Digitising Outdoor Marketing

Signage has always been an important part of marketing businesses – from billboards to window and in-store displays. LED and digital signage has given businesses the opportunity to be highly creative with their messaging and displays.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 20 February, 2018. The ancient Greeks and Romans used signs to depict specific businesses, using symbols made of terracotta, wood, stone or metal. Around 1389, a law was passed in England by King Richard III that any establishment selling ale must place a sign outside the building. It didn’t take long before the utilitarian signs became more intricate, including logos and images, like lions, shields, dragons and other popular symbols of the time. During the 16^th and 17^th centuries, signs became increasingly flamboyant with gold leafing, wrought iron and hand-carved wooden designs being common place.

It’s uncommon today to see a business without a sign. Telling potential customers who you are and what you do is essential in their decision to enter a store or not. Of course, billboards and other outdoor advertising spaces have expanded this concept. Digital options, however, have changed the way signage is approached. Now content can be altered in an instant – from video to live feeds. There are challenges with digital signage, of course, because of weather conditions, sunlight and durability. But, innovative technology always finds a way to overcome potential challenges.

Mike van Lier, Director Consumer Electronics for Samsung South Africa, says, “The Samsung solution to digital signage offers a completely integrated, self-contained ultra-slim display with an embedded power box, housed in an impact-resistant enclosure and thermally protected by a patent-pending filter-less steady cooling system.”

Even in outdoor spaces that are affected by direct sunlight, Samsung’s high 2,500-nit brightness, an auto brightness sensor that optimizes brightness, together with circular polarizing technology and 5,000:1 contrast ratio (3,000:1 for 85″ display) work together to deliver easily seen messages, no matter what the light conditions. Samsung Full Outdoor displays are also IP56 certified to withstand dust, water, rain, snow, sleet, and corrosion while the Magic protects against vandalism.

Van Lier continues, “With Samsung’s technology, there’s simply no limit to what you can do to highlight your business, whether it’s an in-store presentation, a window display or a big outdoor screen showcase.”