Last week, my colleague Antonia discussed the evolution of digital storytelling. And her analysis was right on the spot: immersive experiences don’t always require large LED walls but can be achieved with finesse on small displays. For brands wanting to convey a message of sustainability, they could even be the future of digital signage.
Just a few days later, two US sports clubs revealed plans for their new stadiums featuring – you guessed it – massive LED areas: the Oakland Athletics envision a huge jumbotron integrated with the architecture, while the New York City FC plans to enhance the soccer experience with a seven-story-high LED cube.
Does that contradict the arguments made last week? Interestingly enough, no.
Sports, particularly in the United States, stands out as a vertical where visibility translates to sponsorship revenue, requiring complex technology to engage fans both at the venue and on TV. This includes innovations like Parallel Ads, tested for the first time in the German Bundesliga by Bayer Leverkusen.
Yet, in modern stadiums, big screens alone don’t equal big business. Every modern stadium is equipped with an armada of small screens for wayfinding, providing general information, and supporting concession stands. The Oakland and New York City projects will be no exception.
A modern live sports experience requires a combination of big and small screens. And so the finesse comes back: A high level of integration is crucial for these kinds of experiences. This is why leading integrators like Trison have formed dedicated business units for these kind of projects.
Additionally, sustainability considerations, such as energy efficiency, play a significant role in large-scale projects, as demonstrated by a recent case from SignageOS which our content partner Sixteen-Nine wrote about.
Looking to APAC – and the Movies
Looking to the Asia-Pacific region, we find that while projects may differ, good digital signage integration follows universal principles. The upcoming invidis digital signage conference China event on April 17th will explore the state of the digital signage industry and business opportunities in the APAC region for both small and large screens.
Last week also showcased the power of combining different technologies, as seen in the movie “Poor Things,” which utilized a mix of Virtual Production LED setups, traditional backdrops, and CGI to bring director Giorgos Lanthimos’s vision to life. In conclusion, as the Blues Brothers once said, you need both Western and Country, emphasizing the importance of combining various elements for success.
On the Sixteen-Nine Podcast: Gentilhomme – Experts for Experiential Design
Our content partner Sixteen-Nine not only covers digital signage news on his blog but also has a podcast out where he has a different digital signage expert on every week. One of the recent episodes features Thibaut Duverneix from Montreal-based Gentilhomme. The digital creative studio is known for Orlando’s new terminal C and other immersive installations around the world. On Sixteen-Nine he speaks about ideation and design process, as well as his company’s background:
DSS Europe 2024: First Speakers Announced
For the upcoming Digital Signage Summit Europe, invidis’ flagship conference in Munich, we revealed the first speakers this week. Find out who will be on stage this year:
Remember, DSS Europe will happen in May already, we moved it due to the European Soccer Cup and the Olympics in France. So you can have it all this summer – sports experiences and a great Digital Signage Summit in Munich. See you there!
