Forrester Research says time is right for digital signage

Broadcast Engineering reports on a recent report from Forrester Research indicating that retailers will need to start including digital signage solutions in their marketing efforts in order to remain competitive:

According to the report, in-store marketing pilot campaigns using HD technology at POS already have seen sales lifts ranging from 15 percent to 60 percent. Yet, if [Forrester researcher Nikki Baird] is correct, she says that more sophisticated marketing and even a modest adaptability to the new medium can generate even greater revenues.

To realize this potential, marketers have to realize that the landscape has undergone a few changes, says Baird. First, awareness and purchase can happen anywhere thanks to the Web and Web-enabled mobile devices. Second, frequency of the message does not determine success; rather it’s how effective companies can time the message to find consumers at the point where they are ready to buy. Third, the store itself has become cluttered with messages from a variety of vendors leading to consumer backlash.

The report also cites some of the major causes of trouble for early purveyors of digital signage solutions, including a lack of in-store and media experience. It also notes that many companies tangentially related to electronic signage have had difficulties transitioning to the new media format.

You can find the complete report here.