Getting Started in Digital

Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Executive Summary
Digital signage is a new and rapidly growing communications medium that offers a wide
range of exciting ways to engage with customers, enhance brand awareness, increase
sales and margin uplift and much more.
This guide takes you through the basics that are critical to the success of any digital
signage project.

How To Use This Guide

Take advantage of this guide

for a holistic overview
so you can see the critical
decision points in context.

Our goal with this guide is to provide you

with an introduction to the key questions and decision areas that need to be
addressed in order to fully realize your
investment in this new medium.
Here you will find basic information about
establishing objectives, creating content,
choosing hardware and software and
managing your digital signage solution.
No two situations are exactly the same.
And its unlikely that even two organizations with the same needs will follow
exactly the same approach.
Also, digital signage technology is rapidly
evolving. The vendors in the digital signage industry are constantly developing

new solutions that take advantage of the

latest display technologies, multi-core
processors and wireless networks. New
media options and opportunities for 1:1
interaction arise all of the time.
For all of these reasons, this guide doesnt
provide explicit deployment directions or
give recommendations on specific solutions from individual companies.
It provides a practical, holistic overview so
you can see the critical decision points in
context. The information provided here,
along with the examples of digital signage
in action, checklists and links to other
sources, will provide a firm foundation as
you begin to explore how you can take
advantage of this powerful new medium.

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Table of Contents
Executive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
How to Use This Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Introduction: A Powerful New
Communications Medium . . . . . . . . . . 2
Digital Signage in Action. . . . . . . . . . . 3
Getting Started: The Basics. . . . . . . . 6
Dell Digital Signage Solutions. . . . . . 7
Getting Started Checklist. . . . . . . . . . 8
Creating Content for Your
Digital Signage Network. . . . . . . . . . . 9
Content Development Checklist. . . 11
Choosing a Content
Management System. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
CMS Checklist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Selecting a Media Player. . . . . . . . . . 16
Media Player Checklist. . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Choosing a Display Screen. . . . . . . . 19
Display Screen Checklist. . . . . . . . . . 20
Measuring Value. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Managing Your Digital
Signage Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Putting Digital Signage to Work:
The Connected Store. . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Making It Happen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Now is the Time to Get Started. . . . 27

Introduction: A Powerful New

Communications Medium
Walk into any store, hotel, airport, school,
movie theatre, health clubyou name it
and its likely you will encounter a digital
display that is advertising a product,
promoting a brand, providing you with
directions or even inviting you to step
up and interact. Welcome to the world
of digital signagea major new
communications medium for reaching
people wherever they are: shopping,
traveling, going to school and more.
Retailers have led the way in digital
signage. With the right screens in the right
places showing the right content, digital
signs enhance the in-store experience
and deliver on the bottom line, providing
a way to showcase hot new inventory,
promote closeouts and give shoppers
the new ideas that drive sales. (For some
interesting examples of how digital signs
are being used in retail today, see Section
One: Digital Signage in Action.)
But retailers are just one example of the
digital signage revolution:
In transportation centersairports, train
stations, subwaysdigital signs keep
travelers on schedule while also displaying revenue-producing advertising.
In schools and on college campuses,
digital signs are the new channel for
communicating with students, replacing
printed calendars and bulletin boards;
they also play a role in the all-important
emergency alerting system.
In high-volume, quick-service restaurants, digital signs help streamline the
ordering process and offer customers a
way to interact via their smartphones.
In hotels and resorts, digital signage is an
easy and flexible way to provide guests
with information about services and
activities on and off the propertyinformation that drives greater use of these
services and delivers on the bottom line.

As you can tell from these examples, digital signage offers significant advantages
over conventional signage and posters,
which have to be designed and printed
well in advance. With digital signage you
can adapt messaging on the fly. Different
content can appear on different screens
at different times and different places.
You can also have live feeds from TV, the
Web, databases and more.
While this dynamic flexibility is a huge
advantage, if you think of digital signs
as simply a replacement for posters and
billboards, you are making a mistake.
They are not just signs. You can embed a
display into almost anything: a vending
machine, a pump at the gas/petrol
station, an elevator, etc.
Digital signs are for more than just a
one-way flow of information. People can
interact with signs via touch screens,
gestures or mobile devices.
Digital signs are smartwith the addition
of a sensor on the sign you can gather
anonymous audience analytics: track how
many people viewed the sign, their age,
gender, etc. You can use this information
for product placement and store design.
You can even change the content that
appears on the sign based on the demographic of the person.
Digital signage is so pervasive; it is looked
upon as a new medium, often referred to
as the fifth screen (after film, TV, the
PC and the mobile device). In fact, many
organizations that have digital signs have
chosen to accept third-party advertising on them, creating another revenue
stream.

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Future
Digital signage is a relatively new
medium, but it is unquestionably
here to stayIn part, the technology itself will see to that:

1. Digital Signage in Action

Digital signage has come a long way in just
a few years.
The first digital signage solutions began
to appear in the 1990s. The original
installations typically consisted of bulky
CRT displays running content off of a
videocassette or, later, a DVD. The flow
of information to viewers was one way
(no interactivity). The content was often
repurposed from other media (i.e., TV) and
it played over and over. There was little or
no capability to tailor content to specific
audiences or measure the size or demographics of audiences.
Todays digital signage solutions take
advantage of new display technologies,
high-powered, multicore processors, HD
video, broadband networks, perceptual
computing (interactions via voice or
gesture) and more.
Here are just a few examples that provide
a compelling look at how digital signage
solutions are being implemented today. In
each case, the design and implementation
of the digital signage solution addressed
specific marketing challenges, from branding to managing geographical diversity.
How can you apply the thinking behind
these examples in your business?

Burberry: Creating the Online

Experience in Bricks and Mortar
Retailers have been struggling for years
to come up with innovative ways of
duplicating the online experience inside
the store. Burberry has taken the
message to heart.
Burberry is using digital signage to
transform its branch at 121 Regent Street
in London into a bricks and mortar
manifestation of its website.
The store includes huge screens and
hundreds of hidden speakers for a true
surround sound experience. Interactive
mirrors turn into personalized displays:
clothing is tagged with chips that can be
read by the mirrors and displays using
radio-frequency identification technology.
When a customer walks into a changing
room holding a jacket, one of the mirrors
might respond by turning into a screen
showing images of how it can be worn or
details on how it was made.
Adding to the experience is a network of
high-speed lifts concealed behind restored
paneling so that shoppers, accustomed to
knowing in the space of a click whether an
item is available, dont have to wait for a
sales assistant to travel to and from the
stockroom. To learn more, view the video
hosted by Burberry chief creative officer
Christopher Bailey at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CokbQWI_15U

Displays will continue to evolve.

Each year sees new options that
are thinner, lighter, more flexible
and more energy-efficient. All of
this will make it easier than ever
to put a screen anywhere.
Processors will continue to evolve:
Enhancing the ability to combine
HD video, graphics, interactivity
and real-time viewer analytics.
Networking will continue to
evolve: Faster and more costeffective wired and wireless
networking options will create
new options for deploying digital
signage.
But the biggest factor driving the
growth of digital signage will be
the value it provides.
Digital signage works. Thats why
organizations in a wide range of
industriesincluding retail, hospitality, quick service restaurants,
financial services, higher education
and moreare increasingly giving
digital signage solutions a critical
role in marketing and customer
service.
If you are ready to get started, this
guide is here to show you the way.
To go to online and learn more, visit
http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/
embedded/applications/digitalsignage?iid=4656#solutions

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Adidas: Virtual Merchandising

What happens when your retail outlets
lack the resources to fully and effectively
display your products? For adidas, the
global sporting goods company, the
solution was the Virtual Footwear Wall
that gives in-store shoppers access to
expanded online inventory via a digital
display. Using state-of-the-art touchscreens and precision real-time 3D rendered products, shoppers can select products on a virtual shelf, view the product
from any angle and get further product
and technology information. Built-in anonymous video analytics provide metrics on
shopper trends, demographics, and shopping patterns, enabling adidas to provide
personalized experiences and relevant
value-add services to shoppers. Finally,
shoppers can also buy products via tabletbased checkout. See the adidas Virtual
Footwear Wall in action at http://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=UZohuBqoM4c

Rite Aid: Matching Customers

and Product
The marriage of vending machines and
digital signage is well underway at Rite
Aid. The third largest drugstore chain in
the U.S. was looking for more effective
ways of matching products with customers when it developed the idea of the 3D
Rewards Center with its technology partner, Provision Interactive Technologies:
a 3D holographic digital signage display/
kiosk that can dispense coupons, promotions and sweepstakes, serve as an Internet portal, administer customer loyalty
programs, and support cross-selling opportunities. The 3D Rewards Center also
performs anonymous video analytics to
determine the age and gender of customers standing in front of it. As a result, the
system can play content and advertising
suitable for the audience (theres no point
in telling a teenager about a promotion for
reading glasses.)

