| It's no secret digital signage to this point | | | | the leaders in the outdoor advertising |
| has been a child amid grown-up media outlets. | | | | market, announced last month that it was |
| But a couple of signs have emerged that | | | | expanding its digital signage network with |
| indicate this new medium may be reaching -if | | | | several new installations in Tampa, FL, and |
| not maturity- at least adolescence. | | | | Milwaukee, WI. |
| | | | |
| While its boosters have long proselytized the | | | | Reporting on the move for MediaPost.com, |
| medium as a powerful complement to other | | | | author Erik Sass quotes company CEO of Clear |
| in-store promotional techniques and | | | | Channel Outdoors Paul Meyer as saying the |
| messaging, dynamic signage in the retail | | | | move will help Clear Channel attain its 2006 |
| environment has remained "well poised," "an | | | | goal of deploying digital signage in four to |
| emerging voice," and other euphemisms for not | | | | six markets. |
| mainstream. | | | | |
| | | | As with conventional billboards, the LED |
| That's easy to understand, based on the | | | | signs, which measure 14ft by 48ft, will be |
| timing of its arrival on the communications | | | | positioned near heavily traveled roads. |
| scene. A recent Self Service article | | | | However, use of digital sign technology will |
| reporting on the "Building Your Digital | | | | allow Clear Channel to "day part" advertising |
| Signage Business" conference in Chicago last | | | | to better meet the advertising needs of its |
| month, quotes CAP Ventures analyst Norman | | | | clients and potentially charge a premium. |
| McLeod as saying that reasons beyond the | | | | |
| control of the digital sign industry have | | | | As with news of the UK directory of digital |
| held back its growth. | | | | signage networks, the latest announcement |
| | | | from Clear Channel demonstrates the |
| The article, by Bryan Harris, quotes McLeod | | | | congealing of the digital signage market into |
| as saying the 2000 bust of dot com companies | | | | a medium advertisers can easily grasp. One |
| sucked venture capital from the market. Then, | | | | can imagine national brand television |
| "we saw the biggest decrease in advertising | | | | advertisers supplementing their brand and |
| since they started tracking it," he's quoted | | | | product commercials on such giant electronic |
| in the article as saying, in 2002. Only in | | | | billboards. That opportunity will only grow |
| 2005, did the market fully rebound. | | | | as Clear Channel Outdoors and others build |
| | | | their inventory of outdoor digital signs |
| However, with that rebound have come a couple | | | | across America. |
| of signs that in-store and out-of-store | | | | |
| dynamic signs may be hitting its stride. In | | | | What appears to be happening in the digital |
| Britain, the Screen Association has published | | | | display market are the first signs of an |
| the first-ever directory of UK-based digital | | | | amalgamation of individual signs and networks |
| signage networks that accept advertising from | | | | into something that more resembles a |
| third parties, according to a report from | | | | definable medium than a scattershot straying |
| The directory, "The Screen UK Advertising | | | | of public venues and retail shops with |
| Networks Directory," provides a full index of | | | | unrelated networks and signs. |
| 62 such networks with details about the | | | | |
| networks and contacts at each. | | | | Market researchers frequently set about |
| | | | measuring the strength of the digital signage |
| Publication of the directory indicates that | | | | market in terms of forecasts, such as |
| diffuse digital signage networks -at least in | | | | researcher iSuppli's recent projection of a |
| the UK- may be congealing into a definable | | | | $12 billion dollar value by 2010, its true |
| market that advertisers, advertising agencies | | | | health may better be predicted with the |
| and marketing professionals can quantify, | | | | formation of viable advertising markets that |
| measure and ultimately specify in their media | | | | exploit these sorts of digital signage |
| plans. That's a big step for in-store digital | | | | networks. |
| media on its path to reaching maturity. | | | | |
| | | | While no one would argue that these networks |
| In the United States, a similar development | | | | trumpet the arrival of a fully mature medium, |
| indicates dynamic signage may be entering | | | | such developments indicate digital signage is |
| adolescence. Clear Channel Outdoor, one of | | | | reaching adolescence. |