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Date: Wednesday, 28 Jan 2009 06:04
Reported all over the web (a while ago), 37 Signals has a good take on what happened:
Our take:
WireSpring has advocated the very limited use of tickers on digital signage networks for a long time now, as we have empirically measured just what professor Miller notes above. People don't process the scrolling text effectively, and when they are looking at it, the leave practically no attention resources devoted to the remaineder of the screen, which is usually not what the signage network owners intend.
Let's hope some DOOH networks learn from CNN's practice and start abandoning their scrolling text tickers in favor of signage elements that make sense.
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Huzzah! The crawl, the unending stream of news at the bottom of the screen, disappeared from CNN last Monday (replaced by a line of static text at the bottom of the screen that is tied to the story on air). Nice breather for viewers and also nice to see CNN competing by underdoing the competition. Earl K. Miller, a professor of neuroscience at MIT, says viewers may think that they can process it all, but they’re fooling themselves: “A lot of times, when you think you’re multi-tasking, you’re just switching your attention between one or two or three things.”
Our take:
WireSpring has advocated the very limited use of tickers on digital signage networks for a long time now, as we have empirically measured just what professor Miller notes above. People don't process the scrolling text effectively, and when they are looking at it, the leave practically no attention resources devoted to the remaineder of the screen, which is usually not what the signage network owners intend.
Let's hope some DOOH networks learn from CNN's practice and start abandoning their scrolling text tickers in favor of signage elements that make sense.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "CNN ditches the ticker"
Date: Wednesday, 28 Jan 2009 06:04
The Retail Bulletin has a commentary article by Chris Carter, who notes:
Our take:
The difficulty lies with achieving some or all of these goals while not breaking the bank, as Carter indicates. While shopper marketing is becoming an increasingly important part of many retailer and CPG maker marketing mixes, it still controls a relatively small chunk of most companies' budgets. Consequently, these all-important strategies are left to be implemented on a dime.
The second part of Carter's analysis is equally important: while many companies are actually implementing brand- and retail-aware shopper marketing programs, few are going back to analyze the data afterward. Thus, while some studies have shown broad efficacy for the approach, there's no guarantee that any retailer or any brand could implement such a program and have it be profitable.
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The creative interpretation needs to enhance the journey without confusing the consumer with needless creative clutter. Consumer Journey Tracking techniques, where the consumer is observed at a macro (whole shop) or micro (category shop) level helps to deliver the optimum solution; a solution which needs to work at a headline level (Category Enticer) and a detail level (up-sell messaging and simple education prompts to demystify complex product purchases).
From a Retailer perspective the over-riding objective is to maximise return-on-space. How this is achieved will depend upon the role the category plays for that retail chain (e.g. Traffic Builder, Image Enhancer, Profit Generator etc.). The degree of creativity will be assessed against the retailer's policy to in-store attractors, the role the category is playing (a high margin image enhancer category would merit more creative display) and the degree to which creative presentation is proven to drive sell-out.
From a Brand perspective the objective is to demonstrate retail partnership that drives category growth. A sound strategic understanding of your category's consumers, built upon qualitative and quantitative research findings that can inform category presentation, is what Retailers crave. Overlay this data onto the Retailer's own consumer profile and category sell-out history to create a compelling fixture that 1) occupies the right position in-store, 2) attracts attention, 3) presents the most appropriate range and 4) provides compelling and relevant benefit messaging that will deliver results at the checkout.
From a Retailer perspective the over-riding objective is to maximise return-on-space. How this is achieved will depend upon the role the category plays for that retail chain (e.g. Traffic Builder, Image Enhancer, Profit Generator etc.). The degree of creativity will be assessed against the retailer's policy to in-store attractors, the role the category is playing (a high margin image enhancer category would merit more creative display) and the degree to which creative presentation is proven to drive sell-out.
From a Brand perspective the objective is to demonstrate retail partnership that drives category growth. A sound strategic understanding of your category's consumers, built upon qualitative and quantitative research findings that can inform category presentation, is what Retailers crave. Overlay this data onto the Retailer's own consumer profile and category sell-out history to create a compelling fixture that 1) occupies the right position in-store, 2) attracts attention, 3) presents the most appropriate range and 4) provides compelling and relevant benefit messaging that will deliver results at the checkout.
