There were a lot of things going down at the Digital Signage Expo both on and off the field. This post is probably going to just have a few 30,000 foot view thoughts. The show itself is maturing. This is our third show now and things seem to be calming down (expect for the industry drama which I’ve discussed a bit below). As exhibitors go, there was much of the same.
Cool Stuff
The VUKUNET concept is so cool it’ll make your brain explode. It is perhaps the missing link in connecting potential digital out of home advertisers with real buyers. The way the system integrates freely with nearly any solution in the marketplace is simply brilliant. Two gold stars for the mastermind that developed this pleasant morsel. I’ve had exposure to the system previously, but after speaking about the potential and goals for the project, it was all I could do to stop my brain from frying.
There’s probably not too much new to report on the hardware side of the picture. Standard were the glasses and glasses free 3D displays—pretty standard. The large format LED, LCD, and interactive people were present. Christie Microtiles are about what I expected them to be. Their cost is a somewhat prohibitive for many, but for those looking for ambiance in a unique way, they certainly offer that “pop” that some may be looking for. They lived up to the hype.
Attendors (Exhibitors) and Attendees
The attendance for the show certainly seemed up from last year’s event. No bare patches to be seen on the tradeshow floor. Much of this probably has to do with an economy on-the-mend. Hardware and software vendors still seemed standard. Some of the exhibitors who were of interest and seemed a bit newer to the industry included a few content providers and implementation organizations.
Overall, exhibitors at the event certainly were more honed. Smaller companies wishing to make their way within the industry have slowly been vanishing into oblivion. This fact was painfully evident at the show: more of the industry’s true players were poking around.
I was able to have some great and productive chats with some impactful industry professionals. Interesting to get individual perspectives on things and have some time to discuss future movement. While there, I also saw and spoke with some of the old Helius crew. Most of them I was unable to speak with at all because they were too busy giving demos the couple times I stopped by.
More Industry Drama
For some, following the digital signage industry is probably like watching a soap opera they cannot get enough of. For many, it’s the soap opera they cannot get away from. Those who have been following digital signage news lately know somewhat of the tradeshow and industry non-profit drama that taking place.
Regardless of whether or not you’re a part of any of the industry trade organizations, exhibit at any of the industry tradeshows, or are going at it a bit rogue, much of what has happened and is happening is a bit disappointing. I’m not one to generally point fingers.
Many of the industry’s organizations—under the guise of industry promulgation and professionalism—seem to be exhibiting just the opposite in their spirit of competition. The activity here is not in the least bit surprising, given the simply cutthroat nature of things in digital signage. Treating things like a zero-sum game exhibits a self-fulfilling prophecy-like result—wherein you receive exactly what you expect.
The changes in technology and organization within the industry are significant and will probably have a great impact on some, while others may never feel or experience any change. I’m interested to see what happens as people begin to choose sides—in organization and exhibition. I’m sure it may continue to get ugly. I’ll do my best to stay out and stay away.
