Lydia Schendel– The digital signage and DOOH (Digital Out of Home) industries are constantly evolving– and growing at double-digit rates year after year– and the Digital Signage Expo has grown right along with them. According to show organizers DSE 2012 at the Las Vegas Convention Center will feature 180+ exhibitors covering 66,020 square feet of floor space – an increase of about 6,000 square feet from last year.
Industry professionals will find several new opportunities for networking and education, including a Hands On Content Workshop moderated by George Yunis, Senior Director of Creative Services for ARAMARK. Participants will work on a team of fellow attendees and experts to create conceptual solutions to one of four “Market Challenges.”
Also new this year is the “Mobile Models You Can Believe In” Workshop, led by Steve Gurley, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Business Development for Symon Communications. The workshop will cover the increasing importance of mobile technologies like the Apple iPhone, and how they are changing the digital signage industry.
Finally, a series of on-floor vertical industry discussion groups will replace last year’s Lunch and Learn Program. Participants in the small-group sessions will explore strategies and applications for industry sectors such as retail, healthcare, education and hotels.
A complete schedule of events is available here: www.digitalsignageexpo.net/schedule
Below is a round-up of what’s in store for DSE 2012.
Digital Signage Expo Offers Myriad Educational Opportunities
David Keene
The digital signage industry continues its rapid growth, with some analysts estimating there will be 20+ million digital signs by 2015. There are many facets to this growth– and all sides will be represented at the Digital Signage Expo, to take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, March 6-8.
As Digital signage evolves from one-way communication to interactive; wireless delivery becomes more common; flat panel and content software prices come down and so expand the market, Suppliers– well represented by the hundreds of exhibitors at DSE in March– will offer every solution available, from smartphone-connected, enterprise-wide systems, to wayfinding, to Ad-based models. And before the show floor even opens at DSE, Tuesday (March 6) pre-show Education will offer practical guidance, with Sessions including: The Digital Place-Based Advertising Summit; Digital Signage Certified Expert (DSCE) Program; Glasses-Free 3D Digital Signage - The Complete Guide to a Successful Experience; Digital Signage in Transportation; Digital Signage Display Expert (DSDE) Program; and the PRI Retailer Education Forum.
Always popular at DSE is the Digital Signage Guided Installation Tour, also part of the Tuesday March 6 agenda: DSE’s 6th Annual 4-hour coach tour will provide customer-facing views and behind-the-scenes insights of some of the best digital signage installations in Las Vegas. Spokespeople representing the venues and technology will be on hand to answer questions and speak to the challenges they faced in concept, design and implementation, as well as provide insights into positive outcomes. Recommendation: Reserve early as seating is limited
Rounding out the pre-show education are the two top digital signage professional certification programs in the industry– both available at DSE: Speed II Digital Signage Training, presented by the BUNN Company and designed for end-users and suppliers of dynamic place-based signage for advertising-based, corporate or hybrid networks for customer, patron, staff or student communications to get them “up to SPEED” on the key elements of planning, design, deployment and operations, and the inter-relationships of each. The other Certification is from Brawn Consulting: The Digital Signage Certified Expert (DSCE) & Digital Signage Display Expert (DSDE) programs are individual full-day programs, the former designed for anyone whose professional involvement requires a full understanding of all the elements of digital signage and the interconnected technologies that produce the images on screen; and the latter designed for those who are responsible for video outputs and need a better understanding of calibration technologies.
As the DSE show floor opens on March 7th, more Seminars will also be taking place. Dozens of topics will be covered– too many to list here (For the Conference agenda, go to:http://www.digitalsignageexpo.net). Highlights of the March 7-8 education track at DSE include:
• “From Pilot to Deployment: Laying the Groundwork for Digital Signage System Success”
• “How to Source Content for Your Digital Signage Network”
• “Creating a Multi-Screen Strategy: Connecting Digital Signage to What Matters”
• “Interactive Shoot-Out: Digital Convergence Fact vs. Fiction”
• “How to Generate Greater Revenue With Interactive Technology.
And new this year at DSE is the Fundamentals track: specifically for those DOOH network operators of both revenue- and non-revenue generating systems, digital signage (DS) end-users, and systems integrators and installers who are relatively new to the industry. The Fundamentals track with cover: Introduction to Digital Signage: A Roadmap for Success; Emerging Digital Media Trends; Key Considerations for Successful Digital Signage Project Execution; and Everything You Need to Know About Making Digital Signage Content.
Digital Signage Expo Advertising Summit
Digital Signage Expo (DSE) has announced that the Digital Place-Based Advertising Association (DPAA) will partner in and assist in programming its annual Advertising Summit to be held in Las Vegas on Tuesday, March 6, 2012– on the eve of the Digital Signage Expo show floor.
The Advertising Summit will address the current size of the market, its projected growth, the wealth of research and audience metrics available, identify the challenges inherent in planning/buying and designing creative applications for the medium, and how to overcome those obstacles.
DSE’s 3rd annual DPB Advertising Summit will feature:
* A Keynote address by PQ Media’s Patrick Quinn who will discuss industry economics, trends and the latest results of the 5th Annual Digital Out-of-Home Media Forecast.
* An overview of the DPB media landscape presented by DPAA President, Susan Danaher.
* The latest results and case studies from USA TouchPoints, a cooperative research effort between Media Behavior Institute, GFK/MRI and NSI, on the latest DPB media audience measurement, co-presented by Paul Lindstrom, Senior Vice President of The Nielsen Company and Jim Spaeth, Partner & CEO, Media Behavior Institute.
