Digital Signage: What’s in store for 2021?

For all industries, 2020 has been an unusual and very peculiar year. What began as a normal year was disrupted by the arrival of COVID-19. Despite this interruption, Digital Signage has continued to move forward, adapting to the imminent needs of customers. New business opportunities have arisen, such as the use of Digital Signage circuits to promote solutions such as capacity control in establishments, control of social distancing or the use of masks.

But what does 2021 hold in store for us? What are the trends that guarantee the development of the sector?

More advanced audience measurement solutions

Big Data is still the undisputed leader. During 2020, we have seen a development in audience measurement solutions, in order to adapt them to the new reality. Now, besides knowing the sex, age, or mood of the people in front of the displays, we can know the distance between them, or recognize the person, even if they are wearing a mask or not. Much more data that allows to segment the target audience and analyze them, which makes it possible to identify their preferences in order to adapt the informative and advertising contents to the different users.

The integration of audience measurement systems in Digital Signage solutions is essential to know the ROI of the campaigns, increase the profitability of the areas and improve the customer experience.

Mobile devices, key resources for Digital Signage content management

Aiming to avoid tactility, mobile devices represent a key resource to ensure engagement at the point of sale. Now, it is possible to turn the entire display network of a Digital Signage circuit of one or multiple establishments or a corporate environment into a real-time solution for tele-training, with just a few simple clicks through mobile devices.

Mirroring systems or the use of QR code enable the immediate access and management of the Digital Signage network contents through smartphones, ensuring the success of the sales by making them highly customized for each client.

Digital product catalogs

One of the trends in Digital Signage for 2021 that is already becoming a key sales factor for the retail sector are digital product catalogs.

In the face of COVID-19, the retail sector has sought new solutions to limit its spread and reduce customer contact with products. As a result, new solutions have been developed at the point of sale, allowing customers to select a product from an extensive digital catalog. Therefore, the establishment avoids displaying all the items, which are susceptible to being touched and infected by visitors to the establishment.

Through these digital catalogs, the customer is able to select an article, know other sizes, dimensions or existing colors, or know other possible combinations with other existing products in the establishment, promoting impulse buying, and then add the chosen item to the shopping cart and receive it at home or ready to pick up at the counter.

After each use, the screen of this information point can be easily cleaned and disinfected for the next use.

In a move that is set to build on its long-standing global partnership with DENEVA software manufacturer, ICON Multimedia, leading display producer, Vestel, has introduced a new DENEVA-approved and certified System-on-Chip technology solution. Allowing all the capabilities of the world-class DENEVA platform to be integrated seamlessly into the entire Vestel line-up of 43” to 98” digital signage displays, the new solution offers an extra competitive advantage to integrators, widening the spectrum of opportunities for projects across a greater range of industry applications.

Offering the possibility of a seamless and cost-efficient turnkey digital signage solution with a world-renowned, scalable and user-friendly software, this embedded SoC technology ensures that considerable savings can be achieved for everything from small digital signage setups to special, bespoke projects, and time-sensitive, multinational rollouts. As well as eliminating the need for any middleware, it streamlines the deployment process, while also working to keep installation, operational and maintenance costs to a minimum.

As soon as it is connected to power and network, this out-of-the-box display solution ensures automated, centralized control of small, medium and enterprise level digital signage networks, enabling end users to develop network applications, as well as create and schedule multimedia content in any resolution for one, some or all of the displays. For more immersive showcases, much of the Vestel range of digital signage supports the display and playback of 4K UHD HDR content.

Building on the success of its tried, trusted and internationally recognized partnership with DENEVA in retail, corporate and QSR industries, Vestel, with its new integrated DENEVA solution, is now in a position to offer even greater built-in specialist and targeted support. Compatible with all the latest DENEVA range of software applications, the solution ensures custom-built functionality for all sectors, ranging from retail, QSR, finance, supermarkets and hospitality, to corporate, education, transport, and healthcare.

The SoC-powered range of Vestel displays are now also approved for compatibility with the new DENEVA Safe and Tech solution. This utilizes AI, Big Data and biometric systems to ensure businesses can more easily comply with the latest Covid-19 regulations for maximum in-store capacities, mask wearing and social distancing.

