Increasingly in our cities we see digital screens of all shapes and sizes decorating squares and stores, stations and public offices, hotels and airports. Advertising and information paper formats are now disappearing giving way to Digital Signage, but what is it?
Digital Signage is a form of communication based on the transmission of digital content through devices such as screens, projectors, touch panels or totems. Generally, these devices are located at points of sale or public places and allow for 24-hour moving images with changing and updated content.
This system, taking advantage of the great benefits offered by digital and its positioning, enables the transmission of key messages and information, entertaining and surprising the audience, thus turning into a powerful communication tool.
In recent years, this sector has been expanding more and more, but it is in the retail segment that it finds the greatest expression of use due to its ability to immediately convey content and reach consumers in a direct and dynamic way.
Among the various factors related to the great growth of Digital Signage are:
- The rapid digitization of private and public places
- The demand by customers for interactivity while shopping
- The need for brands to use dynamic formats through which to convey more elaborate messages
- The demand for content that can be edited in real time
Asia Pacific dominates the global Digital Signage market as the area with the fastest growth, due to the presence of a large number of manufacturers and strong digitization in both the private and public sectors. This is followed by North America and Europe as the largest markets.
In Europe, according to a study on Digital Signage growth conducted by Mordor Intelligence, the CAGR value (compound annual growth rate) is 11.3% for the period 2021-2026. The European countries currently holding the largest market share are Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Spain, respectively.
Competitively, the European Digital Signage market is relatively fragmented with a high presence of major global players and SMEs offering software and niche industry products.
Among the Made in Italy excellences we find FIDA, a Milan-based company that produces monitors for the Digital Signage, Passenger Information and Transportation Solutions sectors, which is supported by Roncucci&Partners in its internationalization path in foreign markets.
As far as the choice of displays is concerned, Simone Quadrio – CEO of FIDA explains to us, the client must be guided to identify the most suitable product for his application especially based on the installation environment (protection against atmospheric agents and vandalism), the best display technology (LCD or LED) and the software to publish multimedia content.
Initially more prevalent in Indoor settings, Digital Signage solutions are also becoming increasingly popular for outdoor applications making urban settings increasingly smart and digital.
The overview of this sector thus offers a reflection on what will be the evolution of communication, increasingly connected and integrated to a digital ecosystem from which one cannot remain outside and within which many SMEs can find various investment opportunities.
Chiara Origlia
