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Editorial:

Set Yourself A Part

Story: Christopher Holder

ou’ve heard of day parting but have you heard about ‘car parting’?

M&C Saatchi (using APN Outdoor’s smarts) launched an innovative digital out of home campaign for Lexus, based on identifying vehicle models (using a camera and a database) that triggers specific messages to the sign. The new Lexus NX SUV is smart and sassy so the back-chatting sign was a perfect fit. Oh, and to up the smart-alec ante, the sign also took cues from the weather, inserting comments about the rain into the messaging. Trés cool. The underlying principle is easy to apprehend: the more personalised the message the more it will be noticed and digested; and, similarly, the more contextually clever the message is, the more memorable it is. That said, it does make me wonder where this ‘responsive’ out of home signage is headed.

Some of the more notable executions internationally ha seen the figure of a woman with her hair and clothing being blown about as a train passes the digital sign. There’s the British example of the large outdoor digital billboard interacting with aircraft passing overhead.

Closer to home, Sydney Airport has been running advertising in its international departure lounges that is contextually appropriate to the destination of the passengers.

Similarly, McDonald’s this summer ran digital signage advertising for its Frozen Coke and Choc Waffle Cone (pictured) that appeared when the local temperature hit 27 degrees and its Rump Steak Taster when it dropped below 21 degrees – a ‘temperature parting’ innovation from oOh! Media. This is all clever stuff, but not science fiction (please don’t mention Minority Report!). There is an RSS feed for most everything now. Everyone is collecting data and leveraging that data to influence the actions of patrons, stakeholders and/or staff makes a lot of sense.

What data are you keeping? What data feeds are important to your business?

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Petrol prices? Why not have a Fuel Parting sign — “Unleaded now under $1.20. Fill up Before the Weekend!” Are you in the city’s financial district? Then what about Stock Market trends (um, ASX Parting?) — “The Market Might be Down 2% But How About a Pick Me Up?”.

Keeping your messaging relevant and contextual doesn’t mean the content needs to be lavish. It’s all in the timing.  Christopher Holder, Editorial Director chris@dsmag.com.au

Keeping your messaging relevant and contextual doesn’t mean the content needs to be lavish. It’s all in the timing

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CONTENTS ISSUE 15 2015

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Advertising Office: (02) 9986 1188 PO Box 6216, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086

Editorial Office: (03) 5331 4949 PO Box 295, Ballarat, VIC 3353

Publication Director: Stewart Woodhill (stewart@dsmag.com.au) Editorial Director: Christopher Holder (chris@dsmag.com.au)

Publisher: Philip Spencer (philip@dsmag.com.au) Art Director: Dominic Carey (dominic@alchemedia.com.au) Graphic Design: Daniel Howard (daniel@alchemedia.com.au) Contributing Editor: Graeme Hague (news@dsmag.com.au) Technical Editor Andy Ciddor (andy@av.net.au) Accounts: Jaedd Asthana (jaedd@alchemedia.com.au) Circulation Manager: Mim Mulcahy (subscriptions@dsmag.com.au)

FEATURES 8 Lap of Luxury: Audi & Maserati Showroom COLUMNS 14 Gaye Steel, Guihen Jones REFERENCE 30 Who’s Who Company Profiles COMMENT 34 Mug Punter

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

IN ACTION 12 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre 16 Story Bridge Digital Signboard, Brisbane 17 Verizon Flagship Store 19 APN Outdoor’s LED Masterpiece, Sydney Airport 20 Starlab: Big Hotel Blue Sky Thinking Machine 22 Smart Billboards Call Cars Out 24 Cyclone Tracy’s Interactive Exhibit, Darwin 26 270° Minecraft!: USC’s Immerse Studio 27 Gold Coast Hospital Wayfinding

alchemedia publishing pty ltd (ABN: 34 074 431 628) PO Box 6216, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086 info@alchemedia.com.au All material in this magazine is copyright © 2014 Alchemedia Publishing Pty Ltd. The title AV is a registered Trademark. Apart from any fair dealing permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. The publishers believe all information supplied in this magazine to be correct at the time of publication. They are not in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accept no liability in the event of any information proving inaccurate. After investigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, prices, addresses and phone numbers were up to date at the time of publication. It is not possible for the publishers to ensure that advertisements appearing in this publication comply with the Trade Practices Act, 1974. The responsibility is on the person, company or advertising agency submitting or directing the advertisement for publication. The publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions, although every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy. 22/10/14

A Lap of Luxury Zagame’s Melbourne Audi Showroom is a showpiece of automotive passion. Story: Christopher Holder Photos: Christine Francis

udi’s luxury brand is carefully cultivated and fiercely protected. Head office enforces strict guidelines and style guides, and the threat of the agency being pulled is ever present for those thinking about playing fast and loose with the Audi brand. But it’s not all about dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s (or should that be the ü’s and ø’s?), there has to be room for passion. Luxury cars are about passion. People buy with their heart. In fact, in the case of the Zagame family, the cars are sold with as much passion as they’re purchased.

The Zagames stand astride the luxury car market in Melbourne like a keyless-entry Colossus. They have garages across the city and have a special love affair with Italian supercars, with exclusive Victorian distribution of Maserati, Ferrari and Lamborghini. The jewel in this crown is the Audi Centre 8

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Melbourne on the corner of Swanston and Victoria Streets, one of the busiest intersections in town. This is five levels of primo real estate.

“We’re the second biggest Audi showroom in the world after Dubai,” noted a justifiably proud Adrian Zagame. “But I’d like to think we’re the best.” Adrian is a Director of Zagame Automotive and ably demonstrates that Audi may have met its match when it comes to a passion for perfection and customer experience. “It’s worth remembering you’re dealing with a brand that’s bigger than our own,” concedes Adrian, but it hasn’t stopped Zagame from taking the Audi showroom template and improving on it. SHOW TIME

The Audi Showroom (and the adjoining Maserati Melbourne showroom) is a sleek modernistic monolith. Within it, digital signage plays a key role. Zagame Automotive commissioned a digital signage system design that could then be put out to tender. Urban Intelligence won the job thanks

to a slick presentation and an appreciation for Zagame’s intentions for the system, rather than a gear-led ‘this plugs into this’ tender.

The truth is, Zagame wouldn’t even necessarily call the technology installation ‘digital signage’, simply a wishlist of requirements: It had content it wanted to display on video walls, it had screens elsewhere in boardrooms and common areas that it wanted to use for presentation purposes (and Audi content when not in use), it wanted a ‘Configurator’ room (vehicle optioning/ customisation software) that would involve touch technology, and it wanted a centralised delivery of this content alongside BYOD wireless takeover capabilities. Sounds sophisticated, but it also had to be simple to use. BUY WITH THE EYES

“People buy on the basis of emotion and the ability to envisage themselves in a car,” noted Adrian Zagame. “Advertising does this very well, and our digital signage reinforces that messaging. Once a customer is in the showroom, the digital

signage is a powerful way of influencing their thoughts and feelings. They might see a car on a beach on our huge video wall, and it’s not long before that customer is visualising that — ‘It could be me in that car on a beach’.” Adrian points out that many people who come to the showroom are happy to be sold the dream — they’re already convinced themselves they want an Audi… but which model exactly? “It’s not about price. And here’s where the digital signage is so powerful, it’s a catalyst for conversation, it leads to the point where we can talk about the right Audi for you. Sure, we have super-cars and luxury models but an Audi isn’t unattainable. Digital signage allows us to start that conversation.”

The signage is currently fed content from centralised PCs via HDBaseT (hi-def video over cat-6 cable). Audio for the video goes to JBL Control Series in-ceiling speakers. The video walls use Kramer and Extron AV hardware to manage the hi-def image across the 16 displays. The screens are from Philips, principally because it was the only vendor to guarantee 24/7 operation. The next phase sees Audi TV programming streaming straight from Germany. Audi TV content is lavishly produced and dwells on the hand-made elements of the vehicles: the history, the hi-tech wizardry and the racing pedigree. CONFIGURATOR: OPTION UP

There’s something that switches on in a male brain (let’s face it, mostly it’s male), when left to his own devices in a car showroom. Having left the house with a promise simply to view a vehicle ‘on special’, he now finds himself at a configurator screen adding a walnut dash, ceramic brakes, metallic paint, and a sports pack to his ‘demonstrator’; each flick of the wrist adding to the cost of the vehicle. Two views of the Audi Showroom’s video wall. It reinforces the Audi message but more importantly it allows the sales team to engage customers.