Designed for portrait and landscape orientations, the flexible Vestel series can be adapted to suit any environment, coming with a range of display capabilities, which include continuous 16/7 and 24/7 run-times, as well as brightness levels of up to 2,500 Nits. The SoC technology solution will be available for the entire Vestel digital signage line-up from 2021

The Romanesque Information Point (PIR, according to its Spanish acronym) located in the hermitage of San Juan Bautista in Palencia joins the digital transformation. For this, the City Council of Palencia, through the Department of Culture and Tourism, has made use of ICON Multimedia’s Digital Signage solutions with the objective of creating an innovative and immersive experience, capable of becoming a museum center and starting point of the Romanesque in the province.

For this project, it was necessary to arrange large format and resolution displays, so the manufacturer Vestel has been selected for the installation of a 55” video wall that welcomes visitors inside this place of worship and shows all the richness of the cultural heritage of the province of Palencia. In addition, ICON Multimedia has also provided this place with tactile solutions, with the installation of two professional multi-touch Full HD displays by Philips, with Android technology, so that the user can interact with the content and discover more information about the Romanesque style.

This implemented technology operates with ICON Multimedia’s DENEVA software, which allows an immediate and centralized management of high quality contents.

The inauguration of this Romanesque Information Point took place last Friday, December 4^th. In this event, the First Deputy Mayor of Palencia and Delegate Councilman of EDUSI (this Spanish acronym stands for Integrated Sustainable Urban Development), Alfonso Polanco, the Councilwoman of Tourism, Culture and Festivities, Laura Lombraña, as well as a representation of ICON Multimedia, were in attendance.

DENEVA reinforces its portfolio of solutions with DENEVA.Catalog, a new way of presenting and segmenting Digital Signage content in real time, which aims to provide a better service to establishments in a face-to-face manner, as well as to help preserve health safety.

DENEVA.Catalog allows store personnel to launch content on demand through their mobile device, tablet, or the web desktop itself, to any screen in their store managed through DENEVA. In this way, a much more personalized attention is achieved by displaying the specific information required by each customer, getting a higher retention of the message and, therefore, a greater impact on face-to-face sales. In addition, it can also be used as a tool for tele-training or as a second screen at the consulting booth.

This new smart tech application from DENEVA progresses in the digitalization of the retail sector in favor of the connected and experiential store, where now the Digital Signage plays an important role by ensuring greater comfort and security of the purchasing process at the physical store, thus regaining the users’ trust.

In addition to the new DENEVA.Catalog product, DENEVA already has a wide range of solutions adapted to this new context, based on mirroring systems or the use of QR codes, which allow immediate access and management of content through the smartphone. Solutions adapted to corporate environments or the retail industry, where video conferencing solutions are also integrated. A clear transformation from Digital Signage to Digital Signage 2.0.

The Valencian public railway company, Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV), will feature ICON Multimedia’s information system for passengers, DENEVA, on its tram lines, which will include requests for real-time communication on waiting times, as well as other service related notifications such as incidents or recommendations.

All this information will be integrated into DENEVA platform, already implemented in FGV’s control center, through which all the subway stations and also more than 100 above ground stations in the Metrovalencia network are managed in a centralized way. In addition, DENEVA allows different means of transport to be unified in the same system, with a commitment to intermodality.

This action will begin to be implemented through the installation of LED remote indicators at the stops of lines 4, 6 and 8 of the tram network, which also incorporates a new system for visual impaired passengers which enables the information displayed to be audible, in order to facilitate the contents accessibility.

The Latin American Digital Signage Association, in collaboration with DENEVA Digital Signage, has brought together the industry’s leading experts in LATAM in a unique virtual event, which took place on October 28^th. In this event, the DENEVA team has participated contributing with its vision of the current outlook of the digital signage sector facing the hard moments of the pandemic we are now experiencing, providing the attendees with the emerging solutions to restore normality in business.

All of these solutions are included in the portfolio of new solutions, Safe & Tech, which aim to guarantee health safety against COVID-19.