Our take:
The difficulty lies with achieving some or all of these goals while not breaking the bank, as Carter indicates. While shopper marketing is becoming an increasingly important part of many retailer and CPG maker marketing mixes, it still controls a relatively small chunk of most companies' budgets. Consequently, these all-important strategies are left to be implemented on a dime.
The second part of Carter's analysis is equally important: while many companies are actually implementing brand- and retail-aware shopper marketing programs, few are going back to analyze the data afterward. Thus, while some studies have shown broad efficacy for the approach, there's no guarantee that any retailer or any brand could implement such a program and have it be profitable.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Is Retail Creativity a Pitfall or an Opp..."
Date: Thursday, 22 Jan 2009 06:29
This shouldn't come as news to regular WireSpring readers, but ADWEEK reports that:
Digital signage, shopper marketing, retail media, package design, merchandising... they're all going to gain huge ground in the coming year or two due to the lack of results that the major media are producing these days. Further, consumers who might be wary of TV commercials may be more likely to look for deals inside the store, since the opportunity to save every last dollar will be high on their priority lists in 2009.
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While TV's audiences have been fragmented by the addition of hundreds of new channels, retail has been concentrating its consumer base via consolidation. Ten to 15 years ago, the top 10 retail accounts of the typical packaged goods manufacturer represented 20 percent of sales. No more, says Peter Hoyt, executive director for the In-Store Marketing Institute. "Due to consolidation and the rise of megachains," he says, "those top 10 customers now represent as much as 80 percent of sales-more, in many cases."Our take:
Digital signage, shopper marketing, retail media, package design, merchandising... they're all going to gain huge ground in the coming year or two due to the lack of results that the major media are producing these days. Further, consumers who might be wary of TV commercials may be more likely to look for deals inside the store, since the opportunity to save every last dollar will be high on their priority lists in 2009.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Shopper marketing's proving it can final..."
Date: Thursday, 22 Jan 2009 06:29
Isn't spending too much how we got into this problem in the first place? Well, Deloitte says it might also be the solution -- for retailers, that is:
Our take:
Our understanding is that retailers will still readily spend money on things -- whether technological or not -- that can help them reduce costs by increasing efficiency. However, things that are primarily designed to boost sales will be the first to be put on hold when budgets get tightened. Thus, while Deloitte's overall notion that spending should increase might correctly be the best way to help retailers survive, equally important is what they're going to be spending that money on.
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"This downturn, while difficult, does provide opportunity for retailers to become more competitive and increase market share," Stacy Janiak, U.S. retail leader for Deloitte LLP, told the National Retail Federation's annual conference held in New York.
Janiak said retailers who stay the course and ignore investments in strategic IT programs will not be equipped to lure consumers who are both seeking value and information.
For instance, even as retailers slow their hiring, they can still train workers to provide a better shopping experience, she said.
"Even though you may be reducing your workforce today, you must invest to ensure that those who remain are well-equipped to continue with customer centricity and deliver that desired shopping experience," Janiak said.
Janiak said retailers who stay the course and ignore investments in strategic IT programs will not be equipped to lure consumers who are both seeking value and information.
For instance, even as retailers slow their hiring, they can still train workers to provide a better shopping experience, she said.
"Even though you may be reducing your workforce today, you must invest to ensure that those who remain are well-equipped to continue with customer centricity and deliver that desired shopping experience," Janiak said.
Our take:
Our understanding is that retailers will still readily spend money on things -- whether technological or not -- that can help them reduce costs by increasing efficiency. However, things that are primarily designed to boost sales will be the first to be put on hold when budgets get tightened. Thus, while Deloitte's overall notion that spending should increase might correctly be the best way to help retailers survive, equally important is what they're going to be spending that money on.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Deloitte says: Retailers must invest to ..."
Date: Thursday, 22 Jan 2009 06:29
According to this press release from Ketchum and the University of Southern California's Annenberg Strategic PR Center:
Bloggers of the world unite! As millenials would have told you for the past several years now, nobody makes a big purchase these days without not only doing "high-level" online research like reading manufacturer's web sites and checking prices, but also checking individual reviews for products from big retailers like Amazon.com as well as feedback sites like ePinions. However, the recent economic slowdown has made this kind of pre-shopping more important for a larger portion of the population too. Pre-shopping is no longer the domain of the young. Now, everybody that wants to save a buck or two must do the extra reserarch online, and that now includes reading personal blog reviews, and checking with the wisdom of the masses via social networking sites like Facebook and even Twitter.
