Arbitron recently released their, “Out-of-Home Digital Video Display Study 2009” (Can’t we all Finally agree on the single term, “Digital Out-of-Home” already and just move on? ) the purpose of which was to benchmark the size and profile of the national audience to digital video displays in the United States.

The study asked 1,666 U.S. residents, aged 18 or older, whether or not they had seen a digital video display in any of 17 different venue types in the past month. Venues included Gas Stations, Elevators and Restaurants (to name a few).

The results were impressive.

“Of those who recall seeing digital video displays in the past month, 76% noticed seeing them at multiple venues. Digital video displays in retail locations alone (including grocery stores, large retailer/department stores, drug stores, shopping malls or convenience stores) reach over half (53%) of American adults in an average month. DOOH video displays at gas stations and movie theaters each reach over 1 in 5 U.S. adults per month.”

OK, cool.  But just how big of a victory is this study for our industry?

From an ad sales point of view, I think it is fairly substantial; Arbitron confirming what many of us already believed to be true.  However, being that I am very metric driven, I think we are still in the process of “crossing the chasm” and a long way from gaining the ‘early-majority’ buy in we all want.

Nonetheless, “Hunger finds no fault with the cooking.” Therefore, until such a time comes when widespread measurement tactics are accepted, I will gladly take any neutral 3rd party efforts from credible sources people recognize like Arbitron or Nielsen.

What do you think?

-Matthew Olivieri 

A clear, concise way to gauge ROI for digital signage ads seems to be one of the reasons why many advertisers have still not yet adopted the medium.  A recent survey conducted by Bill Gerba showed that “explaining the value overall” is, in fact,  the biggest challenge facing digital signage right now.

It should be noted that the survey was primarily responded to by individuals focused on the selling of the screens themselves (as well as other hardware such as mounting brackets, etc.),  software that controls what is on the screens and consultants who explain how you put it all together.

But, of the 13.7% respondents representing advertising/marketing agencies, I have to believe that many (if not all) also agreed that ROI is a key barrier preventing them from spending more ad dollars.

As more and more advertisers continue to be spoiled by only having to pay when someone does something, like click on their ad, the old axiom of “above the line” advertising is going to be washed away from the lexicons of agencies and individual marketers alike.

Okay, so if that is hand our industry is being dealt, how do we play it?

Should we advocate that every advertiser always place a “Text the word ______ to ______ and to get more information” in their ad?

Perhaps a unique phone number or special landing page that can’t be found anywhere else, except on their digital signage? One could then easily track which ads were more effective than others.

What ideas for metrics do you think we should be using?

-Matthew Olivieri