Improve Communication

- By David Trounstine -

Recently I was asked to speak at the first annual Digital Signage for Corporate Communications conference. It was a wonderful event where many of us got to share and learn about the experiences of working with digital signage in a corporate communications environment.

Corporate communications content really is its own beast, and all too often treated as a lower priority. I firmly believe that the better a company does at communicating important, relevant, and motivating messages to their employees, the better they will do at customer service, productivity, and worker retention. Informed employees are happier employees, and that's what we're all after.

The presentation I gave was geared toward the idea of treating your digital signage network as a company "television network". I encouraged communicators to think of their employees as their audience, and create content that was built for them. The use of personally relevant content is going to help foster a relationship between the employee and the information network, which will invariably lead to higher viewership.

I, for one, had a great time at the event, and I hope that the information I put together was informative and helpful. Here's my presentation. Enjoy.

Out of personal frustration that the major digital signage events and associations pay very little attention to the growing amount of corporate communication networks, I have decided to do something about it.

With the help of Chris Bias and Eli Lilly & Company, I will be hosting the Digital Signage for Corporate Communication conference on August 10 at the Lilly Corporate Center in Indianapolis, IN.

The day-long event will provide attendees tips, tricks and techniques for running an internal digital signage network and improving communication. And as an added benefit, I hope the day will provide great networking for those involved. I hear all of the time from clients that they want to know who else is responsible for running an internal network.

And maybe the best news of all for some of you, the event will be FREE for MediaTile customers as a thank you. Non-MediaTile customers will also be able to attend at a nominal fee. The event will not be a sales pitch so we'd like for anybody running a corporate communication network will feel comfortable attending.

Lilly runs one of the largest corporate communication networks so part of the day will include a tour at the Lilly Corporate Center. So whether you've had a network for a while or are just starting one, you'll get to see one of the best in the world.

So block out the date and please stay tuned for registration information. I hope you'll be able to join us in August.

One more thing to potentially plan for is that Steve Crescenzo, an internal communication guru, is running his Corporate Communications 3.0 workshop the following day in Indy (August 11). It will be a great two days of corp comm learning. As a favor to me, Steve will also swing by our digital signage conference to share some of his wisdom.

It will make for a grew two days in Indianapolis.

I know that Steve Crescenzo has been preaching this for years, but some people just don't seem to be paying attention. . . including IABC. It was irritating at this year's World Conference that everybody (speakers) seemed to be focused on strategy and tactics and plans and blah, blah blah.

There is nothing wrong with those, but that's what people have been (or should have been) doing for years. What's missing is creativity, which was also missing from the IABC conference.

If corporate communicators ever want to gain the respect they think they all deserve, then you have to plan, be strategic, use the vehicles, report results AND be creative. Doing things the same way over and over have never worked before and won't work again just by repetition.

When corporate communication was part of my daily life, I used to drive my bosses nuts with the "How about this..." and "What if we did it this way..." Everybody's worried about being fired, but you're not going to lose your job by being creative. You're going to lose your job but not getting results. And a good way to do that is by being boring.

Look at new tools like digital signage. Write your newsletter articles differently. Use video more. Do whatever it takes to improve communication.

Don't be boring. Vent over.

For the next few days, I'm traveling across the New England area with a client of ours who's been piloting digital signage for the past three months. They looked to MediaTile to help them augment and improve their employee communications efforts.


One of the challenges this company has faced over the years was caused by numerous acquisitions. Employees at these specific sites do not have any specific or noted loyalty or ties to the larger corporate brand. Their hope was communicating dynamically through digital signage would improve their internal branding efforts.

The way the MediaTile approach works is the larger corporate entity can embed their messages on screens everywhere whilte still granting local control to communicators. It's one of the few vehicles that can be corporate, regional and local - all at the same time - each with their own control and input.

We're also going to find out which messages resonate more than others, which messages have a larger impact, and which messages are more engaging. We want to hear what the employees really think. The goal is to to determine if this technology is improving communication to their field force.

