Category: News

As Viv Da Ros, Caltex Australia’s Chief Information Officer said when talking about the company’s approach to innovation, “It’s about ensuring seamless connectivity between key systems, processes, operational workflows and customer touchpoints.”

Petrol stations have a multitude of customer touchpoints available to create a seamless digital experience. From the forecourt and entrance to in-store point of sale advertising screens, focusing on delivering the right content at every touchpoint in the journey can not only improve the customer experience, but also the effectiveness of promotions. Due to the flexible nature of petrol station digital signage, promotions can be created, tested and tailored quickly, giving companies an advantage over less nimble competitors.

Let’s talk about the different options.

Forecourt

Whether it be integrated within the pump or directly facing customers as they drive up, a digital display within the forecourt is a strategic opportunity to upsell and cross sell products and services. While the dwell time may be short the ability to provide impactful messages is incentive enough for a digital display. Brands and vendors are constantly looking for new ways to market themselves and forecourt signage is the perfect opportunity to reach customers directly at the first touch point.

Entrance

Impress customers as they walk through the door with a large-scale LED video wall. Installing a shop entrance digital sign allows petrol station operators to customize content based on the location, time of day, weather and customer demographics. LED is quickly becoming the first choice for outdoor communication with key features such as lifespan and high brightness in sunlight rich locations are setting it apart from its static alternatives. Seam free, LED allows for the construction of impressive video walls with visuals extending right to the edge ensuring a greater impact with vibrant picture and uninterrupted video.

Window

Double sided digital window displays are proving popular in a number of different industries. The double-sided display can advertise in-store specials to capture the attention of customers filling up, whilst reinforcing interest again at point-of-purchase. Point-of-purchase displays can provide an emotional connection with customers and are proven to drive impulse decisions.

In-Store

Customers now expect a more engaging and immersive experience. According to a Cisco IBSG study, over 40% of shoppers say that digital displays can change what they buy. Placing an LED along the top of the fridge provides prime real estate for vendors to bring their brands to life, capture the attention of customers, boost impulse purchases and drive greater revenue.

Interestingly, number plate recognition technology has also started to emerge within the petrol station industry with New Zealand based Z Energy paving the way. The automated payment technology, ‘Fastlane’, works through downloading the Z app and entering fuel, registration and payment details. Once the motorist fills up the tank, the security cameras at the station scan the car number plate and the payment is made instantly.

Not only can number plate recognition technology be useful for streamlining the customer transaction but can also be linked with petrol station digital signage, returning to Caltex Australia’s vision of “everything is connected.” Linking customer data with digital signage will allow petrol stations to display advertisements relevant to the customer. For example, a pie and soft drink promotion appears on the forecourt digital sign when an 18-year-old male tradesman arrives who has previously linked his car number plate for easy payment.

A seamless digital experience is the key to long-term success for petrol stations. From the ability to test the effectiveness of promotions instantly through on the fly content updates, to personalizing each customers interaction with targeted and relevant advertisements, innovation is essential for petrol stations to deliver a sustainable boost to their bottom line.

As featured on Digital Signage Today.

Digital billboards versus online advertising
The digital landscape sees marketing delivered in all shapes and sizes. How to package your messages is a necessary debate as platforms continue to morph and merge.

So what role does traditional signage now play, as the preference for mobile devices and online channels continues to grow? Considered a staple of the traditional signage family, the billboard has been undergoing some digital updates, to make it a strong option for your advertising investment.

Advertising in the digital age
Digital technology for outdoor environments has progressed rapidly. Aside from the obvious advantage of being able to change advertisements at the click of a button, LED projects crisp images, beautiful colour and provides the digital edge to a traditional option. The technology has been developed to withstand various weather types making digital billboards cost effective, flexible, artistic and dynamic.

So why choose a concrete investment over placing your message into the palm of potential consumers hands? Nielsen On Location Digital Signage Report found that 71% of the surveyed consumers agreed that digital billboards stand out more than online advertising with 77% agreeing that digital billboards often caught their attention. As we get saturated with online advertising, not surprisingly, consumers are becoming quickly desensitised and switching off. Digital billboards offer a bold play for consumer’s attention, diversifying standard streetscapes and building facades.

Benefits on installing your own digital billboard
Billboards maximise the opportunity for prime locations to be utilised and put eyes on your message.

