On a regular basis, we receive some pretty "far-out" business ideas. Nothing compares, however, to the one seen on ABC's Shark Tank several months back. I laughed out loud when I saw someone trying to pitch a post-it note holder for placing post-its on a computer screen. This is one of the reasons it helps to have an outsider's perspective on what is and is not a good business idea.

In order to avoid such a laughable debacle, it would may be wise to work a tested model for business growth and development. So, an advertising model is what you wish to start, or maybe you just want to run a pilot to have an up-sale opportunity within a regional network of stores. Whatever your application, working a plan that has been tested and tried by others is the best path to success. Do you think McDonald's sells their franchises because they have the best burger in town? Of course not, but they certainly have developed the best business on how to make money from selling hamburgers than anyone around. That is the trick.

The gentleman in the video was certainly forward thinking, but forward thinkers who stumble upon an idea that makes them the next entrepreneur consultant on Shark Tank is very "out there." The digital sign market is no different. I have had some very long discussions with some very excited entrepreneurs--many of whom are doing a "home grown" version of their software. They are working on something that sits on the "bleeding edge." One project in particular stands out.

Last winter I spoke to a gentleman who wanted to work with user-generated content using media RSS. Not a bad concept. Getting refreshing and different digital signage content can be a difficult task. I saw the major hole in his idea which is "how will you filter videos, graphics, and text coming from random users if this display is going to reside in a public setting?" I could just see some pornographic images or offensive text show up on the display. It seemed there would be no semblance of order. His answer to my question astounded me.

"We will hire a filterer."

"You mean a live human filterer?"

"Yes"

"Let me see if I understand you correctly. You will have an actual human being watching every piece of digital content uploaded to your server and have them approve or disapprove?"

"That is correct."

An interesting idea. I guess it could work. I feel sorry for the poor sap that has that as his/her job. "Now Billy, I want you to sit at this computer screen all day and when stuff comes in that is inappropriate, I want you to axe it." How mind-numbing. That's a fairly large overhead just for filtering content. How much could Billy handle. If your network got about 10 displays you would have to hire another filterer. Your costs would go up incrementally. Even if you hired a high school kid at minimum wage your overhead would be fairly high for filtering a few screens. And who knows if you could trust the filterer. What if he doesn't care enough....and the issues go on and on.

There are virtually a limitless number of crazy business ideas in this industry--many of them having to do with small start ups who wish to grow exponentially by putting up 10,000 screens in 18 months and get Coke and Pepsi as their sponsors. While there are a few flourishing ad networks out there, most of them are busting their tails selling advertisements. That's of course after they get the venue set up for free with the signage hardware.

In conclusion, I think quoting a song by TLC is appropriate, "don't go chasing waterfalls, just stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to."

I grew up in the Seattle area. What a beautiful place. We tell everyone not from there that it rains to much. That's simply to discourage any migration. Seattle, the "Emerald City" and land of the Mariners, Microsoft, the Space Needle, Mt. Rainier and Ferry Boats. Previously, I wrote a post on digital signage in transportation. It outlined some of the benefits of implementing display screens in taxis, buses, and other transportation vehicles. This specific post will bespeak all about digital signage on ferry boats.

Boats, and specifically ferry boats are an integral part of Seattle's (and other port cities') transportation system. I had an old roommate from the San Juan Islands who, if he ever wanted to visit the mainland, had to jump on a ferry and shuttle himself in. While the life on a the islands is beautiful, it does have its inconveniences. If you're from out of town, riding a ferry can be a nice novelty and a beautiful respite. For those who do it regularly, it becomes a part of the routine. If the scenery of a ferry boat ride is not enough to keep your attention, then perhaps the digital signage installed inside will take it's place (It's really sad if this is the case).

Ferry boat rides can be the source of a very captive audience. Some rides can last over an hour with persons on them simply sitting. In the winter, there is much less sight seeing and more of a "hunker down" mentality, while everyone simply sits inside trying to stay warm. The summers on ferry boats are certainly much less conducive for holding the attention of passengers.

Content for Ferry Boats

I'm sure a very interesting case study could be implemented for signs on ferry boats. The study could include both content recommendations for times of the year (based on the changes in audience behavior mentioned previously) and schedule/loop time recommendations based on studies of the traffic of persons on the boat. Certainly this type of transportation install would be very different from those of other transportation types. People are free to get up, move around, walk outside, and ignore the message. Whereas a digital sign installed in a bus, train, or taxi is playing for a much more sedentary audience. Accordingly the content would have to be adjusted for the audience's behavior. Observations of that behavior would most likely need to take place before a full implementation could take place. And, as part of the observation, a pilot would most certainly need to take place.

