A unique opportunity for marketing in public spaces

By Dale Smith
Director of Business Development
Peerless Industries, Inc. 



    

The Transportation Market

Designers of Digital Signage projects for public spaces are constantly on the lookout for the “dwell zones” in public spaces – those “sweet spots” in retail stores and public spaces where people pause just long enough to be impacted by a marketing message. When everything clicks, these messages become an inspiring “call to action”, creating specific desired results such as increased incremental sales, reduced perception of wait time, better branding, increased education, and a host of others. In an interesting twist on traditional marketing efforts in Digital Signage, the Transportation Market Segment provides its own unique dwell zone opportunity. This situation presents opportunities and challenges unique to this specific Digital Signage Marketplace, which we will refer to as Transportation Digital Signage, or TDS.

A Unique Opportunity

Digital Signage and the Transportation Market Segment seem to be a match made in heaven. On a plane, a train, or a bus, the venue moves while the passengers stay put, creating a unique opportunity. Average bus trips in major cities run as long as 15 minutes or more (up to 40 minutes in Mexico City!), train trips can be short 10 minute light rail trips or hours long commutes on traditional rail routes between urban centers, and anyone who has been in an airport since 9-11-2001 knows painfully well how long even the shortest trip by air has become. TDS System designers are presented with a truly “captive” audience waiting in lines and sitting or standing through these long commute and travel times.

Conclusion

In today’s emerging and competitive TDS environment, best value is more important than best price. TDS environments are different by nature and require special solutions and specific hardware and software components, from displays and mounting solutions, to management software and signal delivery systems. No matter the size of your network, only one failure in a public space needs to occur to wipe out any savings from using inferior, unproven supply chain partners. Well thought out TDS systems include all aspects of creation, deployment and maintenance. Keep in mind the importance of high quality, experienced supply team partners and look for partners who have experience and knowledge in these specialty environments. When your system is proven before it rolls-out, your likelihood for success is increased dramatically. Owners and managers of TDS systems have a lot of things to consider when designing and creating their networks and the number-one defining criterion for any TDS system is effectiveness. Remember this adage, “Effectiveness is a function of system design”.  Design a robust, easily installed and maintained network featuring engaging, frequently refreshed content and your network owner and the advertisers will be delighted with you and with their TDS system.