Digital signage is a popular way to communicate with customers and employees. A traditional digital signage installation typically includes a display and a separate media player connected to it to communicate with the server and play the media content. However, this is no longer necessary with the advent of SoC technology.

What are SoC Displays?

SoC stands for System on Chip. It is a powerful multi-core processor mounted inside the casing of commercial displays that replaces the traditional playback device and its cables.
System on Chip displays are becoming very popular today, both for small and large digital signage displays, and are offered by the leading display manufacturers in the market such as Samsung or LG.
SoC displays come in different sizes, brightness levels, can be used both indoors and outdoors and differ in operating hours.

What are the advantages of SoC displays?

First, it is an ALL-IN-ONE digital signage solution. Therefore, it is a much more elegant and tidy installation: it takes up less space, there are no additional cables or metalwork, and ultimately, there are fewer points of failure.
SoC displays are cost-effective. Although the cost of a professional SoC display may be higher than a standard display, the total cost of the installation is usually lower compared to a traditional setup:

• No separate device to pay for
• The complexity of the entire installation is reduced
• Future maintenance is much easier

Some might argue that SoC displays might not be as powerful or reliable as a stand-alone media player.
However, new generations of SoC displays offer great performance and high quality. The latest displays have quad-core processors and run 4k content. They are also very reliable, built to last. Statistics show that SoC reliability in market leading displays is really high and their failure rate is as low as < 0.5%.

SoC displays and power saving

The new generation of SoC displays is extremely energy efficient. One of the main reasons is that they don’t have that extra hardware – the media player – that consumes extra power.
Saving energy is very important for businesses. It’s not only good for the environment, but also for business results and goals.

Security in SoC displays

Data security is of paramount importance and of great concern to both enterprises and customers but with SoC displays you can be sure that your data is safe.
Most SoC displays have a security lock to prevent theft or tampering.
In addition, the content is usually stored on a secure server that can only be accessed by authorized personnel.
SoC displays have a number of security features, such as:

• Authentication: Authentication is used to control access to content stored on the server. Only authorized personnel can access and play content.
• User management: User management allows you to control who can access and play content. You can create different user groups with different permissions.
• IP filtering: IP filtering is a way to restrict access to content from certain IP addresses. This is useful if you only want authorized personnel to access content from specific locations.
• Logging and auditing: Logging and auditing allows you to keep track of who has accessed and played content. This is useful for security and regulatory compliance.

What type of content can be played on an SoC display?

SoC displays can play any type of content that would normally be played on a digital signage display: video, images, animations, RSS feeds, social media feeds, web pages, etc.
The most popular content types are video and images. You can use SoC displays to play short videos or commercials, as well as to create eye-catching image galleries.
SoC displays are also a good way to display real-time information, such as weather, stock quotes or social media feeds.

Functionalities of SoC screens

• Playback of HTML5 content created from templates.
• Screen partitioning that allows playing more than 1 content simultaneously.
• Change of content by means of external signals, or ‘triggers’.
• Playback of bar text or tickertape linked to an RSS feed.
• Remote control of screen on/off.
• Support for displaying web content via URL.
• Possibility of integration of external systems, such as queue management, audience measurement, weather widgets, Co2 meter, etc.

Soc displays applied to Digital Signage

Digital signage is one of the most popular applications of SoC displays. SoC displays are more reliable, easier to install and maintain, and offer greater security, as we have seen above.
In addition, SoC displays offer many features that are perfect for digital signage applications.

Content scheduling

Content scheduling allows you to specify when content should be played. This is useful for playing content at specific times or dates.

Playlists

Playlists allow you to create a sequence of content to be played in order. This is useful for creating a loop of content that will play continuously.

Triggers

Triggers allow you to play content in response to external events. For example, you can play a message when someone walks past your screen.

Web integration

Web integration allows you to display web content on your SoC screen. This is useful for displaying information from the Internet, such as weather or news.

Integration with external systems

External systems allow you to display information from other systems on your SoC screen. For example, you can display sales information from your point-of-sale system.

Waapiti. Soc technology applied to digital signage

SoC displays are becoming very popular in digital signage solutions because they offer a number of advantages over traditional playback devices. They are more versatile, more secure and easier to install and maintain. If you’re looking for a new digital signage solution, consider using SoC displays for your next project.
For more information about SoC displays, contact us today and we’ll tell you more about our SoC display solutions.

