DIGITAL MEDIA

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I decided to spend a day in the yard raking up the last of my fall leaves. Not wanting to lose my belt-clipped cell phone during the process, I removed it, placed it on the counter and did my best to corral the leaves that ultimately would fill 23 yard bags.

After completing my chore, I went to retrieve my phone, but instead of finding it on the counter where I had left it, I found it submerged in the dog’s water dish at my feet. It seems that the vibrating ring tone gave my cell phone just enough mobility to walk to the edge of the counter and take the plunge into the drink.

Replacing the phone involved a sales procedure I’m sure all marketers would like to mimic, but very few can. It involved me setting an appointment with a sales consultant, who actually understood the various cell phones being offered and the service plans that were available- a 45-minute visit with the sales consultant and me walking out the door not only with a new phone and higher-priced service plan, but also an entirely new commitment to a broadband wireless Internet service via the mobile phone network.

Compare my experience to another high-tech consumer shopping experience that will be repeated over and over this holiday season: shoppers seeking an HDTV from Santa. Many walk into an electronics store after seeing an ad in the newspaper or a commercial on television convinced that they want the high-def viewing experience but fuzzy on the details. They engage in a conversation with a sales associate who may be selling HDTVs one day, computer peripherals the next and maybe even a kitchen range the next. Customers ask questions, sales associates do their best to answer, but things get murky -so much so that as many as 30 percent of HDTV owners don’t sign up to receive an HD signal via cable or satellite, according to a recent article in USA Today.

Oh how the Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung and other HDTV manufacturers must pine to create a sales experience involving their products like the one I had buying my new cell phone!

Consider this: In 2006, total spending on advertising in the United States will exceed $150 billion, according to an article from Metrics 2.0. Yet once an ad runs in a newspaper or magazine or a commercial is played back on television, the amount of control a marketer can exert on messaging, consumer education, and influencing a purchasing decision dissipates rapidly. How many marketers get a little queasy thinking about the money they’ve spent on an ad that motivates a consumer to go to a store to buy their product, only to have those shoppers redirected by a sales associate into buying a competitor’s product? Compare that to my friendly sales associate who educated and influenced my cell phone purchase in an environment that the cellular service provider controlled.

While it’s not practical for all the HDTV manufacturers or those of other products to offer their products in their own stores where they control the sales process as thoroughly as my cell phone salesman, it is important that marketers begin to see retail stores as a communications medium, according to a recent MediaPost.com article.

In “In-Store Media Significant Influence on Purchase Decisions,” author Jack Loechner quotes Joe Pilotta, vice president of research for BIGresearch, as saying that “the store is a medium of communications” and “media has relevance and influence on a purchase decision.”

That’s where digital signage can stand in for a knowledgeable sales consultant like the one I encountered. Digital signage can carry through the marketing message transmitted in newsprint or on TV to the point of purchase, relieving to a large degree, the nausea that strikes marketers who wonder what happens when they’re ads are no longer present to influence events.The Bigresearch study quoted in the article found that in-store TV influenced or greatly influenced 10 percent of adults 18 years old and up in making purchasing decisions. The tie between in-store TV and digital signage is obvious. What might not be as obvious is that digital signage can play a strategic role for marketers and retailers when it comes to shelf coupons and special displays, which influenced or greatly influenced shoppers 39.5 percent and 35.5 percent of shoppers, respectively. Digital signage plays in this space particularly in terms of shelf coupons when set up with the right software and hardware to do double duty as an interactive kiosk.

What’s needed to pull off this carry though in marketing messages to the store floor is deep sixing old attitudes and concepts about marketing and planning ways to use digital signage strategically to re-enforce and expand upon the print and broadcast ads that currently command the biggest share of the marketing budget. Doing so may soon mean the difference between success and failure.

David Little
http://www.articlesbase.com/multimedia-articles/success-depends-on-carrying-over-your-marketing-message-to-the-retail-floor-79346.html

This article could just as easily have been entitled “Everybody’s talkin’ at me, I don’t hear a word they’re sayin’,” but that was already taken. So I’ll stick with “Cutting Out the Cacophony.”

As digital signage technology enters its next phase as a hybrid, interactive medium combining the power of linear content with branching interactive functionality, volume is likely to rise, literally. Hybrid systems increasingly will find their way into places like retail stores and museums where multiple displays are spaced in close proximity to one another and the sound from competing signs becomes bothersome.