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Consumers are more frequently basing their buying decisions on information gleaned from shopping Web sites, blogs, and social networking sites. At the same time, local and national television news broadcasts are losing their clout with consumers, the study found.Our take:
Not only are people using commercial shopping sites more - the figure has more than doubled since its 2006 study - but they are turning these into places to gather information from peers. Of those who visit shopping sites, 44% said they read consumer reviews and comments posted there, according to the "2008 US Media Myths & Realities" survey.
Bloggers of the world unite! As millenials would have told you for the past several years now, nobody makes a big purchase these days without not only doing "high-level" online research like reading manufacturer's web sites and checking prices, but also checking individual reviews for products from big retailers like Amazon.com as well as feedback sites like ePinions. However, the recent economic slowdown has made this kind of pre-shopping more important for a larger portion of the population too. Pre-shopping is no longer the domain of the young. Now, everybody that wants to save a buck or two must do the extra reserarch online, and that now includes reading personal blog reviews, and checking with the wisdom of the masses via social networking sites like Facebook and even Twitter.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Blogs making a bigger impact at the poin..."
Date: Tuesday, 20 Jan 2009 09:08
About once a year The Economist authors an article that's truly important to our industry and the way we operate. This year's came towards the very end, but was well worth the wait:
Our take:
Read this article. It won't take very long, and it will provide you with some valuable insights into why so many things at retail are done the way they are. While the details may be a bit light weight for professional merchandisers, package designers, CPG marketers and the like, for anyone else just dabbling -- say, during a foray into the retail digital signage industry -- it's a very quick, accurate and useful introduction to the industry. You'll learn about slotting fees, plan-a-grams, dwell zones and a dozen other things quirky and unique to the retail industry that can help make or break a digital signage network (actually, Bill gives seminars about this sort of thing all the time, but you can now read about it for free!)
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IT MAY have occurred to you, during the course of a dismal trawl round a supermarket indistinguishable from every other supermarket you have ever been into, to wonder why they are all the same. The answer is more sinister than depressing. It is not because the companies that operate them lack imagination. It is because they are all versed in the science of persuading people to buy things—a science that, thanks to technological advances, is beginning to unlock the innermost secrets of the consumer’s mind.
In the Sainsbury’s in Hatch Warren, Basingstoke, south-west of London, it takes a while for the mind to get into a shopping mode. This is why the area immediately inside the entrance of a supermarket is known as the “decompression zone”. People need to slow down and take stock of the surroundings, even if they are regulars. In sales terms this area is a bit of a loss, so it tends to be used more for promotion. Even the multi-packs of beer piled up here are designed more to hint at bargains within than to be lugged round the aisles. Wal-Mart, the world’s biggest retailer, famously employs “greeters” at the entrance to its stores. Whether or not they boost sales, a friendly welcome is said to cut shoplifting. It is harder to steal from nice people.
In the Sainsbury’s in Hatch Warren, Basingstoke, south-west of London, it takes a while for the mind to get into a shopping mode. This is why the area immediately inside the entrance of a supermarket is known as the “decompression zone”. People need to slow down and take stock of the surroundings, even if they are regulars. In sales terms this area is a bit of a loss, so it tends to be used more for promotion. Even the multi-packs of beer piled up here are designed more to hint at bargains within than to be lugged round the aisles. Wal-Mart, the world’s biggest retailer, famously employs “greeters” at the entrance to its stores. Whether or not they boost sales, a friendly welcome is said to cut shoplifting. It is harder to steal from nice people.
Our take:
Read this article. It won't take very long, and it will provide you with some valuable insights into why so many things at retail are done the way they are. While the details may be a bit light weight for professional merchandisers, package designers, CPG marketers and the like, for anyone else just dabbling -- say, during a foray into the retail digital signage industry -- it's a very quick, accurate and useful introduction to the industry. You'll learn about slotting fees, plan-a-grams, dwell zones and a dozen other things quirky and unique to the retail industry that can help make or break a digital signage network (actually, Bill gives seminars about this sort of thing all the time, but you can now read about it for free!)
