Visitors at the FESPA Africa and Sign Africa Expo, taking place 11-13 September at Gallagher Convention Centre, can engage with industry-leading companies who will showcase their latest solutions in wide format digital printing, vehicle wrapping, textile printing, signage, laser engraving, display, direct-to-film (DTF) printing, garment printing, screen and pad printing, and other cutting edge technology.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to see the latest digital printers live and in action and chat with experts about the best solutions for their unique business needs.

Besides cutting-edge equipment and beautiful prints, Africa’s biggest signage and printing exhibition will also feature workshops, and is your opportunity to level up your business.

Key reasons to visit:

New Technology And Solutions

See the latest signage and print product launches live and in action. Get expert insight on new industry developments and opportunities.

AI Design Workshop For Signage And Print

Learn how AI is transforming the way we conceptualise, create and produce design and content. Discover the AI tools that many are using to transform their work. Book here.

Network

Meet with your fellow industry professionals and speak to product experts on the best solutions for your business.

FESPA Africa and Sign Africa Expo, taking place from 11-13 September 2024 at Gallagher Convention Centre from 9am-5pm, is sponsored by Stixo and Roland. Entrance is free, please register online.

I want to exhibit.

FESPA AFRICA EXPO
+27 11 568 1894
www.fespaafrica.com

According to Thomas Philippart de Foy, Chief Innovation Officer at Appspace, and writing for Digital Signage Today, when it comes to workplace communications tools, the temptation is often an ‘out with the old, in with the new’ technology mantra. While digital signage is a technology mainstay, the technology is rapidly evolving to meet the needs of HR teams looking to move their communication strategies forward.

Despite the daily headlines announcing another big company’s return-to-office mandate, the dispersed workforce is here to stay. Workers returning to the office now have greater expectations, wanting more than just a physical space from which to carry out their daily tasks. These heightened expectations are creating challenges for HR teams striving to keep employee communications current, informative and engaging.

According to one research study, the global digital signage market was valued at $25.1 billion last year and is projected to reach $52.7 billion by 2032. Over the next 10 years, this market is anticipated to record the highest compound annual growth rate of 7.7%. In sum, digital signage has grown into a dynamic tool that revolutionises how organisations communicate with their employees.

In a dispersed workplace, employees lack the day-to-day interactions that occur in traditional offices. Digital signage fills this void, providing a virtual meeting point where colleagues can gather virtually, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose.

Digital signage also can support the ‘why’ of employees working in the office. Messages celebrating milestones, recognising achievements, and sharing company news become more impactful when displayed on dynamic digital screens, creating a stronger sense of belonging. Using digital signage in the workplace, HR can maximise SharePoint to effectively promote critical information from the company intranet, such as events and pages.

Auto-generated QR codes on the digital signs will guide employees to the right source of information, whether that’s an intranet or an employee app. When employees add their reactions to the news via the employee app, these reactions (think: thumbs up emoji) can be displayed on the digital sign.

This creates a social media-like environment or a 360-degree communications loop that delivers continuous employee engagement across all channels.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with digital signage marks another significant milestone in its evolution. AI empowers digital signage to become smarter, more responsive and highly personalised. With AI, localisation, and translation of content, is now possible at scale.

Through machine learning algorithms, digital signage platforms can also analyse data and adapt the content in real time, tailoring messages to the specific needs and preferences of the audience.

Dynamic content recommendations based on user behaviour, weather updates, or even time of day, are all made possible through AI. For example, a digital sign in a lobby could display a warm greeting in the morning and switch to important updates during peak work hours. In a dispersed workplace, this level of customisation ensures that every employee, regardless of location, receives messages that resonate with them.

Moreover, AI-powered analytics provide valuable insights into content performance. This is especially useful to HR teams. They can track engagement metrics, such as views and interactions, enabling them to refine their communication strategies and that ensure messages are relevant.

In the fast-paced world of modern business, staying connected with employees is essential for success. While ‘The Great Resignation’ may be in our collective rearview mirror, employee satisfaction and engagement will forever be connected to business outcomes.

Tapping into digital signage as a major internal communications channel paves the way for a more cohesive, informed, and motivated workforce. Moreover, it helps improve the in-office workplace experience, driving more organisational success in today’s workplace.

This article appears in Digital Signage Today.

Chris Keefe, chief product officer at Poppulo, writing for Digital Signage Today, says artificial intelligence (AI) has a multitude of uses, but one of the strongest is its potential to enable businesses to connect with their customers in new ways. From personalised ad targeting based on data-fed AI models to streamlining content creation processes and maintaining harmonious messaging, the potential of AI in digital signage is vast.

