Introduction

The Philippines’ growing digital landscape has been influencing many industries, including signage advertising. Once printed and stationary, signage that promotes brands while also helping target audiences in various ways has evolved into digital and dynamic displays, revolutionizing modern advertising strategies. 

If you haven’t yet incorporated digital formats into your sign ads, now is the time to consider doing so. Not only because they are the trend, but more importantly, because they are an effective format that attracts plenty of audience while maximizing your advertising budget. Want to know how exactly? Read this Outcomm article to learn more. 

What Is Digital Signage Advertising?

In a broad sense, signage advertising involves brand promotions incorporated in signs. Signs, in turn, are designed to give your audience direction, instructions, or information related to or directly about the brand being advertised. 

Digital signage advertising is the digital format of these promotional signs. They share qualities with print ads in that they combine graphic design and copywriting to convey their messaging to their target market, but they differ in that the ad materials are not physically reproduced. Digital signage ads can also be replaced or updated to align with seasonal and current needs and requirements of a brand.

Best Use Cases for Digital Signage Advertising

Digital signage advertising is ubiquitous in the Philippines, found in malls, offices, bus shelters, and airports. That said, you don’t just place a sign that says “This Way” with your brand slapped onto it and call it a day. Creating an effective digital signage advertisement highly depends on the location and your messaging. 

To give you an idea of how to plan your next campaign, here are some sample use cases:

Digital Wayfinding Signs in Malls

Malls can be challenging to navigate, thus the presence of so many wayfinding signs on every floor and every hall. Elevating the signs to a digital display screen for advertising offers significant promise for brands that want to assist mallgoers with directions while also promoting their products and services. 

For example, you own a restaurant located in the same mall. You can purchase a spot for signage that points to the food areas in the building. Include an appetizing photo of your main dish, a copy that triggers hunger, and simple directions to find the location where food stores are located. It is likelier that you attract audiences who actually want to eat when you use this strategy.

Discount Promo Ads Inside Shops

Department stores and general retail shops often offer discounts on select products, and you may find these offers advertised in red banners at the front of the store or upon entering. However, to reinforce the promotions for discounted products, more signage with “Sale” signs is incorporated inside the shop, right on the shelf where the products are stored. 

To drive home the promotion and increase the likelihood of people actually buying the product, you should also place digital signage near the register. Doing so will remind and influence the customer to check out your brand again when they’re already paying — a more affordable option will be attractive once they learned that they can fit more into their budget by preferring your product. 

Real-Time Promotions in Lobbies

Lobbies where people check a waiting list on a monitor now and then are also a suitable venue for digital signage advertisements. It’s especially appropriate in banks, hospitals, and other service-centric establishments where queue forming is inevitable. The digital wait list flashing on a monitor is a prime location for an ad. Make sure, of course, that the ad does not take up too much space on the display as to be very distracting. Placing a logo and a short catchphrase may do. 

If you can’t incorporate your brand into the queue monitor, you can use a proximate screen or a display box to promote it. These locations are also noticeable enough, provided that your design is attractive and your messaging resonates with your target audience. 

Interactive Displays in Bus Shelters

Interactive digital signage in bus shelters, such as the ones Outcomm places in busy locations in Bonifacio Global City, is ideal for capturing an audience’s attention. That’s because of the longer dwell time in bus stops and the tendency for people to look around their surroundings while waiting for the next vehicle. An interactive ad, for instance, a digital box with touchscreen features, can provide a distraction for bored commuters. You can incorporate a game or quiz into these interactive displays to increase engagement levels. 

Another strategy is to use multiple iterations of one message in the digital display so that different people looking at the digital signage at different instances get a version of your ad. Note that since commuters are pretty busy, you need to convey your message quickly, as each commuter is willing to spend only a limited amount of time looking at your display. Make each word, color, and image count, and don’t forget to include a quick call to action to ensure you’re not only attracting impressions but actual leads.

Dynamic Ad Displays in Train Stations

A train station is another high-traffic location with long dwell times, and you would want to attract as many people as possible while they wait at different points within the station. Train riders will wait in the baggage check area, at the ticketing stations, and on the platforms, and then wait more inside the train cab while in transit. These key locations are prime spots for dynamic ad display placements, but they’re also full of busy, distracted commuters. Your role, hence, is to craft an ad that can catch the audience’s attention even for a few seconds. 

One way to utilize dynamic display ads in train stations is to place your signage beside wayfinding and caution signs. People will read those signs instinctively, and your ad will also be in their line of sight. Be careful to maintain appropriate messaging when doing this, though. Suppose you’re placing an ad near a “Be Mindful of Your Belongings” sign — a theft-proof bag, or another related product or service may better resonate with the people who will see both signs.

Informative Digital Signs in Airports

Airports are a hotspot for a broad demographic of audience, but you can narrow down your target by placing informative digital signage. For instance, if your desired leads are foreigners visiting the country, then a sign with basic information about the Philippines (probably in partnership with the tourism department) with your brand subtly incorporated on the display can be a hard-to-ignore advertisement. If you’re appealing to local tourists, an infographic about recommended pasalubong will resonate with Filipinos, given our culture of buying souvenirs for loved ones who are not with us when we travel.

Conclusion

If you haven’t tried it yet, now is the time for you to run a digital signage advertising campaign in the Philippines. Base your advertising decisions on solid market research, be as adaptive and creative as you can, and partner with an agency that can provide you with the inventory spots you need. 
Ready to try digital signage advertising? Contact Outcomm so we can help you start!