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

When in our Configurator room we’re not selling you a car, we’re helping you design your dream car

“The Configurator room is fantastic,” enthuses Adrian Zagame. “When in our Configurator room we’re not selling you a car, we’re helping you design your dream car. In that room, price isn’t important; we’re personalising your order.”

At the time of going to print, the Configurator room was based on a web platform, with a 3x3 video wall, and this is soon to be given an offline upgrade from Audi — a full-blown showroom Configurator with touchtable technology, allowing the customer to make a hands-on selection and then ‘throw’ their choices up to the video wall, all in glorious hi-def. Once you’ve customised the perfect vehicle, you can scan the QR code to take it away with you on your device. Something to show the wife… perhaps. SIGNAGE & BOARDROOM

Fascinatingly, Zagame has sewn signage into the fabric of its business. The showroom is principally a place to sell cars, but is now also an events space and staff training factility. And with the prevalence of glass and open plan 10

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

The Maserati showroom’s Configurator space, combining online visualisation with touch ‘n’ feel leather and rims.

architecture, there’s hardly a sightline which doesn’t involve some kind of screen. Adrian Zagame explains further:

“Every screen in the building is potentially a digital signboard or a free-to-air TV, or a Blu-ray video player, or a presentation display. Every screen is just as useful to us to sell vehicles as it is to train staff or theme events. Every screen within the building can be over ridden by either plugging in a laptop, a USB key or, through the wi-fi, a mobile device. We have a powerful central matrix such that any source can be displayed on any screen. It’s extremely flexible.” Urban Intelligence spec’ed Sharp displays in the meeting rooms. “They’re a domestic panel,” explained Urban Intelligence’s Stephen Sokolowski. “But they have RS232 control [for remote on/off control], they look smart and we’ve found them to be very reliable.” AUDI PARTNER

Zagame Automotive has taken the Audi template and given it the ‘Zag’ flourish. It’s a beautiful

showroom with an equally elegant signage network. Is Audi satisfied?

“They have asked us to maintain strict corporate guidelines,” reflected Adrian Zagame. “But they’re delighted with the end product. They have understood we have taken the Audi model and improved on it.” And if you’re an Audi tragic, then you now have a new sacred pilgrimage site to ‘Vorsprung’ your ‘Technik’.  Urban Intelligence: (03) 9514 6000 or www.urbanintel.com.au Westan Australia (Philips): (02) 8033 2186 or www.westan.com.au Sharp: www.sharp.net.au Kramer: www.krameraustralia.com.au Extron: www.extron.com.au Jands (JBL): www.jands.com.au

Conference Call Better signage, better events, better business.

In Action

Story: Christopher Holder

MCEC: mcec.com.au Net Display Systems (PADS): www.netdisplaysystems.com Rutledge AV (Integrator): 1300 131 795 or www.rutledge.com.au Samsung: samsunglfd.com NEC: nec.com.au

Exhibition and conferencing centres were one of the first sectors to see the benefits of digital signage. And you didn’t have to be a wild-eyed futurist to get it: an exhibition and conference centre might have dozens of rooms with meetings and events changing daily. That’s a lot of pegboard lettering. If you are in the business of exhibitions and conferencing — and I class anyone with a publicly available meeting room in that category (hotels, RSLs, function rooms, sports centres, etc) — you will understand the convenience of digital signage for wayfinding and for digital door cards. But have you considered how your digital signage is a drawcard, a revenue stream, even? Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has. But I’d hasten to point out that it’s not a case of the bean counters moving in and demanding a return on their hi-tech capex. MCEC understands its business better than most. MCEC understands that it’s in the business of making its clients look good — and in an increasingly cutthroat world where marketing spend needs cut-through, event organisers are looking for all the help they can get.

TECH CONFERENCE Not so long ago, running events was really quite low tech. These days it’s not so much a case of ‘20 trestle tables or 25?’, it’s about what Twitter handle you’re using and if you want live stream the plenary session to foyer LED panels. The tech team at MCEC get it. They understand how

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

technology can be and needs to be embraced to get the most of an event. Recently MCEC has pumped in excess of $3m into a digital upgrade of all its video routing and infrastructure. Replacing copper cable with fibre-optic and Cat-6. And just like an upgrade from record player to iPod, there’s a whole host of advantages related to signal quality and flexibility — any source can be routed to any destination, and that includes what’s sitting on your phone over wi-fi. The options are truly limitless. MCEC Director of Technology Operations Michael Walsh puts it this way: “Upgrading our signal path from analogue to digital means customers can simply connect their portable devices, including laptops, tablets and smartphones, and experience pixel perfect vision projected to MCEC’s screens and recording devices.”

BIG TIME BRANDING In that $3m+ investment is a continuing show of faith in the digital signage. The most obvious additions to the digital signage hardware inventory are the totems in the convention centre foyer. There are four totems strategically placed about the venue. Each has two facets of dynamic signage and two of static wayfinding. The digital signage comprises a two-high column of Samsung commercial LCD panels. The client can use this totem space for event-specific wayfinding, promotion and/or event theming.

PART OF THE COMPLETE PACKAGE • MCEC’s high density free wi-fi, which connects thousands of concurrent users, has received a facelift with a new, simplified login page for customers featuring event branding and sponsor logos. • Upgrade of the venue’s IP network, which increases the capacity of MCEC’s network and speed by tenfold to a 10 gig network. • New high definition digital totem signs provide event branding and directional signage for attendees, and the addition of a digital blade (based on a a 2 x 3 NEC panel video wall) was installed between the Convention and Exhibition Centre to display event and session details for each building. • New animated infographics on digital signage to help bring the MCEC story to life, including statistics and data, for example how many coffees were sold in a month and how much wi-fi used. • MCEC is also investing over $300,000 in three new ultra-high definition 4K projectors in the Plenary, which are 50 per cent brighter and deliver four times as much detail as full high definition.

“Cisco Live was a great example of how a client can use the signage to build an event-branding experience across the entire centre, exploiting all the different digital signs we have. A piece of content up on the large LED boards can be reproduced on the totems, in the plenary, on the digital door cards, everywhere. It’s seamless and makes very strong branding.”

There are four digital signage totems throughout the MCEC foyer. The signage can be used in concert with the large-format LED for event theming. Equally the totems can be used in isolation for small one-off events. The totems can be placed anywhere where there is power and data.

SOCIAL STREAM The totem screens thanks to the PADS content management system can display twitter feeds. This isn’t utterly novel, but MCEC does it better than most. MCEC now offers clients an iPad-based moderation package. Which means attendees can use Twitter to contribute to Q&A sessions and the event organiser and respond in realtime and send relevant tweets to the digital signage — while deleting the unhinged nutty stuff. The moderation package — a powerful way for MCEC clients to take control of the conversation — has resulted in a huge take up of event social media. ‘Win-win-win’, you might say: a commercial-model signage system built with the customer in mind, resulting in a better visitor experience. Which bring us back to the initial observation: MCEC is in the business of making their clients look good, but by doing so, with smart signage, are also doing good business. 

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Retail:

Print & Digital: Companions or Competitors? Gaye is an experienced marketing professional, having launched her career in marketing in FMCG working for a multinational Reckitt & Colman for 10 years, followed by stints at McDonald’s (as National Marketing Manager), Telstra and Church & Dwight. Gaye is now relishing the challenges of agency life in her role as Marketing Director for GuihenJones (retail communications agency). She is also an accomplished Academic Lecturer in Marketing & Advertising.

Story: Gaye Steel

ritish actor, author, comedian and social commentator Stephen Fry once brilliantly tweeted: “One technology doesn’t replace another, it complements it. Books are no more threatened by Kindle than stairs by elevators!” Just as video didn’t kill the radio star in the ’70s and Napster didn’t destroy the music industry in the ’90s, digital signage should not be seen as a threat to print but rather the next evolution of it and a symbiotic companion for it. Can’t we all just get along? Well yes, actually, we can!