In addition, the display provides store

managers with customer tracking data,
such as the most popular promotions,
customer demographics, traffic by time of
day, as well as other information.

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Costa Coffee: Personalizing

the Engagement
Using a vending machine is a fairly impersonal experience. The machine is unattended, operates under very strict rules
(e.g. coins only) and doesnt really care
who you are, if you are satisfied and/or if
you ever come back.
Costa Coffee, a purveyor of premium coffees (its the market leader in the United
Kingdom and the worlds second largest
coffee chain) decided to change all of that
by rolling out the Costa Express CEM-200
concession, a vending machine that integrates touchscreens, cashless payment,
telemetry, near-field communications and
digital signage.
Because consumers vary in their coffee
tastes based on age and gender, the
machines use Anonymous Viewer Analytics
to capture demographics and offer a
specific selection of coffees at each location.
Touchscreens and cashless payment
options enable customers to buy more
items, e.g., ordering coffee for a group with
a single transaction. Learn more about the
Costa Coffee solution at http://www.intel.
com/content/www/us/en/retail/intelligent-coffee-station-solution-blueprint.
html

McCormick: Interactive & Sensory

McCormick, the global spice and seasonings company has an iconic brand with a
100+ year history. But McCormick found
that widespread awareness of its brand
didnt necessarily mean people fully
understood how much McCormick has to
offer every aspect of cooking, grilling,
baking and meal planning. The brand has
taken to enhanced consumer engagement in a big way: rolling out a 3,800 sq.
ft. retail store in Baltimore where the
main attractions, in addition to McCormick
spices and seasonings, are a series of digital enticements that include Guess That
Spice (a scent-emitting kiosk that tastes
your sense of smell), FlavorPrint (a taste
bud personality digital game), FlavorExplorer (a digital exploration of the history
of spices), Flavors in the Making (a series
of farm to table digital videos) and DemoFlavor (a cooking demo area.)

None of the interactions are specifically

selling McCormick solutions. Instead,
each interaction is designed as an opportunity to raise awareness of the wide
range of flavor choices people have at
their disposalwhich is exactly the brand
story McCormick wants to tell. What
makes the McCormick example particularly
interesting is that the company continually gathers statistics to see whats
working.
All of the engagements are fun, easy to
use, visually appealing and integrated
into the overall store design. It also helps
that sales associates are actively trained
on how to use them as part of their sales
process.
The underlying technology for the store
includes touch-enabled HP* digital signage
displays running on HP TouchSmart*
All-in-One PCs with Intel Multi-Core
processors. Though the technology is not
exoticthe concept of embedding a scent
cylinder in a kiosk certainly is. In addition,
all of the hardware is remotely monitored
and managed using Intel Active Management technology (Intel AMT) to promote
uninterrupted service.

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

2. Getting Started: The Basics

Digital signage is a long-term investment.
Before you get focused on the hardware
and software, take a step back and look
carefully at these basic concerns. Also,
take advantage of the Getting Started
Checklist to help organize your thoughts.
1. Objectives
Give plenty of thought to what you want
your digital signage solution to accomplish.
Getting clear on your objectives will play
a major role in determining the design of
your digital signage solution. You can have
multiple objectives and they can change
over time. Some typical objectives include:
Lowering costs: If you rely heavily
on slower, costly and less efficient
methods to distribute information in
your organization, digital signage can
save you money.
Information or way finding: Providing
information/directions for specific
locations, events, arrivals/departures
etc. is a classic use of digital signage
particularly in transit centers, hospitality,
schools, large retail complexes and many
other locations.
Increasing sales: Using digital signage to
make people more aware of your products and services is a proven way to
increase sales. New offerings and promotions are obvious ways to use signs.
Linking your digital signage with inventory enables you to automatically update
pricing for products that are reaching
their expiration date.
6

Merchandising: Interactive digital signs

make it possible to make a virtual
product presentationthe consumer
can view the product from all angles, see
videos, get information, place an order,
etc. This can reduce stocking and
inventory requirements making it
possible to market a wide range of
products more cost-effectively.
Enhancing the customer experience: How to videos that give people
new ideas about using your products.
Multitouch-screen signs/kiosks that
enable people to get quick access to information they need. These are just two
examples of how digital signage can enhance the customer experience.

Year one? Who will create and maintain

this content? How will you determine that
its the right content? Your content strategy will be the single biggest contributor
to the success of your digital signage
solution.
3. Scalability
When specifying requirements, its
essential to think about where you might
be in the future. Keep in mind:
Consumer expectations are evolving as
rapidly as the devices they use (think
of the rapid spread of tablets), which
will directly impact your use of content.
Interactivity and the various levels/types
of analytics are also changing rapidly.

Enhance/extend your brand: With HD

video, animated and/or glassless 3D
graphics and new levels of interactivity,
digital signage is a great way to create
high-impact brand messaging.

Trying to keep software and imagery

common for two-three years may require
that you keep all devices anchored to
a minimum specification, forcing you to
underutilize newer systems.

Focusing on objectives first will make it

much easier when you make other key decisions regarding hardware and software.

Your objectives may change. While your

content today may be focused on driving sales, after deployment you may find
that you want to vary your objectives
(e.g., to ambience or education) based on
traffic patterns.

2. Content
There is no question that choosing the
right hardware and software is critically
important, but a content strategy is even
more important. What do you plan to show
on your screens Day one? Month one?

It will be much more cost effective to

change software than to swap out an
entire hardware platform.

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Dell Digital Signage Solutions

Hardware to Deliver Content

Dell simplifies digital signage by providing complete solutions from one trusted,
open-standard provider. Dell specializes in
developing digital signage solutions that
let businesses manage their communications at any level and change content at a
moments notice.

Dell PCs and Servers

Displays
Dell is the worlds leading provider of flat
panel displays partnering with best in
class display manufacturers Samsung and
NEC to provide a choice of display features
and capabilities:
Commercial and consumer displays that
offer a selection of built-in features such
as button lockout, ability to run 24/7, automated turn-on and off, enhanced video
color, and ability to network, locally store,
and stream content including HDTV.
Large-format display sizes from 32 to
108 or video walls made up of hundreds
of TVs.

For managing content and digital signage

applications rely on any Dell PC.
Create a network infrastructure for digital signage taking advantage of any of
the range of Dell PowerEdge server configurations from one central server
managing content on a network across
multiple remote locations, to one server
for each location for non-networked, locally managed content.
Dell Media Players
The Dell OptiPlex makes an ideal media
player, providing flexibility, scalability, and
power for a rich image experience in a
compact chassis that fits anywhere:
OptiPlex 9020 Micro: Performance that
drives productivity with a range of processors including 4th Generation Intel
Core i7 processors with Intel Integrated

Graphics. Supports three monitors with

DisplayPort and VGA connectivity. Up to
16GB of memory.
OptiPlex 3020 Micro PC Desktop:
Essential performance in micro design. Rely on a range of processors that
include 4th Generation Intel Core
i5 processors with Intel Integrated
Graphics. Serviceability is simple with
tool-less entry. Supports two displays
with DisplayPort and VGA connectivity.
Up to 8GB of memory.
PC Board: Used with select displays
expansion slots, a PC board eliminates the
need for an external PC, cabling, mounting
and power supply. It provides for clean,
hidden integration, while reducing the bill
of materials needed for installation and
eliminating the need to hide hardware
equipment.

