Some Vital Steps Still Go Missing

Some Vital Steps Still Go Missing

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Anyone planning to deploy a digital signage network today would do well to learn the crucial steps from those who’ve ventured before.
By Gary Halpin

Having been in the digital signage industry since 1991, before anyone really knew what it was, I suppose I can be labeled old school. I certainly didn’t know what it was when I helped build and program the Blockbuster TV network in the 900 locations the company operated back then. But as the store count grew — an average of 1.5 openings per day — it became face-slapping obvious how powerful this new medium was.

Looking back at my formative years in digital signage, I don’t mind admitting that I got into this business somewhat backwards. Unfortunately, some companies are still attempting to launch networks in the same fashion, when they clearly shouldn’t, based upon what all those who’ve been in the industry as long as me have learned during these past 17 years. From an agency perspective, I see some vital steps being skipped in the content creation process, which can lead to bad results and, in turn, a negative view of our industry.

Step 1: Content Strategy
For starters, I’ve witnessed numerous network planners, particularly those involved with in-store networks, skip any discussion of a content strategy. It’s mentioned often at seminars, but rarely is it explained, or more specifically, the process to arrive at an effective content strategy is not explained.

This process can seem complicated if you don’t have the experience to manage it, but basically it starts with getting a clear understanding of the client’s network objectives, his integrated marketing communications plans, and the limits and reach-ability of the network itself (whether it is audio or video driven, passive or interactive, where it is merchandised, dwell time, etc.).

Think of it as a brainstorming session, with a lot of questions asked rather than ideas tossed out. And as in a creative brainstorming session, where there are no bad ideas, in this stage of the content strategy, there are no stupid questions. This is especially the time to ask about anything that’s in doubt or that requires a greater degree of explanation. After all, this can all be filtered to fit the client’s marketing plans as the process moves forward.

Step 2: Creative Process
A second area in the content process that’s often overlooked is just as vital, and that’s the creative stage. I recently participated in two RFP/Creative Briefs where the parties involved believed the next step after delivering the RFP or Creative Brief was the execution, i.e., a finished video or animation, ready for in-store viewing.

However, skipping the creative stage (presentation to client of concepts, including storyboards, treatments, outlines, animatics, etc.) is akin to making a movie without a script. Heck, even reality shows are known to have scripts these days! There’s a saying in the film business that a bad movie can be produced from a good script, but a good movie can never be made from a bad one. Now imagine the movie made with no script and you have an idea of where we’re headed when we sidestep the creative phase.

When this creative process is skipped for a digital signage network, it leaves open the huge possibility of attaining poor results. Is that what any client or network provider wants? I certainly hope not, but that’s why it’s so important for us as an industry (and specifically content agencies) to insist to our clients on this step not being skipped.

Furthermore, as this step involves a tremendous amount of work, it should be a budgeted item. It also saves money in the long run, as the execution can be less costly, and the results will no doubt be better, thus preventing the need to reinvent the wheel when everyone is wondering why the network is not performing as it was promised it would.

Additionally, many unexpected benefits spring from these creative pitches. In our experience, it has led many times to even better creative, sometimes combining elements of the different ideas. And it involves your clients on a deeper level, as sometimes they are not sure what they want in their network at the brief or RFP stage. It also helps people visualize the possibilities.

Put another way, the client may be like someone who buys a plot of land and wants to put a house on it. It’s certainly easier to visualize after it’s built, but by that time, it’s too late to make major changes. That’s why houses are not built without architectural drawings and blueprints. This doesn’t mean that every idea needs to be storyboarded and presented, especially as the network gets more and more established and fine-tuned. But particularly in the infant stages, or when the content strategy changes, it’s indeed vital.

Step 3: Strategy Review
As I mentioned, I came into this in-store network world backwards, with no true strategy and no creative, but that changed quickly. All I needed were some trips to different Blockbuster stores in different markets, where I could “visualize” the program interacting in the environment. We then developed a content strategy based on Blockbuster’s current business model and marketing initiatives, and while we didn’t produce storyboards, we did have solid treatments and outlines with the goal of maximizing the presence of digital signage in the stores.
By the time we started conducting research on the program’s effects, we were pleasantly surprised to be in the eight percent range of increasing rentals and sales, the main objectives of our content strategy. Within a couple of years, we’d increased those numbers to more than 15 percent on average, and I attribute it all to the content strategy and creative processes that we established. After those were known, the execution was easy.

Invariably, our content strategy changed over the years as the video rental industry and our client changed, and therein lies a lesson for agencies: It’s important for you to constantly review this process with your clients. For instance, when Blockbuster’s business model moved to a revenue-sharing arrangement with the studios (versus outright purchase of the movies), our strategy changed, as the higher-margin products turned out to be the paid-for and dust-collecting catalog titles. This in turn led to different creative.

That all changed again when Blockbuster started selling advertising and developing more marketing partnerships. By 1996, we had involved so many different internal departments in the input process that it became a truly powerful force within the walls of Blockbuster HQ, used by marketing, buying, training, corporate communications and even HR.

So in this time of “hope and change” for digital signage and out-of-home networks, I hope that, as we move forward as an industry, we recognize the vital steps that are too often skipped over and start stressing the importance of a sound (yet flexible) content strategy and creative process.


Gary Halpin is president of Agency 225, a Denver, CO creative agency specializing in and stressing the importance of a sound content strategy and creative. His company’s digital signage division is Point of Sale TV. He can be reached via email here or at (720) 225-9035. Mr. Halpin will be sharing his content strategy experience in a session titled “Basics in Content Strategy, Process & Design for Out-of-Home Networks” on Thursday, February 26 during the show’s exhibition days at the Las Vegas Convention Center.