The projection celebrates Uganda having been chosen as one of the 10 African countries to host the FIFA World Cup original trophy.
ALLIANCE MEDIA (+267) 317 0090 ALLIANCE MEDIA (+267) 317 0090 tkujinga.bw@alliancemedia.com www.alliancemedia.com
Daniel Waldron, esteemed digital signage blogger and head of Content for award-winning, outdoor digital signage enclosure manufacturer, Armagard said, ‘Content is the lifeblood of any digital signage network, and content management is its heart.’
Andrew Ridl, CEO of One Digital Media (ODM) concurs and went on to say, ‘Digital signage is only as effective as the content it displays. As the digital signage market becomes more saturated and competitive, and as consumers place more stock in mobile options for information delivery, it becomes imperative that a premium be placed on content that is engaging and memorable.’
The delivery mechanism of any message must be subservient to what is being delivered. Poor content precipitates poor customer experience, which ripples outwards, creating irreparable damage to a company or its brands. For example, the visitor to a car dealer’s repair facility can’t be questioned for doubting the establishment’s ability to repair her car, if the digital sign in reception reads, ‘We are committed to quality.’
The customer might logically conclude that they are not committed to quality if they can’t even take the time to correct a simple spelling error.
The psychosomatic effect on the customer moves far beyond such obvious problems as typos and misspelled words. Poor contrast, outdated visuals, shoddy design themes, expired offers, or photographic images used at a higher resolution than originally intended, all place a subconscious impression, in the viewer’s mind, that the company in question does not pay attention to detail and therefore can’t be committed to quality.
‘Content is everything,’ said Bill Collins, principal of research consultancy Decision Point Media Insights. ‘A store sells content, merchandise and service, it sells an entire customer experience. So, the content of any store’s in-store digital media is fundamental in making the store experience friendly and helpful.’
Digital signage holds the promise of making content better than ever, brighter and more colourful, and more emotionally engaging for everyone involved. However, an important focus for the designer of the content is firstly, how do I attract my target audience, and secondly, how do I keep them interested in what is being communicated?
Ridl said that creating successful digital content is based on the design team addressing several basic pointers:
Conduct market research
What screen will the content be displayed on?
When digital content is created, the screen that it will be displayed on needs to be considered and the following questions asked: Where is the screen located? Who will be looking at it? What will they be doing while they look at it?
What type of content should be displayed where?
Be a stickler for text design
With numerous fonts, sizes, and colours to select, it seems as if text design is the part of digital signage content that lends itself most to creativity. However, depending on the application, poor font choice can derail an entire project. Fonts should always be simple and legible, especially from a reasonable distance, and too many fonts will muddy the message and may lose viewers.
Choose colour wisely
Too many colours or the wrong colours together, can be a distraction or even worse, convey the incorrect emotion. In addition, combining certain colours may be a hit in the retail marketing arena, but garish colour combinations, used in an airport or train station may be disconcerting for the traveller who is seeking basic information such as schedules.
Use Motion Selectively
Often silhouettes and animation may interfere with readability or comprehension. As viewers should be given enough time to read text, movement should not be too abrupt.
Alliteration and rhyme
For quicker viewer retention and memorisation, rhyme and alliteration could be considered. Most viewers remember up to three items at any given time. By keeping the message clear and concise, and holding the screen views long enough, the message can be read and absorbed effectively.
A place for humour
There are times when a playful injection of humour can transform digital signage content from ordinary to eye-catching and attention-grabbing. Once a viewer’s attention is caught, a conversation can be started with excellent content to follow. For many marketers, getting a customer ‘in the door’ is the first step to converting them into a sale.
Keep it fresh
One major element separating digital signage from traditional signage is its ability to display dynamic content. If only static content is being displayed on the screen, the question remains, why even use digital signage? Dynamic content captures an individual’s attention, keeps the viewer interested and remains top of mind.
Customers and employees are 10 times more likely to observe dynamic digital signage content than static messages. Examples of dynamic digital signage content are videos, animations, social media feeds or RSS feeds. The latter two are the most likely to keep the content as fresh and exciting as possible, and they’re low maintenance. However, if a company’s social media account is being displayed, it’s essential that it is kept updated,
Keep it simple
At first glance, simplicity may seem contradictory to producing amazing content, however, good visual communication should always be concise, easy to understand and memorable. Establish whether your content is interactive or not and then focus on delivering one key message, as too much information can overload and distract the viewer.
Place a call to action on every screen
Start a call to action with a verb, keep the verb and subject close together, and embed it in each screen being used (e.g. ‘Get Yours Today’, ‘Get Started Now’ and ‘Try it for Free’.)
Make it useful, not only colourful
When content is being designed, make sure it enhances the experience, not detracts from it. For example, many menu boards will use a dedicated attraction screen for this type of animated content, such as McDonald’s where the content flows well and the actual menu is not affected. All content elements must work together and not compete against one another.