Touch screens and interactive displays

to drive user immersion, brand recognition, upselling opportunities, and analytic
based metrics.

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Digital Signage Getting Started Checklist

Getting Started Checklist

Here are some of the key questions you
need to start asking as you begin planning your digital signage solution. Its
important to take a big picture look at
your plans. There will be plenty of time
later to get further into the details of
hardware and software selection.

Enhance customer experience

Aisle end caps

Internal communications

Out of doors

Monetize your displays

Other locations: _________________

____________________________

1. Basic size and scope of the digital

signage solution you have in mind?

Animated graphics (e.g., Flash

graphics)

Number of locations:
_______________
Number of screens/displays per location:
___________________________

Slides with text and pictures

HD video

Advertisements
3D content (glassless)
Live feeds, i.e., network TV or the Web

Other factors that will dictate the size

and scope of your solution: ________
____________________________

Information drawn from internal

databases (such as a calendar of
events, menu items, etc.)

2. Timeline for implementing your

solution?

Information from external data

sources (such as weather, traffic, local
news, etc.)

3 months
6 months

Other: ________________________

One year

7. How do you plan to create content?

Other activities that this is contingent

upon (e.g., completing construction/renovation on other locations):
___________________________

Use in-house resources

3. Who are the major decision makers

who will impact this project?
CEO
CFO
IT
CMO
Customer Service

Hire an agency
Acquire ready-made content
Rely on the product manufacturer

Touch-screen interactivity
Touchless (e.g., gesture-based)
screens
Interactivity via mobile devices
Content triggered by a scheduled
event
Content triggered by the age/
gender of the viewer
Other forms of interactivity: ________
____________________________
12. How do you plan to measure the
performance and ROI of your digital
signage solution?
Audience demographics gathered in
real time
Awareness and recall surveys
conducted after the fact

8. How will you manage your content?

Social media analytics

Locally

Usage analytics

Centrally

Other ways of measuring performance:

___________________________

Centrally with limited localization

4. What is your intended audience?

A video wall

Customers

Interactive kiosks

Visitors
Employees

Screens embedded in other devices,

such as gas pumps or vending machines

Other audiences: ________________

____________________________

Other options: __________________

____________________________

5. What are your objectives?

10. Where do you intend to place

display devices/screens?

Educate and inform

No interactivity

Sales performance (e.g., sales data

linked to the time when specific content is showing)

9. What screens are right for you?

Enhance brand awareness

11. What level of interactivity are you

looking for?

Other content resources: __________

____________________________

Other decision makers (e.g., line of

business owners): _______________
____________________________

Drive sales

6. Content you intend to show?

Floor-standing, poster-like stands

Monitors hanging from the ceiling

13. How do you plan to manage your

digital signage network?
Asset management
Software updates
Security
Remote repair and diagnostics
Other ways of managing your
solution:_______________________
14. How many nodes will exist in a full
digital signage network deployment?
<100

Near entrances/exits

< 500

Check-out/point of sale areas

<1000

Waiting areas

>1000

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

3. Creating Content for Your Digital

Signage Network
Operating a digital signage network
whether it is one screen or thousandsis
like operating a movie theatre or a TV
station or creating Web content that will
appear on computers and mobile devices.
In essence, digital signage is a way to
deliver creative contentwhat people see
when they look at your screens.
In fact, because digital signage is like all
of these things (film, TV, PC/Web, mobile),
it is sometimes referred to as the fifth
screen.
Thats why a well thought out, long-term
content strategy is absolutely critical to
getting value from your digital signage
investment.

How Much Content Do I Need?

Some other key points to keep in mind:

The amount of content you need is a function of your operating environment, the
objectives you want to accomplish and (of
course) your budget.

Less is more. People expect to get your

message quickly. If it takes too long to
get to the point, you risk losing your
audience.

To really establish a content strategy,

its helpful to think in terms of the dwell
timehow long will the typical viewer
spend with any content you create. Dwell
time differs based on the environment:

Look for ways to ensure that the viewers

have a chance to see/hear your primary
message at least two or three times.

For example, if you are creating content

for signs that will be placed in the waiting area of medical centerwhere the
average person spends 15 minutes
you could create a loop of material that
lasts 10 minutes. The loop can consist of
dozens of smaller segmentsshort advertisements, interviews, etc.

Pictures: In most cases, any picture in

digital format.

If you are creating content for a sign

that is located in the corridor of a busy
mallwhere the average person is within
eyesight of the sign for 15 seconds as
they move down the corridoryou might
decide to have a series of still images
with each one displaying for 7.5 seconds.
In this way, the average person sees at
least two.

Graphics: Logos, icons, illustrations, etc.

Frequency of Visits

Animated graphics: Treatments of your

logo or other graphics that have movement, zooms, fade ins/outs, etc.

Another factor to consider is the frequency of customer visits. A gas/petrol

station might determine that the average
dwell time for a customer is three minutes
to fill a tank of gas, and that the typical
customer visits once per week. For this
situation, it might be appropriate to have
a three-minute loop and to change the
entire loop every five days.

What Is Content?
Content can take the form of:
Slides: Its easy to create these using
a basic (but powerful) program such as
Microsoft PowerPoint.

3D graphics: There are now 3D graphics

that do not require special glasses.
Video: Because digital signage is so close
to traditional television; video is probably
the content people expect most.
Live feeds: You can stream live information from broadcast networks, websites,
RSS feeds, blogs, twitter, etc.
Database content: Information stored
in databases (such as event schedules,
menu items, prices, promotions, other
listings) can be programmed to appear on
your digital signs.

These examples of dwell time and frequency are for illustrative purposes only.
They are not intended to provide guidelines. Hopefully, you get the idea that
when creating and scheduling content you
want to make some practical determinations about the viewing time. There is no
value in producing a 30-minute program if
your typical viewer only has five minutes
of viewing time.

If you are creating an extended loop of

material, try to vary the length of different segments and mix them togethera
30-second message followed by one that
is two minutes, another that is one minute, etc.
What Content Should I Develop?
Your content should help support your
business objectives. Here are some examples of how to link content to objective:
Drive sales: Consider highly focused
product pitches (under one minute in
length) that will quickly grab the attention of a potential buyer.
Inform/educate: Take the opportunity
to create some longer-form (two-minute
plus) presentations that provide useful,
relevant information.
Entertain: Create eye-catching, fastmoving, humorous and engaging
contentranging from a few seconds to
a few minutes.
Ambience: Look for unobtrusive content
that viewers can appreciate or engage
with.
One key rule of thumb is to have a mix of
content. If you are constantly bombarding
consumers with advertisements, they may
begin to tune you out.

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Audience

Video and Graphics

To develop the right content, think about

your audience in terms of:

Video and highly animated graphics are

becoming much more common on digital
signage networks. Many of the latest
media players offer stronger, built-in video
processing capabilities than previously,
making it possible to render fast-moving,
HD video content in conjunction with
other processes smoothly and without
interruption. All of this is raising the
stakes for what appears on digital signage
networks.