Digital billboards deliver messages in a variety of ways, creating flexibility with the time of day, expected audience and capacity to live in real time. By investing in your own digital platform, you gain the freedom to experiment with mixing up your message, design and have the opportunity to create advertising that integrates as art, delivering the visual disruption needed to make an impact.

Third party advertising and ROI on initial investment
Further capacity exists for integrating third party advertising for a sales-based return on your advertising investment. For building and business owners, this allows you to sweat your existing assets with ROI possible within just 12 months, leaving positive income after.

Digital displays are built to change, which enables owners to create space for external input. Outdoor, high traffic environments naturally entice companies to want to display their message and get in on the eye capturing action. Further assisting the sale of digital space is the ability to capture analytics from the audience and measure that against return. If the advertising isn’t performing, the ability to change exists at the click of a button.

Managed solution
To fully optimise your digital billboard, a content management service incorporating a proof of play system is essential. With technology platforms continually evolving, it has become even easier to enable asset owners to sell space to third party advertisers online – similar to that of an Airbnb model.

As featured on Unwrap LFRA.

South Bank Corporation is the development and management authority of Brisbane’s most iconic riverfront destination. Visited by over fourteen million people annually and home to hundreds of events each year, South Bank is a multi-award-winning precinct that continues to innovate to ensure that it remains a progressive public hub. 

Lined with an abundance of cafes and restaurants, Little Stanley Street and Grey Street have become an integral part of Brisbane’s modern dining landscape. With new tenancies regularly joining the precinct, South Bank Corporation’s static wayfinding signage requires constant updates. As one of Brisbane’s major tourist attractions, well designed and up-to-date way finding is essential for visitors to easily track down their favourite destination along South Bank. 

CV Media & Signage developed a tailored outdoor digital wayfinding solution for South Bank Corporation, with communication and navigation being key features of the design. Six 46-inch double-sided LCD kiosks (based on commercial grade Samsung OH46F Series displays) have been installed at key locations along the dining hub, with each map oriented to the user’s view, allowing them to easily understand what streets, landmarks, cafes and restaurants are ahead. Each kiosk holds one Commercial Chromebox to power both screens.

Customised content by CV Media & Signage’s in-house creative team features an animated map rotating through each tenant’s location, highlighted through subtle colour and pulsing to capture the attention of passersby. Advertisements feature below the map to showcase current and upcoming events such as the Sunday Sessions music program on the River Quay. With a link to South Bank Corporation’s interactive map on its ‘eat SouthBank’ website, the kiosk provides viewers with an additional interactive feature. CV Media & Signage’s outdoor digital wayfinding kiosks are now a prominent feature on the Streets of South Bank.

As featured in Digital Signage Magazine.

Wander the streets of Hong Kong and you’ll see LED has a life of its own.  It’s “plastered on walls, floors and automobiles, with whispers that it will soon legitimately replace some building materials.” (D.Hayne). Its explosion has meant the design and delivery of a more refined and quality product with a more attractive price tag. So why is the popular outdoor screen option now taking steps indoors?

If you’ve been waiting to push the play button on digital because you thought it was a passing trend, you can be confident it’s not moving on. Retail spaces have become a hive of digital activity, with different platforms delivering so much more than just advertisements on the wall. Having worked with retail brands, key features set LED apart from other alternatives, and it is quickly becoming the choice for in-store communication.

The Look

LED is seam free, allowing for the construction of impressive video walls. LCD displays have frames that present noticeable bezel, breaking up display content and images. Fine-pitch indoor LED technology allows visuals to extend to the edge, displaying greater impact with more vibrant picture and uninterrupted video. LED is providing brands a platform to build truly transformative experiences, taking their customers out of the store and into a realm of their choice.

The Location

LED is proven to perform better in spaces exposed to sunlight. For retailers occupying street-side locations, their shop front is prime real estate. Indoor LED has the capability to break through the glass and glare and use visual content to engage those passing by.

The Lifespan

The evolution of fine-pitch LED has seen its product lifespan almost double that of its LCD competitor. Video walls built with LCD tend to have an operation time of five years, with the front-running LED lasting twice as long. The lifespan has proven to be a key buying incentive for retailers, as they aim to get the most from their investment.

Spotlight on City Beach

City Beach have been paving the way for Australian urban streetwear retail culture for more than 30 years. No strangers to the world of digital, City Beach has deployed an engaging indoor fine-pitch 3.5-meter by 2-meter LED in their newest store at Westfield Coomera. City Beach used the leading-edge LED technology for their new store, as a shift away from previously used LCD video walls, removing the lines normally seen with LCD video walls for a seamless unrestricted view. The proof is truly in the picture, with the City Beach large-format display (LFD) captivating customers with vibrant videos and color.

