Digital Signage in Africa
For many years Digital signage has experienced rapid growth around the world as many corporations have seen the need to expand advertising and communication platforms if there are to stay relevant in these dark financial times. Economies as a whole have began to recover from the global recession that hit many companies and individuals in 2008, and it is only those companies who at that time managed to explore and adapt into new advertising and communication methods, who have come out on top. Many ask why companies such as Coca Cola need to advertise as there are already such a big global brand, what most people don’t understand is that Coca Cola do not advertise because they are big, they are big because they advertise. Companies like Coca Cola have understood the key to success is in keeping direct communication with the consumer in the most relevant way possible.
Digital Signage or more commonly known as Narrow Casting has further evolved the advertising and communication world, DS has managed to allow companies to pack and unpack tailored messages to consumer in the most narrow and relevant form yet. Today’s typical consumer lives in a world where he/she is constantly bombarded with information be it from their phones, computers or televisions, this at some point proved to be a problem for advertisers as they had to formulate a way to communicate with clients without saturating them with too much information, advertisers turned to DS solutions.
DS solutions offered advertisers a new communication platform where they could both entertain and inform their clients about product offerings without saturating them with too much information. DS was further revolutionized by technological advancements in the IT industry as most solutions have now become networked via the internet, which has seen DS platforms becoming more of information hubs as communication feeds can be updated in real-time. This evolution has been a major plus for advertisers, as prospective clients will be further lured to these new platforms. These developments alone have seen companies who have employed DS solutions greatly improve profit margins and has seen them creating and reinstating brand awareness.
In light of all this, Digital Signage is still very underutilized in Africa. Companies in general have not yet realized the full potential of applying Digital Signage into their businesses. The year is 2010 and you still find some International airports on the continent without Digital Signage solutions to manage flight times, many may blame this to power outages or poor internet connectivity .But I feel that in 2010 most African nations boast of well run International airports , and you do not need any internet connectivity to set up and run a local DS solution.
This then leaves only one culprit. The Digital Signage companies, who from my experience in the DS industry simply have not done enough to promote the benefits and need for industries to evolve and apply DS solutions into their Businesses, There is a general perception that DS solutions are generally expensive to install and run, which is totally away from the truth as that simple suggestion would imply companies should totally abandon advertising, looking at the total R.O.I companies simply cannot afford not to implement DS solutions.
Apart from the R.O.I digital signage as a whole has managed to create guilt free advertising, No more unnecessary wastage of paper for advertising campaigns.
Article By.
Jermaine Gabellah
Brand Development
Ginio Media House
www.giniomedia.com