Offer value, not technology
Often companies engage in technology, while not fully understanding how it will add value to the customer experience. The key question needs to be asked, ‘What will the customer gain if they pay attention to my content?’ Will they be entertained or more likely to make a purchase, or both? Does it offer them some sort of discount?
Goodbye Malaria is an initiative started by African entrepreneurs who believe that African creativity can solve one of Africa’s biggest problems: Malaria.
One of the ways Goodbye Malaria funds its campaigns and activities is by retailing beautiful shweshwe goods and cotton T-shirts, and it was fitting that they decided to position their retail outlets in airport kiosks around the country – to help send this lethal bug packing.
The benefits of using retail kiosks for a project like this are that they are less costly than renting a traditional retail space; they can be strategically positioned where the campaign’s target market is; and they are available in a wide range of designs, with optional features and accessories that ensure they can be fully customised to suit a brand’s identity.
The first roll-out of Goodbye Malaria’s retail kiosks began at the OR Tambo International Airport in April 2016, where one of Scan Retail’s existing kiosks was refurbished to suit its requirements. After this, two more kiosks were manufactured and installed in different locations within OR Tambo.
Melfred Malander, the Scan Retail account executive who ran with this project, said, ‘Goodbye Malaria was happy with the shopping kiosks, and at the end of last year we installed two more kiosks, one at George Airport and one at Cape Town International Airport. This time, instead of opting for our Modular Retail Kiosks, which come in standard designs, they went with a custom-designed kiosk to meet their exact needs.’
SCAN DISPLAY (+27 11) 447 4777 justin@scandisplay.co.za www.scandisplay.co.za
I’ve always thought that I have a good insight into Moms and how to be relevant to them. What I’ve recently come to understand is that you think you know a fair amount but you never really truly understand the group of people that make up your target audience, until you are actually part of that specific group. I’m a Mom to a 20-month-old boy…and boy oh boy…the insights that I’ve gained through this journey is life changing.
According to the Establishment Survey, there are roughly three million women with children under three years and nearly 3.5 million people within the ‘Young Family’ life stage. If you’re a brand that’s relevant to this audience whether baby/child focused or in general, you should know by now that this audience has a different set of priorities and makes decisions differently compared to the rest of the general population. Taking this to heart, there’s no better time than the present to highlight some of the key points a recently released Mintel study highlighted marketing to moms and some insights brands can take note of.
New or younger Moms are more likely to value media as a parenting resource
Having the internet at your fingertips, it’s easier than ever to Google questions or concerns. However, information overload is a real thing – especially for new Moms! This is where the power of brands may take advantage. Moms will naturally be drawn towards advice and information offered by a brand that carries authority in a category, especially the baby category. Therefore, ensure that the brand is ready, willing and able to be this trusted and valuable source of information.
Working Moms are more open to bite-size information and benefit more from products that make their lives easier and efficient
It’s amazing how much time an extra little heartbeat takes from you, whether you’re a working mom or not. So let’s skip the essay approach of telling Moms more about your brand and tap into the ‘snackable’ content approach. Keep it short – but in more frequent bursts Moms have a lot they need to think about and small reminders of your brand and benefits will work a lot harder. Anything that makes a Mom’s life easier has a huge sense of appeal, but it’s how a brand sells it that will determine whether it resonates with her or not. Focus on the product benefit but also highlight the benefit of time. Time that can be spent on things that matter, not just everyday mundane tasks.
Moms no longer buy into the ‘perfect Mom’ fantasy and are more open to embrace imperfections and parenting on their own terms
I do think this is an increasing phenomenon within women in general, especially in the Fashion and Beauty categories. From a Mom’s point of view, there’s a huge online movement where mothers from around the world accept, share and celebrate their imperfections. Raising a child is hard work and Moms are more open to admit when they’ve made mistakes. This is a huge insight that brands can utilise. Brands that exhibit an understanding of the challenges Moms face, and highlight the highs and lows of parenting will forge a long-term connection that will have a positive impact on brand loyalty within this audience.
Reading through this study, I realise that the insights aren’t rocket science, but sometimes when you’re not a part of the specific group you’re targeting it’s easy to miss these little nuggets of gold. That’s why it’s so important for brands to really immerse themselves into the target audience, do proper research and find those little nuggets that will make them more relevant and endearing in the long term than their competitors.
THE MEDIASHOP
www.mediashop.co.za
The leading ‘buy local’ initiative was established in 2001 out of socio-economic necessity to address job creation and the resultant poverty reduction. In essence, Primedia Outdoor rallies behind the advocacy work of Proudly South African and both share a vision to see a progressive South Africa.