Age: The pacing and style of any content

may be different for a senior audience
than for one younger.
Gender: Is your content suited for both
men and women? Or are you targeting
one or the other?
State of mind: Is your audience focused
on achieving a goal (e.g., a commuter racing for a train) or relaxed (e.g., standing in
line for popcorn at a movie theater)?
Scheduling
Its likely your audience is different based
on the location, time of day, day of week
or even season of year.
For example, a restaurant might discover
that diners during the day tend to be
older than in the evening.
A bank might find that its audience is
much different on Fridays, when many
people are there to cash paychecks, than
on other days.
A retailer might have different stores
appealing to different demographics
(youths, seniors, men, women) and want
to vary the signage content in each one.
Many content management systems
available today allow you to target your
audience and deliver content tailored to
a specific demographic. This guide will
address this further in the section on
content management systems.

10

Also, in recent years, the 3D-graphics-rendering capabilities of processors has been

significantly enhanced and displays that
show 3D without requiring special glasses
are becoming more common. As a result,
you are going to see more and more 3D on
digital signage.
Developing Content
There are many ways to get the content
you need:
In-house: Depending on what kind of
content you have in mind, you may be able
to create it using in-house resources: taking photos with digital cameras, adapting
them with Adobe Photoshop, creating

advertisements with tools like Adobe Illustrator or Microsoft PowerPoint, shooting video with a digital video camera and
editing it on a computerits all possible
today. Also, many of the content management systems for digital signage provide
built-in templates and other content
creation tools. But keep in mind, all of this
takes certain skill levels and time.
Outside support: If you already rely on
the services of an advertising agency, a
marketing communications company, a
public relations firm or similar provider,
turn to them for help (once you have given
thought to your key objectives).
Remember, from their experience watching TV, going to movies and on the Web
people are accustomed to seeing wellproduced, highly polished content. You
dont want to send the wrong message by
presenting content that is amateurish.

Content Development Checklist

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Content Development Checklist

1. What content do you anticipate using?
Slides
Pictures
Graphics
Animated graphics
3D graphics
Video
Live feeds
Database content
2. What will be the dwell time of the
typical viewer?
15 seconds
30 seconds
60 seconds
1-5 minutes
5-15 minutes

4. What is the makeup of your primary

audience?
Gender: ____________________
Age: _______________________
5. Who will be responsible for developing
content?
In-house resources:
_____________________________
_____________________________
External resources:
_____________________________
_____________________________
6. Who will be responsible for approving
content?
_____________________________
_____________________________

15 minutes+
3. What is the objective of the content
you will be using?
Drive sales
Inform/educate
Entertain
Ambience/atmosphere

7. What content do you have available now? (List all thats currently available and the format that it is in.)
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

11

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

4. Choosing a Content Management

System
Once you come up with a basic content
strategy for what will appear on your
digital signage screens, you also need to
decide when and where this content will
appear.
Will the same content appear on all
screens at all times?
Will you keep repeating the same content
over and over all day?
How do you manage content if your digital signage is interactive?
How can you prove to an advertiser that
a particular piece of content appeared at
a specific time and place?
Managing and scheduling content is a major
challenge in a digital signage network. But
dont worry; there is software that will
handle many if not all of these tasks for

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

you. It is referred to generally as a Content

Management System (CMS) such as Intel
Retail Client Manager, (Intel RCM).
Basic Functions
While every CMS is different, the basic
functions will almost always include:
Adding content for playback
Organizing content into libraries
Sending the content to the displays
Content Development
A CMS solution will help support the development of content. It typically comes with
a library of page templates that users can
use to adapt and update content. You can
also use your own content development
tools, such as Adobe PhotoShop, upload
the content and then use the tools in
the CMS to manipulate it to make it more
dynamic.

Scheduling Content
One of the primary capabilities of any CMS
is content scheduling: determining what
content to play, where, at what time and
on what date. Often, this is referred to as
a playlist.
It is likely that this is where you will see
a great deal of variation in capability
from one CMS to another. This is to be
expected. A CMS designed to schedule
content for an organization with a global
network of thousands of screens is going
to be very different from a CMS designed
for a company with a much smaller digital
signage network.
Some of the content scheduling capabilities to look for include:
Use of content tagging to match locations and content based on specific
attributes and demographics
Targeting content to specific zones on
specific screens (i.e., zones for video,
images, TV feeds, ticker feeds, etc.)
Offline playing in the event that the
connection fails
Automatic content download recovery
Interactivity
If your digital signage solution supports
interactivityusers selecting options to
create some kind of self-directed experienceyou will want to look carefully
at the options available in the CMS for
varying content based on user input. For
example, is the CMS designed to handle
touch input or data from sensors/cameras that can detect the gender/age of a
viewer and adapt the content accordingly?

12

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Real-Time Integration with Data Feeds

Constantly creating original, up-to-date
content can be time-consuming. A CMS can
help by integrating with databases, pulling
content from internal sources or public
databases. Some CMS suppliers have
agreements with content providers that
allow you to incorporate free content (e.g.,
news, weather feeds) at no additional
cost. You also will want to take a careful
look at the ability to integrate with your
own internal databases. For example, does
the CMS make it possible for content to be
driven by inventory and/or sales-out data?
As products near their use by date, the
sign offers discounts to drive sales before they expire, continuously adjusting
the discount needed to achieve complete
sellout.
Once a promotion sells out, the content
switches to a backup promotion.
Other Key Criteria for Choosing a CMS
Here are other key factors to look at
when evaluating a CMS:
Administrative/user permissions: How
much control do you have over who is
allowed to post content to your system
and make decisions about when and
where it will appear? (Important: you dont

want inappropriate material broadcast on

your network. It has happened in several
widely publicized cases.)

ing control over the players and screens,

including powering players and screens on
and off to match opening/closing hours?

Advertising: If you are interested in running third-party ads on your network (and
collecting the revenues for it), you may
want to consider a CMS supplier that can
link you into a larger network of advertisers. Rather than you having to go out and
find the ads, youll simply list the inventory (when and where you are willing to
run the ads), and the CMS supplier will
make the connections to help you sell that
inventory.

Proof-of-play reporting: This is important if you are running third-party advertising and need to be able to verify that
the material appeared as promised.

Audience measurement: What capabilities are provided gathering anonymous

analytics about who is viewing content?
What options are there for integration
with other audience measurement solutions such as the Intel AIM Suite? Intel
AIM Suite is integrated into Intel RCM to
create a seamless content management
and analytics solution.
Ease of use: How simple is it to make
regular updates to content? Will this be
something you can easily manage with
internal personnel?
Network utilization/management
controls: How robust are the tools for
monitoring the network and maintain-

Remote access: Are you able to make updates, layout changes or remove expired
content via the Web from any location?
Hosted or Cloud?
Should you host your own CMS system or
go to the cloud? Hosting your own CMS
obviously gives you more control. The
challenge is that unless digital signage
is a core business competency in your
organization, you may not be in a position
to allocate resources to it.
A hosted CMS using Software as a Service
(SaaS) eliminates the need for IT departments to learn and maintain yet another
individual system. The SaaS company has
specialists who focus on CMS 24/7 rather
than as a small part of their total workloads, which means they have the knowledge and incentive to keep your system
up to date and operating smoothly.

13

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why Intel Retail Client Manager

(RCM) CMS?

Intel Retail Client Manager enables

businesses to:

For these and other applications to be

successful, the right information must
appear in the right place at the right time.
In a nutshell, thats the purpose of the
Intel Retail Client Managerits software
designed for managing content across
consumer touchpoints.

Compose campaigns and deliver customized content in minutes

Intel RCM can handle many types of content formats, inclusive of: video, photos,
slides, text, animated graphics and much
more. It relies on a familiar interface (designed for the non-technical user), providing a whole range of features for choosing
content and scheduling when and where
it will appear. And it integrates seamlessly
with other Intel based solutions such as
Intel AMT (for remote management and
maintenance) and Intel AIM Suite (for
gathering audience metrics).
For todays reseller, Intel RCM offers
significant opportunities to enhance the
performance of digital touchpointshelping you maximize the value you provide to
your customers and also build long term
relationships that can include providing
ongoing content creation and management
services.
Intel RCM is a platform designed to evolve
as the world of intelligent touchpoints
grows and evolves. As they become more
pervasive, the requirements for managing,
securing and delivering content to them
will increase. By providing robust content
management capabilities and integrating
with solutions for remote management,
security and analytics, Intel RCM is an
ongoing solution you can rely on to build
solutions for the changing world of marketing and customer experience.