In this digital age, there is still a role for print. Digital signage needs a well-formed retail advertising strategy, a healthy budget and a real commitment in order to become both successful and financially viable. So don’t just blindly leap off the cliff to follow the big boys like Telstra, who removed the majority of their printed materials over two and a half years ago. It’s all about objectives. If you use small-scale, affordable print pieces like loyalty cards, discount fliers or menus, it’s probably not broken and doesn’t need to be fixed. However, where digital signage is flourishing and why it’s set to become a multi-billion dollar sector for the retail marketing and advertising industry over the next five years is the flexibility, cost-reduction and effectiveness it gives you instore.

Ever used a poster to promote something in store? Besides the environmental and financial cost, you have to factor in time and money needed to design it, print it, have it delivered, check it, maybe even change it and then put it up. Sometimes its messaging is only relevant for a matter of days before you consign it to the rubbish bin and pay to have that removed. Now imagine if you could design the poster yourself and have it up instantly, and not just in one store but all of your stores, wherever they are. Then when it’s no longer relevant, just edit the details and click Refresh! Shelf-edge price point labels are a perfect example of this kind of digital signage. How much time do you think is spent removing and replacing them for every product in a store. Digital signage is allowing some supermarkets to do it remotely, across every store at the click of a button, whenever they need to. They can schedule changes to occur automatically when they’re not there to do it themselves. Now you can see why we say it’s the future.

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

PROS OF DIGITAL SIGNAGE

• This is the age of technology and as people become more tech-savvy, digital signage is becoming the norm, so why not become an early(ish) adopter?

• In the long term and on a larger scale, digital signage is way more cost effective, time efficient and flexible than print. • In a world where shoppers are bombarded by boring ‘wallpaper’, isn’t it better if your messaging is impactful, interesting and most of all, attention-grabbing?

• One poster usually means one or two messages in that space. However, with just one digital signage screen, you can rotate and display as many messages as you want! • Digital signage can be integrated with other forms of interactive technology such as smartphones to improve a customer’s shopping experience.

CONS OF DIGITAL SIGNAGE

• Digital signage is not cheap (it’s certainly more than the cost of a screen) and if it is cheap it won’t be any good (you get what you pay for). For smaller, shorter-term promotions, printing may be more cost-effective. • For the most part, customers can’t take digital signage messaging home with them. In such cases a flier or brochure may still be best.

• Technology doesn’t always work the way it’s supposed to, so ensure to factor in a response to such occurrences with your retail advertising agency.

WORKING TOGETHER

Unless you have the budgets of Telstra or the burning desire to move into a totally digital space, you should look to get a balance between print and digital signage and make them work together for your brand. Trial one form of digital signage and I think you’ll see the benefit almost immediately. A two-pronged approach to your messaging will greatly increase the effectiveness of your messaging. But you should definitely not ignore digital signage because as Stephen Fry also said: “Incuriosity is the oddest and most foolish failing there is.” 

look to get a balance between print and digital signage and make them work together for your brand

Connect. Engage. Deliver.

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Crossing the Divide Big Story Bridge Screen for oOh!

In Action

Outdoor advertising has reached ‘new heights’ in Brisbane’s CBD with the launch of Queensland’s biggest and smartest digital billboard on the Story Bridge. oOh! Media now lights up Brisbane skies with a Daktronics 16mm-pitch LED screen that not only proves size does matter, but has the capability to carry dynamic targeted messaging using parting technology which enables advertisers to make their advertising relevant to time, date, news, events or weather.

oOh! Media: www.oohmedia.com.au Daktronics Australia: (02) 9453 4600 or blair.robertson@daktronics.com

The big digital billboard has been dynamically displaying good luck messages to the Socceroos during the Asia Cup as well as weather and day parting messages including an a.m. message of ‘Good morning Brisbane’ before changing to ‘Good Afternoon Brisbane, Drive Safely’ in the afternoon. CBUS, Echo Entertainment and the Liberal and National Party are among the first to advertise on the new billboard which will deliver a cumulative audience reach of almost 2.5 million contacts each month. The massive 190sqm billboard is the first of oOh!’s national Signature Collection, a network of premium high-end digitised billboards at famous locations. Other locations for the

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Signature Collection will include Adelaide’s King William Street/Rundle Mall, Melbourne’s Bourke Street and the Mitchell Freeway in Perth. oOh!’s Chief Executive Officer, Brendon Cook said the Out-of-home (OOH) sector has evolved into a unique platform where the delivery of the creative is complemented by the spectacular visuals created by digital technology on big screens. “While OOH once had fixed posting cycles, we are now able to give advertisers a dynamic and flexible solution that takes advantage of OOH’s ability to simultaneously reach a range of audiences across multiple environments and communities,” Mr Cook said. The Signature Collection is part of oOh!’s broader digital strategy, which has seen the company invest more than $50 million to date in proprietary platforms, hosting and infrastructure, resulting in its digital OOH revenue contributing 27 per cent of total revenues which is close to 50% more revenue than the entire OOH industry as reported by the OMA. 

Off The Hook Verizon Push In-Store Boundaries

Verizon Wireless is turning up the wow factor in stores and malls around the US, from its two-storey flagship store in Chicago to the Mall of America in Minneapolis, to Houston, Santa Monica, and Boston. One of the first video features customers see when entering the stores is the ‘Brand Focal’, a video column consisting of over 100 Christie MicroTiles. The feature sits at end of the entrance walkway and displays the Verizon logo on a dynamic, animated background that interacts with shoppers using the motion tracking technology of Microsoft Kinect. Further into the store, shoppers can explore features of various phones and service plans on the Product Wall, a long video wall 14 displays wide by two high. Touch overlays are applied to the bottom screens in each column. As customers interact with the touchscreens, video content updates on both screens in the column, forming a single image. The interactive content is designed to make the entire product wall look like one seamless image, though it is actually 14 different interactive elements side by side. A couple of video wall features display larger than life content to immerse customers in the story. One of these features is a 3x3 video wall in front of a treadmill where shoppers can walk

or run through various environments and try out different wearable sports accessories and fitness gadgets.

In Action

All the video content is managed and controlled by Medialon hardware and software, specified by the systems integrator McCann Systems. Verizon also has test site in Hilliard, Ohio to try out new technology and media content before it ever goes in front of customers. Stephen Keppler, Vice President and Senior Sales Executive with McCann Systems says, “The Ohio test site is the proving ground, so to speak, for Verizon. Any of the technology and all content must run in the Ohio lab prior to implementation in a store.” The Medialon systems in each store communicate with the Medialon system at the test site in Ohio, where equipment status can be monitored and technicians can remotely troubleshoot issues.

Interactive Controls (Medialon): (02) 9436 3022 or interactivecontrols.com.au Christie Digital: www.christiedigital.com

“Every store’s IP address range is exactly the same, and we use NAT (Network Address Translation) if we need to manage devices remotely,” says Navarro. This allows McCann to design the drawings, paperwork, and programming for one store and deploy the design in many locations with minimal adjustments to the documentation and programming, keeping the systems consistent and easy to troubleshoot remotely.  Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Internet of Things (IoT)

www.techmedia.com.au Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Prime Time Is this the best screen in Australia?

Australia’s best? There’s plenty of reasons to believe so. This APN Outdoor install at Sydney International Airport’s departures hall is a doozy. Supplied by Screencorp, this 2.5mm pixel-pitch LED screen measures 8.8m x 2.7m, is 2200 nits, and resolves 2.81 trillion colours. The screen can handle full 16:9 4K video and have space for further branding on the sides. Screens of this nature need space to service the modules when required. Raising the level of difficulty was the fact the airport customs hall is situated on the other side of the wall. Screencorp, with the assistance and design by Hanlon Industries, manufactured a frame that houses actuators and hydraulic scissor lift arms that push the entire screen vertically upright forward a metre for servicing. Clearly this isn’t a bargain basement screen but APN Outdoor has identified it as a flagship primo position: “APN Outdoor prides itself in being the industry leader in large format outdoor digital billboards,” said APN Outdoor’s Marketing Manager, Janine Wood. “We have 31 outdoor installations in big, bold locations such as Darlinghurst, the Young & Jackson corner in Melbourne, King George Square and

many others. We are now looking at our internal precincts as well, and the Sydney International Airport is a premier location — the quality of advertiser in the Sydney Airport is very high. “Currently we have Vodaphone and Nissan advertising on this screen but we’re being approached every day by brands seeing the screen and wanting to be involved. We knew the site would be seen by affluent business and leisure travellers but the advertising community also walk past the screen in their droves. Agency people and marketing directors see the screen and they want to know how they get their brand up there.” The screen’s content is managed by Scala software and monitored by Screencorp’s management software where real-time diagnostics are sent to Screencorp HQ. All the modules of the screen have power and data redundancy to ensure the screen is never offline.

