One challenge was balancing the centralized ‘corporate’ channel with gaming sites’ own local content. So, in addition to setting up the lobby channel, Tutton’s team delineated how the corporate content would be viewed along a visitor’s main path, complemented by local messaging off to the sides.
“It’s like a split channel,” Tutton says. “At Woodbine Racetrack, for example, there’s a purpose-built screen dedicated to their higher-tier members, which just displays one key message all of the time. Also, some casinos have large outdoor screens to help promote their amenities.”
Nevertheless, the corporate channel made its mark across the system. And in 2011, Tutton’s team’s efforts were honoured when they won a gold award for educational interactive content at the annual Digital Signage Expo (DSE) in Las Vegas, Nev.
OLG’s in-house digital signage team also manages an 8.5 x 3.4-m (28 x 11-ft) screen at the lottery prize centre in downtown Toronto.
Measuring impact
From August to December 2012, OLG and Capital Networks jointly conducted a study with chipmaker Intel, Toronto-based Research Strategy Group (RSG) and Edcom. The goal was to better understand the effects of digital signage on non-gaming sales and offers in casino environments.
Casinos with digital signage, static signage and no signage were compared over three periods. With this setup, it was possible to estimate how effective digital signage was in promoting free giveaways and restaurant menu items, as well as the Winner’s Circle Rewards loyalty program.
Four sites were chosen that had similar gambling offerings, including table games and slots. Two digital signs each were installed at Brantford Casino and Thousand Islands Casino, a static sign (i.e. poster) was showcased at Sault Ste. Marie Casino and no advertising was displayed at Thunder Bay Casino.
Intel’s Audience Impression Metrics (AIM) Suite—originally developed in Toronto by CognoVision—was used to collect anonymous video analytics (AVA) about passersby looking at the digital screens and poster. This also helped determine the optimal locations and content design.
The digital screens ran a continuous loop of spots for restaurant items (food and beverages), responsible gaming (with the free giveaway of a tote bag) and the WCS program. On the poster, static versions of the same content were shown side by side.
The poster achieved the highest number of impressions during the first week, but then dropped and remained at lower levels during the rest of the test weeks. The two sites with digital signage achieved relatively stable impressions, fluctuating between 250 and 400 per day. The average exposure time per passerby tended to be two to three seconds, which emphasized the importance of designing content for ease of quick comprehension.
Many regular Brantford patrons said they did not notice the screens, while the ratio of impressions to number of patrons was higher at Thousand Islands, which is considered more of a ‘destination’ casino. This suggests digital signage may be more effective at reaching new customers, rather than regular visitors.
“The more frequently you come to our sites, the less you end up actually looking at our screens,” says Tutton, “so we need engaging content to keep people looking.”
Digital signage is now tightly integrated into many of OLG’s gaming properties.
The numbers of tote bag giveaways and selected menu item purchases were higher with digital signage than with ‘static’ or ‘no’ signage. For the loyalty program, however, there was no discernible pattern in the number of WCR signups with digital or static signage, which suggests they may not be as effective at more complex advertising that is not easy to act upon. That said, WCR was already heavily advertised through other media, including direct mail, but also other on-site posters and digital screens at the casinos.
In a project report released in early 2013, OLG concluded advertising items on digital screens could boost sales—or in the case of the tote bags, free giveaways—so long as there was a clear ‘call to action’ for casino guests.