14

Deliver captivating customer experiences

across any kind of display-based touchpoints (digital signs, kiosks, POS system)
Increase uptime and lower costs
with an integration with Intel Active
Management Technology (Intel AMT)
Improve advertising effectiveness with
Intel Audience Impression Metrics Suite
(Intel AIM Suite)
Manage video, photos, animated graphics and much more to create eye-catching
displays
Schedule when this content will appear,
in what order, on what screen and for
what audience
Publish a message at hundreds of
locations, at a handful of locations (in a
specific department, aisle or screenor
even a part of a screen)
Enable touchpoints to adapt in real time
to changing circumstances, such as user
input, variations in foot traffic, demographic patterns (for example, women
shoppers in the morning, male shoppers
in the evening) or the weather
Manage security and permissions to ensure that only authorized content is
shown
Make it possible for all of this to be done
by non-technical, non-IT personnel.

CMS Checklist

CMS Checklist
Here is a checklist of capabilities for
selecting a CMS:
1. General
Operating system: Windows, Windows
and/or Linux, Apple
Support for wired, wireless and
3G/4G mobile networks
Touch-screen support and other interactive options
Multiplayer video and audio
synchronization
Supports standard media formats
JPG, Flash, Flash Video, WMV, MPEG,
MOV, URL, RSS, Microsoft PowerPoint,
TV, Channel, video streaming, mobile
messages and more
Integration with anonymous viewer
analytics software
2. Content Development
Reusable presentation content templates for easy content publishing
Centralized content management and
distribution
Web-based UI for content publishing, remote display management, player
monitoring, control and upgrade
Content performance tracking and
reporting
Content programming access control
down to individual channel and screen
zone level
Content publishing workflow (preview, draft, pending, approved, live,
expired)

3. Scheduling/Targeting
Targeting locations through the network hierarchy
Content tagging for targeting locations with specific attributes and
demographics
Exclusion or inclusion used to handle
exception in content publishing
Flexible screen layout with multiple
zones for video, image, TV, tickers, etc.
4. Real-Time Data Integration
Real-time or scheduled content
playback
On-demand interactive layer seamlessly integrated with digital signage
content
Integration with Web 2.0 applications
including Google Calendar, Flickr, Twitter,
and more
RSS or XML feeds with local player
cache
Emergency alert screen override
layer with instant emergency message
delivery
Seamless content updating while
playing
Continuous offline playing when
Internet connection is down and automatic content download recovery
5. Management
Dedicated hardware/software
Web-based management

6. Notes on Content Management Systems Under Consideration:

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

15

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

5. Selecting a Media Player

Embedded PCs

The media player is the workhorse in any

digital signage solution. It provides the
processing power that gets content to
your screens and keeps it playing.

In the early days of digital signage, it was

typical for the media player to be based
general purpose PC platforms. Now,
increasingly, you are seeing embedded
platforms. These are special purpose PCs
designed for digital signage applications
and typically feature a small form factor,
low power consumption and a fanless
design. These can be fully enclosed in a
chassis/case or mounted directly on the
back of a screen. They are ideal for environments where dust or pollution may be
a problem. Increasingly, these embedded
solutions rival the power of high-end
PCs, featuring multiple cores, dedicated
graphics processors and support for
multiple streams of HD video. Also, unlike
traditional PCs (which may have a product
lifespan of 9-12 months), embedded solutions typically have lifespans measured in
years, which simplifies ongoing support.

There are a wide range of media players on the market. But dont even bother
starting to make this selection until after
you have analyzed your objectives and
your content strategy. Then you are in a
position to determine the media player
that best meets your needs.
Some of the key differences between the
various media players include:
Processing power: The flawless presentation of HD video and animated graphics
depend on the compute and graphics
capabilities in your media player.
Operating system: Windows, Linux or
Applethere are options for everyone.
Storage: Media players come with both
Hard Drives (HDs) and Solid State Drives
(SSD). HDs are the most competitively
priced, but SSDs have become more
affordable, use less power, can deliver
higher performance and (with no moving
parts) have higher reliability.
Network connections: The ability to
connect effortlessly to a wide range of
networks, screens and other devices
depends on how well a media player
supports the growing range of interfaces
available today.
Form factor: Media players can range
from traditional PC-like boxes to small,
fanless, embedded devices.
Commercial or consumer grade: What
may come as a surprise is that you cant
really choose any of the hardware offered
at the typical consumer electronics store.
You need a commercial grade device, one
thats designed for long operating hours
(nights and weekends included) and demanding operating conditions, such as the
greasy, smoky environment of a fast-food
restaurant.

16

Processor Performance
As digital signage applications become
more interactive, connected and multimedia-rich, they require more processing power. You need a media player that
can easily handle HD and even 3D video,
touch-screen interaction and real-time audience analytics without skipping a beat.
When Intel is advising clients on digital
signage implementations, it breaks down
processor requirements as follows:
Basic implementation: A basic implementation might involve a single player
and a single screen. Content consists of
a loop of still images and video played in
sequence. There is no blending with realtime video and Web feeds, and there is
no gathering of audience analytics. For
this kind of implementation, Intel recommends a solution based on an Intel Core
i3 or entry-level Intel Atom Processor.
Mainstream implementation: A mainstream implementation might involve
a single player and multiple screens.
Content consists largely of HD video
blended with real-time video and Web

feeds. Viewers can interact with the signage via touchscreen input and mobile
devices. Sensors attached to the screen
gather anonymous analytics for audience
measurement. For this kind of implementation, Intel recommends a solution
based on an Intel Core i5 processor.
High-demand implementation: A highdemand implementation might involve a
video wall with extensive HD video and
real-time video and Web feeds along with
numerous opportunities for audience
interaction and real-time gathering of
audience analytics. For this kind of implementation, Intel recommends a solution
based on an Intel Core i7 processor.
Optimized Software
As digital signage becomes more pervasive, you are seeing more operating
software specifically designed for signage
applications. For example, Intel and
Microsoft have worked together to
optimize Windows Embedded Standard
7 operating system on the Intel Core
microarchitecture, making it easier and
more cost-effective for digital signage
device-makers to create new, interactive
capabilities. For example, developers can
take advantage of image configuration
that is optimized for signage applications,
supporting the kinds of immersive,
interactive experiences that are very
appealing to retailers.
Standardization
A major goal of the digital signage
industry is to develop standard hardware
formats that make it easy to connect componentssimilar to the standards that are
common in audio and video. For example,
Intel has introduced an open pluggable
specification (OPS) to define the size of
the connector and electrical interfaces for
the connector in DS components. Many
manufacturers have already adopted this
standard, making it possible (for example)
to create media players that plug into the
back of display monitors. This lowers costs
for both developers and users. It makes it

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

easier for operators of digital signage networks to swap media players if a failure
occurs in the field, and also allows easier
upgrades, future-proofing investments.
To learn, see the video at http://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=d-wzvMlSp2U
Remote Management
Because digital signage networks can
involve having hardware in a wide range
of locations, being able to ensure that
the screens can be turned on and off (for
energy efficiency), remotely repaired
and checked for proof-of-play (important
when they are carrying ads) are all critical
requirements.
Remote management with out-of-band
capability makes it possible to remotely
discover and repair many network problems without costly on-site service visits.