In Action

Story: Christopher Holder

APN Outdoor: www.apnoutdoor.com.au Screencorp: (02) 9987 0744 or www.screencorp.com.au Techmedia (Scala): (02) 9526 7880 or www.connectedsignage.com.au

There’s no question that this is an exceptional screen and demonstrates how seamless LED is muscling in on the territory of video walls. 

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Innovation Checks In Starwood’s New Ideas Factory

In Action

Starwood: www.starwood.com

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has unveiled Starlab, the company’s new brand innovation studio located in Manhattan’s Garment District. Design-led with the “spirit and agility of a start-up”, Starlab brings together a cross-section of the company’s digital, design and luxury brand teams in one urban office for the first time. The 46,000sqft, bi-level office is an evolution of Starwood’s approach to newstyle workspaces, following the debuts of the Starwood Experience at the company’s global headquarters in Stamford, CT as well as its former Tribeca-based design centre. “In today’s world, it is more important than ever for our teams to collaborate and think differently about our business,” said Phil McAveety, Chief Brand Officer, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “Starlab has been designed to easily allow teams to interact and engage across functions in order to create innovative and more personalised experiences for our guests before, during and after each stay.” Inspired by the rise of social connectivity reshaping global business, Starwood brought digital and social content to the forefront of Starlab’s design. At the office entrance, a smart

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

mirror doubles as a digital display showcasing Starwood’s latest video news, photography and user-generated content. A digital chandelier (pictured) splays down the internal staircase — part art installation, part news ticker — bringing real-time guest twitter comments into the office environment, while five digital feed frames rotate guests’ Instagram posts in a gallery-style space adjacent to the communal dining area. Starlab also houses a Tech Lab to experiment and test the company’s latest digital innovations, such as the recent game-changing introductions of SPG Keyless, allowing travellers to opt out of traditional check-in for a truly mobile guest experience. 

Tablet • Desktop • Mobile

150,000 + Likes & Rising!

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DIGITAL SIGNAGE PRECISION COOLING

Seifert Systems Pty Ltd A

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T F

+61 3 9801 1906 +61 3 9887 0845

Seifert Systems – precision air conditioning for Digital Signage Enclosures. Designed to keep your screen cool and operating at optimum performance. Seifert air conditioning incorporates ﬁlterless technology. No need to change ﬁlter mats means less maintenance, and less down time. Cooling capacities range from 200watt to 2600watt. Seifert also offer heat exchangers, heaters and fan systems – complete thermal solutions.

www.seifertsystems.com.au Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Sales Vehicle Smart Billboard Picks Cars Out

In Action

M&C Saatchi: www.mcsaatchi.com.au APN Outdoor: www.apnoutdoor.com.au

Is this the smartest billboard in the world? We’ve all seen or heard of some fantastic billboard activations that respond to RSS feeds such that they appear to react to a train departing or a plane flying overhead, but what about a sign that recognises vehicle makes and models, and uses that information along with weather events to personalise a message? Got your attention? You’re not the only one. The ‘This is the New Lexus’ campaign via M&C Saatchi in a collaboration with APN Outdoor and TMS has broken new ground. And the smart sassiness of the advertising works perfectly for the launch of the Lexus NX Crossover model, which takes the prestige car marque to a much broader, younger, more progressive luxury audience. The billboards (which have been operating at key high traffic sites in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth) identify the brand, model and colour of passing vehicles to trigger a personal and playful message to drivers via the digital display, such as “Hey white Audi Q5 driver, it’s time to Crossover. This is the New Lexus NX.” The format also tailors tactical messages based on other variables such as time of day, weather and traffic conditions to generate messages such as: “Hey black Merc ML driver, the heavens have opened. This is the new Lexus NX.”

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

The activation features more than 80 different configurations of dynamic messaging in each of the five sites. Each billboard has a series of cameras on high rotation that capture all passing traffic. The images are sent to the APN Outdoor Classifier that matches them to its large database of vehicles makes, models and colours in addition to the other variables. Lexus Australia Corporate Manager — Sales and Operations Adrian Weimers said: “Smart out-of-home aligns perfectly to our new messaging. Our job doesn’t simply start with telling everyone ‘This is the New Lexus’, it’s also about how we say it. Using innovative technology such as this activation helps us to further reinforce that there is a change at Lexus.” APN Outdoor CEO Richard Herring said: “This campaign is an excellent example of the opportunities available to advertisers via our Elite Screen network and the market can continue to expect more cuttingedge executions like this from us in 2015.” M&C Saatchi Executive Creative Director Ben Welsh called the smart billboards “direct messaging on steroids”. “It’s quite epic to have a 42sqm billboard having a chat to you as you drive past. It was an ambitious idea that Lexus really went for, brilliantly brought to life by APN Outdoor and TMS.” 

PORSCHE LOVE Not one to be easily outpointed, oOh! Media launched a slightly less ingenious variation on the theme. Again, it is a smart digital billboard, only this time it picks out Porsche drivers, and messages them with a “It’s so easy to pick you out of a crowd”. The car recognition technology developed by oOh! with Digital Experiences uses IBM software and oOh!’s own content management system Argyle to identify oncoming Porsches before revealing the message for 10 seconds. John Purcell, Commercial Director, Operations and Technology at oOh!, explains further: “A camera located 300 metres from the billboard analyses the approaching vehicle make and model in real time to identify if the car is a Porsche. Once a Porsche is detected it triggers the tailored message to be displayed as the Porsche is approaching.”

oOh! Media: www.oohmedia.com.au

It’s quite epic to have a 42sqm billboard having a chat to you as you drive past Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Eye of the Storm Cyclone Tracy Interactive Exhibition

In Action

Rutledge AV: 1300 131 795 or www.rutledge.com.au Toshiba: (02) 9887 6000 or mytoshiba.com.au Ultralift: ultraliftaustralia.com.au Interact Us: interactus.com.au

Cyclone Tracy is certainly part of Australian folklore. When it touched down in Darwin on Christmas Day of 1974 it not only cut huge swathes of destruction through the Territory’s capital it left an indelible mark on the national psyche.

• A Letter from Ian: a resident of Darwin relates his family’s terrifying experiences when the cyclone hit. The user can view the original handwritten letter or navigate to where the letter has been deciphered and displayed as text.

The NT government is marking the the 40th anniversary of Cyclone Tracy with a range of events including a exhibition for the Darwin Museum: Cyclone Tracy – 40 Years On. The exhibition is noteworthy for its innovative and creative use of touchscreen and interactive table technology that provides intuitive access to an otherwise unwieldy array of information. Credit to Rutledge AV which took care of the interactive digital signage system and created the content for this milestone exhibition that includes a 47-inch Toshiba interactive touchscreen and a 55-inch Toshiba interactive table.

• The Museum Destroyed: a slideshow outlining the destruction of the Darwin Museum by the storm.

The Toshiba touchscreen (with integrated Lumio optical touch technology) covers six specific areas: • Search Evacuee List: a search engine to look up individuals and families that were evacuated out of Darwin and surrounding areas by road and air. • Search Death List: a display of those who tragically lost their lives when the cyclone hit. • Born in Tracy’s Eye: a slideshow following a family’s experience when their baby was born in the eye of the storm. • Orange Truck Convoy: a slide show outlining the initial clean-up of Darwin by the orange truck convoy.