If I have any updates or revelationsalong the way, I'll be sure to share them.

Later this week, MediaTile has a cool opportunity to be part an internal event with Draftfcb this Thursday in Chicago. They invited us, along with 19 other companies, to show off what we do and educate them on how our digital signage solution can help their clients. 

I spent the day with one of our current digital signage customers who's looking to expand their network to help with a new internal branding campaign.

First, I love going behind the lines (so to speak) and seeing how our clients are using all sorts of measures to improve communication with employees.

Second, I love when they use digital signage to do it.

There divisions and lines of business have gone through some recent shuffling and they are banking on digital signage to help them through the transitions.

One of the features they love about MediaTile's approach is MediaCast, our digital signage software. Because it is entirely web-based, they can now give more people access to contribute content to the network. And with Composer, our embedded content creation tool, they can now take advantage of flash templates so that content contributors can focus on the message and not the

On behalf of MediaTile, I hope everybody has a great weekend. It's a time of year when many families get together for the symbolic start of Summer. But please take some time on Memorial Day to remember those who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.

Here in Indianapolis, it's a big weekend with the Indianapolis 500 taking place. I won't be going to the race, but I've had to chance to spend a few days at the track this May. Fortunately for the hundreds of thousands of people who descend on our fair city this weekend, it looks like it's going to be visitor's association weather.

On to more business related information, MediaTile's office will be closed on Monday and will re-open on Tuesday, June 1. Over the extended holiday weekend, all phone calls will be routed through MediaTile’s standard after-hours call center. 

In the event you should experience a critical or major support issue with your digital signage during this time, please indicate the severity of your situation to the call center and you will be routed to the appropriate MediaTile support representative who will be on-call over the extended weekend.
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Photo credit, Beverly & Peck

I've never had the chance to attend the National Restaurant Association Show so yesterday was my first time. Our digital signage technology is tucked away in the AT&T booth (#5666) in the Technology Pavilion.

Yesterday I was pleased and surprised at not just the sheer volume of attendees looking at digital signage for to improve communication with customers (including menu boards) but more importantly the variety of companies. There was everything from smaller "mom and pop" restaurants looking to jazz up their customer communication all the way to some of the largest food retail chains in the country.

But some of the best conversations I had was with colleges and universities, who are looking to use digital signage for menu boards and share nutritional information but to also have the signage in place for crisis communication if needed.

All in all, those I talked to liked MediaTile's approach to digital signage. They liked the simplicity of our Digital Sign in a Box (32" on display), as well as the robustness and ease-of-use our software provides. Clearly, this was not their first exposure to signage and past hiccups seemed to be the complexity of installs. We simply don't have that.

I heard over and over, "We just want it to work." Ours works.

We're pretty proud of our relationship with Elite Racing and driver Jason Meyers. And we're even more proud when they pick up a big win, like they did this past weekend at the Virginia Motor Speedway.

With the victory, Jason is now in third place in the World of Outlaws driver standings, only 20 points behind the leader. I had the opportunity to meet Jason a few months back when we were both in Las Vegas (I was there for Digital Signage Expo and he was there to race). He's a phenomenal driver and, even more importantly, a great guy.

We are a huge supporter of Elite Racing and, ironically enough, they love our digital signage. As they they travel around to races, they have our signage set up to promote what they are doing as a racing team and improve communication with racing fans.

Check out Jason's post-race comments.

When you start getting involved in this crazy social media world, you never know what's going to happen. Today I have the privilege of speaking this afternoon at the National Hardware Show (@hardwareshow) on a social media panel. (The hashtag for the event is #nhs2010.) The event doesn't have anything directly to do with digital signage but we are seeing more and more retailers starting to embrace digital technology.

Understandably, retailers have some concern over how social media will impact their business. There are examples of where it's helped and where it's done some damage. But in my mind, there's nothing wrong with concern. Concern means that risks are being evaluated. But concern can be dangerous when it interferes with real opportunities.