A system designed with this capability can

be remotely managed as long as it is connected to a network and has power. Even
if the operating system is nonresponsive,
the out-of-band capability will allow the
network operator to restart the system.
Operators of digital signage networks
can set up new installations, download
software updates, perform asset
inventories, and turn the signs on and
offall remotely. Remote management
lowers the total cost of ownership by
eliminating many types of expensive
on-site service calls. Learn more about
the Intel remote management solution at
http://www.intel.com/content/www/
us/en/architecture-and-technology/
intel-active-management-technology.
html

17

Media Player Checklist

Media Player Checklist

1. Processor:
_________________________
2. Memory:
_________________________
3. Dimensions:
_________________________
4. Power:
_________________________
5. Storage:

9. Security:
WPA2 (min)

H264

WPA2 Enterprise

VC1

10. Content Management Server to

Player Security:
SSL (min)
VPN
11. Screen Connectivity:

Hard drive

HDMI

Solid state drive

Display Port

6. Operating System:
Windows
Linux
Apple

12. Number of screens to

be driven by the player:
___________________________
13. Screen Control (preferred):
___________________________
14. Screen resolution:

7. Ports:
HDMI

1080

USB

4K

LAN/Ethernet

Other, please specify:

___________________________

8. Network Connectivity:
Wired Ethernet
Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n (note for Wi-Fi
.11n and 5Ghz are preferred)
Wi-Fi 5Ghz support
3G/HSPDA
4G/LTE

16. Video Codec Support:

MPEG
Other, please specify:
____________________________
17. Audio Support (outside of HDMI and
or Display port):
Analog stereo L+R
Digital Audio
Coaxial
Optical
18. Media player operating noise level:
____________________________
19. If noise levels are
important, please specify the
maximum db level allowed:
____________________________

15. Ambient Operating Temperature

Range:
5C to +35C
0C to +50C
Other, please specify:
___________________________

20. Notes on Media Players Under Consideration:

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

18

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

6. Choosing a Display Screen

Your display screens are the public face
of your digital signage solution. To most
viewers, your display screens are your
digital signage network.
While the hardware and software are
hard at work in the background keeping
track of different content, playlists and
schedules, it all appears seamlessly on
your display screens.
There are literally hundreds of display
screens available for digital signage. They
vary in shape and size as well as the
underlying technology. There are screens
designed to be embedded in a gas pump,
in a vending machine or free-standing
poster-size displays for corridors and
other public areas. There are screens
designed to be part of entire video walls
made up of dozens or even hundreds of
monitors.
Commercial or. Consumer Grade
Just as in the selection of other hardware
(i.e., your media player) you want to stay
away from screens designed for the
consumer market. A screen designed for
home or routine office use will quickly
burn out if it is operating for 18+ hours
per day and/or in conditions that are not
optimal (i.e., poor air quality, outdoors,
grease, etc.)
Ultimately, your choice should be dictated
by how the screens are going to be used:
Content: Will you be running still images,
HD video, lots of text or 3D graphics?
Having some sense of this in advance
will help determine issues such as screen
size, resolution, sound and connectivity
requirements.
Interactivity (i.e., single touch, multitouch): Touch screens are becoming more
and more common. Do you anticipate
needing basic touch-screen functionality or multitouch: the ability to use more
than one finger to pinch and stretch
as on a tablet?
Placement: Will the screens be freestanding on the floor, mounted on a

ceiling or wall, or embedded in another

device (i.e., a kiosk)?
Environment: Are there issues with
temperature, air quality, vibration (i.e., in
a vehicle), lighting, daylight viewing out
of doors, or proximity to the public?
Size
As noted earlier, display screens come in
a wide range of sizes. The overall design
of your environment will play a big role
in determining screen size. Another key
consideration is the proximity of the
viewer to the screen, particularly if you
expect the viewer to be reading text. If
the typical distance is less than 25 feet, a
32-inch screen is typically adequate. For
distances over that, consider a 60-inch
screen or larger.
LCD or Plasma
Another decision point is display technology. Right now you have essentially two
options:
Liquid crystal displays (LCD): In LCD
technology, the screens use liquid crystals encased in glass and are backlit by
fluorescent lights or LEDs (light emitting
diodes). LED backlighting has become
much more common in the last few
years. LCDs come in a wide range of sizes
and are by far the most popular choice
for digital signage solutions.
Plasma: In plasma screens, the phosphors that create the image light up
themselves and dont require any backlighting. Plasma screens typically require

more power than LCDs and are often

heavier. However, many people prefer
the image quality. Plasmas can be built
larger than LCDs, but the size gap is
narrowing.
Other Display Screen Considerations
Other considerations to keep in mind
when selecting a display screen include:
Audio: Will your installation require audio
or will it run silently in the background?
Many (if not most) digital signage solutions have no audio.
Brightness: How much light is there in
the area where the screen is located. The
more light there is (i.e., outdoors, in direct
sunshine), the brighter the display needs
to be.
Bezels: The enclosure that surrounds a
screen is known as a bezel and may be an
inch wide or more. But screens can also
be built with very narrow bezels, which
makes them better suited when a group
of screens are put together to create a
video wall.
Connections: Display screens came out of
the A/V world and have always supported
A/V connections, such as VGA and RCA. In
digital signage applications, they also need
data network connections, including USB
and RS232 inputs.
Landscape or portrait: Display screens
for digital signage typically have the
versatility to be used in either portrait or
landscape mode.
Heat dissipation: Overheating is the
major cause of screen failure in digital
signage applications. Screens need to be
designed with ventilation/fans to maintain
the consistent temperatures that reduce
the likelihood of burnout.
3D (glassless): Processors and software
capable of glassless 3D are coming onto
the market.
Transparency: An enclosed showcase
fronted by a clear glass surface can
display multimedia content in front of
products placed inside the unit.
19

Display Screen Checklist

Display Screen Checklist

1. Number of locations where screens are

needed: _______

7. Operating Environment:
Normal

2. Number of screens per location: _____

Industrial

3. Total number of screens: ______

Outdoors

4. Size of screens: _____

5. Interactivity:
Single touch
Multitouch
6. Placement:
Free-standing

8. Audio:
Yes
No
9. Bezels:
Thin
Thick

Ceiling mount
Wall mount
Embedded
Video wall

10. Notes on Displays Under Consideration:

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

20

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

7. Measuring Value
The biggest factor driving the growth of
digital signage is the value it provides.
Digital signage workshelping increase
sales, support brands, delivers needed
information, etc. Thats why organizations
in a wide range of industriesincluding
retail, hospitality, quick service restaurants, financial services, higher education
and moreare increasingly giving digital
signage a critical role in marketing and
customer service.
Four Areas of Value
While the value that digital signage
delivers will differ from organization to
organization, it typically can be broken
down into these four areas:
1. Higher revenues
More sales overall
More sales of higher margin products
More sales per customer visit
Ability to run more promotions than
previously
More effective inventory management
via dynamic promotions/price flexibility

2. Lower costs
Reduced costs of printing, distribution,
installation, removal, etc., of printed
materials

4. Increased customer engagement

Learn more about customer interactions
via audience measurement
Promote online and mobile programs

Increased speed of messaging and

compliance or real-time campaign
management

Promote loyalty programs, gift cards,

gift registry and website

Improved customer service delivered

more cost-effectively

Provide reasons for a future visit

Reduced shoplifting and stock shrinkage

through deterrent messages
Increased virtual display of products
when there is not enough room or budget
to have them physically in the store
3. Enhanced customer experience
Increasing the opportunities for intelligent digital engagement and interaction
Reducing the perceived waiting time at
check out and in waiting areas
Aligning with community and
demographic interests with relevant
information
Inexpensively refreshing the environmentparticularly for frequent visitors

Promote special events

Measuring Value
There are many ways to measure exactly
how much value is being derived.
Companies can conduct before and after
surveys of revenues and costs, track
patterns in loyalty program sign-ups
and registrations, and conduct surveys
of customers to evaluate the impact on
attitudes about customer service, brand
recall, overall satisfaction, etc.
A bank uses digital signage to deliver
promotional spots for its mobile banking
apps, college savings plans, home lending
options and other services. After running
loops with a playlist dedicated to a
specific set of services, it switches to a
new playlist. Daily trends are tracked to
determine the effectiveness of the spots
and the impact on the acquisition of
these services.

