Digital Screens
Study of viewing behavoir
Digital screens are the latest innovation in Outdoor Advertising. This new medium spans everything from giant screens at mainline rail stations to small touch-sensitive screens in hair salons. Digital screens offer an array of possibilities for advertisers.
However, several key factors are inhibiting the growth of digital screens, including the lack of a trading or planning currency and good research demonstrating their effectiveness.
Plan
Other lines of enquiry developed a strategic research programme for outdoor digital screens that set out to answer the following crucial questions:
- Do consumers look at digital outdoor screens?
- How does viewing behaviour differ for each screen and its environment?
- What is the best creative approach for each screen within its environment?
- We designed an exciting qualitative research methodology that used our innovative X-Ray Spex technology to deliver a non-recall based observation study of consumer interaction with digital screens.
Results
Respondents from across the UK were asked to wear the X-Ray Spex in several digital screen environments: Gym, Shopping Mall, Bar, Tottenham Court Road Tube, Hair Salon and Charing Cross Railway Station.
Our research demonstrated that each screen within its environment generated a unique viewing pattern and 'media moment'. Some screen environments favour short commercial 'announcements', perhaps close to point of sale e.g. malls & stations. Others can deliver richer 'content' opportunities that require longer spans of attention e.g. salons and tube.
Case notes
"We knew that digital screens needed credible research to push forward the medium's growth. But the diverse nature of the screens and their environments presented a huge challenge. 'Other lines of enquiry' quickly won the confidence of our members thanks to the sensitive and intelligent way they approached our brief. They delivered an innovative and extremely useful study that has helped point the way towards a successful future."
Alan James, former Chief Executive of the OAA