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

The interactive table (with its smart powder-costed chassis from Ultralift) consists of two tabs: Path of the Cyclone and Then and Now Photos. • Path of the Cyclone: features a map of the NT coast and where the cyclone formed. It then takes the audience on a journey of the cyclone’s path, showing how the intensity of the storm increased along with actual radar images of the cyclone as it looked over the four days. • Then & Now Photos: features an aerial map of Darwin just after the cyclone hit. The user can then select from a list of specific buildings or area buttons, taking them to locations where they can compare before and after shots of the site. “Essentially we are bringing history into a modern museum setting and we needed to make it exciting and appealing for the audience. We needed to work very closely with the Darwin Museum to ensure the project that we delivered achieved their vision, while being respectful to the information and sensitive nature of images shown.” said Daniel Woodward, Rutledge AV’s NT Operations Manager. 

The Magazine for Audiovisual Professionals ASIA PACIFIC

ISSUE 45 OUT NOW

Get your copy: www.avapac.net

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Wrapped USC’s Immerse Studio

In Action

Indesign Technologies: www.indesigntechnologies.com.au Epson: www.epson.com.au/installation Bosch (Electrovoice): (02) 9683 4752 or boschcomms@au.bosch.com

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Located in University of the Sunshine Coast’s new $33m Learning and Teaching Hub is the Engage Research Lab, which investigates and develops interactive technologies. It boasts a variety of hi-tech spaces designed for learning and collaboration, including an impressive Immerse Studio. The ‘Immerse’ studio provides viewers with 270-degree in full high definition. It’s designed to create amazing teaching and learning opportunities and enable students, researchers, partners and the community to have new experiences of learning, research and engagement. The audiovisual solution was designed by InDesign Technologies and includes six edge-blended Epson full HD projectors to create a massive 19m-wide image (10,548 x 1200 pixels). The content for the projectors is driven from a six-headed video card PC located in the adjacent control room. Audio for the Immerse space is delivered via a EV NetMax N8000 DSP, a 7.1 High-Definition surround sound processor and 1470W amplified power.

USC is excited with the end result and the opportunities the studio brings. Associate Professor of Interactive Digital Media and Director of the Engage Research Lab Christian Jones talks about the potential saying, “The studio can be used to simulate a busy nursing ward for our Nursing Science students, a war scene for our Journalism students to report on, or a car accident scene for our road safety researchers and paramedics. We are currently developing immersive experiences such as simulations of coastal flooding, visualisations of neurological pathways in the brain, installations of interactive digital art and animation, and innovative gaming mechanics for individual and shared exploration and learning.” 

Health Check Specialist Wayfinding for Huge Hospital

Hospitals freak me out. Mostly I’m there for a less than happy reason (the maternity ward notwithstanding), and they’re generally large and labrythine. The helpful dear at the front desk does her best, but after the “third right, second elevator to Level 3” I’m already lost before I’ve even set off. But what if you could use digital signage to find the correct ward, view the quickest path to that ward, then via a QR code, download that map to your phone so you can follow your nose all the way to your destination? This is exactly what Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH) has initiated; a smart wayfinding system that’s easy to use and makes sense of its neverending corridors and campuses. Consider the scale of the ‘problem’: GCUH has eight main buildings and a total of 59 floors with 170,000sqm floor space. There are more than 8000 rooms and 250 departments on campus. These figures alone demonstrate why specialist wayfinding digital signage has come to the fore. The software needs to dynamically manage buildings, floors, departments and rooms in both directory and maps.

extensive data from central office, while offering users fast, responsive, turn-by-turn navigation to any room on campus. Internal staff also enjoy the convenience of the system: After logging in with a username and password, employees are able to find a way to non-public destinations, based on their privileges. Cross-campus turn-by-turn navigation with print or QR scan directions is also heavily utilised. Command Australia (CA), the Australian distributor of 22Miles, partnered with 22Miles to ensure the GCUH would have the best solution. The software works in conjunction with specially-designed kiosks. The kiosks with their full glass front and single- and doublesided design were ideal to reduce the risk of contamination and infection, a key requirement for a hospital installation.

In Action

Story: Christopher Holder

Command Australia: 1300 780 204 or www.commandaustralia.com.au 22Miles: www.22miles.com

Command Australia’s company director, Rod Alderton said: “The 22Miles software was the only solution available for such a complex environment. The end result was superb, completely functional and a standard by which all Hospital Wayfinding systems should be set.” 

The GCUH installation uses the 22Miles wayfinding system, which is able to manage this

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST

SMALL, PERFECTLY FORMED

Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall is set to be home to Australia’s biggest full motion, high resolution digital billboard, bringing a slice of New York’s Time Square to the culture capital. Soon to be installed by oOh! Media, the six-storey 197.5sqm screen from Daktronics is set to be one of the most sought after outdoor digital signs in the country, with a number of major brands looking to enter into annual contracts. In addition to displaying full motion advertising, the billboard will also carry local news, entertainment and weather, which will be updated live via the company’s proprietary in-house digital content management system, ARGYLE. The sign is part of oOh!’s new Signature Collection, which will see a network of premium high-end digitised billboards installed at famous locations in all of the country’s major capital cities. The Signature Collection also will include Adelaide’s CBD Gateway at Rundle Mall, Perth’s City Gateway on the Mitchell Freeway and Brisbane’s Story Bridge Gateway which will all come on line in early 2015.

OneLAN has launched a range of Integrated Player Displays. These all-in-one form factor products are suitable for installation in tight spaces. They are perfect for creating an impact with shelf edge and point of information applications, for example in retail, corporate, small business and public sector markets. With multi-touch as an option, the displays can easily be implemented as a kiosk, and can also be integrated with bespoke wayfinding applications. The slim all-in-one player displays are available in a range of screen sizes from seven to 15.6-inch. OneLAN’s Integrated Player Displays are compatible with OneLAN’s CMS and can also be used in combination with OneLAN’s Net Top Box (NTB) range in a mixed network environment. OneLAN’s NTBs are now installed in a wide variety of organisations across the world in markets including retail, education, corporations, DOOH and outdoor, government, healthcare, hotel and casino, leisure, restaurant and transportation.

VideoPro: videopro.co.nz or www.onelan.com

oOh! Media: www.oohmedia.com.au

Global digital out-of-home market valued at more than US$1,008M in 2007. The Peerless-AV SmartMount digital menuboard ceiling mounts are ideal for settings in quick service restaurants, transportation, convention centres and retail locations. Here are the features: connecting wall plates create a continuous mounting surface for ease of display alignment; vertical adjustment for post-install levelling and height adjustment; and complete flexibility with accessory menuboard connectors.

NEWS:

Screen Technics: (02) 4869 2100or www.screentechnics.com.au The strategic relationship between Tightrope Media Systems and BrightSign is resulting in the 28

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

seamless integration between Tightrope’s Carousel digital signage system and BrightSign’s next-generation XD2 players. New features of the integrated platform including portrait mode display and H.264 video streaming support to enhance visual capabilities for any signage network or application. Additionally, newly available media player synchronisation for videowalls ensures that Carousel can drive content to multiple BrightSign players, which collectively deliver video and graphics across many panels for cohesive output and display of stunning visual content. IDT: 1300 666 099 or www.idt.com.au

Spineti has a new cloud-based service called Cockpit. Cockpit enables dealers to set up, monitor and control customers’ digital signage players from anywhere, proactively performing maintenance and addressing problems before they reach critical status. “Monitoring all aspects which may impact the correct behaviour of the digital signage network is the right way to maximise the reliability of the solution”, says Francesco Ziliani, SpinetiX CEO. Cockpit is set up as a ‘Freemium’ pricing model and is accessible at hcockpit.spinetix.com Madison Technologies: 1800 007 780 or www.madisontech.com.au

LARGEST 4K TOUCH

SELF SERVE

Planar has launched the industry’s largest 4K touch display with its Planar UltraRes 98-inch Touch. Combining a multi-touch, multi-user experience with native Ultra HD resolution, the display is designed for resolution-rich collaborative applications including meeting rooms, training facilities, command and control centres, and interactive digital signage. Its key features include seamless touch with 32 simultaneous touch points, 500-nit brightness and 2D/3D viewing, offering the largest touch surface area without bezel disruption. Planar’s UltraRes MediaPlex software allows up to eight directly attached sources to be viewed, four at a time, in full HD quadrants. Whether sources are full HF, sub-1080 or 4K, they can be viewed in the 1080 quadrants or scaled up to fill the entire display area. A bonded glass screen improves optical performance and touch accuracy by eliminating the air gap between the protective glass and LCD screen, and the display offers a sleek design with a narrow, logo-free bezel, and installs around 101mm (4-inches) from the wall. The company has also released plug-in modules for easy integration with AMX, Crestron and Savant. RRP: $76,879 (inc. GST).