As featured on Digital Signage Connection.

With tremendous growth across the airport precinct, Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) has been actively innovating its customer service offering through digital integration. Ground transport continues to be a key element for the overall airport customer journey, remaining a top priority for BAC.

BAC offers a number of complimentary transfer bus services between the terminals, to/from Skygate – Brisbane Airport’s shopping and leisure precinct and to/from its AIRPARK parking facility for the convenience of passengers. Using advances in technology to meet and exceed customers’ expectations, BAC continues to innovate to ensure an efficient and positive airport experience.

In partnership with CV Media & Signage, BAC installed digital bus stops at the International and Domestic Terminals. CV Media & Signage developed the custom built solution utilising an industry leading aluminium kiosk with a Samsung OH series IP67 ultra-bright screen. Operating through a cloud based content management system, customised software links with GPS data that tracks each of BAC’s electric transfer buses.

The customised software allows the digital bus stops to display real-time bus arrival times and timely informational messages removing the guess work and uncertainty for passengers. The Samsung ultra-bright screens also allow for a more eye catching and engaging communication tool, providing additional advertising space for BAC.

CV Media & Signage’s digital division was established in 2015. Extensive experience in signage manufacturing techniques has given CV Media & Signage a unique competitive advantage in the digital signage industry.

To remain on the front foot of delivering innovative customer focused parking experiences, Secure Parking has been implementing a number of digital signs into their parking spaces in partnership with CV Media & Signage. As the largest Australian-owned car parking operator, Secure Parking have over 600 car parks and have developed forward thinking parking products and solutions. Continually evolving and innovating within the parking space, choosing to implement digital technology has been a natural progression for the company.

Winners of the Outstanding Customer Service award in the 2017 Parking Industry Awards, Chief Executive Officer Garth Mathews said, “Secure Parking has been committed to improving the level of service we offer to our customers and this award is recognition for the efforts by our team to improve every touch point across the business. Secure Parking will be introducing a range of new customer service innovations that will ensure Secure Parking continues to set the customer service benchmark for the industry.”

Due to the large number of parking facilities, challenging traffic conditions and accessibility, Secure Parking have begun the digital transition within their Brisbane CBD locations along with plans in motion for Sydney CBD locations. Fine pitch LED provides Secure Parking a multi-purpose platform to inform customers of their location, offer information around their car park and the ability to integrate advertising.

Situated at car park entrances, the digital signs allow for a more eye catching and engaging communication tool. Running content off CV Media & Signage’s cloud based content management system enables Secure Parking to actively update their content in line with availability, traffic conditions and events.

CV Media & Signage’s digital solutions work hand in hand with Secure Parking’s mission to continually provide the highest levels of customer service at every location. There is a number of great possibilities for digital within the parking space – get in touch with the CV Media & Signage team for a customised solution.

As featured on Parking Australia.

Digital touchscreen technology is popping up everywhere, and the question from a lot of companies is, “How can we swipe a piece of the interactive pie?” The flexibility available through hardware and software means customization is not only a possibility, but a preference. Providing solutions unique to a company’s offering or communications opens up the opportunity to intelligently integrate tech. Touchscreens provide the ability to empower customers, staff and stakeholders while elevating creativity and efficiencies.

It’s an exciting time to see how different industries are integrating touchscreen technology to enhance customer experiences and their own capabilities. Here is a few of our insights on how a variety of industries are integrating touch tech:

Transport & Travel

A time of heightened emotion, travel often results in customers stretching from calm to chaos. Digital touch technology has been explored in varying ways for the transport industry, from digital bus time tables and taxi touchscreens and full destination exploration. From the basic convenience of tracking where your ride is to doing a quick cost calculation to buying tickets or exploring a foreign place, customizing a digital touchscreen to a niche purpose is possible. Alleviating stress is at the core of transport and travel signage and can elevate a traveller’s experiences from good to great.

Touchscreens can be utilized for timely communications, real-time messaging and for allowing customers to explore their options. Rather than fumbling through Google, understand your customer journey and provide everything they need before they know they need it.  More frequently, touch technology is lending itself to developing smart cities, with public places embracing the opportunity to integrate interactive.

