On the business of digital signage, I run into this question often:
What is the purpose of a digital sign?
Not “What kind of content?” or “Where should the TVs go?” but the actual purpose of a screen inside a given environment (whether it’s point-of-sale, point-of-transit, or point-of-wait). As networks become more ingrained in the fabric of our culture, the ideal purpose of a network is considered from two distinct camps:
BRAND. It’s all about Brand; the logo, the energy and the culture of Brand for the masses. Digital engagement should be an experience. We don’t need to sell stuff with screens, we already do that with employees and price tags. Anyone can “sell stuff.” We need a communication point around Brand. A digital sign is a great way to educate viewers about who we are, what we stand for, and how your life is better with us in it.
Or
ADVERTISING. Sell. Sell. Sell. Sell the hell out of it and forget about “branding.” People know where they are. The big giant sign on the door and the employee with the properly colored polo shirt are enough. A screen should promote products and services and increase the value proposition, specifically those with higher margin. And providers should be paying top dollar to be on the network because no one was ever dazzled by a static sign on a shelf. A digital sign is a great way to educate viewers about what we sell and how these things can make your life better.
I have actually heard some of these comments come from leaders with substantial acronyms after their names. But sometimes the people responsible for trying to build a better mousetrap forget about the mouse.
Marketing 101: Relationships are key to positive value for both the marketer and the customer. Regardless of content minutiae, digital signage is an enabler, dynamic communication that generates engagement between the marketer and the viewer.
I firmly believe that digital signs do not create transactions. Digital signs create opportunity for transactions.
This may seem elementary, but as our industry grows and we begin to truly understand the devilish details of “right content, right place, right time,” we must never forget that the true purpose of a digital screen to enable the viewer.
Dave Haynes is one of the most experienced people in the still-nascent digital signage industry. He has held senior management and business development positions with some of the biggest names in the industry. He’s also well-known and respected as one of the most widely-read industry authorities through his blogs, Sixteen:Nine and Buzz, Not Buzzwords.This is the second time around for Dave as new media pioneer, having been one of the first large daily newspaper editors in North America to put his paper online. Haynes brings a strong technical and operational perspective on the industry, as well as communications skills developed over 20 years working in print journalism. 