Visa Inc., Pizza Hut and Accenture are working together to develop a proof-of-concept connected car to test mobile and online purchases on the go. The connected car is expected to feature Visa Checkout, Visa’s online payment service, cellular connectivity, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), as well as Beacon technology deployed at Pizza Hut restaurants to alert staff when the customer has arrived and is ready to pick up the order. The integration of these technologies is being managed by Accenture. “By 2020 it is estimated that more than 250 million vehicles worldwide will include some form of embedded connectivity,” says Bill Gajda, senior vice president of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, Visa Inc. “As the number of connected cars on the road increases, so does our ability to bring secure online commerce to consumers everywhere. We initially focused on a specific use case — ordering a meal on your way home — but we envision a world where consumers can seamlessly make many of their everyday purchases from the car.”

Visa: www.visa.com.au

Image Design Technology: (02) 9417 4924 or www.idt.com.au

Estimated value grew to US$3,741M in 2014, an estimated 23% annual growth rate. — Magna Global The ONELAN Reserva range eliminates the distraction, confusion and frustration caused when two meetings or lectures are scheduled in the same room. The Reserva range of dedicated room signage offers a compact and attractive door side display with optional multi-touch functionality. Signage is dynamically linked to your calendaring system eg. Microsoft Exchange and clearly displays availability of the room and future bookings. Integration with Newmarket International Delphi and Micros Opera is also available; Microsoft Office 365 and Scientia Syllabus support will follow later in the year. When used with the ONELAN Enterprise

Content Management System (CMS), Reserva room signs can also be to display content such as advertising or employee messaging. VideoPro: videopro.co.nz or www.onelan.com iSIGN Media Solutions is shipping 1500 Smart Antennas to Graphic Media for placement into networks. The units will become a part of the National Mobile Network being built by Graphic with their network partners, who are conducting and completing successful trials. Negotiations are well under way to contract with several major brands as core

advertisers on the expanding NMN. “Lengthy and extensive trials have yielded confirmed ROIs and data metrics that are impressing both brands and advertisers as well as convenience and service station chains,” stated Mr. Alex Romanov, iSIGN’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our next targets will be in the real estate and hospitality/hotel channels, where existing trials are showing impressive metrics, and are creating interest in our technology.” JEA Technologies: (03) 8736 0330 or www.jeatech.com.au Calibre has a new model in the LEDView range of LED videowall-

optimised image scalers. LEDView325DS is designed specifically for cost conscious digital signage projects where quality is required but without breaking the bank. It allows each edge of the picture content to be independently dragged to the correct position on the LED videowall. There is also per-input colour calibration capability to ensure client content looks how the client wants with control of RGB gains and blacks as well as saturation and hue even on digital computer-originated content. AV Glue: (07) 3376 4745 or avglue.com.au

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

WHO’S WHO:

YOUR GO-TO GUIDE FOR DIGITAL SIGNAGE

3M AUSTRALIA 136 136 www.3M.com/touch

AERIS SOLUTIONS - JUST DIGITAL SIGNAGE (03) 9544 6902 www.justdigitalsignage.com.au

ADVANTECH AUSTRALIA (03) 9797 0100 www.advantech.com

AMBER TECHNOLOGY (02) 9452 8600 www.ambertech.com.au

AMX Australia (07) 5531 3103 5 Commercial Drive Southport, Qld 4215 sales@amxaustralia.com.au www.amxaustralia.com.au AMX is synonymous with networking and control systems. Not surprisingly AMX has entered the digital signage industry in its own right (after all, AMX supply a huge amount of gear for everyone else’s DOOH) and have on offer two products. Inspired Xpress is for smaller or simpler installations with a ‘tiny’ media player called the Is-Xpress-1000. The integrated software is comprehensive, yet straightforward and intuitive enough to cater to clients to get their screens up and running quickly with a minimum of servicing the message afterwards. Inspired Xpert is – as you might guess – a more serious DOOH product with better options like HD broadcasting that, among many other extras, takes advantage of those system command and control devices that AMX has in other corners of the warehouse to provide fully-blown large networks. Plus with Inspired XPert customers have access to custom content development and content management services from AMX.

1300 780 204 sales@commandaustralia.com.au www.commandaustralia.com.au Command is a specialist digital signage and wayfinding supplier, installer and technology partner. Command is the distributor of the successful Navori digital signage software, a multi-user, multi-site management and screen display software, now including the low cost Android hardware player. Navori is a technically advanced solution suitable for all types of installations from Small Business to Enterprise as either a self-hosted or SAAS system. As a technical partner, Command can provide full supply, project management and installation for the deployment of digital signage systems for corporate, government, hospital, education, small business, retail, stadium and specialist requirements. Command’s product range includes Wayfinding, GlassVu projection films, RoomManager software, kiosks, video extenders, LED displays, media players and a range of mini computers. With 11 years specialising in digital signage, Command’s experience is guaranteed to leave their customers satisfied and productive. In summary, Command is your one stop shop for digital signage solutions and interactive displays.

COMMUNITECH (07) 3205 6188 www.communitech.com.au

Daktronics Australia Pty Ltd LED display manufacturer Suite 108, Ground Floor, 18 Rodborough Rd Frenchs Forest, NSW 2087 (02) 9453 4600 Blair.robertson@daktronics.com www.daktronics.com Since 1968, Daktronics has been reinventing the way you display. We are the world’s industry leader in designing and manufacturing electronic scoreboards, programmable display systems and large screen video displays. It’s our passion to continuously provide the highest quality standard display products as well as custom-designed and integrated systems.

CISCO SYSTEMS (02) 8446 5000 www.cisco.com/go/dms

COMMAND DIGITAL SIGNAGE Unit 2, 30 Park Road Mulgrave, NSW, 2756 Level 2, 22 Township Drive Burleigh Heads, QLD, 4213

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Call us today on 1300-digitalsignage, that number again 1300-digitalsignage.

DYNAMIC VISUAL SOLUTIONS (02) 9431 6070 www.dynamicvisualsystems.com.au

ENGAGIS Level 12, 213 Miller Street North Sydney NSW 2060 1300 203 810 www.engagis.com Engagis creates connections for over 30 blue chip clients across ten industries, including retail, hospitality, telco, finance, auto and real estate. Specialising in digital touch points along the pathway to purchase, including digital signage, self-order kiosks, mobile apps, mobile loyalty and enterprise solutions, Engagis manages over 19,000 connected devices in more than 4,000 locations. Engagis is the in-store digital media provider for the likes of Telstra, Bupa, Target, Flight Centre, Noodle Box and Country Road, to name a few.

ESCENTIA 1300 729 866 www.escientia.com.au

FINGERMARK DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES 15 Halsey Street, Freemans Bay Auckland, New Zealand +64 (09) 358 4047 sales@fingermark.co.nz www.fingermark.co.nz A specialist provider of indoor and outdoor digital signage and kiosk solutions, Fingermark proudly offers its customers a complete turnkey solution, providing specialist advice, all hardware and software, content creation and distribution and nationwide service and support across Australasia. Adding to this, we have full software capability in-house which delivers a seamless approach.

AVICO (02) 9624 7977 www.avico.com.au

BAYVIEW TECHNOLOGIES (03) 9462 4077 www.bayviewtech.com.au

systems, touch screen systems, electronic price labels, in-store music, queuing systems and we deliver these as a turn-key solution including strategy, supply, installation, software development, creative development, media sales, 7-day technical support and impact measurement.