Imagine a natural history museum with multiple interactive digital signs spaced a few feet apart. One focuses on carnivorous dinosaurs, another on herbivores and a third on pre-historic fish. If all of these digital signs have accompanying audio playback that loops during their presentations or plays back specific clips when accessed interactively, the result will be a cacophony of competing sound that actually drive visitors away rather than accomplishing the goal of imparting knowledge.

Imagine a similar scenario in a retail store, where audio from a cosmetic counter digital sign is competing with audio from the fragrance counter digital sign and the handbag counter digital sign across the aisle. Shoppers would quickly give up on watching the promotional video or finding their desired information they’re seeking if they were immersed in this distasteful audio soup. Who could blame them for walking away in disgust without making their purchase? Not exactly the goal of digital signage technology.

Fortunately, technology exists in the form of proximity sensors that can be interfaced with digital signage playback servers to determine when someone is near a digital sign. Upon receiving notification from the sensor, the digital signage player can ramp up the audio level. Similarly, when visitors leave, it can inform the player to turn down the sound level so that device’s audio source does not compete with audio from adjacent digital signage displays.

Based on infrared detection, sonar or radar technology, these sensors typically use standard RS-232 or RS-422 serial communications ports to interface to the digital playback server. If the playback server recognizes input from the sensors, competing audio problems can evaporate.

One example of where these sensors came in handy is the new University of Tennessee Football Hall of Fame. The university recently replaced several DVD-based kiosks that looped video and audio content continuously. Creating a cacophony of kiosk audio, the stations became such a distraction that the school’s coaches finally turned them off to escape the audio mess.

However, the university recently replaced the hall of fame’s old kiosks with new interactive digital signage stations that recognize input from strategically placed proximity sensors. With that source of data, the digital signage playback servers can increase volume or shut off audio depending on whether or not someone is standing within range.

Not only did the new approach create a pleasing audio experience, it more importantly allowed the school’s football coaching staff to once again use the hall of fame as a useful tool in recruiting new athletes and soliciting contributions from program boosters.

Certainly, competing audio sources won’t affect all digital signs, but when they do it’s good to know there’s a technology that can come to the rescue. Without proximity sensors, it would be easy to feel like “everybody’s talkin’ at me, I don’t hear a word they’re sayin’.”

David Little
http://www.articlesbase.com/customer-service-articles/digital-signage-cutting-out-the-cacophony-118433.html

Happy with the results from your TV, radio and print advertising? Ever feel like you aren’t getting the bang for the buck you envisioned?

Maybe you should consider rethinking your media mix. The concept of an advertising media mix is straightforward: Since no one magazine, newspaper, Web site, or broadcast outlet is likely to zero in on your target customer, choosing a variety of media based upon their ability to reach your desired demographic is more effective.

At leading advertising agencies, building the right media mix has become a near science where days untold time is spent honing, polishing and refining media selections to create a mix with sufficient reach and frequency to deliver. Gaining a thorough understanding of their client’s product and universe of customers, analyzing ratings data and circulation statements, and weighing certain intangible benefits each media candidate brings to the table, are but a few of the steps necessary to build the right media mix.

While the process has proven itself to be highly effective over the years, changes in technology that give consumers greater freedom to control media consumption demand new solutions and a rethinking of what goes into an effective media mix. Armed with remotes and digital video recorders, TV viewers easily circumvent commercials. Newspaper and magazine readers are now just a click away from the same content on the Web sans the full- or fractional-page ad adjacent to the article they used to pore over on the printed page. In effect, technology is short circuiting the rather simple media equation that implicitly promised advertisers the attention of customers as they consumed the content their medium had to offer.

Consider the impact of digital video recorders and remotes on the effectiveness of television advertising. A Feb. 13 article in The New York Times reports that an estimated 7 percent of the 110.2 million TV households in the United States are equipped with digital video recorders (DVRs). If that weren’t enough to give pause to TV advertisers, the article reports that estimates hold “that 50 percent to 70 percent of viewers playing back shows zip through the commercials.” How many TV households will have DVRs next year and beyond?

The story isn’t any better in the print world. “The State of the News Media 2004″ from journalism.org puts it bluntly: “Newspaper circulation is in decline.” The report states that the percentage of people reading newspapers began a long decline in the 1940s, but was masked by a growing U.S. population. By 1990, “circulation began to decline in absolute numbers,” according to the report. Between 1990 and 2002, newspaper circulation dropped 1 percent per year, it says.