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "The Economist ponders why we buy"
Date: Tuesday, 20 Jan 2009 09:08
WireSpring wrote about pre-shoppers back in 2007, noting that millenials were using the Internet to do all sorts of research before heading to the store. With the tight economic conditions we all face, this trend is becoming more widespread, as the WSJ notes:
Our take:
The WSJ findings correlate well with Miller Zell's own survey results, as was covered on the WireSpring blog just last week. More consumers are willing to put time and effort into research and web-based price comparisons in order to save a few dollars when making a purchase. While the article doesn't indicate whether or not all of this online research will lead to more online sales at the expense of the bricks-and-mortar stores, that result certainly does seem possible, if not likely.
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While elites were busy shoveling money into Madoff's black box these past few years, strapped consumers have been poring over product spec sheets, third-party reviews and expert blog sites. This past holiday season they watched every dollar. A special kind of consumer has taken a major role in the marketplace -- the new info shopper. These people just can't buy anything unless they first look it up online and get the lowdown.
These shoppers have the Internet at work, typically hold information-based or office-park jobs, have some college or grad school, and are often making ends meet with two jobs, kids, and pets on a middle or upper-middle-class income.
They have become highly suspicious of many TV ads: in a shoppers survey we did, 78% of them said that ads no longer have enough information they need. So many of them search online for virtually everything. Window shoppers have become "Windows shoppers." They want, in the phrase often attributed to Dragnet's Joe Friday, "just the facts, ma'am."
Of course, there is still a healthy role for big emotional brand appeals and mega-advertising campaigns. For every trend there is a counter trend. But that's not the real new thing in consumer behavior.
A whopping 92% of respondents said they had more confidence in information they seek out online than anything coming from a salesclerk or other source. They believe the information they find, not in the information that is spoon-fed to them, and the vast number of clicks today prove that they really are devoting time and energy to ferreting out detailed info before they buy.
These shoppers have the Internet at work, typically hold information-based or office-park jobs, have some college or grad school, and are often making ends meet with two jobs, kids, and pets on a middle or upper-middle-class income.
They have become highly suspicious of many TV ads: in a shoppers survey we did, 78% of them said that ads no longer have enough information they need. So many of them search online for virtually everything. Window shoppers have become "Windows shoppers." They want, in the phrase often attributed to Dragnet's Joe Friday, "just the facts, ma'am."
Of course, there is still a healthy role for big emotional brand appeals and mega-advertising campaigns. For every trend there is a counter trend. But that's not the real new thing in consumer behavior.
A whopping 92% of respondents said they had more confidence in information they seek out online than anything coming from a salesclerk or other source. They believe the information they find, not in the information that is spoon-fed to them, and the vast number of clicks today prove that they really are devoting time and energy to ferreting out detailed info before they buy.
Our take:
The WSJ findings correlate well with Miller Zell's own survey results, as was covered on the WireSpring blog just last week. More consumers are willing to put time and effort into research and web-based price comparisons in order to save a few dollars when making a purchase. While the article doesn't indicate whether or not all of this online research will lead to more online sales at the expense of the bricks-and-mortar stores, that result certainly does seem possible, if not likely.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "WSJ notes the return of info shoppers or..."
Date: Thursday, 15 Jan 2009 11:19
As this press release indicates:
Our take:
Expect to see more mergers, acquisitions and other consolidations during the remainder of this recession. As if the digital signage industry wasn't fragmented enough, the lack of access to capital, reduction of equity in companies and general difficulty to do new business will force more companies to find creative ways to make it through these tougher times. However, that will most likely turn out to be a good thing for the industry, as we emerge from the recession with a more streamlined group of better qualified and more financially stable competitors.
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Eiki Digital Systems, headquartered in Seattle, Washington has announced the acquisition of .advancedMethod, a creative and technology based digital media company. Bob Grawet, Executive Director of .advancedMethod has confirmed they have been acquired by Eiki Digital Systems and that he has accepted position as General Manager, saying, "At .advancedMethod we have been developing digital signage solutions for years and are also an emerging digital agency. It is exciting to 'productize' our knowledge with Eiki and deliver the "express" Digital Signage Kit to distributor networks. I believe this partnership and our products will change the digital signage industry and finally realize the promise it has been struggling to complete."