DAT MEDIA (07) 5575 7798 1/30 Dover Drive Burleigh Heads Qld 4220 hello@datmedia.com.au www.datmedia.com.au DAT Media helps retailers and brands deliver on the digital expectations of today’s consumer. Some of Australia’s most well-known retailers & brands choose us to deliver effective in-store digital media solutions including Woolworths, BIG W, ABC Shop, ALDI, Bendigo Bank, Masters Home Improvement, Brookfield & Dan Murphy’s. We combine our technical expertise with a can-do, client-centric, results-driven approach and work closely with our clients to understand their objectives, the stakeholders, and key metrics so that we can find the best technical solution and implement it thoroughly to deliver long-term business benefits. Our key areas of expertise include digital signage, content management

We design and develop our own customised solutions and have built a reputation for being leading edge thinkers, understanding the complexities around implementing digital technologies within challenging environments, especially in the outdoor market. Our service orientated model allows us to tailor our solutions to more accurately meet the specific needs of our customers. Enquire today. Innovate tomorrow.

FUJITSU DIGITAL MEDIA SOLUTIONS (03) 9924 3468 www.fujitsu.com.au

nod from Interactive Controls and for digital signage in particular IC offers the Medialon show and media control software and embedded controllers along with Dataton Watchout and Medialon MIP HD Interactive Media Player. There is also the Medialon Scheduler application, which allows control of multiple venues and screens from a central server. Given Interactive Controls’ wide experience in installing innovative display systems it can help you choose the best way to deliver your vision and with Medialon’s strong history in show control systems, IC will no doubt have a neat trick or two to suggestfor impressing your audience.

GENCOM (AUSTRALIA) (02) 9888 8208 www.gencom.com

HERMA TECHNOLOGIES (03) 9480 6233 www.herma.com.au

HEWLETT-PACKARD 1300 305 017 www.hp.com.au

ISIGNPAK (02) 9457 6945 www.isignpak.com KVM AUSTRALIA (08) 9411 6333 www.kvm.com.au LED-SIGNS 1300 553 555 www.led-signs.com.su LG ELECTRONICS (02) 8805 4409 www.lg.com.au

HEWSHOTT INTERNATIONAL (08) 6230 2780 www.hewshott.com INTERACTIVITY 1300 797 199 Level 1, 1268 - 1270 High Street Armadale, VIC, 3143 sales@interactivity.com.au www.interactivity.com.au IMAGE DESIGN TECHNOLOGY (IDT) 1300 666 099 Unit 2, 33-35 Alleyne Street, Chatswood Nsw 2057 Sales@idt.com.au www.idt.com.au Image Design Technology (IDT) is based in Chatswood, NSW and operates primarily as a wholesale supplier of signal distribution equipment and commercial video displays including, of course, digital signage devices. Among a long list of products IDT is the distributor of Brightsign solid state digital signage devices and Magenta signal distribution solutions. Displays include NEC and Samsung screens. IDT doesn’t have any one particular digital signage service or software application to which they align themselves to – it doesn’t have its ‘own’ complete digital signage solution aside from the Brightsign products – instead, IDT’s specialty is in providing from its catalogue of preferred manufacturers of display and monitor screens, media players, streaming video over IP, matrix and signal distribution boxes – you name it, to get the job done. Have a look at the credits for any major project undertaken in Australia during the last few years and you’ll probably find IDT has been involved somewhere along the line.

INNOVATEQ (03) 9465 5055 www.innovateq.com.au INSTOREVISION 0412 960182 www.instorevision.com.au/digital-signage/

interactive controls

pty ltd

INTERACTIVE CONTROLS (02) 9436 3022 www.interactivecontrols.com.au Interactive Controls (IC) offers a variety of services to customers from consultation to sales, hire and installation of display and control system equipment and software. They also design and develop media and hardware control systems for specific events, installations, film and commercial shoots, exhibitions, museums... okay, you get the picture. Medialon and Dataton hardware and software products get the

In 2004 Interactivity was set up as a result of a partnership between F1 Software to develop the Interactivity foil which enables any window to become fully interactive ‘through the glass’ by allowing anyone, using their finger, to interact with a rear projected image or screen behind the glass. Interactivity is now embedded in this emerging popular industry of Interactive and Digital Signage and associated products. Its products and services are known for reliability, functionality and most importantly our ability to future proof the technology we deliver.

JEA Technologies Pty Ltd (03) 9757 5060 44-48 Rocco Drive Scoresby, Vic 3179 sales@jeatech.com.au www.jeatech.com.au JEA Technologies has partnered with leading manufacturers of electronic peripherals and display products from around the globe and supplies these products to customers in Australia and New Zealand. Our customers can rely on JEA to work with them to carefully select and supply the most appropriate products for their needs, ensuring that these products meet our customer’s technical and commercial requirements, and to support these products over their life span. JEA’s Display products include Very High Brightness LCD’s, in sizes up to 72in and 5000cd/m² ( nits), Stretched LCD’s, MultiTouch Tables and Multi-Touch application software, Touch screen sensors and touch screen monitors, with particular emphasis on Projected Capacitive Touch technologies, Panel PC’s, Digital Signage PC’s and Industrial Grade Wireless modems. JEA customers are mainly systems integrators and resellers. JEA supplies these customers with high levels of technical support, pre-and post-sales, as well as warranty and non-warranty support and service from our Melbourne offices and workshop. JEA also stocks in depth allowing customers to source products at short notice.

MADISON TECHNOLOGIES SPECIALIST AV DIVISION 1800 00 77 80 Australia wide avexperts@madisontech.com.au www.madisonthech.com.au Madison is a manufacturer and distributor of technology infrastructure and hardware across cabling, networking, wireless, audio visual, and test and measurement disciplines. Australian owned and operated for over 20 years, Madison has been keeping Australian homes and business well connected. Which is appropriate, because our brand promise is Well Connected™. The principle behind our brand promise is that by working with Madison, either as a valued supplier or customer, you are well connected. It’s how we connect to our market, and it’s how we help you connect to your world. Madison Technologies’ Broadcast and Audio Visual solutions include AV Cable and Cabling Assemblies, Connectors and Adaptors, Digital Signage, Microphone Systems, Switching and Conversion, USB Extension, Video and Audio Distribution. Did you know? Madison is the largest Australian Distributor of Belden Audio Visual products, with stock held in four warehouses across the country, and dedicated specialist staff in each state.

MDS PACIFIC (02) 9888 7715 www.mdspacific.com

MOOD MEDIA AUSTRALIA 1800 808 368 www.moodmedia.com.au

NEC AUSTRALIA 131 632 www.nec.com.au

OAMM 02 9939 3264 www.oamm.com.au

PANASONIC AUSTRALIA (02) 9491 7400 www.panasonic.com.au

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

WHO’S WHO:

YOUR GO-TO GUIDE FOR DIGITAL SIGNAGE

PLAYCOM (02) 8815 6600 www.playcom.com.au

PRODUCTION AUDIO VIDEO TECHNOLOGY (03) 9264 8000 www.pavt.com.au

QUINTO COMMUNICATIONS (02) 9894 4244 www.quinto.com.au

RUTLEDGE AV www.rutledge.com.au (03) 9488 1534

SALIENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (02) 93135111 www.salient.com.au

with the Content Manager software. From there Techmedia will source display screens and networks best suited to the job. SONY AUSTRALIA 1800 017 669 33-39 Talavera Road North Ryde NSW 2113 sales@sony.com.au Sony Professional Solutions meet an increasing demand from customers to provide a fully integrated solution. Sony understands your requirements and high standards. With an eye for the finest detail, we can deliver the latest digital technologies, professional consulting and a wealth of valuable experience. It’s this complete product and market understanding that has made the Sony brand a trusted and recognised force in today’s competitive environment. Sony’s range of solutions and technologies allow organisations to meet the challenges of both today and into the future. We help businesses leverage the latest digital technologies to solve problems, take advantage of opportunities and enhance enterprise workflow by improving efficiencies and productivity across a wide variety of market areas. Each solution follows a consistent workflow from conception to completion.