Commenting on the membership, Peter Lindstrom, Sales and Marketing Executive of Primedia Outdoor said, ‘We are truly delighted to join forces with Proudly South African and our membership will serve as a key forum from which to continue propagating and influencing buying local. Primedia Outdoor’s unwavering commitment to deliver cutting-edge OOH advertising and using our capacity to drive positive change in our society rightly complements Proudly South African’s mandate.’
To support the upliftment of local brands, three well-deserving SMMEs collectively won a staggering R175,000 worth of outdoor media exposure courtesy of Primedia Outdoor at the Buy Local Summit and Expo 2018 held at the Sandton Convention Centre. The first prize champion of the competition was Touch Net, a business-to-business service focused company specialising in MPLS and WAN Connectivity Solutions for corporate clients and SME’s, who walked away with R100,000 worth of outdoor advertising. In second and third place was Soccer Rugby Sports Game (Pty) Ltd, an independent NPO which invented a new combination of soccer and rugby sporting codes and Moshiga Risk Solutions, a Pretoria-based establishment specialising in carpentry, rubbish removal, paving and construction, who won R50,000 and R25,000, respectively.
‘In trying to think differently about how to extract added value from our media relationship, we proposed the idea to Primedia Outdoor of providing smaller businesses with the massive platform and exposure that is outdoor advertising. We thank them for coming on board with this initiative and for providing these companies with such an exciting opportunity as an extension of our own advertising package around the Buy Local Summit & Expo,’ said Eustace Mashimbye, CEO Proudly South African. He added, ’It will be a huge thrill for these enterprises to see their companies up on those billboards and I’m sure, like us, they are extremely grateful for Primedia Outdoor’s support.’
This year’s conference programmes were again split into two days. Day 1 was a workshop hosted by Leanne Manas and was devoted to entrepreneurs and SMMEs. It looked at supplier development programmes and how they offer an entry to market for small enterprises. Day 2 mainly focused on the business of local procurement and there was an exhibition held with over 200 companies in attendance promoting and showcasing local products and services.
Through its membership with Proudly South African, Primedia Outdoor has demonstrated the will to back this much-needed campaign and its capacity to address the inevitabilities of buying local. Primedia Outdoor is also aware of the need to constantly encourage the nation to make personal and organisational contributions to the economic growth of South Africa and in this regard, affirmed its readiness to act in close cooperation with all members towards furthering Proudly South African objectives.
Ken Varejes from Nfinity said that the company has always been a space for entrepreneurs to grow and better their businesses and Webfluential South Africa is a perfect addition into the mix of media solutions.
‘We’re extremely excited about incorporating Webfluential South Africa into the Nfinity stable and we know that together with our current array of media solutions, our existing and future clients have a full 360 degree media powerhouse at their disposal. This is a historic event for both our businesses and we can’t wait to amplify our client’s brands even more,’ he said.
A dedicated Webfluential South Africa team will be based at Nfinity’s offices in Sandton under the guidance of Pieter Groenewald, who has become one of the most recognised experts in the field of influencer marketing.
Murray Legg, the co-founder of Webfluential said, ‘Nfinity has a strong and credible track record in the media industry, fantastic sales and management team and all the resources and expertise to take our business into the next phase of our journey, we’re excited.’
Nfinity’s existing brand advocacy and micro influencer business theSALT will continue to work as a separate business unit with advertisers, offering micro influencing and brand advocate solutions for clients to maximise brand growth. ‘The offering of these two businesses is so different and in my mind will complement each other,’ concluded Varejes.
NFINITY
www.nfinity.co.za
The next Speed Wrap Challenge will be held at the Sign Africa Bloemfontein Expo, taking place 10 May at Ilanga Estate.
Contestants will race against the clock to wrap a vehicle door to the best standards. This event is brought to you by platinum sponsor Roland and vinyl sponsor Grafiwrap (distributed by Maizey Plastics).
W-ookie (Wrap Rookie):
First: R3500.
Second: R1750.
Third: R1000.
Wrap Lord (Professional Wrapper):
Score more than 45 points and double your money.
The Wrap King (Winner Bonus): Flown to compete at FESPA Africa and Sign Africa expo in Johannesburg, to stand a chance of winning a trip to compete internationally at the FESPA World Wrap Masters in Europe.
1. Pre-register at the Speed Wrap stand.
2. Your registration will be confirmed with your time slot.
3. Be present at your time slot and wrap to the best standards.
If you are a wrap champion, then enter the Speed Wrap Challenges at the upcoming Sign Africa expo’s:
Zambia: 6-7 June, Mulungushi International Conference Centre, Lusaka.
Johannesburg: 12-14 September, Gallagher Convention Centre.