Entertainment

Entertainment precincts from art galleries to stadiums are hives of activity, and we have zeroed in on a few keys elements of engagement that can be elevated through touch technology. Find your gate, find your seat, find that exhibition you’ve been eyeing off or discover one you didn’t even know was on. The best part about touchscreens is the capability to build dynamic layers, providing as little or as much information as you need. Bringing life to locations through visuals and video will resonate with customers as they move through high activity spaces. When the screen is not being interacted with, entertainment precincts can take the opportunity to make promotions and specific information really stand out.

Retail

Retail is pushing the boundaries with digital engagement and integration. The technology available through digital touchscreens is opening up the floor to brand experience more than ever before. The opportunities for interactive elements are varied, with the central focus always staying on the customer. Empowering the customer through social media activations and digital browsing of the brand story allows the brand to provide more than just a product. It allows for an experience. The natural interaction increases dwell time and has proven to result in sales.

Project Snapshot

The Brisbane Airport Corporation recently integrated touchscreen technology into their taxi rank. The installation utilizes state-of-the-art ultra-bright 1p55-rated technology which is built into a customized casing provided by our manufacturing team. The solution was built for optimum function in an outdoor environment and remains unaffected by the elements. The screen allows for easy readability no matter the time of day or night. With a focus on customer service and maximizing efficiencies, the taxi touchscreen has been implemented in the taxi zone to assist and inform customers on the journey to their final destination.

Check out the video below to see the Taxi Fare Calculator in action:

As featured on Digital Signage Connection.

Through embracing digital technologies, airports have been actively exploring the tools to further shape the delivery of their overall customer experience. With customer experience remaining the primary focus, airports are capitalizing on the opportunities to provide efficient messaging, real time information, personalised services and self-service. Airports are keen to discover what’s next, as the digital revolution takes flight.

Airports maintain a few key priorities when managing their customer journey. From the car park to the tarmac, each step is carefully planned out and managed. Being proactive in reducing stress, keeping people informed, entertained and engaged can result in an overall positive experience, encourage customer loyalty and assist in easing stresses often associated with travelling.

Entertain

Between queuing for check-in, baggage, customs and gate boarding, most time spent at the airport is spent waiting. Digital signage is known to help reduce perceived wait time by up to 35 percent so implementing screens throughout waiting areas is key. Streaming news, sport, videos and weather updates throughout an airport can entertain passengers whilst waiting for their flight or assist in distracting them in the case of delays.

Further building on the streaming of content – airports are beginning to explore the implementation of screens as digital art works, creating environments that help escape the airport confines. Most recently, Changi has integrated LED displays, one measuring 70 by 5-meters with 60-millimeter pixel pitch and the other 10 by 6-meters and 4-millimeter pixel pitch. The impressive displays are integrated into the centralised security screening area and the departure transit zone for maximum exposure and to help integrate entertainment through waiting times. The artwork has been carefully developed to include picturesque scenes, animation and flowing geometric shapes on a 24/7 cycle.

Inform

Navigating through an airport can be confusing, frustrating and stressful. Airport digital signage can provide unambiguous, easy-to-find guidance to visitors who may be scrambling to make a flight or trying to locate a cup of coffee. Not only is this helpful in assisting passengers to reach their destination in a timely manner, but is also valuable for airport staff and general operations. Wayfinding signage remains a priority in managing flow and efficiencies throughout the airport, with digital providing greater scope to elevate these communications through different platforms.

Providing an interactive kiosk with a detailed map and step-by-step directions will allow your visitors get to their destination more efficiently whilst enabling employees to do their jobs more effectively. An interesting example of airport digital signage is Brisbane Airport Corporation’s recent interactive kiosk installation — the Taxi Fare Calculator. The kiosk provides an easy platform for visitors to find out how long and how much it will cost to get to their destination.

Security is also a primary priority for airport authorities. Airport digital signage can act as an emergency alert system, raising awareness of urgent situations throughout the airport. Through a centrally controlled system, critical messages can be pushed out immediately to all digital screens improving the ability to respond to any situation and communicate to customers accordingly.

Engage

Airports can keep content feeds fresh with brand-owned and user-generated content. Engagement can be achieved through photo sharing, hashtags, brand activations and exploring possibilities with VR. There’s no denying the power of social media, with over 3 billion active users across various platforms worldwide. Leveraging off the classic departure selfie, airports can create a physical Instagram moment spot, which will not only provide free marketing, but increase customer engagement. If done well, leveraging social media can assist in creating trust, engaging visitors and generating traffic to airport or advertiser’s social networks.

