Photo courtesy ISA
The International Sign Association (ISA) has formed a new advisory panel to focus on digital signage. With experts representing display, content and delivery technologies, as well as users, the panel will guide ISA’s educational efforts for its members.
Dubbed the Industry Advisory Task Force for Digital Signage, the new panel includes:
- Alan C. Brawn, principal at Brawn Consulting, which offers digital signage certification courses, and past chair of the Digital Signage Federation (DSF). He also wrote an award-nominated article about advances in display technology for the September 2010 issue of Sign Media Canada.
- Mike White, president and CEO of Multi-Media Solutions, which designs and integrates digital signage systems, commercial audiovisual (AV) technologies and video conferencing. He wrote about how to set up a digital signage network for the February 2007 issue of Sign Media Canada.
- Kim Sarubbi, president of Care Media Holdings, which operates networks of screens in health-care waiting rooms, and Saddle Ranch Digital, which specializes in digital signage content creation.
- George Yunis, senior vice-president (SVP) of marketing and consumer engagement strategies for Allure Global Solutions, which develops point-of-sale (POS) and digital media software.
- Jennifer Bolt, chief digital officer for Billups Worldwide, an out-of-home (OOH) media buying company.
- Steve Hargis, film and video director for Bass Pro Shops, a retailer that uses digital signage in its stores.
- David Keen, executive editor for NewBay Media’s systems group, which publishes Digital Signage magazine.
“It is clear ‘dynamic’ signage presents a tremendous opportunity for ‘static’ sign companies to take many of the skills they already have and transfer them to a new medium,” says Lori Anderson, ISA’s president and CEO. “The advisory panel will provide insight to help us lead the traditional sign market into the digital signage field and fill any knowledge gaps that may still exist. Bringing together sign experts with digital signage network operators and integrators will help both sides see business and partnership opportunities.”
ISA has already been active in exploring opportunities for traditional sign shops in the digital signage industry for several years. At the most recent International Sign Expo at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev., for example, ISA showcased its first ‘dynamic digital signage park’ zone and a related presentation area.
The 2013 International Sign Expo also included a reportedly well-attended track of educational sessions covering various aspects of digital signage. These sessions have since been made available online through ISA’s website (www.signs.org).
The site also includes case studies profiling a variety of ‘static’ sign companies that have already made inroads into digital signage. One example is the Sign Biz network of shops in Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere, which has seen key executives trained and certified by the Digital Signage Experts Group (DSEG), a partnership that includes Brawn Consulting, DSF, the Digital Signage Expo (DSE) and Canadian consultant Lyle Bunn, among others.