However, there is a bright spot on the horizon, especially for those who are willing to rethink what makes up the media mix. An emerging technology that brings together dynamic display and media control at the point of purchase may be just the ingredient advertisers need to reinvigorate their media mix. In fact, a recent article in Media Daily News quotes Leo Kivijarv, vice president-research at Stamford, CT-based PQ Media, who identifies this slice of the media pie as one of the smallest advertising niches, but among the faster growing.

It goes by different names. In the retail environment, it’s called In-Store Digital Media (ISDM). At hotels and resorts, it’s known as digital reader boards. In public venues, like a sports arena, it’s called digital signage. But regardless of what you call it, advertising to people when they’re away from home, often at the point of sale is where you may find the most bang for your advertising buck.

The Media Daily News article quotes the author of a new study on out-of-home advertising as saying that this approach to advertising is about to transition from a relatively obscure marketing niche to a widely used, mainstream advertising medium.

In the article, Stephen Diorio, author of the report, says out-of-home advertising is “at the tipping point. This is a market that is poised to explode.” Since 2002, the article says, 700 digital out-of-home networks have been launched, accounting for $1.2 billion in advertising this year.

What’s in your media plan? Maybe it’s time you rethink your media mix alternatives. This may be the moment to redirect a portion of your advertising budget away from declining media mainstays and into alternatives on the rise, like out-of-home advertising.

David Little
http://www.articlesbase.com/multimedia-articles/rethinking-the-media-mix-66929.html

Small business owners often feel they are at a disadvantage when it comes to advertising and marketing. Just the size of the budget makes one realize that they are not on the same playing field as the big corporations.

Therefore, many entrepreneurs believe that some of the advertising methods used by large companies are completely out of reach for the small business owner. Not so! Small businesses do not usually need national ad campaigns. Often, they are so regional (even to a neighborhood), that many techniques used by large corporations can be utilized by small business – just with less or smaller reach, method or media.

Billboards come to mind immediately because they are very expensive. But before you rule out the thought of having your own billboard advertising campaign, think outside the huge 14’ x 48’ box!

How about a moving billboard? There are now scrolling and mobile billboards. Trucks drive around town in your predetermined targeted area, with a small billboard-like sign on the back. This is a pretty clever way to advertise, and a fraction of the cost of a stationary monster billboard.

Another billboard type of advertising is your own vehicle. There are options from the magnetic sign you can slap on the side of your car to a full-color wrap that completely encases the vehicle. Choose the right one for you. The small magnetic sign can signify “I do a bunch of things, and today I am dong “X”, so be cautious that this image could misrepresent you. Depending on your product, this $15 magnet could be completely acceptable!

For permanent, but easy to remove signage, vinyl letters and logos can be placed on your car, van or truck. These say “I’m here and steady” because they are professionally applied. They can be in white or a variety of colors, but matching your logo, if a unique color, will probably be difficult. Then there are the ever-increasingly popular vehicle wraps. Full color, you can have a simple logo and wording to a variety of photos that help show your target market what your product or service can provide for them. These wraps can cover be placed just on a window, or cover the entire vehicle. There is also a special material for windows that allows you to see out, but people can’t see in. This is great if you carry a lot of product in your car.  Obviously, there are a wide range of choices to meet your needs and your budget, each giving you traveling advertising. Your billboard, your vehicle, your choice.

Logo clothing can also be considered a “walking, talking billboard”. The options are endless! When using embroidery, the variety of thread colors can provide a perfect – or almost perfect – match of any logo color. Your company name and/or logo can be placed on hats, shirts, jackets, sweaters – you name it and your image can be sewn on it. Digital imaging and modern equipment has allowed even the smallest company to have high-quality embroidered clothing.

Alternatives to embroidery are screen printing and other imprinting techniques. These formats are often used for mass production or when a logo is very detailed and impossible to sew, contains a lot of detail or includes a number of words that might make embroidery less than cost-effective. The next time you’re at the mall or a grocery store, notice how many people are wearing clothing advertising beer, soft drinks, sporting equipment…why not wear something that will promote your own company?

For the big-budget companies, the target market drives by the billboard. For the small business owner, the billboards (you) drive or walk by your target market. Either way, your message is delivered.

Cindy Hartman
http://www.articlesbase.com/small-business-articles/billboards-are-not-always-stationary-441900.html

At any given time, there is someone in the market for your products or services. It may be a local company trying to build awareness in the community. It may be a regional advertising agency folding alternative media into its client’s marketing mix. It may be a national or international brand developing a coast-to-coast, multi-pronged integrated campaign that hinges on finding just the right elements to incorporate. It may be all three – or more.