Susan Danaher, President of the DPAA said, “The exceptional attendance at our Digital Media Summit: Context Matters last month is just one more indication that the agency and advertiser communities are interested in and want to know more about how they can make DPB media part of their marketing efforts.” She added, “The DPAA is very pleased to support DSE’s educational program, which will provide important insights key to moving our industry forward.”
Richard Lebovitz, Educational and Editorial Director for Exponation LLC, which produces DSE, said, “We are constantly working to create stronger educational offerings designed to advance industry understanding in this new and exciting medium.” He added, “Our partnership with the DPAA is further evidence of our commitment to this goal.”
The full-day session will run from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6th. Session registration is available online at www.digitalsignageexpo.net. Curriculum details can be viewed at: www.digitalsignageexpo.net/schedule.
Keynote Panel at DSE
A special Keynote Panel will take place at the Digital Signage Expo (DSE) Thursday, March 8th. “Digital Signage: Eyes on the Future,” will be presented by a thought leadership panel of four prominent industry experts. The panelists will share their vision of the underlying technologies and driving forces that are shaping the future of the digital signage industry. The Panelists are:
• Michelle Tinsley, Personal Solutions Division General Manager, Intel Corp.
• Dr. Peter L. Bocko, Chief Technology Officer, Corning Glass Technologies, Corning Incorporated
• Erica Schroeder, Director, Enterprise Video, Cisco
• Lisa-anne Uhrmacher, Senior Manager – Business Development, Emerging Solutions Group, Sprint
The panel will be moderated by digital signage industry expert Lyle Bunn, and will explore:
• Growth: “Digital signage is at the heart of the “connected consumer” revolution, creating opportunities for personalized consumer experiences. Despite a depressed worldwide economy, the digital signage industry continues to expand at a very rapid pace, with Intel now estimating 22 million signs by 2015.” – Jose Avalos, Director of Retail & Digital Signage, Embedded & Communications Group, Intel Corp
• Convergence: “Public information displays must execute both convergence and divergence well in order to achieve their full potential and the industry must first solve materials and components challenges in order to adapt key technical facets and provide a compelling communal experience that has the capability for personalization.” – Dr. Peter L. Bocko, Chief Technology Officer, Corning Glass Technologies, Corning Inc.
• Integrated Applications: “Digital signage is evolving from one-way, non-interactive beyond two-way interactive to become more integrated with different solutions/use cases that touch multiple departments including sales, marketing, HR communications, contact center, executives.” – Janice Le Litvinoff, Senior Director/General Manager, Digital Media Systems Business Unit, Cisco
• Connectivity: “National deployments will be easier with a single connectivity solution, rather than a mosaic of various DSL and cable connections and wireless is becoming as reliable if not more so than traditional landline services, and in many cases more cost effective.” – Lisa-anne Uhrmacher, Senior Manager, Business Development, Emerging Solutions Group, Sprint
Registration for the "Digital Signage: Eyes on the Future" keynote address and all DSE 2012 educational conference seminars is available online at www.dse2012.com
DSE Network Design, Management & Operations Seminar
Digital Signage Expo will present an all-new, comprehensive four-part Network Design, Management & Operations Seminar Program designed specifically to prepare those who are planning to design, manage and operate or are now managing and operating digital place-based or out-of-home networks.
The Network Design, Management & Operations Seminar Program, to be presented in Las Vegas March 7-8, 2012, is part of DSE’s eight-track educational conference, and is designed specifically for network operators of both revenue- and non-revenue generating systems, digital signage (DS) end users, and systems integrators and installers who participate in or are responsible for design, management and operations. This educational track is intended to provide insights into the planning and initial deployment stages, as well as identify the team skill sets necessary to support a successful installation. Topics to be covered include:
• From Pilot to Deployment: Laying the Groundwork for Digital Signage System Success
• Linking a Legacy with the Future Through Digital Signage
• Building & Staffing a Digital Signage Team
• Challenges of Network Deployment in Non-Company-Owned Locations
“The Network Design, Management & Operations Track presentations will present compelling real-world illustrations of the challenges inherent in designing and executing network installations in a variety of venues and how those challenges were successfully overcome,” said Richard Lebovitz, educational director for Atlanta, Ga.-based Exponation, LLC, which produces DSE. “These sessions also feature end-user presenters from education, health care, restaurant, retail and telecommunications to give 2012 attendees the benefit of learning about different approaches to successful outcomes.”
Registration for the Network Design, Management & Operations Seminar Program or any of the DSE 2012 educational conference seminars is now available online, at: www.digitalsignageexpo.net
DSE 2012 Introduces Digital Engagement Platform
Digital Signage Expo® has introduced a new digital engagement platform designed to showcase the innovation, new ideas and envelope-pushing applications that will be featured at DSE in Las Vegas March 6-9th.
The new platform, which can be found at http://www.multivu.com/players/English/52245-digital-signage-expo-2012/ will feature innovation by industry category, recap top industry trends, and present the 2012 Apex and Content Awards Finalists. The platform will also provide an open-source component inviting industry professionals to upload examples of industry innovation wherever in the world they see an application worthy of notice.
The platform can be incorporated into articles on Digital Signage Expo via embedding, enabling readers to access the highlighted videos, new products, educational offerings and more right from a news outlet’s web story by clicking the “share” tab at the bottom of the platform and selecting “embed” to include this tool in articles intended for publication.
Susie McManus-Sanders, DSE’s Digital Media Editor said, “Innovation drives our industry and DSE is delighted to provide another outlet to both showcase and encourage the development of exciting new technologies and applications that effectively raise the bar for creative solutions.”
