At the Digital Retailing Expo in San Francisco, some of the latest developments in electronic displays were on display, including DynaScan's 360-degree rotating signage application.
As technology proliferates for displaying point-of-sale digital messages – wireless network connections, LCD and plasma screens, interactive kiosks, projectors and a wide range of content players and management software – retailers must confront the challenge of acquiring fresh and affordable content for their current signage networks.
Until recently, according to Simon Tkaczyk, president and CEO of Titanium Graphics, there were only two ways to produce content for these networks. The simplest way for a business to create digital signage content was to contact an advertising agency and have them create the desired project. A good agency could certainly produce fresh media and professional advertisements. However, advertising agencies can be expensive and impersonal, he said. In addition, the red tape of a large agency can make content production a lengthy process. These types of consultants are great for large-scale businesses with large budgets.
The other method used to generate content involves using programs supplied by the network distributor or signage companies, Tkaczyk explained. The problem with this method is that these companies often require a powerful personal computer to run properly. Moreover, the learning curve can be high, especially when editing or creating full-motion content. Even though creating the content on your own may be the fastest and least-costly process, it is not the most efficient solution to content creation. Tkaczyk said this forces restaurant owners and other unrelated business professionals to be video editors and producers. The process can also be expensive when adding up the equipment and software costs.
Tkaczyk said his company has found a middle ground that brings the best aspects of both of these plans of attack. Titanium Graphics has developed the Digital Media Creation Gateway (DMC Gateway) to bridge the gap between the availability of new content creation and the burgeoning digital signage displays in businesses. For business owners in need of digital media – whether it be a 30-second digital signage advertisement, a five-minute company tutorial or something as simple as resizing a poster for a specific size – the DMC Gateway has artists ready to bid on projects small or large. Tkaczyk said flexibility in setting the budget and deadline for projects will allow Titanium customers to get the most out of their project, have it completed on time and still be cost effective.
DMC Gateway is an international marketplace for digital media creation set in an auction-type environment. The media creation projects are auctioned to a pool of artists from around the world, ensuring that the business owners have access to the best possible price for professionally created media.
With a common marketplace open to all types of buyers and sellers, Tkaczyk said any company or individual will be able to find content designers at an appropriate price point.
For more information, visit www.DMCGateway.com.