Your challenge as an asset owner or management company is to make sure that all of these potential customers know you exist. This challenge grows if your product is so unique that people may not even be aware of the option, let alone know where to find it. Let’s face it – even with an army of top-notch sales executives, reaching every potential buyer at a point when they are actually in the market is virtually impossible.

That’s where alternative advertising companies comes in. They can help you expand your reach by putting your properties and services in front of advertisers and agencies at the exact point when they are actively seeking out opportunities. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With national databases, you benefit from increased exposure. Advertisers can easily incorporate your assets into their larger campaigns with very little effort on your part.

When you join alternative advertising companies and post your products in their marketplaces, they combine the information you provide with the market-specific information they have aggregated to make your profiles richer and more meaningful to potential advertisers. The targeting tools they have developed allow buyers to quickly get right to the alternative opportunities that reach their desired audience.

Whether you are an individual owner, run a local network or manage a national inventory, alternative advertising companies can help you expand your reach and build demand for your product. The more potential buyers you have, the more you can maximize your revenue per unit and minimize your unsold inventory.

Alternative advertising companies are emerging companies on the web for alternative and unique advertising media – all the advertising elements out there that don’t fall in the TV, radio, print, or traditional online buckets. There are several niche listing services out there, all dedicated to helping a wide range of alternative media asset owners promote their products to advertisers and agencies.

Current inventory categories run the gamut from billboards and bus shelters to digital signage, segways and street teams. . .and new categories are being added daily to keep up with the growing range of opportunities on the market.

In addition to the information you provide, alternative advertising companies will often times map your inventory using Google Maps (and Google Streetview, where available). This can add market information from third-party resources to enrich your profile, giving advertisers and agencies the information they need to make a purchase decision.

Jeff R. Lamb
http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/asset-owners-media-companies-expand-your-reach-725155.html

The U.S. Census Bureau’s recently released “Statistical Abstract of the United States” reveals interesting statistical trends about a variety of aspects of life in this country, including where spending stands for out-of-home advertising in comparison to other popular media like newspapers and broadcast television (Section 27 Accommodations, Food Services and Other Services, Table 1261).

Part of the abstract is a table from powerhouse ad agency Universal McCann New York that shows spending growth of nearly 20 percent for out-of-home advertising from 2000 to 2005 -the last year for which statistics are available. That compares to a decline in newspaper ad expenditures of about 2.5 percent and a slight increase of 1 percent in TV ad spending for the same period.

On a percentage basis, the statistics show a slightly greater portion of dollars spent on out-of-home advertising among the three media – 5 percent in 2000 versus 6.1 percent in 2005. However, in terms of raw dollars, television and newspaper advertising continue to dominate, accounting for $45.261 billion and $47.898 billion, respectively, versus $6.149 billion for out-of-home advertising.

While it’s important not to overstate the increase in ad dollars being spent on out-of-home media, the up tick indicates the growing stature of this media among advertisers and marketers. Interestingly, the growth since 2000 tracks the broader availability of flat screen LCD and plasma panels as well as increasingly sophisticated digital signage hardware and software. To be sure, out-of-home advertising encompasses much more than digital signage -things such as billboards, transportation, bus shelters and kiosk. Still, the emergence of digital signage as a viable component of the sector surely contributed to this growth.

What this means precisely to marketers and advertisers is as varied as the Census Bureau’s statistical abstract. However, there are a few generalizations that can be made based on the data:
-The number of dollars spent on out-of-home advertising is growing;
-To the extent that digital signage is a component of this type of media it is benefiting from the category’s success;
-Dollars spent on newspaper and TV broadcast advertising dwarf the category;
-The relatively small percentage being spent on out-of-home advertising may indicate a smart effort on the part of marketers to protect their ad investment in newspapers and television by carrying their marketing and advertising messages over to the retail store and the point of decision where a consumer selects which product to buy.