Most likely, winter content loops would need to be much longer than those in the summer. Also, the summer content loops would also need the ability to change depending on the weather. For a city like Seattle, one could assume the rainy days--which are many--would, like the winter, require longer content loop times. One very important aspect of transportation/wayfinding signs is their ability to alert the traveler of his/her destination. For instance, if passengers on a ferry boat wanted to see estimated arrival/departure times of their specific vessel, or if they wanted to know something about the departures and arrivals of other boats between islands all they would need to do is simply glance up at the installed signage. An installation such as this would most certainly require GPS integration and tracking to determine route estimation times.

Hardware for Ferry Boats

Much like other forms of transportation, ferry boats would require some unique hardware applications. Like I mentioned previously, GPS devices equipped on each boat would most likely need installed if the signs were to act as an informational device for arrivals and departures of the boats. This would require the extra expense of GPS, but would also include the ability to offer timely and somewhat necessary information to passengers and travelers.

In addition, there could also be the need for outdoor advertising on the ships. If this is the case, temperature-controlled waterproof display encasements and other hardware implementations may be necessary to make the outdoor signs function properly under even normal conditions (normal in Washington is 42 degrees and raining). Finally, connectivity options, including cellular connectivity, would be necessary for the players to pull content from the digital media server. All of these somewhat abnormal considerations would need to be taken into account when implementing such a system.

For Emergencies

Two movies come to mind: The Dark Knight and Deja Vu. If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation, like Denzel Washington in Deja Vu or the people on the ferries in the latest Batman thriller, I don't know if digital signage will necessarily help, but it's a comfort to know that an emergency alert can be sounded. Perhaps it would be a false comfort, but a comfort nonetheless. Either way, based on what I've seen from Hollywood lately, it's not super safe to be riding a ferry boat these days.

Like any other transportation vehicle, ferry boats can be an excellent place for installing digital signage. Their effect can be measured not only as an advertising vehicle, but more importantly, as an information delivery mechanism for tourists and businessmen alike.

I read a piece at Media Buyer some time ago which outlined some interesting stats. Among them:

62 percent of the UK’s social-networking site users say they are worried about the safety of their personal data held on those sites. 31 percent of users say they have entered false information about themselves to protect their identity.

Digital signs that read faces are among technology advances that really tend to freak people out. The closer we get to a Minority Report experience, the more people get uneasy and want a quick way to silence anything having to do with it. For instance, we helped a car dealership with an interactive digital sign that allowed users to input their information for a chance to win a new car at the end of the year. The display was highly targeted, readily available to customers (even those who did not wish to or have the opportunity to speak to a salesperson), and could pull information quickly. The struggle was that there was no disclaimer. Over the course of several weeks, the company received so many requests for some sort of opt-out service that the content creators had to implement an opt-out of further contact.

Email and mobile marketers do it, why not us?

In the world of mobile marketing, there are barriers to spam advertising to mobile phones. As digital signage becomes more interactive there will, of necessity, arise issues with spam, information gleaning/selling, mobile integration, and a slew of other issues relating to privacy. Think for instance of the following question which could be posed in the not-so-distant future: "if this thing reads my face, what else can it do? Will someone be able to stalk me to my home and take all my possessions?" While such an idea may seem off-base, it certainly could be going through the minds of consumers

Opt-in advertising technically does not stop an organization from spamming you or selling off your information to someone else who can spam you, but it does give consumers the warm and fuzzy factor. What is the warm and fuzzy factor? It is that sense of security that comes from reading something like, "your information will not be used for spamming purposes or be sold to any third party for any reason...blah, blah, blah!" Of course this all requires that information be inputted into the display somehow.

In the case of kiosks, that's easy, but what about the day when large format displays completely replace kiosks? There will come a day when interactivity and information input into digital display will be big business in areas of high traffic like malls, shopping centers, and other retail establishments. The concerns here have already surfaced in the self-service kiosk marketplace and similar "feelgood" protections have been implemented there.

Interactivity increases the need for privacy

As interactivity and information exchange begin to play a much greater role in digital media, opt-out and other protective marketing legalities will necessarily become implemented into marketing strategies--especially those which involve the pulling of information at the customers' point of contact. Connecting people with unlimited access to information has freaked people out over the last several years. Do you remember Sandra Bullock in The Net? This is another area where the digital signage realm can learn from the mistakes the kiosk world has already made. Where do you see privacy heading as interactivity increases?