Interactive digital signage

The folks at BlueFire Digital have developed a system called uTV that connects viewers with bluetooth enabled cellphones to digital signs. Users of this technology can let their patrons upload and display their own content (photos, SMS messages, etc...) directly on BlueFire enabled digital signs.

This is a great product for social venues like bars and clubs but I can see this also used in other areas like on big screens at the football stadium, in trade shows or even in retail stores (for example, in a food court).

I'm sure some of you may think... great! Now anyone can put up offensive or obscene material on my screens! But the folks at BlueFire Digital already planned for this. The system allows you to pre-screen all material before it is displayed and you can even block a "repeat offender".

The whole idea behind these products is you can engage your audience so viewing a digital sign is no longer a passive activity. By interacting with the sign, viewers tend to look longer and pay more attention to the content. Any advertising being displayed with the interactive content will get noticed more than if you only displayed full screen advertising.

I met with a BlueFire rep at the Chicago Digital Signage show last June and they are really "fired up" about it (pardon the pun). Seems like an interesting twist that is sure to attract the younger crowd, but don't discount the concept for more traditional advertising.

Here is why you should consider digital signage interactivity as a useful tool for a much broader audience...

Think about the digital sign hanging in a car dealership. The advertiser displays a reference code at the bottom of a video ad. You dial this code and automatically bring up more info on the vehicle like specifications, JD Power ranking, colours available, etc...

Same scenario in an appliance store. You're standing in front of a Maytag display enhanced with a digital sign nearby and can bring up specs, options, pricing... all by yourself and without any assistance from a sales person.

Interactivity is not just for touch-screen kiosks anymore. Remember this... It's one thing to install a shiny new 42" touch screen plasma screen and another to keep cleaning up the finger marks over its surface. These days, pretty well everyone has a cell phone capable of sending SMS messages or communicate via Bluetooth connection. Vendors are starting to come up with tools that will let people interact with your displays as needed.

Until we all get implanted with RFID chips (à la Minority Report), consumer interactivity will be the next big thing in digital signage. The PC hardware and IP is already there... why not use it for more than a passive user experience?