Advertising and media are experiencing an accelerated rate of change as marketers turn to relatively new alternatives -like the Web and digital signage networks- to reach their intended audience. The signs of this change are everywhere. For instance, this week Media Holdings, owner of the Philadelphia Daily News and The Philadelphia Inquirer, announced it would lay off 71 journalists -about 17 percent of the Inquirer’s editorial staff- to trim costs in light of declining circulation and ad revenue. Another is newspaper publisher McClatchy, which announced plans shortly after Christmas to sell The Star Tribune in Minneapolis for $530 million and a tax benefit of $160 million, or $690 million. That’s a little more than half of what the publisher paid to purchase the paper in 1998. Television isn’t immune to these turbulent times, either. The New York Times Co. in September 2006 announced its intention to sell nine network affiliate television stations throughout the country to improve its financial position and strengthen its core property.

What these moves and the U.S. Census Bureau statistics indicate is declining newspaper ad revenue, flat television ad revenue and a small, but growing pile of cash being spent for out-of-home advertising, and the rippling consequences thereof.

As marketers and ad agencies evaluate media, they would do well to keep in mind these trends which track changing media consumption patterns and look for ways to reinforce their ad buys in television and newspapers with advertising that grabs and influences shoppers where they make their purchasing decisions and reach for their wallets.

David Little
http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/ad-spending-on-outofhome-media-grows-89833.html

One of my favorite places to shop in town reserves a parking space closest to the door for its employee of the month.

That retailer, like many businesses, knows the importance of small, regular gestures that publicly recognize employees. Such kudos build employee loyalty, inspire excellence and motivate workers to perform at a high level month after month.

A recent article by Charles Christian entitled “Motivate With An Employee Incentive Program,” summed up the value of such efforts. “Employee recognition programs go a long way to creating a happy and productive work environment. They create an environment that fosters the development of both individuals and the company in a way that is mutually beneficial,” it said.

While a choice parking space may seem somewhat unconventional, especially measured against other more traditional approaches like financial rewards, trips, and other tangibles, it does provide a concrete illustration of what makes employee recognition and rewards so powerful: namely, they’re public.

Writing in the Portland Business Journal, author and president of San Diego-based Nelson Motivation Bob Nelson advised employers to: “Present rewards in a public forum. Rewards are not meant to be presented in the privacy of an employee’s office. Schedule a special meeting for the occasion, and don’t camouflage the rewards. They must stand out and be highlighted; don’t squeeze praise among a dozen other topics of conversation.”

Traditionally, company newsletters and paper notices posted on bulletin boards have provided a degree of public awareness about employees who’ve achieved excellence. However, some employers are using a far higher-profile means to recognize company stars publicly.

Honoring employees on an in-house digital signage system elevates the visibility and effectiveness of employee programs. If executed properly, the digital sign-based recognition can enlist some of the intangible power and attraction broadcast television often imparts to an event or person.

What makes digital signage so well suited for employee recognition is the fact that by its very nature it is public. Scattered strategically around a corporation - in the lobby, the cafeteria, the corporate recreation center or on the factory floor- digital signs sew a thread of community awareness throughout an organization, uniting it in its endeavors and providing a public forum to recognize employees.

Recognizing employees on a digital signage network can be as simple as displaying a picture and text or as sophisticated as a video of the recognition ceremony complete with a few words from the award presenter and the recipient.

Equally important is the fact that digital signage taps into our culture’s obsession with and attraction to television. The very fact that the employee is recognized publicly on large plasma or LCD screens throughout the company carries a bit of the status the public ascribes to being on television. Thus, in the minds of those who are honored the perceived value of the public recognition on a corporate digital signage network is likely to be higher than similar recognition in a company newsletter or notice posted on a bulletin board.

To be sure, corporate managers are unlikely to decide to install a digital signage network solely to recognize outstanding employees. However, for those companies with digital signs, publicly recognizing the achievements of employees in living color for everyone to see makes good sense.

Doing so can amplify employee recognition programs intended to validate the contribution of an employee or group of workers in an organization. That in turn can motivate workers to turn in stellar performances, which is a critical ingredient to the success of any enterprise.

David Little
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/star-gazing-66711.html

It’s no secret digital signage to this point has been a child amid grown-up media outlets. But a couple of signs have emerged that indicate this new medium may be reaching if not maturity at least adolescence.

While its boosters have long proselytized the medium as a powerful complement to other in-store promotional techniques and messaging, dynamic signage in the retail environment has remained “well poised,” “an emerging voice,” and other euphemisms for not mainstream.

That’s easy to understand, based on the timing of its arrival on the communications scene. A recent Self Service article reporting on the “Building Your Digital Signage Business” conference in Chicago last month, quotes CAP Ventures analyst Norman McLeod as saying that reasons beyond the control of the digital sign industry have held back its growth.