Increasing visual communications within an airport can only have a positive impact on operations and passenger flows through the terminal. Digital communications at airports that enhance the level of visibility of the airport in terms of the services available can only be a major source of competitive advantage. With this in mind, airports should consider deploying a variety of digital signage throughout terminals to manage passenger expectations and enhance the visitors experience.

The airport environment also offers an advertising opportunity like no other. With high passenger traffic, high dwell time and heightened emotion, 42 percent of passengers are more likely to make an impulse purchase. Increase revenue of the airports tax-free shops, restaurants and bars by displaying pre-flight and gate-side promotional offers.

As featured on DigitalSignageToday.

It’s often a natural process for retail brands to go through evolutions in step with their customers and their markets. Remaining agile in the face of progressive change is an important element for brands to continue to align with their consumers and stay relevant. Visually, rebranding is a managed risk that can result in great reward. Careful planning of the brand evolution can provide access to new markets, reintegration with existing markets and the opportunity to reflect company ethos and value in a new way.

How can signage impact a rebrand?

Although it seems an obvious question, there are a number of impacts the physical signage can have on the rebranding process and outcomes:

1. The first challenge is identification and whether the rebrand needs to be a gradual evolution or an immediate change. Ensuring you don’t lose existing customers through the rebranding can sometimes be a challenge if the change involves a new name or stark contrast in the look. Creative transitioning and temporary signage can be useful in informing customers that you’re still the brand they have come to love; things just look a little different now.
2. Emerging with the rebrand process is the opportunity to explore new store concepts and creative innovation. Considering factors such as design, colour, illumination, environment, longevity and store integration, there is a number of benefits in how you can innovate the build of your new brand to ensure you’re getting the most out of your investment. The impact of designs can be altered from the materials used to the way signage is integrated to achieve optimum exposure. Shifting the look and feel of your brand can also provide an opportunity to shift more to what your customers really value.
3. Synergy within one store and across all retail spaces can be achieved through clever signage design. Rebranding provides the perfect opportunity to reconsider your customers experience and how the retail journey impacts their relationship with your brand. Wayfinding, informational, promotional, product and price related signage can all be integrated to elevate the experience.
4. Australian retailers have indicated strong return on investment, with numbers indicating a 5 – 30% increase in like for like sales. The brand relaunch sales have also see some brands have a 50% spike in sales for the initial launch period (notably with ‘store of the future’ concepts). The relaunch phase also allows an opportunity for stores to reintegrate into communities, align with other local vendors and reach out to media outlets.

CV Media & Signage specialise in delivering retailers quality signage fit for their space. Becoming specialists in delivering for retail and large format retail clients, the team has developed a key understanding of the requirements involved in delivering different signage elements from building fascia, wall prints, acrylic lettering, floor prints, promotional banners, shelf signage and more.

If the visual direction involves digital, we also have the capability to build the best platform for you. Physical retailers are in the midst of progressing their stores to have a greater digital presence, in line with the natural movement of technology. Some highlights from the digital space for retail outlets include digital integration for campaigns, visual merchandising, store aesthetics, branding, wayfinding, store information and collecting customer data.

Digital tools including video walls and digital screens, social media integration, interactive touchpoints as well as virtual and augmented reality are all available to enhance the in-store experience and the emotional reactions associated with the physical purchase.

Project Snapshot

Most recently, all 68 Amart Sports outlets rebranded to Rebel stores under Super Retail Group. Super Retail Group combined the best of both brands into one single customer-focused offering that brings together Rebel’s strengths in solutions and services with Amart Sports’ customer service excellence into the one strong, national omni sports retailer that will continue to provide customers inspiring solutions and services to make the most of their leisure time.

Erica Berchtold, Super Retail Group Managing Director Sport said “Focusing on the Rebel brand will enable us to offer customers an expanded range of solutions and services at more locations, concentrate our investment building world class omni retail capabilities, and further streamline the end-to-end supply chain required to deliver the seamless omni experience that customers expect.”

The project required an extremely efficient turn around for their new signage products including the manufacture and installation for the internal and external sign elements. In just eight weeks, the CV Media & Signage team was able to deliver and install the new signage across all Amart Sport sites. For a large format retail rebrand such as Amart Sport to the Rebel transition, timing was key. Super Retail Group progressed the shift quickly enabling the Rebel brand to establish itself as a competitive market leader in the sporting goods space with a network of 160 stores nationally.