The Digital Signage Federation is “leading a team” of people to infiltrate the big International Sign Expo trade show in Orlando next month and pour the digital sign Kool-Aid down the throats of any conventional sign people who open wide.
More accurately, the association has a booth and a few of the very usual speaking suspects have education slots in some of the meeting rooms. I checked the exhibitor list and there are exactly zero digital signage vendors at this thing.
The conventional sign people who go to this event, and the rival Specialty Graphic Imaging Association show in the fall, are there to look at digital imaging/commercial graphics technology – aka printing stuff. They know digital has or will take away some of what they do, but …
DSF Chairman Alan Brawn and his son Jonathan, Lyle Bunn and Linda Hofflander (now of Saddle Ranch) will “provide a curriculum of instruction for the attendees at the ISA show. The curriculum will consist of introductory concepts, technology overviews, and discussions about the business side of digital signage.”
“I am thankful for the opportunity the ISA has given to the DSF to help educate the traditional static sign industry about how their members can grow their own businesses by expanding their business models to incorporate digital signage. We believe that digital signage complements the traditional sign industry and offers sign companies an exciting new service opportunity to meet the growing needs of their clients,” says Brawn. “There are plenty of opportunities for traditional sign companies to engage with existing electronic digital signage providers or develop their own services.”
I absolutely think there is business to be developed with traditional printing people. They have deep customer lists, trucks and service people and graphic design people. What they are confronted with is an oversupply of confusing options and few clear ideas on how to sell this stuff.
I remain puzzled by the absence of vendors at this kind of show, particularly those with easy, reseller-friendly options. Yes, the company would be out of place in a sea of printers and cutting tools. But it would be the only company selling something a lot of the attendees know they need to learn more about. I know some past attempts at injecting digital into print shows has been a bit of a flop, but the opportunity is just kinda sitting there for whoever gets the formula and pitch right.