The Screen Guy And The Power Of Chocolate

May 4, 2018 by guest author, Mitch Leathers

Guest Post: Luis Villafane, Maler

I was lucky enough to volunteer at my daughter’s school to talk about my job.  I am saying lucky because most people don’t really know nor understand what I do … so to say the least, I really surprised them.

Imagine how it is, that when we opened the new offices, neighbours asked if we were opening a Bingo because of all the screens …

Anyhow, the event its called “Dia de las Profesiones” or in non-Christian language: “Career Day.”

Basically we need to explain what it is that we do, how we do it, why we do it, and how happy we are while doing it.  Like if we were talking about sex or something really fun like that.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my job and all of that … but I would sell the darn thing for a few nickels if I could,  and would not look back.

So, I took a chance and took the opportunity to do a small experiment. There is nothing like using children as test subjects without their parents’ consent.  Relax people … it was an innocent test. I placed the computers, and I prepared a playlist with eight 10 second adverts.

Between the 2nd & 3rd and the 5th & 6th advert, I put a 0.1 second KitKat image.  0.1, no transition, back to back files.

Before I launched the content I told the kids: “Guys, one of my clients has lost a KitKat advert.”

Then, I opened a bag full of KitKats.

“My client told me that if one of you guys can find it on the screen, I could give him or her a KitKat …”

Their eyes moved directly to the screen. Their attention was fearless. (Gee, I thought) … and I started the play-out.  Barclays, O2 … KITKAT…

So as you all know, the power of chocolate is enormous.  In that first rotation, the screaming was unanimous. They all screamed: “THERE! THERE!” — as only 7 year olds can scream.

Of course, I turned around and said … “Where???” as the advert disappeared. They all went quiet until the second 0.1 rotation happened.  Then, the screaming started again, but this time, they jumped out of their chairs towards the screen, pointing and accusing me of being slow for not seeing it.

The teacher freaked out, and I freaked out a little …  I was shooting out KitKats everywhere to avoid being lynched, while the screaming continued.  I stopped the play-out and promised KitKats to all if they sat down.

I did this with three different classes of 25 kids each.  All of them offered the same result.  It was just super,  darn brilliant.

Now you might think that its an “OK story” … but that is not the end of it.

A day later, I am walking around a shopping center and one of the kids from one of the classes stops me (he was with his mom), and he tells me … “I’ve been looking at all the screens trying to find the KitKat, and I did not see it this time … but I will keep looking.”

The mom looks at me and says, “Oh … so you’re the screen guy.”

Note that she said  “the screen guy” not “the chocolate guy.”

I got through to them. They now know who the moron is, who loses adverts on digital signage screens.

I also now feel guilty as those poor kids will be looking at all the screens around the city looking for the hidden chocolate, while being hit by other people adverts. I am a bad person.

 

  1. Digital Signage says:
    May 9, 2018 at 2:27 am

    A very interesting experiment that was. I like the way he uses kids curiousness about that chocolate advert.
    Thanks for sharing

    Reply

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