The article, by Bryan Harris, quotes McLeod as saying the 2000 bust of dot com companies sucked venture capital from the market. Then, “we saw the biggest decrease in advertising since they started tracking it,” he’s quoted in the article as saying, in 2002. Only in 2005, did the market fully rebound.

However, with that rebound have come a couple of signs that in-store and out-of-store dynamic signs may be hitting its stride. In Britain, the Screen Association has published the first-ever directory of UK-based digital signage networks that accept advertising from third parties, according to a report from Clickpress.com. The directory, “The Screen UK Advertising Networks Directory,” provides a full index of 62 such networks with details about the networks and contacts at each.

Publication of the directory indicates that diffuse digital signage networks at least in the UK may be congealing into a definable market that advertisers, advertising agencies and marketing professionals can quantify, measure and ultimately specify in their media plans. That’s a big step for in-store digital media on its path to reaching maturity.

In the United States, a similar development indicates dynamic signage may be entering adolescence. Clear Channel Outdoor, one of the leaders in the outdoor advertising market, announced last month that it was expanding its digital signage network with several new installations in Tampa, FL, and Milwaukee, WI.
Reporting on the move for MediaPost.com, author Erik Sass quotes company CEO of Clear Channel Outdoors Paul Meyer as saying the move will help Clear Channel attain its 2006 goal of deploying digital signage in four to six markets.

As with conventional billboards, the LED signs, which measure 14ft by 48ft, will be positioned near heavily traveled roads. However, use of digital sign technology will allow Clear Channel to “day part” advertising to better meet the advertising needs of its clients and potentially charge a premium.
As with news of the UK directory of digital signage networks, the latest announcement from Clear Channel demonstrates the congealing of the digital signage market into a medium advertisers can easily grasp. One can imagine national brand television advertisers supplementing their brand and product commercials on such giant electronic billboards. That opportunity will only grow as Clear Channel Outdoors and others build their inventory of outdoor digital signs across America.

What appears to be happening in the digital display market are the first signs of an amalgamation of individual signs and networks into something that more resembles a definable medium than a scattershot straying of public venues and retail shops with unrelated networks and signs.

Market researchers frequently set about measuring the strength of the digital signage market in terms of forecasts, such as researcher iSuppli’s recent projection of a $12 billion dollar value by 2010, its true health may better be predicted with the formation of viable advertising markets that exploit these sorts of digital signage networks.

While no one would argue that these networks trumpet the arrival of a fully mature medium, such developments indicate digital signage is reaching adolescence.

David Little
http://www.articlesbase.com/multimedia-articles/signs-of-growing-up-whats-in-your-media-mix-79377.html

Sometimes you can learn a lesson from a big brother, and that seems to be the case when you consider large billboards -commonly referred to as outdoor advertising, or OA for short- and their smaller plasma and LCD siblings in the retail environment.

Consider the case of an advertising forecast for 2007 from Watchfire Digital Outdoors. Makers of outdoor digital signage that’s every bit as large as a conventional billboard, Watchfire Digital Outdoors does for outdoor advertising much of what conventional plasma and LCD digital signs do indoors.

The Danville, IL, company earlier this month published a 10-point forecast for digital outdoor billboard advertising, many of which apply equally well to the indoor digital signage market in retail settings.

Forecasted points that could just as easily been have been made about retail digital signage and advertising include:

* The availability and use of more sophisticated selling strategies;
* Networks of digital billboards rivaling other media for ad revenue;
* Solidifying of revenue models.

With regard to more sophisticated selling strategies, Watchfire Digital Outdoors makes the point that new approaches, including “exclusive category sponsorships, unlimited copy changes and automated database-driven updates” will be used as incentives or upsells to entice advertiser to use digital outdoor signs in 2007. The same is true of retail digital signage networks. As that medium coalesces, retailers will find the same opportunities can be employed to attract and win advertisers. Like their bigger brothers, digital signage networks can be changed in an instant and offered on an exclusive basis to an identified category of advertisers.

Another commonality is in the emergence of digital signage as a rival to existing media, especially radio and television. As I’ve written about in the past, retail digital signage networks are congealing into a quantifiable, measurable, sellable medium that will offer advertisers more than a wish. These networks will deliver concrete demographics and audience numbers.

Just as Watchfire Digital Outdoors forecasts digital outdoor signage networks coming into their own as a competitive medium, indoor retail digital signage networks will offer advertisers a targeted demographic as an alternative to traditional media -one that reaches consumers closer to the cash register.