Our take:
Expect to see more mergers, acquisitions and other consolidations during the remainder of this recession. As if the digital signage industry wasn't fragmented enough, the lack of access to capital, reduction of equity in companies and general difficulty to do new business will force more companies to find creative ways to make it through these tougher times. However, that will most likely turn out to be a good thing for the industry, as we emerge from the recession with a more streamlined group of better qualified and more financially stable competitors.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: ".advancedMethod Joins Eiki Corporation"
Date: Thursday, 15 Jan 2009 11:19
This press release informs us that:
Our take:
We're not legal experts, but we think there's a reasonable possibility that offering people different deals based on their ethnicity might be illegal, or at very least violate some FTC guidelines. Whether that extends to merely showing one offer versus another remains to be seen -- it WILL be seen eventually though.
This kind of measurement system, once it becomes both effective and affordable, will likely not be restricted to digital signs and other assets that can be modified based on feedback. Expect to see all sorts of consumption habits measured as you walk through private and semi-public spaces like stores and malls.
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STRATACACHE is showcasing its newly released audience measurement module as part of its award-winning digital signage solution, ActiVia for Media.
ActiVia AM—the audience measurement module—uses simple, inexpensive USB cameras to provide consumer impression metrics, including unique consumer impressions, dwell time, impressions per merchandised object, impressions by time of day, impressions by brand or category, as well as basic consumer demographics. Later this year the ActiVia AM module will be enhanced with advanced consumer demographics, which will enable dynamic message selection on the digital sign and the ability to vary content based on viewer characteristics including gender, ethnicity and banded age group. At all times, consumer privacy is protected as consumer images are not stored by the system.
ActiVia AM—the audience measurement module—uses simple, inexpensive USB cameras to provide consumer impression metrics, including unique consumer impressions, dwell time, impressions per merchandised object, impressions by time of day, impressions by brand or category, as well as basic consumer demographics. Later this year the ActiVia AM module will be enhanced with advanced consumer demographics, which will enable dynamic message selection on the digital sign and the ability to vary content based on viewer characteristics including gender, ethnicity and banded age group. At all times, consumer privacy is protected as consumer images are not stored by the system.
Our take:
We're not legal experts, but we think there's a reasonable possibility that offering people different deals based on their ethnicity might be illegal, or at very least violate some FTC guidelines. Whether that extends to merely showing one offer versus another remains to be seen -- it WILL be seen eventually though.
This kind of measurement system, once it becomes both effective and affordable, will likely not be restricted to digital signs and other assets that can be modified based on feedback. Expect to see all sorts of consumption habits measured as you walk through private and semi-public spaces like stores and malls.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "STRATACACHE Unveils New Audience Measure..."
Date: Tuesday, 13 Jan 2009 03:39
PR Inside notes:
Our take:
While having a kiosk or POS terminal that can do double-duty as a digital signage player is nothing new, Intel's decision to highlight the power savings of their system highlights the importance that efficiency and environmental-friendliness play in today's marketplace.
While up-front costs can certainly hinder digital signage rollouts, ongoing costs easily outpace them in a 3-5 year planning horizon. Consequently, it's unlikely that any approach that focuses on up-front tech costs -- as Intel's does largely -- will make a significant impact on the market.
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Intel's proof-of-concept exhibits the latest in digital signage and point-of-sale technology in a kiosk form factor, and demonstrates how technology can enhance the retail shopping experience.
Accommodating consumer preferences for self-service fueled by e-commerce trends, the kiosk demonstration includes features that match the perks of Internet shopping, such as suggestive selling real-time inventory access, as well as showing promotions, product details and customer reviews. These features, in turn, facilitate sales associate up-selling and cross-selling opportunities, which will increase a retailer's bottom line and customer loyalty.
Accommodating consumer preferences for self-service fueled by e-commerce trends, the kiosk demonstration includes features that match the perks of Internet shopping, such as suggestive selling real-time inventory access, as well as showing promotions, product details and customer reviews. These features, in turn, facilitate sales associate up-selling and cross-selling opportunities, which will increase a retailer's bottom line and customer loyalty.
Our take:
While having a kiosk or POS terminal that can do double-duty as a digital signage player is nothing new, Intel's decision to highlight the power savings of their system highlights the importance that efficiency and environmental-friendliness play in today's marketplace.
While up-front costs can certainly hinder digital signage rollouts, ongoing costs easily outpace them in a 3-5 year planning horizon. Consequently, it's unlikely that any approach that focuses on up-front tech costs -- as Intel's does largely -- will make a significant impact on the market.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Intel unveils new retail initiatives at ..."