THE SCREENMEDIA GROUP (02) 8090 6565 www.thescreenmediagroup.com

SAMSUNG 1300 362603 8 Parkview Drive Homebush, NSW 2127 sales@samsung.com www.samsung.com Samsung’s digital signage is centred on its Large Format Display (LFD) range, a screen with chameleon characteristics in its role as the basis for all Samsung’s DOOH products. There is a straightforward model that can be used either stand-alone in portrait or landscape mode or as a part of a limited multi-screen display. A slightly different UD model can be linked with up to 250 units for a wall of vision. There is a Touchscreen version including an outdoor type with features to withstand the elements and a specialised uVending model for installing in the front of vending machines. MagicInfo is Samsung’s proprietary software for content control and creations. Samsung’s PROM system is already taking DOOH solutions along the fast-developing path of providing audience statistics to tailor the signage content. A wide dynamic range (WDR) camera embedded discreetly somewhere in the installation captures and recognises faces to determine who is actually watching the screen. PROM can either just collate the information for market analysis or actively change the display according to who is viewing it. It’s both clever and almost scary ‘big brother’ stuff. We’re assured these systems are completely anonymous. Still, maybe keep one hand on your wallet.

SCREENCORP 1300 65 90 93 www.screencorp.com.au

SEIFERT SYSTEMS (03) 9801 1906 www.seifertsystems.com.au

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

SHARP AUSTRALIA 1300 13 55 30 www.sharp.net.au STREAMING MEDIA (02) 9460 0877 www.streamingmedia.net.au

TECHTEL (02) 9906 1488 www.techtel.tv TELSTRA 1300 835 782 www.telstraenterprise.com

VIDERO LED ®

your ideas on screen

INTRODUCING VIDEROLED www.videroLED.com VideroLED brings together the world’s most efficient LED manufacturers, Europe’s most advanced control and content management engineers and Australia’s most innovative AV integration company. It’s a combination that delivers you a properly specified and finished project every time, inclusive of design and specification, procurement, installation and maintenance support. Overall it’s a value proposition so compelling that prior to its official launch VideroLED won major contracts at Emporium, the MCG and Etihad as well as for QIC shopping centres throughout Australia. Such customers readily understand an LED screen is on display for its lifetime, not just the day of install. They are also delighted to substantially save on costs. Because thanks to its manufacturing strength, VideroLED is able to offer exceptional quality across a range of price points up to and including Nichia componentry, and is able to do so at a remarkably competitive price.

STREAMVISION PTY LTD 1300 300 407 www.streamvision.com.au SUMO VISUAL GROUP (03) 8290 0500 sales@sumovisualgroup.com.au www.sumovisualgroup.com.au

VISION2WATCH (02) 9502 4800 www.vision2watch.com.au As part of Vision2Watch global, Vision2Watch Australia is locally owned and operated. We deliver a range of out-of-home (OOH) Interactive and Digital Solutions to transform ordinary spaces and surfaces into touch and motion-activated displays. We’re also excited to be involved with Augmented Reality (AR) technology - specialising in the development of customised AR applications to help our clients achieve a cutting-edge promotional campaign.

TECHMEDIA DIGITAL SYSTEMS (SCALA) (02) 9526 7880 Unit 7 / 65 Captain Cook Drive Taren Point NSW 2229 info@techmedia.com.au www.techmedia.com.au TechMedia is one of Australia’s premier digital visual communications companies. TechMedia’s expertise is centered around the digital platforms, content and services driving the growth in Connected Signage and DOOH. With over 17 years of experience with Scalabased network deployment and management as well as customised hardware and data integration development, there is an abundance of local knowledge to tap into. Scala boasts an impressive list of clientele and is responsible for over 200,000 screens worldwide. Scala’s experience shows in its product; the comprehensive content creation and distribution software goes one step further with Scala Ad Manager, an accounting add-on that handles the financial side of your DOOH business such as generating invoices. In the hardware department, Scala has its own Scala Player for linking

VISUAL TECHNOLOGIES (03) 8692 6644 www.visualtechnologies.com.au

VIZI NEW MEDIA (02) 9357 3999 www.vizinewmedia.com.au

WILSON & GILKES (02) 9914 0900 www.gilkon.com.au

Should your business be included in our Who’s Who section? Listing is free. Contact Chris Holder at: chris@dsmag.com.au

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Comment:

It’s All About You

Story: Mug Punter

ommercial billboards and signage use to be aimed at a demographic. There was a target audience figured out by the client along with the advertising gurus and the tricky, clever bit that cost a lot of money was tailoring the billboard content to suit that audience — which still represented a few million or so people. With digital signage, embedded cameras, social media and — most important of all — recognition software, there’s an alarming trend to target you. Yes, you — sitting at your desk and reading this highly informative magazine instead of doing something useful. For some years we’ve had cameras in discreet locations, scanning and categorising passers-by so that digital signage further down the street can display information relevant to you. Now, as you’ve seen elsewhere this issue, electronic billboards can pin-point the make, model and colour of your car on the freeway and display a personalised message as you drive past — which should result in an overwhelming increase in rearend collisions, if nothing else.

The question is, how long before this sort of technology begins to recognise you instead of just the car you’re driving? Rather than, “Hey, rusty old white Rodeo with a dent in the back where you reversed into your own trailer, you idiot — isn’t it time you bought a Lexus?” the sign might display “Hey, Mister Mug Punter, have you really been at the pub for lunch all this time?”. Then it’ll send an email to your boss. Call it the bastard non-drinking, whistle-blowing sign. This might all sound a bit too Big Brother-like (the George Orwell type, not the bleating celebrity sort), but who would have thought we’d come this far? There’s already high-speed registration plate scanning, face recognition... it’s not a matter of lacking the technology. “Ah, but I’m not personally in any database,” I hear you say. Of course, you’re not. Certainly not in any commercial ones, at least. Okay, maybe a few mailing lists and obviously some software registrations...

Who are you kidding? I have a mate called Pete, who’s been mentioned in these pages before, who is the most naive computer owner in the world. This guy wants his computer to do everything, except his knowledge of installing specific software and hardware is very limited. As a result Pete’s a download-aholic, madly clicking on every freebie offer he sees that promises to turn his PC into a 21st Century Big Blue, and he’s completely ignorant of all the extraneous malware and browser extensions these services slip through your 34

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

PC’s letterbox if you’re not careful. Pete’s almost brand-new computer is sitting on my table right now waiting to be delivered back to the “computer man” to be cleansed of Windows crashes, BSODs and daily melt-downs (he’s blissfully trotted off for a holiday and asked me to drop the PC in the shop). The point is that aside from installing malware, Pete’s also on every email mailing list database on the planet. And he ticked — or rather, he didn’t untick — those boxes that gave permission for his personal information to be used.

the information onto a fast food company — and the next morning an offer in your Inbox for extra fries and a chocolate shake reveals that a promised dietary discipline is well and truly busted. They say “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”. Well, you should try a woman who discovers you’ve been sneaking in cheese burgers during the hellish pains of a diet you’re supposed to be sharing. They might as well have included divorce papers with the napkins.

Except they weren’t for your wife who, incidentally, get all your messages in her Inbox too...

And by the way, if this story prompts any watercooler conversations I’d appreciate it if no one mentions the cheese burger thing. You never know who’s listening. 

An extreme example, but we’ve all done it and in some cases are still doing it, learning the hard way, and surely it can’t be long before those sneaky email databases begin chatting with those shifty cameras on the footpaths and escalators, passing the info on to the filthy, dobbing face recognition technology — and before you know it, your email Inbox gets a message saying, ‘Hey Mr Mug Punter, we saw you buying flowers and chocolate for your wife. How about tickets to a movie, too?’

See the problem? It might go well beyond just spotting your car driving down the wrong road at the wrong time and innocently sending an email flogging you a new set of tyres. Recognition software could pick you out of a crowd at the worst of times, tap into a database that’s supposed to keep your PC registry clean — but they sold

So while it’s all very clever and impressive that digital signage might evolve into targeting me personally, perhaps even reminding me of impending birthdays and wedding anniversaries as I walk past confectionary shops (thanks bloody Facebook) I’d much rather be part of a large, anonymous bunch called a ‘demographic’. I don’t want to be individually recognised by a dozen digital signage systems aside from being picked as a grumpy baby-boomer kind of person who’s a sucker for discounted jeans, happy hours and a cheap steak.

Mug Punter’s curmudgeonly carping does not necessarily reflect the views of DigitalSignage. If you have a differing view contact the editor Chris Holder on chris@dsmag.com.au

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