Mobile and Digital Converge: iSIGN Solution Provides Intersection of Digital Signage Interactivity and Mobile Marketing

TORONTO, Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- iSIGN Media has unveiled an integrated marketing solution that joins together the powerful forces behind digital signage and interactivity with proximity-based mobile technology.  The company will be presenting its comprehensive marketing platform in association with AOpen America, at the 2011 Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas on February 22nd, 2011.

iSIGN's technology comes on the heels of major shifts in the digital and mobile marketing landscape: mobile device usage in the US is nearing saturation point, with 91% of Americans owning and using a cell phone, smartphone, or other mobile device.  As such, the mobile channel has become fully ingrained in consumers' lives, at every touch point – used for communication, conducting research, sharing content, watching videos, listening to music and, increasingly, making purchasing decisions.  

The Future of Advertising Belongs to Mobile (and Digital)

With 2011 being hailed as the year of mobile - forecasts show that 69% of all purchases will be made with the assistance of a mobile phone and some 80% of all shopping done in malls and mass merchants - the case for using place-based digital signage and proximity-based mobile media is both obvious and relevant.  A recent report from JiWire highlights the potential for capturing shopper interest via mobile with a proximity-based solution:

• 34% have clicked on an ad in response to a location-specific proximity message;
• 57% are more likely to engage with an ad that is relevant to their location;
• 84% of people who use smartphones have participated in a shopping activity;
• On average, the mobile audience uses 1.6 devices to connect while on the go.

Digital Signage Makes the Connection with Mobile Shoppers

In keeping with an increasingly connected culture, digital signage and OOH will be one of the fastest growing media, due in part to decreasing hardware costs that have made the technology much more accessible.  In past years, digital-out-of-home (DOOH) communications has been steadily expanding as companies have looked to engage consumers through multichannel interaction. But its future lies at an intersection of mobility and digital technology, which is facilitating, for the first time, the spontaneous interaction between digital signs and consumers' mobile devices -  and driven primarily by consumer behavior and improved metrics.  With digital out of home advertiser spending set to increase by more than 15%, according to Magna Global, it's clear that marketers are looking to this channel to reach mass audiences with customized messaging that consumers will respond to.

Bridging The Connection With Proximity

iSIGN's interactive marketing platform that combines mobile and digital signage interactions, known as proximity marketing, is actively shaping the definition of what is possible in terms of consumer digital and mobile interactions for marketers in almost every industry.  Through this technology, iSIGN offers a solution that allows marketers to connect and engage with consumers in a unique, effective and immediate way, and in very close proximity to retail outlets. The result is a true mobile interaction, which evolves in real-time.  Marketers can deliver branded content to consumers within a certain location, and deliver offers that can be redeemed at point of sale – two significant benefits that iSIGN's marketing solution delivers over traditional marketing, or even standalone mobile and digital signage efforts.

iSIGN Partners with Industry Leaders to Complete the Advertising Cycle

iSIGN will be showcasing its marketing solution at The Digital Signage Expo along with other industry-leading companies including IBM, BlueStar, AOpen, Pinpoint Media as well as the official sponsor of the event BroadSign, all of whom are iSIGN partners:

• IBM will be in attendance to exhibit their Point-of-Sale (POS) kiosks.
• AOpen will be attending to exhibit their media players/engines, which work to visually deliver engaging signage and, embedded with iSIGN software, are providing a leading proximity marketing solution. The iSIGN-powered media players recognize when a consumer with a mobile device is nearby, and instantly send relevant and welcomed mobile content – thus offering an unprecedented degree of engagement and stimulating strong ROI generation for brands.
• BlueStar, which distributes AV equipment and media products worldwide to support digital signage hardware, will be in attendance.
• BroadSign, one of the world's leading software providers, which manages signage networks worldwide, will be in attendance. BroadSign is also the official sponsor of the 2011 DSE.
• Pinpoint Media, which owns and operates the largest single signage network in Canada (5600 screens) and which operates the fourth largest single signage network in the United States.

Marketing Relevance in 2011 and Beyond: The Right Message Delivered at the Right time, Right Place

With its technology that allows digital signs to 'talk and interact' with nearby mobile devices, providing mobile users with information and incentives at exactly the time they need them, iSIGN together with its strategic digital signage partners, is making proximity marketing a reality for businesses and consumers around the world.  Its IMS 3.0 solution allows businesses to transform their digital signage into interactive consumer touchpoints, and allows consumers within a certain range (from 3 feet to 300 feet) to receive relevant and welcome offers through their Bluetooth-enabled mobile devices.

iSIGN's marketing solution has tremendous revenue-producing potential, allowing brands to deepen their connection with consumers, encourage more loyalty and greatly improve the customer experience – which is the key to achieving preferred status for any brand. 

iSIGN will be exhibiting with AOpen at the 2011 Digital Signage Expo (DSE) at Booth # 1809, from February 22 through 25, 2011, where it be broadcasting from the AOpen booth to deliver messaging throughout the duration of the show.

To arrange an interview with iSIGN about digital signage, mobile and proximity marketing in 2011, or to learn more about the company's solutions, please contact iSIGN's, Director of Media Relations, Vanessa Horwell at [email protected] or 305.749.5342 ext. 232, or visit www.isignmedia.com.

More on Proximity Marketing

Download iSIGN's whitepaper "The Case for Proximity Marketing:  Building powerful customer relationships through advances in digital signage, mobile and location-based technologies" which aims to educate the marketplace on this growing trend, including the specifics of how it works and the benefits for retailers and other verticals.

About iSIGN Media

iSIGN is a leading developer of location-based interactive proximity advertising solutions that deliver rich media, permission based messages, free of charge to cell phones using Bluetooth® connectivity. The Company's patent-pending advertising platform combines the precision of direct marketing and the tracking potential of the Web to deliver more cost effective and ROI-driven advertising than is possible via print, radio and television. iSIGN is based in Richmond Hill, Ontario with R&D and customer support operations in Vancouver, BC.  iSIGN is a business partner of AOpen America Inc., having an OEM agreement for the embedding of its IMS software in AOpen's digital media players and IBM, as their Solution Provider, POA All Models.  iSIGN's software solutions are also distributed by BlueStar Inc. to their network of Value Added Resellers.  iSIGN is publicly traded in Toronto (TSX.V) under the symbol "ISD". Additional information about iSIGN Media can be found at www.isignmedia.com.

SOURCE iSIGN Media