Date: Tuesday, 13 Jan 2009 03:39
WireSpring's been hard at work prepping and perfecting a new product aimed at smaller digital signage networks. Our new Digital Signage Easy Start product. is aimed at users who need about 10 or fewer screens, want all of the visual bells-and-whistles, need remote management, but don't want to have to pay monthly hosting fees or get a Ph.D. to figure out how to use the system. Some exciting features include:
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- Show videos, pictures, news updates, web pages, and live TV in a number of full-screen and multi-zone screen layouts
- Create great-looking content with our built-in templates -- no graphics skills required
- Update your content from a web browser -- perfect for time-sensitive messages and promotions
- No recurring maintenance or hosting fees, and no expensive servers or authoring tools to buy
- And very soon now we'll have a free, web-based trial system set up, which means that you can check out both the management system and see what a real, live screen looks out without having to install any software at all.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Getting ready to launch Digital Signage ..."
Date: Tuesday, 13 Jan 2009 03:39
Retailer Daily notes a big new marketing push by Dunkin' Donuts:
Our take:
Dunkin's campaign is taking to outdoor -- and alternative outdoor -- media aggressively, as a large part of their client base simply comes in off of the street. The strategy of facing the recession head-on is also interesting, as many who sell into the same shopper base as Dunkin' have instead opted to focus on value and price savings as a way to encourage beleaguered shoppers to part with some of their hard-earned cash.
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The “You Kin’ Do It” national campaign broke with three television spots airing during network primetime and national cable programming.
Expected to run throughout 2009, the campaign will also include radio, print, online, and outdoor advertising, in addition to in-store point-of-purchase, special events, sports marketing, and other online marketing initiatives.
Created by Interpublic Group’s Boston-based Hill Holliday, Dunkin’ Donuts’ newest iteration of the “America Runs on Dunkin’” campaign offers encouragement in a spirit of fun during challenging times.
With “Kin’ Do” literally part of the Canton, Massachusetts-based Dunkin’ Donuts name, the campaign reminds Americans that they can take on any task: “you kin’ make it through the workday, you kin’ shovel out that driveway, you kin’ pass that exam, you kin’ finish that paperwork.”
The “You Kin’ Do It” campaign will feature Dunkin’ Donuts’ core products of coffee and donuts and other baked goods, as well as the brand’s new DDSMART menu of better-for-you foods and beverages.
Expected to run throughout 2009, the campaign will also include radio, print, online, and outdoor advertising, in addition to in-store point-of-purchase, special events, sports marketing, and other online marketing initiatives.
Created by Interpublic Group’s Boston-based Hill Holliday, Dunkin’ Donuts’ newest iteration of the “America Runs on Dunkin’” campaign offers encouragement in a spirit of fun during challenging times.
With “Kin’ Do” literally part of the Canton, Massachusetts-based Dunkin’ Donuts name, the campaign reminds Americans that they can take on any task: “you kin’ make it through the workday, you kin’ shovel out that driveway, you kin’ pass that exam, you kin’ finish that paperwork.”
The “You Kin’ Do It” campaign will feature Dunkin’ Donuts’ core products of coffee and donuts and other baked goods, as well as the brand’s new DDSMART menu of better-for-you foods and beverages.
Our take:
Dunkin's campaign is taking to outdoor -- and alternative outdoor -- media aggressively, as a large part of their client base simply comes in off of the street. The strategy of facing the recession head-on is also interesting, as many who sell into the same shopper base as Dunkin' have instead opted to focus on value and price savings as a way to encourage beleaguered shoppers to part with some of their hard-earned cash.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Dunkin' Donuts announces its $100M You K..."
Date: Tuesday, 13 Jan 2009 03:39
This piece in AdAge highlights some findings from research firm Relevation Research:
We've seen this on a number of occasions while scouting checkout channel digital signage installations. While the vast majority of people seem to approach the checkout line pushing the cart, once they get into the aisle itself, a very large number (74% according to the above research) turn around and then pull the cart in behind them. While this may or may not make for easier unloading of the cart, it does mean that all of the POP and digital displays facing forward can't be seen by the shopper.
Whether or not this has any real impact on the efficacy of said POP and digital displays remains to be seen. But common sense suggests that it should.
