The Digital Evolution Will Take Time so says Alex Johns [1], Managing Director of iblink [2] writing in Marketing Week 20 December 2007.
The article starts off well, talking about the intense interest in (digital) 6-Sheets by the outdoor media owners – a fact (though we believe that the digital sweet spot for outdoor media owners world wide is the 48 sheet and this is backed up by research in the US market by Citigroup and Deutsche Bank) but the article then falls into the classic mistake of talking about “high profile failures of in-store TV” – and we think we all know who he is alluding too – true pioneers always get arrows in their back 😉
BUT of course it is not in-store TV or retail TV or any other sort of TV and should never be classified as such – it is a ‘retail network’ just as the digital work by the outdoor media folks is classified as ‘High Impact’. We feel it makes little sense to lump the two together and talk about them (necessarily) in the same article.
He does make a good point about “screens being impossible to view in direct sunlight” – one of the areas that we always raise – we believe that 90% of screens placed in shop windows end up being invisible to potential customers and nearly all of the digital 6-sheet designs we have seen have the same problem also.
We all agree with the statement he ends with “the future of the High Street will be digital” but we question the title of the article “Digital Evolution Will Take Time”
Surely not? The Digital Evolution is just around the corner and 2008 is going to be one hell of an exciting year!!!
iblink is a Digital and experiential agency focusing on providing through the line solutions to retailers & media owners. Our clients are mainly blue chip brands who have an interest in developing iconic solutions which allow consumers to interact with their brand in a compelling, memorable and measurable way.
3 Comments To "Digital Evolution Will Take Time"
#1 Comment By Kwen Wan On 24 December 2007 @ 21:33 @939
“screens being impossible to view in direct sunlight”
Presumably Screen Technology’s iTrans high visability display addresses that problem from now (or until they can ramp up production).
#2 Comment By Manolo Almagro On 26 December 2007 @ 15:09 @672
reluctantly, – I have to support that alot of what Mr. John’s is saying in his article. Speaking from the feedback of what our global agencies and media buying companies provide us, the “analog” poster still beats digital in overall regional coverage areas, color reproduction, viewability in ambient light and overall total cost of ownership.
#3 Comment By Adrian J Cotterill On 31 December 2007 @ 09:03 @419
Kwen, yes. We expect to see ITrans screens in more shop windows in 2008, as well as in several 6-sheet configurations as well as other more innovative digital street furniture designs.