There are tremendous opportunities for retailers to take the user generated content that comes from social media sources like Twitter and Foursquare and turn it into relevant content for digital signage and improve communication with customers. Electronic signs also provide retailers a unique way to extend their internal branding efforts.

So we'll see how today goes. I was feeling very good about today's session until I went to their website and was confronted with this guy.


I hope people aren't walking around with sledgehammers. That could get messy.

Amazed. Thrilled. Ecstatic. Proud.

Just a few words to describe our response to the HumanKiosk winning the first place award for emerging technology in the enterprise mobile marketing and advertising category at the International CTIA Wireless show in Las Vegas.

The HumanKiosk is more than just digital signage. We truly believe it will revolutionize the relationship between brands and customers. 4G cellular technology can deliver a live two-way conversation, helping customers get questions answered immediately and resolving many pain points for brands. The HumanKiosk can directly and immediately improve communication between customers and brands. It takes content for digital signage and make it LIVE.

For those who aren't familiar (I wasn't), the CTIA Emerging Technology (E-Tech) Awards program celebrates and promotes the most innovative wireless products and services in the areas of consumer, enterprise and network technology.

Each year, nearly 300 applications are submitted and reviewed by a panel of recognized members of the media, industry analysts and executives. Products are judged on innovation, functionality, technological importance, implementation and overall “wow” factor.

So considering all of this, you can imagine our enthusiasm over the recognition.

If you would have asked me what I thought of digital signage, that's what I would have said just 4 or 5 years ago. Well, first off, I wouldn't have even known the term "digital signage."

But if you had asked, "What do you think of the network of TVs you use for internal communications?" I would have said I hated it.

Though it wasn't because the tool was effective. It was actually amazingly effective for employee communications. The problem was that the software used to manage the network was such a pain in the you-know-what. Way too restrictive and way to IT-reliant. Digital signage wasn't a communication network; it was an IT network.

And this wasn't just one system. This was two. And two separate vendors. Create content on one PC and upload it a file folder that existed somewhere. Then go over to another PC and put the software on that computer to the folder. Clap three times and then hit submit.

What a nightmare. Now though so many things have improved with digital signage and software is just one of them. With MediaCast, our SaaS-based solution, you can manage your digital signage network from any computer with an updated browser. Upload your own content or create messaging right inside the system.

But it's funny to me to think that just a few years ago I was not a fan of digital signage, but now I'm one of the industry's loudest cheerleaders. Sometimes it comes down to having the right tools in place.

This never became more apparent than at this year's Digital Signage Expo. What once appeared to be a very siloed industry has now had walls knocked down. We have media and digital signage providers interacting. Competitors are even commenting on each other's blogs and referencing each other's content. This is sort of a Kumbaya / watershed moment for the industry.

This is what social media is all about. Not only extending the reach of our content but also creating new avenues of sharing this content. And because the industry is still very much in its infancy, we are primed to use social media as valued vehicles.

Blogs. Twitter. Facebook. Foursquare. They are all in play and were all used in coordination for the first time at DSE. All you have to do is check out the Twitter hash tag #dse2010 to see not only volumes of content but the QUALITY of content. (Adrian Cotteril of DailyDOOH mentioned this in a blog comment in one of my earlier posts.)

I hope to see the industry continue to improve communication and collaboration at these events. It can only help further educate audiences on digital signage.
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photo by LadyDragonFlyCC

I didn't attend Digital Signage Expo in 2009 but I was here back in 2008. It's amazing how much the show has changed AND improved in those two years. Exhibitors are more prepared and, most importantly, attendees are much more educated.

I had a great time leading the Corporate Communication Lunch & Learn and I hope the attendees got more out of it than a boxed lunch (though it was pretty tasty). What I enjoyed was that it wasn't just corp comm pros who attended. There were IT professionals, purchasing representatives and general managers there just hoping to learn how to best implement the technology at their companies to help with communications. We even had some university representation, which was great.