In the era of data-driven decision-making, businesses are constantly seeking ways to harness the vast amounts of information at their disposal. When it comes to digital signage, AI can transform static displays into dynamic marketing powerhouses capable of delivering highly relevant and targeted content.

AI algorithms can curate and display content that resonates with viewers; on demand or timed perfectly to the hour, day, week, and even season. But AI’s capabilities extend far beyond targeted content delivery, with continuous learning and adaptation to drive improved engagement. AI can use vital demographic and audience information, including sentiment, age, attention time, and more. This valuable data further refines the content generation process, ensuring that every piece of displayed information is tailored precisely to the preferences and characteristics of the viewers.

1. Demographic-Level Personalisation

By tapping into ongoing data sources, including the local neighbourhood, social media trends, traffic patterns, weather, and buying behaviour, AI algorithms gain a deep understanding of audience characteristics and preferences. Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all advertising. With AI, businesses can craft highly targeted messages that speak directly to specific and segmented demographics.

Imagine a retail store that can predict which ad will resonate most with a customer based on their previous buying habits. This level of precision ensures that the right message reaches the right customer at the right time, significantly enhancing the likelihood of conversions and customer satisfaction.

2. Predicting And Tracking Buyer Behaviour

Understanding buyer behaviour is the Holy Grail of marketing. Through continuous learning, AI algorithms become adept at predicting buyer behaviour associated with specific content items, content formatting, or entire campaigns. With AI prediction, companies can launch campaigns that they know have high odds of succeeding rather than relying on trial and error. Plus, with ongoing data tracking and analysis, marketing teams can react in real time, making data-driven adjustments to further increase ROI.

3. Streamlining Content Creation And Management

Companies strive to deliver compelling messages and captivating visuals to their target audience, but the process of content creation and management is time-consuming and resource-intensive. Leveraging AI can help streamline these processes, maximise efficiency, and ensure impactful messaging.

4. Content Creation Assistance And Automation

With AI in digital signage, businesses can tap into a wealth of automated tools and content creation assistants that streamline the creative workflow and amplify productivity. AI-driven automation can generate supporting media content, including videos, imagery, and even digital signage templates. This automation not only saves valuable time but also ensures consistency in visual branding across multiple platforms.

Additionally, AI can transform data-driven insights into impactful digital signage messaging without having to pre-create content logic for every scenario. For instance, if a point-of-sale system indicates low stock levels for a specific item, AI algorithms could automatically generate a new promotion, reorder menus, and display relevant information to customers in real time.

5. Harmonious Messaging And Standards

Maintaining a consistent and harmonious messaging strategy across various communications channels is crucial for developing a consistent brand identity. By training AI algorithms with the company’s specific guidelines, values, and tone of voice, businesses could create customised content that aligns with their brand identity. This tailored approach enhances brand recognition and fosters a sense of familiarity and trust among customers.

6. Relevant And Impactful Internal Communications

Just as AI algorithms can be used to understand customer preferences and behaviors, the same is true for businesses with internal audiences. Knowing how your employees prefer to receive messaging, when they are most receptive to messaging, department-specific needs, and more, improves internal communications and employee engagement. Whether it’s sharing company news, important announcements, or training materials, a tailored approach makes employees feel valued and connected.

Additionally, AI-backed digital signage messaging serves as a powerful tool for recognising employee achievements, milestones, and contributions. Publicly acknowledging and celebrating employee successes not only boosts motivation but also reinforces a positive company culture.

7. Revolutionising Device Management And Issue Remediation

In the realm of digital signage, maintaining a seamless display experience is paramount. Companies invest significant resources into deploying and managing multiple content players across various locations. AI is revolutionising device management and issue remediation to ensure optimal performance and operational efficiency.

8. Proactive Monitoring And Issue Detection

Traditional methods of device management often rely on manual checks and reactive measures to identify and address issues. AI introduces a new era of proactive monitoring and issue detection, transforming the way companies manage their digital signage networks.

AI image recognition technology can constantly scan the network, meticulously examining content playback and proactively identifying any issues. By comparing real-time data against predefined benchmarks, AI algorithms can swiftly identify and flag any anomalies or deviations from expected performance. Whether it’s a frozen screen, incorrect content playback, or a device that appears to be online but is not functioning correctly, AI acts as a vigilant sentinel, monitoring the network for potential issues.

This article appears in Digital Signage Today.