Do you want to increase engagement with your brand? If so, you should consider implementing a gamification strategy.
In this blog post, we’ll talk about what a gamification strategy is, the advantages of using interactive displays and success stories, among others. Let’s get started! Estimated reading time: less than 5 minutes.

What is a Gamification strategy?

A gamification strategy is an action plan that describes how playful and dynamic mechanics will be used to attract and engage users.
There are two types of gamification that can be applied both internally and externally in a company:

• External: aimed at customers or users of a product or service.
• Internal: aimed at employees to increase productivity or creativity.

Although there are several ways to implement these strategies, one of the most popular methods within Digital Signage is the use of interactive displays.

What are interactive displays?

Interactive displays are screens that allow the user to interact with the content on digital screens. This interaction can range from touching or swiping the screen or using a pencil or cursor to performing gestures or movements in front of it.
They can be presented in different formats, such as touch screens, interactive whiteboards and digital signage.
Interactive displays are an ideal tool for creating gamified experiences, interactive presentations or learning experiences in which the consumer is immersed in the brand’s content.

A perfect pairing

Advertising and gamification strategy are a binomial.
Advertising is evolving and changing, with the incorporation of new technologies that are being developed every day. Interactive displays are one of those technologies, which can be used to create more effective and interesting ads.
To keep pace with the competition and reach consumers in an increasingly fragmented media landscape, brands must employ innovative marketing techniques. Gamification is one such technique, and it is proving very successful.
In addition, as users spend more time on digital devices, brands are looking for ways to reach them. Gamification can do just that, by immersing users in an interactive experience that keeps them engaged for longer.

Why use interactive displays for your gamification strategy?

There are many reasons why you should use interactive displays for your gamification strategy:

• – They are engaging: interactive displays are highly engaging, which means that users are more likely to interact with the content on the screen.
• They are versatile: Interactive displays can be used for a variety of purposes, such as gamifying learning experiences, creating interactive presentations or infographics, and increasing brand engagement.
• They are easy to use: Interactive displays are easy to use, making them a great option for any type of audience, any age or technology level.
• They are customizable: Interactive displays can be customized to meet the needs of your specific audience or target.

Key benefits

• Increased engagement: first and foremost, it is an effective way to get users more engaged with a product or service. It taps into human desires such as competition and achievement, which encourages people to continue using a product or service.
• Behavior change: has the ability to change user behavior for the better. It can help people learn new things and make lifestyle changes.
• Cost-effective: gamification is a cost-effective way to engage users. Compared to traditional marketing methods, it is much more affordable and often more effective.
• Big data: as users interact with this system, they generate data that can be used to improve strategies or even target specific users with marketing messages.
• Increases sales: in some cases, gamification has been known to increase sales by as much as 400%.
• Increased differentiation from the competition: with so many companies using traditional marketing methods, gamification can be a way to differentiate your company from the competition and stand out in a saturated market.

Starting from scratch? Basic strategies

Humans are naturally curious, so explore it.
From playing games, watching multimedia content or even shopping unattended is possible from these digital solutions.
Interactive displays are a great way to keep customers engaged and entertained throughout our offline conversion funnel. You can use them to display product information, discounts or even how to use a product. This is a great way to reduce customer support costs, as users can get help with their purchase right on the screen.
Another thing customers can do on digital screens is watch videos. This is a great way to keep them entertained while waiting at the doctor’s office or on the train.
Finally, digital screens can be used to “play games”. This is a great way to engage customers and keep them entertained while they are in your store by taking up time slots that might otherwise lead to dissatisfaction, such as checkouts, queues to be served, etc.
If we join the potential of the use of digital displays to other technologies such as RFID we will get many more possibilities to show valuable information about a product, about a demonstration of its use or about a comparison between similar products.

Solutions such as Lift & Learn are an example of this fusion of technologies. The Lift & Learn approach allows you to act as a product prescriber and enrich customer experiences by helping them in their decision making.

Success stories

There are many examples of success stories that apply interactive displays and other digital signage solutions, such as Waapiti’s, in their marketing strategies. Some of the most notable ones are:

• Lidl
• Audi
• Tefal
• Rowenta
• Benetton
• GAES

Do you want to know their success stories? Find out more at Waapiti.

Waapiti. Digital Signage without limits.

Gamification has become a powerful tool for many retailers and interactive screens are a great channel for this strategy. If you are looking for a more attractive and effective way to reach your target audience and increase engagement with your brand, you should learn more about Waapiti.

Contact us to learn more about how interactive displays can increase your company’s engagement or request your free demo.