New York City, Dallas and Las Vegas are vastly different urban destinations, but all of their landscapes are being revitalized by cutting-edge digital video boards and LED ad displays. These aren’t just billboards — they’re larger-than-life displays composed of irregular shapes and moving pieces.
Here are some examples of how digital out-of-home (DOOH) displays are shaping new environments across the country.
Storytelling in a different environment
Digital storytelling can be complex in an outdoor environment, but digital display installations often come with some established best practices, because they’re typically singular in size or layout.
These larger-than-life installations also require board owners and advertisers to create unique content for a new screen format. As they look to make content that’s larger than life, brands will need to factor in lack of audio, use of text and the context of the display environment.
Times Square is the perfect example of a challenging environment for spectaculars and their advertisers. In a typical setting, one large-scale board is enough to catch the attention of passersby. With almost 40 LED display advertising boards, Times Square is a wash of visual excitement. On such a large stage, each board is competing for seconds of attention, almost like a short-attention-span theater.
LED installation from concept to completion
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And what if one board isn’t enough? Then you use them all. Called dominations, this tactic refers to when advertisers rent space on multiple available boards to display the same message in several places at once. It’s next-level storytelling in an urban environment. Sports stadiums, for example, often use this tactic to spread a single message to everyone in the stands.
From advertising to the arts
It’s not just advertisers who feel the impact and return on investment (ROI) of these outdoor LED signs, but the surrounding community as well.
Flamingo Point
Take a look at Flamingo Point, a luxury condo complex in South Beach, Florida. The complex sought a creative way to enhance an otherwise unused space and add value for guests.
A colossal digital mural was installed in the community’s parking garage. Stretching 29 feet wide and 7 feet tall, the high-end display showcases art, plays music and delivers engaging entertainment around the clock.
“The display compliments the space while serving as a living art piece for our residents,” says Aimco, the company that installed the board. “[It] adds color, dynamic sounds and moving pictures that help the building feel alive even in the late hours.”
Midnight Moment
The world’s largest and longest-running digital public art exhibition happens every night in Times Square. For three minutes, from 11:57 p.m. to midnight, the LED ad boards are taken over by creative content, delivering a unique viewing experience for passersby. Since it started in 2012, the Midnight Moment has featured the work of more than 100 different artists, and the event draws in millions of viewers every year.
Engagement gets more personal
Experiential LED displays aren’t just there for idle viewing. They’re a great way to interact with passersby and potential customers. Brands all over the country are using their displays to provide a customized one-to-one experience for fans.
Fashion Show
Take a look at the Fashion Show shopping mall on the Las Vegas strip. Users were invited to snap a fashionable selfie to be featured on the eye-catching column displays at the mall’s entrance. In addition to branded content and advertising, these displays gave everyone a chance to see their face larger than life on the big screen.
H&M
Clothing retailer H&M used their Times Square display for a similar interactive promotion. People were invited to sign up to try on clothes from H&M and walk a short runway. At the end of the runway, several cameras — both still and video — captured them striking a pose. Guests could then review the shots and see when they would be featured on H&M screens. The campaign was extremely popular with customers, many of whom posted about it on social media, sharing it with friends — and giving the brand wide exposure.
When it comes to digital displays and video boards, standard sizes and safe choices may draw the eyes of some potential customers, but spectacular installations and experiential endeavors are sure to leave a lasting impression and bring something special to crowded urban environments. These huge LED projects are transforming communities across the country, and we’ve seen only the beginning.
Learn how to turn your vision into reality by seamlessly bringing together creative and technical elements of an LED installation — from concept to completion — in this free guide. Or explore smaller-scale options for outdoor and window displays so you can captivate your audience with dynamic and vibrant messages 24/7.