Watchfire Digital Outdoors also forecasts that revenue models will solidify as outdoor advertising companies get comfortable with offering “board sharing, day-parting, exclusive sponsorships, short-run premiums” and other incentives. Again, retail digital signage networks also are seizing on these types of new product offerings to create an entirely new medium. Tracking retail signage messages to match the demographics of shoppers as they change throughout the day and offering “short-run premiums” are also integral components of retail digital signage that will be exploited to drive ad sales.

Sometimes it’s nice to have a big brother. Finding retail digital signage networks share some vital commonalities with large

LED-based outdoor digital signs that are poised to explode onto the advertising scene should give marketing executives, advertisers and retailers something to smile about as we enter the New Year.

David Little
http://www.articlesbase.com/multimedia-articles/sign-of-the-times-84214.html

Cutters are a natural fit in any decorated apparel business. The advantages they offer are numerous, including:

They work with a huge array of materials, including vinyl and film, and you can get a full-blown system, including supplies, for as little as £2000.

These materials can be applied to cotton, cotton/polyester blends, nylon, 100% polyester, leather, canvas, wood, and metal. And in addition to apparel, you also can decorate accessories and extras such as umbrellas, helmets, cd bags and coolers. It’s just a question of picking the right material for the substrate.

You have complete design control, allowing you to do things like custom fit long names on small jerseys, change fonts and colours, and so on.

You’re not dependent on a supplier’s schedule; you make designs when you need them. If you run short of a vowel or a number one or mess one up, you make one more.

Depending on the cutter you purchase, your new equipment may allow you to make a digital transfer of things like corporate logos, a left chest, or full-front design, which allows you to enter a host of new markets.

In addition to teams, you can expand your markets to include local community projects, uniform wear, and all kinds of corporate businesses.  

And when you figure that somebody is going to be making healthy profits doing that business — well, it might as well be your shop, right? In the long run, this kind of market and decorating versatility can only help your business. With that in mind, here’s a look at what you need to know about buying a cutter.

Understanding the Basics
Cutters are available in two types: friction-fed, which includes roll cutters and sheet-fed cutters; or flat bed.

Most friction-fed cutters aren’t designed to handle twill, although there are a couple of significant exceptions. Typically, flat-bed cutters costs around £4000, can do the job extremely well. The ability to handle twill and appliqué means your shop also has to add a sewing or embroidery machine.  And you need to be aware that flat-bed cutters can’t be used with roll materials. Many shops that do both have a friction-fed and a flat-bed cutter.

In either case, the cutter hooks up to your computer (generally not included as part of the purchase); much like you’d connect a printer. You’ll also need a heat press and materials to feed into the cutter. You send a design from the computer to the cutter, which then cuts it from the material — which you then weed (to remove unwanted material) and heat seal to a substrate.

Some suppliers offer packages that include the cutter, a heat press, and materials. In all, expect to spend roughly £2,000 and up for all the required equipment, including a good heat press and supplies — a low price given all the capabilities you’ll be adding to your shop.

Software. Cutters usually come with the software required, either in standalone form or as a plug-in for graphic arts programs such as CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator. Essentially, the software acts as a driver for the cutter. While it’s a plus if you know graphic arts programs, you can happily get by without that knowledge; with some other software available that automates many of the functions, that would normally take more knowledge. Still, having the flexibility of a full-fledged graphic arts program really expands your capabilities and what you can do for your customers.

There also are CAD-cutting design programs that offer a wide range of predesigned templates geared to the team and sports market. Customers simply choose the typeface, design, colours, and layout they like best, and these are plugged into the template, and out comes a professional-looking design ready to be heat sealed. Another option is to rely on suppliers who offer artwork services. They will clean up your customer’s artwork and vectorize it so it’s ready to output to your cutter. (Cutters work only vector artwork, not bitmap or raster images.) Most clip art companies also offer thousands of mascots and images that can easily be imported into your CAD cutter programme and incorporated into a design.

Material. Materials come in sheets and rolls. One big advantage of roll goods is you do not have to stand there and feed sheets into the machine. You can load up a roll, which will then continuously cut until the job is done. There’s also no limit to the design’s length, since the roll is continuous. Rolls generally come in 38cm and 50cm widths.