21

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

An appliance retailer uses digital signage

to convey branding messages, emphasizing new products and features. In-store
surveys of customers on brand recall are
correlated with specific playlists, while
sales figures show the impact on the
bottom line.

The integration of smart phones and the

social Web with digital signs offer another
set of opportunities for measurement,
including capturing the opt-in data from
interested buyers that is the holy grail of
all marketing efforts:
A quick-service restaurant uses its digital signage to promote menu items, some
with a promotional coupon (i.e., Use
discount code XYZ to get a dollar off
this meal!) that can be downloaded on
a smartphone. The restaurant can then
use point of sale (POS) data to evaluate
the impact of promoting specific meals
and also learn from the coupon data
captured.

Anonymous Viewer Analytics:

Measuring in Real Time
Measuring marketing ROI is nothing new.
Smart marketers have always followed
the mantra of Test, Measure, Optimize:
experimenting with new creative, running
22

A/B tests, etc.; measuring the results and

then using that data to adjust both the
content and the implementation. But this
process used to take weeks, months, even
years. The Internet changed thatonline marketing efforts can be tested and
adjusted in just days, even hours. Digital
signage delivers that same flexibility
through the use of Anonymous Viewer
Analytics (AVA).

AVA makes it possible to provide actual

audience measurement data: how many
watched, for how long, gender, age, time
of day, etc. The data is gathered via small
optical devices connected to a digital sign.
Software, such as Intel Audience Impression Metric Suite (also known as Intel AIM
Suite), utilizes face-detection algorithms
to aggregate the data, categorizing each
capture and keeping score on how many
people looked at the content, how long
they watched, and their demographics
(e.g., gender and age range). The data
is completely anonymous. No image is
captured and no identifying data on any

individual is stored. Links with the Content

Management Software allow for analytics
on a specific content spot.
Directly relating this data to sales
numbers can help companies refine and
improve their content strategy as well as
the setup of the digital signage itself. For
example, the data can be visually mapped
to show hot spots, giving instant visual
confirmation of where people are most
likely to linger within the store.
If the signs are being used to display thirdparty advertising, the data can help advertisers choose which networks will help
them reach their demographic and also set
advertising rates for specific time periods.
This data creates the common currency
that enables advertisers to evaluate
their purchases in digital signage against
other mediums. To learn more about Intel
AIM Suite go to http://www.intel.com/
content/www/us/en/retail/retail-aimsuite.html?wapkw=intel+aim+suite

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

8. Managing Your Digital Signage

Network

manager to manage screen after screen

of technical data.

The fact that digital signage can be

deployed anywhere is a tremendous benefitbut also a huge challenge.

End-to-end: Failures can occur anywhere.

The right management solution needs
to deliver end-to-end performance
monitoring, tracking media from its point
of origination to its point of destination.

What do you do if a media player malfunctions? Or a screen goes blank? Sending

someone to go on-site each and every
time a problem arises is impractical and
expensive.
This problem isnt just a matter of geographic distance:
A university campus, shopping mall or
sports arena with hundreds of screens
will want the ability to power monitors
on and off to manage display life and
minimize energy consumption. Doing this
one by one is impractical.
When an emergency arises
particularly during off-hourshaving
the ability to remotely activate displays
to show warnings about emergency
weather conditions or other contin
gencies can be a matter of life and death.
Finally, you may need to verify that a
specific piece of content actually played
on a specific screen, at a specific place at
a specific point in time.
The answer to all of these challenges is to
manage the network remotely. Compared
to sending someone on-site, remote management saves cost and time.
Evaluating Remote Management
Options
Because remote management is so critical
to digital signage, a wide array of options
are available. Some key things to look for
include:
Centralization: You need to be able to
both monitor and control every device
on your network, collecting and crosschecking the information that will deliver
both an understanding of overall network
performance and specific issues related to
individual equipment failure.
Ease of use: Look for an interface that
delivers full control without forcing the

Proof of performance: Simply knowing

that a screen or media player was operational doesnt tell you if the scheduled
content actually appeared. Your management system needs to be able to deliver
proof of performance.
Flexibility: A major reason to have a
digital signage solution is to keep adapting
it to the specific needs of your business.
Your management solution should be
transparent to business processes and
capable of adapting when new devices/
services are added.
How Does Processor Choice Impact
Network Management?
In addition to evaluating different software options, also consider the remote
management capabilities within the
processor of your media player.
Traditional remote management consoles
communicate with devices using standard networking capability (an in-band
link). When equipment fails, the in-band
approach significantly limits the types
of problems or failures that can be fixed
remotely. By contrast, a solution that
uses Intel vPro Technology with Intel
Active Management Technology (Intel
AMT) enables management consoles to
fix a wider range of systems issues, even
when the operating system is down. For
example, its possible to repair corrupted
drivers, application software or the operating system for a non-responsive signage
system that wont run or boot. The Intel
technology uses an out-of-band link that
operates independently of the in-band
channel of the computing system and
provides persistent connectivity.
Intel AMT also includes a feature called
KVM redirection over Internet Protocol
(IP). This permits the keyboard-video-

mouse (KVM) on an IT console to control

and display the graphical user interface
(GUI) of signage systems in the field. No
additional hardware is required.
The Intel solution also enables proofof-play by capturing screen shots and
time stamps at regular intervals, thereby
providing evidence of what the system
played throughout the day.
Security
Because of its highly public-facing nature,
security is a critical issue in any digital
signage installation. Security breaches
can occur as a result of physical access to
a display or media player, or unauthorized
access via network communication. The
operator of a digital signage installation
with inadequate security risks loss of
reputation, lost revenue as well as potential for litigation.
Typical security issues include:
Displaying inappropriate and/or
unauthorized content
Tampering with proof-of-play and
proof-of-impression data (e.g., to collect
revenue for advertisements that were
paid for, but not shown)
Displaying false alert messages in a public place, leading to a potential loss of life
and property
Inserting fraudulent software patches
or URLs
Countermeasures
Typical security tactics include:
Remote monitoring
Use of secure communication protocols
(SSL and or IPSec/VPM)
White listingonly validated applications can run on the machine
Policy-based, secured patchingto
prevent fake updates to be applied by
unauthorized persons
Content protectionto prevent the
placement of content that is not fully
reviewed and approved in advance
23

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

9. Putting Digital Signage to Work:

The Connected Store

Because you are a VIP shopper, you see

a list of promotions and alerts based on
your past buying history. You review the
list, click on footwear and see a list of
stores offering running shoes, special promotions as well your past buying history.

A major reason why retailers have been

leaders in adopting digital signage is because consumers want more of the online
experience when they are shopping in a
store. Having great products and beautiful
merchandise displays is essentialbut not
enough. You need to give consumers
information about what they are seeing
and make it easy for them to share it.
Leveraging information and making it
relevant, personal and easy to use
underlie the new shopping experience in
the era of the connected consumer.
Digital signage plays an active role in
meeting this challenge. Lets take a look
at what a typical day at the mall may look
like with a full implementation of digital
signage:
Hello

The Convenience of Recognition

You walk into your favorite mall and are

greeted by a digital sign at the entrance
promoting a number of special offers at
a menswear store. One of them catches
your interesta possible gift for your
husband. You could go right there, right
now, but thats not what todays shopping
experience is about. Its your lunch hour
and you are pressed for time. Plus, you
can download the information about this

You step up to a kiosk, scan your phone

and opt to upload your QR (Quick Response) Codea scannable, 2D barcode
that sits on your phone and is encrypted
with your purchase history, brand/product
preferences and important personal data
(e.g., sizes).

