As digital signage keeps growing and penetrating more and more business areas, we can see sub-domains of digital signage creating, some of them are growing a “life of its own” and become another professional line of business under the big digital sign “umbrella”.
One of these sub-domains is ADS (Advertising Display Systems, some call it “Ad Display Signs”). While ADS contains most of the traditional digital signage components, the uniqueness of the ADS is all about advertising, preferably in venues/markets that didn’t have the ability to present dynamic advertisements – hotels, hospitals, bars, taxis, buses and trains are immediate examples that come in mind. Some environmental signs might be combined with touch wayfinding app, wall signage and much more. Big screens can be LED screens while the display design is suitable.
Digital Signage is implemented in some of these domains for long years, providing infotainment and other content to visitors and customers, but a clear direct investment in screens and displays for external advertising purposes – creating a new market place, or even a full economical echo system of its own – this is pure ADS implementation, and this is a recent trend.
Advertising Display Systems are not serving the venue they are installed in. They are serving the owner of the ADS “real estate” and he serves his customers. For example, a commercial company “buys” time and displays tooth brush commercial in a dental care clinic – this has nothing to do with the clinic, maybe apart from revenue share. Some businesses prefer time share on the ADS, presenting traditional digital signage content during the time frame allocated to them – for instance, the dental clinic presents the opening hours during the upcoming holiday season.
ADS effective implementation can bring very high value for advertisers, as the message can be targeted and focused – for example, kids (or their parents 🙂 at the kids’ dentist clinic.
ADS like the digital signage CMS (Content management system) must be simple, easy to use, robust and rich in content, but in addition must contain Advertising Display Systems specific tools and capabilities such as proof-of-play, measurements and reports, billing and for the advanced system even face recognition and crowd count!
Advertising Display Systems – go beyond digital signage!
Zvi.