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[T]he way people approach grocery checkout tends to vary greatly.Our take:Some people push the whole cart straight through and toss the goodies forward onto the counter, while others deliberately step up front and pull the wire basket through and unload onto the conveyer.
Most of you pull
The majority of people are, in fact, pullers, with almost three-fourths (74%) of those surveyed saying they pull into the lane. And contrary to what Relevation researchers hypothesized, men and women are equally likely to be pullers.So what? Well, while it may only seem to be a simple and interesting insight into human behavior, it could actually mean a lot to the grocery stores, retailers and marketers that make significant sales by marketing to people who might not be, in fact, pushing their carts through the lane at the front of the store. Could all that in-store marketing be, well, backward?
We've seen this on a number of occasions while scouting checkout channel digital signage installations. While the vast majority of people seem to approach the checkout line pushing the cart, once they get into the aisle itself, a very large number (74% according to the above research) turn around and then pull the cart in behind them. While this may or may not make for easier unloading of the cart, it does mean that all of the POP and digital displays facing forward can't be seen by the shopper.
Whether or not this has any real impact on the efficacy of said POP and digital displays remains to be seen. But common sense suggests that it should.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Grocers Might Be Marketing to Customers'..."
Date: Saturday, 10 Jan 2009 16:18
Inside the Aisle reports:
Using a cartoon (in the tradition of Schoolhouse Rock), Robert Krulwich artfully explained why retail price wars threaten to deepen the recession.
Our take:
While the theory is controversial, the underlying theory is sound. Whether you think you agree or not with the premise, the cartoon is definitely worth watching. It's a quick introduction to the concept of deflation, and why it causes lots of problems for the economy.
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Using a cartoon (in the tradition of Schoolhouse Rock), Robert Krulwich artfully explained why retail price wars threaten to deepen the recession.
Our take:
While the theory is controversial, the underlying theory is sound. Whether you think you agree or not with the premise, the cartoon is definitely worth watching. It's a quick introduction to the concept of deflation, and why it causes lots of problems for the economy.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Why Lower Retail Prices Hurt the Economy"
Date: Saturday, 10 Jan 2009 16:18
Media Daily News notes that:
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Walmart is withdrawing from the consortium of retailers, packaged-goods manufacturers and agencies supporting the PRISM in-store media measurement service, the Nielsen Co. disclosed Tuesday.Our take:
Nielsen said it will continue work on PRISM (an acronym for Pioneering Research for an In-Store Metric), which is expected to introduce a complete metric in 2009. However, the departure of its largest founding member is a setback for the project, one of several high-profile initiatives working in parallel to create new metrics for out-of-home
While there is a healthy amount of speculation on the net about why Walmart has decided not to continue with the PRISM program, the theories generally fall into one of three main categories:
1. Per the party line, Walmart had to suspend its internal policies about data sharing to participate, and said suspension was deemed not worth it.
2. Walmart's participation was initiated by now-ousted marketing honcho Julie Roehm, and Walmart execs wanted to remove every last trace of her influence.
3. Walmart no longer needs Nielsen's help now that they have their own internal measurement system from DS-IQ up and running.
WireSpring believes that all three of these are perfectly viable options, but our money is on #3 for the win.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Walmart officially quits PRISM"
Date: Saturday, 10 Jan 2009 16:18
This JLM press release analysis reports:
Focus was once the digital signage darling of the NASDAQ, but run-ins with the Chinese government over unsolicited text messaging (another unit of their company) started a slide that has ended with their stock down something like 70% on the year.
While Sports Media may only have been a "small portion of its business," Focus can't deny that it was part of the firm's money-making digital signage operations, and as such should have been core to their operations. It remains to be seen whether this announcement will have any effect on the firm's current operations, or on their plans to get acquired/merged with another company.
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Bejing-based flat-screen advertiser Good Media took over its fitness-center advertising competitor Sports Media, formerly owned by Focus Media (Nasdaq:FMCN), on January 5, reports 21st Century Business Herald. Sports Media officially ended its agreement with Focus Media on December 16 and signed with Good Media on December 31, said the report. Ding Bingwen, former Sports Media president and new Good Media chief operating officer and board member, said Focus and Sports Media split over lack of profit guarantees. Details on the deal were not disclosed.Our take:
Focus Media neither confirmed nor denied the news Monday, but said Sports Media is only a small portion of its business. Former Focus Media subsidiary Framedia announced its acquisition of Beijing-based Sports Media in April 2008.