24

special to your mobile and lock in the price

for 72 hours. Thats what you do.
Your goal today is a new pair of running
shoes. You recently read an article about
new lightweight shoe designs, and you
want to see whats available. You are
running a five-mile race for a local charity
in a few weeks and need time to break
them in.

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting a Virtual Fit

A tiny little store you never heard of
catches your interest. Your smartphone
guides you there, and a video wall that
puts the entire store inventory literally at
your fingertips greets you. Using a touch
screen and precision, real-time 3D imagery
of rendered products, you interact with
the footwearviewing the product from
every angle, zooming in, and accessing
product and technology information,
including the recent article that you just
read. Narrowing down your choice, you
decide to try on two different pairs. Your
foot sizes, running style, etc., are already
in the system from your QR code. A sales
associate brings out your selections,
mentions that he read the same article
(he was able to review your interactions
on his tablet) and provides his own recommendations. After a brief fitting session,
you agree. The sales associate rings you
up on his tablet and you are on your way.
A Repeat Engagement?
Now you realize you are feeling a bit
hungryit is lunchtime. Fortunately, your
favorite restaurant in the mall (alerted to
your presence) sent a message to your
mobile phone (in your native Spanish)
alerting you that your favorite meal was
on special. You text your order. At the
restaurant, a digital sign invites returning
customers to update their loyalty status
and win extra points. You log on via your
smartphone, enter the code, and see extra points in your account. While you finish

your lunch, you realize you have one more

stop to make first.
Bringing Online into the Store
Once you have run the race, you are going
to want to save the experience by uploading the video of it to Youtube. Its all part
of the charitys social media strategy to increase awareness. You walk into a nearby
consumer electronics store and step up to
a sign that allows you to gather and sort
information about products (in this case,
video cameras) in the same way you might
online. You view competitive products,
compare features, prices, reviews and
more. You narrow your choices, consult
with a sales associate and send the information to your husbandhes going to
come by later and make the final decision.
When he does, you are going to ask him
to stop by that menswear store and see if
there is anything of interest.
A New Era Begins
Our shopping experience has come to
an end, but when it comes to redefining
todays multichannel retail world and instore media, we are just at the beginning.
As in-store and online experiences
merge, the opportunities for creating
deep, effective customer engagements
is expanding. Digital signage is already
playing a major role, and it will only grow.

Tools such as QR codes and audience

analytics support new levels of personalization, making the consumers life easier
while also providing retailers with
unprecedented opportunities for
targeting and measuring campaign
effectiveness.
These new solutions enable smaller or
regional retailers to compete more effectively carrying and displaying full
collections of merchandise, virtually, for
consumers to browse, select, compare
and purchase.
The role of the sales associate also
changespersonal assistance takes on a
different context and is enhanced when
there is a seamless integration with the
delivery of relevant information about
the consumer.

Interactive signs provide dynamic new

ways of presenting products and information, duplicating the online experience
in the store.

25

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

10. Making It Happen

Like any important undertaking, digital
signage offers big benefits while also posing significant risks.
The underlying technology itself is not
really the issue. The displays, media players, software, cabling, etc. are all well
understood. The real risks are the losses
in time, money resources and competitive
advantage from the failure to get a solution that will meet your needs.
Planning, Planning and More Planning
The biggest factor in determining the success of your digital signage effort will be
the degree of planning that goes into it.
Before anyone outside your organization
is contacted, you should have clear ideas
about the objectives you want to achieve
and the content that will enable you to
achieve your objectives. Remember, the
underlying technologyscreens, players,
etc.are just a means to an end. Getting
content right is critical to your objectives
and ultimately to making the whole effort
successful.
Aligning Your Stakeholders
Digital signage is unusual in that there
is the potential for so many different
stakeholders to want to have a say in
the final solution components and
deployment. Getting alignment is critical
to these segments:

26

ITensuring optimal integration with

other systems
Marketingsupporting branding, product rollouts, etc.
Line of businesscreating solutions
that address the needs of specific business units
Customer serviceensuring that the
customer engagement is done right
Financeputting in place the measures
to determine ROI
Facilitiesgetting the electrical, cooling
and overall design just right
Choosing a Partner
Many of the biggest names in technology
are focused on the digital signage market.
This includes display manufacturers, PC
makers, IT companies and many others.
But its unlikely you will deal with representatives from any of these organizations. Instead, you will work with a reseller
or systems integrator who works with
different manufacturers and can put
together a solution that meets your needs
and objectives.
Key factors in choosing the right partner
typically include:
A/V and IT skill sets: Digital signage calls
for a combination of audio/visual and data
skills. Its no surprise that the vast major-

ity of resellers and systems integrators

have a track record of doing either audio/
visual installations (theaters, arenas, video
conferencing, etc.) or come out of the
data world and know about computers, IP
networks, software debugging, etc. Make
sure your partner has the skill set needed
for your solution.
Digital signage experience: At this point,
digital signage is a well-established field.
You should be able to find a partner with
experience implementing a solution on the
scale you are contemplating.
Industry experience: Choosing a partner
with experience in your industry may be
the most critical factor of all. While you
are likely to find partners with expertise
in more than one vertical, make sure that
one of them is yours. This will put you well
ahead of the curve, particularly when it
comes to determining the organization
and the presentation of content that is
often very industry-specific.
User Design: If interactivity is a big part
of your digital signage effort, give careful
consideration to who will be designing the
look/feel and functionality of the
user interface.
Content: Once again, it cannot be
emphasized enoughyou need to line up
resources for the development of content.

Getting Started in Digital Signage: A Step-by-Step Guide

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Now Is the Time to Get Started

There has never been a better time to get
involved with digital signage. The technology is proven. New levels of interactivity
are creating new and innovative ways
to put it to work in your business. And
emerging standards make it easier than
ever to mix and match components,
supporting solutions that are more costeffective to implement and manage.
Many technology leaders offer computers,
media players, displays and other solutions
focused on digital signage. There are hundreds of companies that have developed

software designed for creating and scheduling content. There are scores of technology resellers and systems integrators that
specialize in designing, implementing and
managing digital signage solutions.
The opportunities are big. But this is not
a medium that is going to stand still. The
key is to make smart investments today
that will help you grow and evolve tomorrow. Hopefully, this guide has given you a
way to get started.
For more information on digital signage
solutions, please visit http://www.intel.
com/content/www/us/en/retail/retailsolutions-provider-network.html.

A detailed logistics plan can only

be undertaken when you know the
what, when and where of your solution. But before you even get started, here are overall suggestions on
overcoming common pitfalls:
Bandwidth: Is your data network
ready for transmitting HD video,
either live continuous streaming or
sending it during off-hours? Get a
network readiness evaluation.
Cooling: Heat is the most common
cause of hardware failures. Choosing quality components is critical.
So is providing them with proper
ventilation.
Electrical: Regardless of what
hardware you ultimately install, its
going to require electrical power.
Are there outlets convenient to
where you will place your screens
(i.e., within three feet)?
Visibility: As you begin to evaluate
screen placement, look for obstructions or lighting issues.

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other optimizations. Intel does not guarantee the availability, functionality, or effectiveness of any optimization on microprocessors not manufactured by Intel. Microprocessor-dependent
optimizations in this product are intended for use with Intel microprocessors. Certain optimizations not specific to Intel microarchitecture are reserved for Intel microprocessors.
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Wired or wireless: Both wired

and wireless are options for communication between the media
player and screens. Wired tends
to be more reliable (no interference), but if the distance is short
they can be comparable. Even in
the case of wired installations, it is
best to keep screens and players in
close proximity. When the distance
is greater than 25 feet, a video
extender is required.
Wall quality: Screens, even when
they are thin and small, can be
surprisingly heavy. Make sure your
connections are strong and secure.