One of the highlights was having the chance to finally meet Mark Allen from The Marlin Company. Sure we could be labeled competitors but we are both out there trying to educate everyone on the benefits of digital signage and employee communications. And because of that, we are each others #1 fan.

And I think our booth (#1427) looks awesome. When many other companies' booths (which do look nice) look very industrial while ours is very natural - all natural wood and technology. It looks great. We've been blessed to be joined in our booth by representatives from Sprint and iPOWOW!. They've been a huge help during the show.

I hope everybody has a second day that was as good or better than the first.

It doesn't require a miracle or a fortune to produce a great, professional looking marquee like this for your establishment:



If you break it down to its basic components, it's really quite simple. There are three screens operating independently. Each screen plays one set of pre-canned content. In the scene above, the left and right screens may be rotating through concession promotions as well as video snippets of coming attractions. A little bit of motion is all it takes to draw the eye up here. The center screen is displaying current offerings and pricing information.

By linking the pricing information and the promotions together into, effectively, a single electronic sign, the viewer can't help but notice your promotions - focused messaging will improve communication for consumers by centralizing viewers' attention to a single place where you know you've got it.

At this point you may be thinking that the various forms of content rotation are all well and good, but what about when it comes time to update the pricing information? This may be one of the most significant points of hesitation to adopt digital signage content since the display needs to be easy to update for facilities managers. The MediaCast system can accommodate this in either of two ways: data managed within the management portal, or data managed externally on your own web server.

By creating the content which displays pricing information in Flash, you can get a unique blend of text and graphics and even have potential for animation here - careful not to overwhelm this particular display however as it needs to be useful for your most scrutinizing viewer. One thing that Flash is particularly well suited to is integrating data from multiple sources into a single view. Your Flash programmer can assemble a view that pulls data from an XML file and display it as directed. Then it just comes down to data management.

For data management, you can maintain a simple XML file on your management PC and associate it with your Dynamic Flash content in the MediaCast system. When you update the file and upload it to the portal, the updated data will be pushed out to the display automatically. Or if you'd prefer to centralize the management of the data on the portal, you can store the XML data right inside the properties of the Dynamic Flash asset itself within the portal and forego the need for maintaining a separate file.

If maintaining the data through the MediaCast portal is not well suited to your business operations, you also have the option of publishing the XML on your own website with a secret URL. Your programmers can create your own web based data editor which generates the XML file; simply add the URL to the XML as a "URL File" for your Dynamic Flash on the MediaCast portal.

As a URL File, the MediaCast system will poll it for updates every 15 minutes. When a change is found, it will update the data and push it out to the displays that need it without any additional adminsitrative effort - this way your employees can maintain your display data within your own, controlled administrative system and never need to log in to the portal after the initial setup - that's the beauty of Digital Signage SaaS!

If you don't know any Flash programmers but still want to take advantage of exciting digital signage content like this we've got your back. MediaTile offers creative Media Services with specific digital signage content expertise and can efficiently produce a custom presentation to your specifications!

The "executives" at my house do. Until my daughter turned two, every night we read the same book... The Bunny Hop. It's a good book though certainly not an award-winner. In case you're curious, the premise is that there are bunnies all over Sesame Street as a result of Big Bird not being much of a basket builder.

So that routine lasted until she was two. And now my one-year-old son has fallen into the SAME trap with the SAME book. Or I should say, I've fallen into the SAME trap. Every night, the same book. There's obviously some comfort there in the routine. They know the story. There are no surprises. It's predictable.

Are your executives the same way? Do you try to tell a new story in your corporate communications? How do they react? If it's anything like my kids, it's not a positive response. It's amazing similar behaviors I've seen between executives and children.

But your employees don't want to hear the same story every "night." Employee communications needs to consistently be revised and re-evaluated to make sure you're hitting the key messages but in a creative way.

I know it's tough. It's easier to just read the same book every night. There are no complaints by the "execs." But eventually, I'm going to loathe Big Bird and his lack of building skills, if I don't already.

