Big Picture - August 2017 - 14

dynamic signage

Proof in Numbers
Data-backed digital signage stats to drive buy-in. | by Beth Osborne

f you or your customers haven't heard, digital signage is
a growing industry. And it's expected to continue
growing for the next seven years, especially as barriers to
entry like cost and technology become lower every day.
However, not all PSPs have adopted digital signage.
One of the biggest hurdles your print shop may still be facing
is convincing customers that it's right for them. It would be
great if they just took your word for it, but most need proof.
Ideally, this would be through a case study, but those can be
difficult to create and require cooperation from a client.
So, hit them with facts. There's a wealth of data and
research on digital signage, but sifting through it to find
relevance can be time-consuming. So, we did it for you.

BIG PICTURE

August 2017

1. DIGITAL SIGNAGE HAS SIGNIFICANT REACH
Your clients may wonder if it makes sense to place digital
signage in their venues. They may think no one will notice it
or that it will just blend in with its surroundings. A 2010
Arbitron Research study says otherwise: Seventy percent of
US residents recalled seeing a digital sign within the last
month; 52 percent in the last week. That 70 percent is equal to
around 181 million individuals per month. Those able to recall
seeing digital signage in the last month grew to 75 percent in a
Nielsen study from 2015. The number of respondents who
could recall in the last week grew to 60 percent.
And how does print signage stand up against digital?
According to an Intel study from 2012, digital signage
captures 400 percent more views than static signage.
Print may never have the reach of digital because it's
typically one-dimensional and installed flat to the wall. This
reduces how well it can be seen from certain angles. Digital
signage is mounted, so it juts out from the wall and can be

turned to optimize the angle. This allows the screen to be
seen from various viewpoints. When considering placement
alone, digital signage has its advantages over print.
2. DIGITAL SIGNAGE REACH IS GREATER
THAN FACEBOOK
It may be hard to believe that digital signage can rival social
media, but the same Arbitron study found that, when compared to other channels of video, digital signage was considerably more viewed. Digital video in public venues reaches
more Americans each month (70 percent) than video over the
internet (43 percent) or Facebook (41 percent).
One reason digital signage may be the winner here is that
on social media, users choose to watch a video. When users
watch a video on digital signage, it's because they are a
captive audience. They aren't making a conscious decision to
watch it; it's just in their line of sight. So providers should
make use of the time when consumers are waiting in line or
commuting to work.
3. DIGITAL SIGNAGE CAN IMPACT BUYING DECISIONS
This may be the biggest piece of data that can influence your
customers. Here are some 2014 stats from Eclipse Digital
about how digital signage influences buying decisions:

BETH OSBORNE is a consultant with many years' experience working
with end users, providers, and stakeholders in dynamic and largeformat signage. She resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. Contact her
at bethfosborne@gmail.com or find her on Twitter @bethfosborne.

https://twitter.com/bethfosborne

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Big Picture - August 2017