‘Think outside the rectangle’ for an attractive signage project

Having trouble with creating an attractive digital signage project? In today’s screen-saturated industry, ‘think outside the rectangle’ is the key to success.

In the commercial AV industry, it is dangerous when everything looks similar from an outsider’s perspective. As a result, differentiation becomes a costly price to pay.

The purpose of any digital display is to make sure it is noticed and the information displayed be remembered. In an indoor environment such as a classroom or hospital waiting room, this is not much of a problem because the display is usually the main focus. In an outdoor digital environment however, there are several displays, notices and other factors to focus on, making digital signage projects more challenging.

Because there is a whole collection of displays that invade the daily lives of a standard customer, its ‘sameness’ is the cause of customers taking the display for granted. If every digital screen they look at is a 16:9 aspect ratio, viewers might even ignore the screen. For displays to stand out, it needs to be of an unusual size, brightness and color. This also may not be enough according to experts; hence, ‘think outside the rectangle’.

HOW?

Consider a display that is very different from the same old 16:9 screen. Make the display be seen as a form of magic. Only then will consumers become engrossed, unable to take their eyes off it, and when they finally move away, they’ll be awed!

3D Holographic Display Systems

This screen is based on direct view LED display technology but has a twist – in simple words, it is built as a fan with LED strips mounted on the fan blades. These blades rotate at a very high speed, producing impressive 3D holographic images that seem to be floating mid-air: thereby attracting a lot of attention from viewers. This display allows for creating and customizing 3D content of all sorts and can also select existing 3D visuals from the software library.

Accent Lighting Laser Projectors

This projection technology is another showstopper for all digital signage projects. Looking like a small spotlight fixture, this unconventional display technology features laser 3LCD with illumination and includes and in-built media player as well as a content management software. Along with creating unique digital experiences through signage, accent lighting technology provides experiential and contextual information. It allows for instant transformation of a space for projection and then return back to its original décor when the projector is not in use. Experiential wayfinding, product demonstrations and highlighting features of a product, are best done with this method. Investors can also make use of empty spaces such as table tops, narrow hallways and transparent glass to display their signage.

Projection Mapping

This technology magically transforms irregularly shaped objects such as buildings, theatrical stages and small indoor objects into a smooth display surface to project videos.

A two or three-dimensional object is spatially mapped with each pixel onto a virtual program that imitates the real environment that it has to be displayed on. Artists and advertisers use projection mapping to add extra dynamics, optical illusions and movement notions to previously static objects. Although this may sound complicated, once done successfully, it is hard to go back to another method!

Edge Blending

In simple words, edge blending is when two projectors overlap (approximately 20%) in a multiple screen setup. By having two or more projectors alongside each other to create one solid, seamless image, an ‘outside the rectangle’ kind of result is produced.

OLED Displays

Transparent OLED technology is about self-lighting pixels that provide vivid and accurate colors even with a transparent display. While the object behind the screen is also clearly visible, transparent OLED signage present information right over the object and makes sure viewers can easily see the object as well as the relevant information in a single view. This classifies as another magical display method.

In addition to these, there are other unique display applications such as traditional LED displays blended in a mosaic or with unusual aspect ratios. Direct view digital displays also can provide faultless imaging in a unique format, size and resolution – as per the application.

Investors MUST look out for displays that cannot be ignored and are far different from the same old.

Remember a quote from Maya Angelou – “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”. So when looking at a display, think about ‘how the display will make a customer feel’? Let the magic then happen!