Cutters also can do sign vinyl, which is usually a self-adhesive material; film, which is a heat-applied material used for apparel; sand-blast material; magnetic material for making refrigerator magnets and magnetic vehicle signs; and, in some cases, transfer paper. This means that not only can you offer the school football team numbered shirts; you can print up the team’s season schedule on magnetic material and sell it to teams and fans who want to put it up on the fridge.

As an alternative to vinyl, certain select suppliers also offer polyurethane materials, or PU which is more environmentally friendly. It is actually thinner, looks better and feels softer than vinyl. Furthermore, the PU product “loves itself” and you can, therefore, stick more layers together. An important feature of PU is that a two-colour, two-layer design will feel like just one layer However, some customers may prefer the thicker, shinier look of traditional vinyl.

For markets such as dance, fashion, and safety, you’ll find a multitude of film options, including foils, glitters, metallic, fluorescents, and reflectives. Reflective materials, which have recently become available in a variety of colors, are popular for safety where visibility is crucial, for example, for school children walking with backpacks. Now children can be safe and make a fashion statement at the same time!

Size. Cutters come in many widths — anywhere from 20cms to 160cms. Of course, the cutter’s cost increases accordingly, from about £700 to £10,000. Generally, though, expect to spend roughly £1000 to £1,500 on a quality cutter.

Unless you’re only going to use the cutter for hobby work, you should avoid anything less than 38cms wide. A 60cms width is considered a standard minimum size for a sporting goods dealer doing team shirts.  

Other Cutter Considerations

When shopping for a cutter, there are some other features to be aware of. They include:

Memory. Look for cutters with an adequate buffer memory as. This allows the unit to quickly download designs from the computer to the cutter.

Down force. Find out how many grams of force the cutter has. Some have about 150 grams of force, while others have about 450. Depending on the material you’re cutting, more down force may come in handy. You must have sufficient down force to cut heavier materials like twill, for example. So make sure your salesperson is aware of all the materials you anticipate cutting.

Optical eye. This is a relatively new feature available on cutters but one that can save a tremendous amount of time increasing productivity. A cutter with an optical eye sets up registration points and, with the software included, allows you to quickly set up contour lines around even complicated designs. It then quickly and precisely cut around any design.

If your cutter has an optical eye (this should cost from £1,400 – £2,000), you can then add a low-cost inkjet printer, and cut out full-colour designs for dark garments.  With an optical eye on your cutter you will not have to worry ever again about using scissors to laboriously cut away the white border around your designs. Just print the designs on transfer paper using the inkjet printer, use the cutter to contour cut the printed image, and use the press to heat seal the image onto the garment. An optical eye also allows you to contour cut items such as window stickers.

Presets. For each type of material you cut, the machine must be programmed with the specifics of that material. If you’re going to switch back and forth between vinyl and film, for instance, it’s handy to have a cutter that has a number of presets. This way, you simply push a button and the unit is ready to handle that material.

Warranty. Some suppliers offer extended warranties at no additional cost, so be sure to ask what type of coverage is included. Also, ask if the supplier will offer a free loan machine to use to keep production going should your equipment need servicing.

Training. Using a cutter requires only limited training, which you can get online or in person. In fact, many training programs take only an hour before you’re up and running. Find out whether the supplier offers in-person or virtual training, or both — and at what cost, if any.

Speed. Find out how fast the cutter operates. Most suppliers measure in terms of cms per second. A speed of about 38cms per second and higher is good. Keep in mind that more complicated designs will sometimes require a much slower speed.

Cut quality. Take a close look at the manner in which the cutter does its work. Are the cuts clean and smooth, or are they ragged? Watch the unit in action, and carefully examine samples produced on the machine.

With these considerations in mind, you’re ready to start shopping for a cutter for your business. It’s almost as if you’re purchasing not just a piece of equipment but a new employee who can handle an amazing array of tasks. With a cutter, you’re no longer limited by anything but your imagination.

Printer/Cutters Close Up 
While a cutter has an incredible amount of versatility, a printer/cutter unit ups the ante by adding printing capabilities to the mix. A single unit can output full-color images—usually using inkjet technology—and do contour cutting all in with the same machine.

Using such a unit makes it easy to create customized signage with UV-resistant ink, and do digital transfers for apparel and other items—and it can still do everything a traditional cutter can handle. Of course, such capabilities come at a cost: Prices start at about £6,000 and reach £10,000 and upwards.

Target can be contacted at www.targettransfers.com or call +44 (0) 1376 326351.

Martin Borley
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-ideas-articles/boost-profits-expand-markets-with-a-digital-plotter-cutter-724675.html