Enjoy this event again by clicking on the following link:

ICON Multimedia continues its growth with the installations of its DENEVA Passenger Information System at the Elche, Murcia and Orihuela ADIF stations. For this last station, it has been adapted the features of the previous local train station to centrally integrate and manage the information of both stations.

Also, in order to guarantee a better service to ADIF users, ICON Multimedia has updated its PIS, in those stations where it is already present. In this way, DENEVA is updated to its latest version in stations such as Barcelona-Sant, where, in addition, passengers will be informed of the changes caused by the track reconditioning works. 

Many of these stations will also have new display devices. This is the case of the Levante stations such as València Estació del Nord or Joaquín Sorolla, Teruel or Atocha.

With over 10 years of experience in the restaurant sector, Arzábal Group has installed at its establishments in Madrid a modern digital Menu Board solution based on ICON Multimedia’s DENEVA software. This company has worked with its technological partner Retinna for the design, supply, integration and implementation of this display system.

This Digital Menu Board has several LG professional monitors of 43-inch model SM5KE and 65-inch model UH5F, using the webOS 4.0 system that allows DENEVA to play dynamic content such as videos, images and HTML5. A feature that makes it especially useful for the customer, since it allows to load dynamic prices with the integration of their own internal applications. In this way, Arzábal Group, faithful to its corporate identity, shows its gastronomic offer in an innovative way, but maintaining the genuine spirit that its taverns also preserve. In the words of Álvaro Castellano, co-founder of Arzábal Group: “We sought to renew our spaces while preserving the essential tradition. For this reason, this digital presentation of our menu offers us a lot of versatility, dynamism and flexibility, being able to adapt and update the contents in real time according to each establishment, or based on our menus and seasonal products.”

DENEVA’S Menu Board solution implemented at Arzábal Group is a powerful communication and promotion tool for the restaurant sector that allows the distribution of specific contents for each monitor that makes up the solution, or it can be synchronized to play videos and animations in large sizes. In addition, it allows customer databases to be loaded in order to automatically update products, prices or other information; as well as linking to the restaurant’s POS for dynamic publication of prices based on promotions or existing stock.

Both ICON Multimedia and its partner Retinna have offered personalised advice to Arzábal Group, adapting their solutions to its specific needs and always accompanying it on its digital transformation journey.

The DENEVA software manufacturer, ICON Multimedia, has certified two more LG players, thus obtaining a higher level of compatibility with all the functionalities of its Digital Signage platform.

In particular, it is the model 130” All-in-one LED Screen specially designed for corporate environments that, integrated within a 130″ monitor, allows to improve performance efficiency by including a high-performance SoC with webOS. This allows a seamless integration and automated control of all the functionalities of Deneva software compatible with all current versions of webOS, in order to ensure the correct management of any digital signage project.

Recently, the WP400 external player has also been validated. Updated to the Signage WebOS 4.0 version, it allows you to manage and distribute content through Deneva software or develop network applications for multiple devices. The versatility of the player and its compatibility with Deneva, allows to address multiple points within a digital signage circuit, with a UHD video playback, guaranteeing thus the spectacularity and its high performance in projects of different sectors to which it can be applied.

ICON Multimedia has already integrated these two players into different projects managed with Deneva in sectors such as retail, dealership, QSR and transport. In addition, they work thoroughly on testing other webOS devices for special integration with its Safe & Tech solutions, which aim to provide health safety in facilities after COVID-19.

With the aim of managing the influx and mobility of passengers in the railway sector and also to guarantee the safety distance, ICON Multimedia integrates capacity control solutions, people counting systems and wagon occupancy into its Passenger Information System, DENEVA.

Now, it’s possible to show real-time information about the occupation of the platforms in all the screens managed with DENEVA, by using advanced AI algorithms, and integrated the IP camaras of the stations to the displays. In addition, it allows to launch visual and audio alerts thought PA, when the maximum occupancy in platforms is exceeded, in order to avoid crowds.

This solution is one of the DENEVA Safe and Tech solutions, as well as the one that is already integrated, that allow to display the occupation of wagons, so that passengers could distribute themselves along them, keeping the safety distance.