Guzzle Energy Drink, Make It To Lightning Round

February 11, 2013 by Dave Haynes

So Day 2 of 2, at 4 PM, is not my idea of the feature speaking slot at a trade show, but hopefully a pile of people will grab a coffee or one of those crazily-overpriced cans of caffeine and make their way to the DSE session my Preset Group partner Pat Hellberg is running on content.

None of the other stuff people will hear about in other conference sessions, or on the trade show floor, will matter much if a network’s content plan and execution is not good.

Session 28 on the conference list is: DIGITAL SIGNAGE CONTENT LIGHTING ROUND

In this free-wheeling session, a panel of digital signage/DOOH experts will field questions on the fly from the audience. Templates, advertising, screen zones, interactivity, font sizes — it’s all fair game. Panelists’ responses will be limited to 60 seconds, or less, to keep the dialogue moving quickly from topic to topic. Anything you’ve ever wanted to ask about content, here’s your chance.

In this session, you will …

1. Learn what makes good content

2. Talk about design considerations (motion, 3-D, typography, layout, etc.)

3. Discuss the connection between design and technology (interactive and dynamic possibilities)

Pat ran Nike’s video production studio for many years and started its in-store network, so he comes at this with far more street credibility than a lot of people who get mikes handed to them at these sorts of things, and he’s not shy to pass along his opinion. He’ll also get some very strong ideas and opinions from the people lined up for the panel, particularly from Denys Lavigne, who runs without any rational argument the premier creative shop in the sector.

Denys Lavigne is the founder and president of Arsenal Media, a Montréal-based creative agency dedicated to digital signage and interactive experiential installations. Arsenal helps clients define, produce and implement best-of-class branded content experiences. After spending several years in the publishing industry, Lavigne established Arsenal Media in June 1999. His agency has since then developed digital projects for clients such as Caterpillar, The Miami Dolphins, Sun Life Financial, Re/Max, The Nielsen Co., Dee Daa Restaurants, The Montreal Congress Center and Christie Digital Systems. Through his leadership, Arsenal has favored a project-driven approach to digital content creation and implemented innovative approaches such as The Screen as a Hub, which opens new doors in the development of innovative content strategies for display-based installations.

Lavigne’s team will leave Vegas with 11 awards this year, with only the gold, silver or bronze colors a mystery at this point.

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One of the other strong shops out there is Portland-based Flixio. Vice president of national accounts Kirk VanderLeest is on the panel. Kirk, says DSE, has gained a wealth of experience in the content creation side of the digital signage house over the past six years. With a master of business administration and Six- Sigma certification, he takes a holistic approach to the industry when working with clients and integrators. Having given several presentations on content creation and strategy at DSE 2012, VanderLeest returns with fresh experiences to share and educate those seeking to dig deeper into effective deployment of content for digital signage.

I don’t think I’ve actually met Bryan Meszaros, but I know he has been to a Preset Mixer (he’s in the vid) and I also know his company Open Eye is kinda sorta a Preset competitor. But Pat will still be nice to him (as long as he remembers to take his meds and doesn’t just wander off).

Meszaros’ first introduction to DOOH came in 2000 while working with MarketSource Corp. in developing the first university-based digital signage network in the United States called Campus Central. After leaving MarketSource in 2002, Meszaros went on to form the retail media consultancy OpenEye, where he presently serves as the managing director. From the start, OpenEye experienced global success. In 2005, the company expanded its operation into London (UK) & Auckland (NZ) and was also awarded one of the first ever DIGI Awards for its work with Regency Duty Free (The Nuance Group). Over the years, OpenEye has worked with such high-profile organizations as Apple, FITCH, American Eagle Outfitters, Banco Santander, McDonald’s New Zealand, Vodafone and The Corcoran Group. In 2008, OpenEye was instrumental in developing an award-winning digital wayfinding application for the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History.

The other two folks on the panel are Kim Sarubbi of Saddle Ranch Digital and Adam Shilling from Convergent. Don’t know them, though I do know Saddle Ranch was behind the biggest WTF out of last year’s DSE – a booth with line dancers and cowboy hats. I assume we’ll not see round 2 of what maybe seemed like a good idea in the lead-up.

As president/CEO of Saddle Ranch Digital (SRD), Sarubbi has evolved SRD from a company focusing on content production for medical networks into an award-winning advanced media firm with a roster of global clients. Sarubbi serves on the Executive Committee of the Digital Signage Federation (DSF) and is also secretary treasurer of the DSF.

Adam Shilling has more than 18 years’ experience as a creative media professional specializing in print, web, interactive and broadcast media and eight years’ experience with content creation for digital signage. Shilling has a bachelor of fine art in visual communications from Auburn University and master of fine art in media studies from The New School. He has created many successful campaigns for clients such as BMW, Best Buy, Bell Canada, Cox Communications, Petro Canada and Sony. Whether the project is big or small, Shilling always pushes the boundaries of art and technology to bring a sophistication and clear level of communication to his work.