Digital signage has been used for decades to help with wayfinding, sales enablement and brand identity. Now, direct-view LED (DVLED) displays are increasingly being installed to create experiences that increase overall customer engagement.
“Experiential signage” is the term used for a type of signage that is designed to create a unique and immersive experience for the viewer. It goes beyond conveying information or branding, and instead seeks to engage the viewer and elicit an emotional reaction using a large-format DVLED display and highly curated content.
One of the most high-profile examples is the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas, which features the world’s largest single video screen. Suspended 90 feet in the air and extending 1,375 feet in length, the display runs continuously and features the Viva Vision light and sound show as well as concerts and live events.
Why Experiential Signage?
While experiential signage has some traits in common with traditional digital signage: its uses depend heavily on the goals and objectives of the space. Experiential signage is especially well-suited in many applications. These include:
Casinos
As displays become more dynamic and spectacular, casinos are shifting toward innovative advances to drive attention to their properties. Experiential signage can motivate patrons to extend their stays, spend more and share their experiences online with friends and family. Gila River Resorts & Casinos — Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, Ariz., installed a videowall in its lobby that arches over a door opposite a glass elevator. This then takes guests to its Prime Shula’s Steakhouse on the top floor of the resort. The display showcases vibrant photos of dishes and beautiful videos of the chef preparing food.
Corporate Lobbies
Experiential signage can be used in office environments to convey branding and messaging in a more dynamic and engaging way. Innovative Dental, a Springfield, Mo.-based cosmetic dental practice with a worldwide following, added a massive two-story DVLED videowall to their atrium lobby as a statement piece to help enhance the calming aesthetic and soothing design of the business.
Retail and Dining Spaces
Experiential signage can be highly effective in retail spaces and restaurants. It can help draw attention to products and services and create a unique and memorable experience for shoppers and diners. Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill in Springfield, Ill., is a destination for lovers of automotive memorabilia, Route 66 nostalgia and good food. The owner installed a large videowall that can broadcast multiple sporting events at one time, advertise food and drink specials, and serve as a backdrop for concerts and other entertainment.
Public Spaces
Transit stations, plazas and other public spaces can use experiential signage to welcome visitors and create a positive first impression. For example, Louisville Tourism installed a videowall at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport to welcome visitors and conference attendees, and promote tourist attractions with beautiful photography.
Theaters and Events
A digital backdrop can be used to create and swap out sets without the need to physically build them. Pioneer Central School District in rural Yorkshire, N.Y., installed a 62-foot-by-19-foot digital videowall in its performing arts center to be used as a virtual set for plays, musicals and other events, and to provide learning experiences for students interested in content design.
Is It Right for Your Space?
Experiential signage can be a highly effective way to engage and connect with audiences in a memorable and impactful way. However, whether it’s right for an organization will depend on a number of factors. Here are some best practices for experiential signage:
- Understand your goals. Large-format experiential signage is an investment, so having goals in mind is important. Overall, the best goals for experiential signage are to increase awareness in a crowded space, to create a perception or elicit a feeling about a brand and to increase engagement with the display through viral moments on social media.
- Know your audience. Increasingly, consumers are exposed to 4K resolution on home televisions and immersive gaming experiences, so they expect the same or better quality from digital displays. If your audience has access to this technology at home, experiential signage is a great investment.
- Think outside the box. Experiential signage doesn’t have to be rectangular in shape. Today, digital signs can have angles, curves and other unique forms that can make them even more immersive.
- Use high-quality manufacturers. Experiential signage needs to run perfectly with no downtime. So, it’s important to partner with a reliable manufacturer that uses high-quality, durable materials and backs them up with great support.
- Don’t skimp on content. The installation of experiential signage is just the beginning. Content is what will make it work for your audience. Partner with a content company that understands what content will work best, how often it should be changed and when to incorporate interactive technology.
- Get social. One of the main benefits of experiential signage is the ability to create excitement with viral moments. Consider how you can make the sign something that people will share. This may include the use of paid influencers with sizable followings on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and other platforms. A good content partner can also help with this.
Experiential signage is, undoubtedly, one of the next big growth areas for digital signage as consumers come to expect more spectacular and immersive experiences. Commercial AV experts thus have a great opportunity to drive growth in this market and showcase their creativity.
Brian Smith is pro AV director at Watchfire, a provider of exterior and interior LED displays. All images courtesy of Watchfire.