For more information, visit: www.signafricaexpo.com
Ruan Greeff of Wrap My Ride, winner of the 2017 Speed Wrap Challenge at the FESPA Africa and Sign Africa expos, will represent South Africa at the FESPA World Wrap Masters, taking place in FESPA 2018 in Berlin, from 15-18 May.
View the included Sign Africa educational video where Greeff shares useful vehicle wrapping tips.
If you consider yourself a wrapping champion, enter the Speed Wrap Challenge at the upcoming Sign Africa expo’s:
Bloemfontein: 10 May, Ilanga Estate.
Zambia: 6-7 June, Mulungushi International Conference Centre, Lusaka.
Johannesburg: 12-14 September, Gallagher Convention Centre.
For more information, visit: www.signafricaexpo.com
While mall occupancy levels and foot traffic have decreased in some malls, other malls have experienced excellent growth over the six months to December. So what does this mean for brands? Brands need to be where the consumers are and what better place than the mall environment.
According to John Faia, GM of Mall Ads, South Africa has a strong mall culture. You only need to look around to notice exciting new malls cropping up all over. In recent months we have seen the extension of Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, the opening of Menlyn Maine in Pretoria East and recent redevelopment of EastPoint shopping centre.
Trends in the mall environment are showing that consumers are chasing sales and specials, in my opinion more now than ever before. What this reinforces is that consumers respond extremely well to advertising. And part of what makes them buy one product over another is the advertising that speaks to them inside the mall environment. It is here that they are in a purchasing frame of mind. They’ve taken the time and the effort to get to the mall, now they want to spend the money that’s in their wallet.
Furthermore, everything about a mall is conducive to spending and feeling good while doing it. Consumers are receptive to brand messaging because they want to take advantage of the sale or desire the novelty of something new, hip and on-trend, be it a new flavoured water or sports shoe.
Malls are the perfect environment for brands to start or continue a conversation with the consumer. It is here, close to point of purchase, where brands either lose, keep or win consumers. And in order to keep already loyal consumers and win over new ones, your brand and your messaging needs to be in their face. Out of Home is the last window of opportunity to engage consumers on the path to purchase, that’s the bottom line.
So while some malls are experiencing difficult trading conditions, South Africans are still visiting malls, they’re still shopping and they’re still spending. Take, for example, convenience centres that cater to daily shopping needs. Many of these shoppers are dependent on social grants and are usually debt-free. They haven’t experienced the same pressure on disposable income as middle and higher-income consumers, so their spending patterns stay the same. So how does a brand stand out in a mall environment and grab a larger portion of shopper spend? By advertising. Simple. What becomes more complex is creating a campaign that is slick, fits seamlessly with the mindset of the target consumer and is memorable. Mall advertising is not what it used to be and a larger portion of marketing budget needs to sit within mall advertising for a campaign to translate to sales. Consumers are more savvy, more critical and expect a lot more from brands. They also want novelty and innovation. They want to have fun and have an emotional connection with a brand. This is where Mall Ads is able to provide bespoke solutions.
The long term reality is that the consumer base is growing, in Africa and by default South Africa, and one of the key driving factors is continued urbanisation levels. According to the PwC Retail in Africa 2017 report, the continent is the most rapidly urbanising region in the world, with urbanisation levels set to increase to 56% in 2030 from 35% in 2010. If we look specifically at the South African context, the report shows that Johannesburg is set to grow by 45% over the same period, to a total of 11.5m people.
This can only be good for retailers and malls in general. More foot traffic, more spend and more opportunity for brands to touch consumers.
The displays are designed with simplicity and affordability in mind and they deliver superior image quality and video performance, enabling Leyard and Planar to meet the full range of signage needs with the Planar Simplicity Series.
They are ideal for retail, museums, corporate communications, quick serve restaurants and small companies with a limited budget that would like to capitalise on the benefits of digital signage.
Steve Seminario, vice president of product management, Leyard and Planar said, ’We’ve expanded the Planar Simplicity Series LCD display line to address the growing need for simple, robust and affordable signage displays that fully exploit beautiful and engaging 4K content that is now so readily available.’
‘We are seeing dramatic growth in the adoption of 4K in the large format display category. The winning supplier will offer a range of 4K display solutions in a wide variety of sizes and feature levels, to be the ‘one stop shop’ for the end user,’ aid Graham Cooke, Pro IT display market analyst at Futuresource Consulting.
-Wide variety of sizes (43”, 55”, 65”, 75” and 86”).
-Exceptional clarity with four times the resolution of Full HD.
Whisper-quiet fan-less design.
-Native 4K resolution at up to 60Hz support for smooth video and mouse tracking.
-Integrated signage tools, such as USB playback with scheduling and LAN distribution, eliminating the need for third-party hardware.
-Built-in speakers.
-The Planar Simplicity Series 4K is available through Leyard and Planar’s global network of authorised resellers.
PLANAR www.planar.com
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