But if you're going to build support for internal communications from the ground up, you have to shake up your storytelling. . . if not for your own sanity, for your employees.

I missed last year's event so I'm really excited to be a part of Digital Signage Expo 2010. Again held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, DSE is 2+ packed days of all that makes the technology great.

And I get to do what I love to do - talk about digital signage and corporate communication. I'll be hosting / leading / facilitating a special Lunch and Learn on the topic at the event. I'm glad that corp comm is a featured component and I'm sure that we will have some healthy discussion on the topic. It's one where there's not a lot of expertise or focus (aside from this blog).

In case it's not apparent, I firmly believe the technology can dramatically improve the way companies communicate to employees. And not just for those workers who don't have access to computers, intranets, email, etc. ALL employees will benefit from the new communication tool.

If you're at the event and let's discuss the topic.

According to Melcrum, it's the internal communicator. Many could argue that having an internal communications pro on staff should have been a must-have item every year, but business has changed quite a bit and having someone focus on employee communications in 2010 is crucial.

I'm not exactly sure who Melcrum is referring to when talking about "removing the charlatans" but I agree that the role internal communicators played in the previous decade should change in 2010 and beyond. Communicators must embed themselves into the business and not be viewed as a periphery resource. That's what got us here in the first place. If you work in manufacturing, get your butt down to the lines. If you work in healthcare, roam the halls. Listen to what your employees are saying and deliver messages that resonate with them.

It's your job to advise leaders and what to say / not say. Now this is always easier said than done with some leaders, but it's a needed skill. Your leaders should respect the advice the finance department gives them. Do they respect yours?

And maybe respect is where it all falls down. If your leaders and company do not respect what you do, either change what you do or demand it. Either way, respect is required in 2010 and years beyond.

Communicators should always be looking for ways to improve your corporate communication content. If you're not, you're failing. The good news is there are millions of ideas out there. Just look at your competition. I'm not suggesting you raid your competitors but more look at what you are competing with for your employees' attention.

Looking to improve your intranet? Look at the best e-commerce and social media sites. Mimic the good things they are doing. Looking to revamp your newsletter? Read a lot of magazines. See how they layout their articles. Or better yet, examine the ads and see what you like. Imitations is the sincerest form of flattery.

The same goes with digital signage. For many, this is a new form but you can still learn from the best. I came across this article from AdWeek that identifies the most effective TV spots. Not the funniest. Not the most expensive. The most effective. And that's what you should be about in employee communications.

Take a look at this Rubbermaid spot:


The ad was cited for a simple message and clear calls to action. That's what everybody should be after in communication. Think about the messages you're trying to deliver. They don't have to be complicated. This simple. Think this Rubbermaid spot. Typically, there's nothing exciting about your messages. And there's nothing exciting about Rubbermaid.

The spot works. Your message can work. Just open your eyes.

We'll be showing off a couple of our HumanKiosk 4G Video Presence prototypes at the Alcatel Lucent booth (#2503 at the Venetian Veronese) this week at the Consumer Electronics Show. 

The HumanKiosk is a free-standing, 2-way video conferencing display which takes advantage of high bandwidth, wireless IP from emerging 4G services.

With this technology, consumers can reach brands directly in a retail environment, to have their questions answered by an expert.  This is a fully integrated solution requiring nothing more than a power outlet (that's the beauty of cellular).  The HumanKiosk is an innovative communications solution bringing consumers and promoters together- and could dramatically change the way shoppers make their decisions at the point of purchase.

CES is the largest show of its kind- exhibitors and attendees include consumer electronics manufacturers, developers and suppliers of consumer technology hardware, content, technology delivery systems and related products and services.

Among the many exhibits and events, you may even spot a celebrity or two...CES promises "hot products and hot weather" so come on down!

(Photo at right shows our fearless leader, Simon, setting up one of the HumanKiosks at the Venetian tonight...have to love the mood lighting...)