Focus was once the digital signage darling of the NASDAQ, but run-ins with the Chinese government over unsolicited text messaging (another unit of their company) started a slide that has ended with their stock down something like 70% on the year.
While Sports Media may only have been a "small portion of its business," Focus can't deny that it was part of the firm's money-making digital signage operations, and as such should have been core to their operations. It remains to be seen whether this announcement will have any effect on the firm's current operations, or on their plans to get acquired/merged with another company.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Focus Media Sports Unit Goes to Good Med..."
Date: Saturday, 10 Jan 2009 16:18
Display & Design Ideas notes that:
Staples has been an innovator in the office supply category for some time, and has had notable success with its in-store product line extension kiosks (which some believe is because of their unique approach to employee training with the devices). But while the recession continues, it will be important to watch whether their enthusiasm for spending on in-store marketing and merchandising remains high, or if they decide that the safer bet is to sit on their cash (or not raise more debt, depending on their cash situation).
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Staples Inc. is putting a heavy focus on in-store marketing in 2009 via a multiyear deal with consumer marketing company News America Marketing, according to Brandweek.com. Through the partnership, News America will design coupon machines, shelf messaging, floor ads and sampling programs in more than 1,500 Staples stores nationwide. The in-store media will launch this month. News America Marketing had traditionally focused on the supermarket, drug and mass merchandise segment, but already has an existing partnership with many of Staples' manufacturers, said Chris Mixson, president of News America. Later this month, Staples stores will carry electronic coupon dispensers and at-shelf video units. Other innovations in the works include a SmartSource Xpress program, which is a "clipless solution to the FSI," Mixson said.Our take:
Staples has been an innovator in the office supply category for some time, and has had notable success with its in-store product line extension kiosks (which some believe is because of their unique approach to employee training with the devices). But while the recession continues, it will be important to watch whether their enthusiasm for spending on in-store marketing and merchandising remains high, or if they decide that the safer bet is to sit on their cash (or not raise more debt, depending on their cash situation).
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Staples to Revamp In-Store Marketing"
Date: Wednesday, 07 Jan 2009 20:30
Just a brief update to let readers know that we're back online here at SignageWire (plus we're testing out some new technical stuff under the hood). After a few false starts and back-end glitches, we'll resume our frequent news posts for the digital signage industry shortly.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Rebooting SignageWire for 2009"
Date: Wednesday, 24 Dec 2008 03:38
You know what? That screen really is too bossy. And they're promoting all the wrong things. Why not focus on the Tricia Helfer product line? They could do trees, ornaments, stocking stuffers... the possibilities are endless. People could even text in their votes for the 12th Cylon and view real-time results on the digital sign :)
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Author: "Jeremy Zaretzky" Tags: "My Kind of Christmas Tree (The Digital S..."
Date: Monday, 08 Dec 2008 03:51
MediaPost brings us news that:
Our take:
Nielsen might blame this problem on the economic downturn, but in reality there were just too few buyers for their data to begin with. Even with an aggressive growth rate of 20% for the digital signage industry there likely wouldn't be enough buyers to support their efforts for a number of years. Now that marketers are tightening their belts even more, Nielsen probably figures that the time to ROI is too far out, and they have better ways to spend (or not spend) their money.
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In a sign that weakening economic conditions are beginning to impact the media research business, Nielsen Co. and IMMI Friday shut down their recently launched out-of-home TV viewing measurement service. The service, which was launched with much fanfare earlier this year, was created to fill a long-standing void in the TV marketplace for accurate measurement of viewing that takes place outside of Nielsen's traditional in-home TV measurement panels. Despite demand from some high-profile networks, especially sports-oriented programmers like ESPN and Turner Sports, and a commitment from Publicis' Zenith Media unit to use the new service, Nielsen and IMMI said they were suspending the service due to economic concerns.
Our take:
Nielsen might blame this problem on the economic downturn, but in reality there were just too few buyers for their data to begin with. Even with an aggressive growth rate of 20% for the digital signage industry there likely wouldn't be enough buyers to support their efforts for a number of years. Now that marketers are tightening their belts even more, Nielsen probably figures that the time to ROI is too far out, and they have better ways to spend (or not spend) their money.
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Author: "WireSpring" Tags: "Nielsen Out-Of-Home Goes Out-Of-Business"
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