
All display content will be managed centrally at Vue's London HQ, enabling live video content and highly tailored information to be distributed to screens instantly. This eliminates the need for costly print promotions and provides Vue with the flexibility to change promotions on an hour by hour basis, meaning that they can adapt messaging for specific demographics that attend the site during different times of day.
"As a leading cinema chain,” says Tim Potter, Sony’s Business Development Manager, “Vue is pushing the boundaries of innovation by pioneering new and dynamic ways to communicate with its customer-base. Recognising that there is a growing expectation amongst consumers of how they will be engaged with, the company has invested in a solution that allows them to specifically target customers with promotions that will not only improve customer service but ultimately enhance their cinema-going experience."
Vue boasts being the largest operator of modern multiplex cinemas in the country, listing more than 650 screens and over 140,000 seats which attract over 32 million customers a year. The company is the market leader in London and has the third largest market share in terms of box office in the UK.
Explaining why the integration of Sony's digital signage system would be a key milestone in Vue's aim to become the leading exhibitor in the business, Roland Jones, Vue’s IT Director says, "With over two million people coming through Westfield every month, our new multiplex represents a major opportunity for us to increase revenues and drive footfall. With Sony's digital signage solution we can change displays during quiet or busy periods to reflect different demographics and operate all functions from a single focal point. This provides us with a uniquely flexible way to capture consumer's attention but also enhances our brand by enabling us to communicate with customers in a way that is relevant and meaningful to them."
www.sony.com
