General Motors is mandating digital signage as an essential brand element in Chevrolet, GMC and Buick stores in the United States, starting in 2018, according to a report this week in Automotive News.
The automaker has certified Automotive Broadcasting Network of Jacksonville, Fla.; DCI-Artform, which has offices in Milwaukee and Detroit; and Southfield, Mich.-based Bluewater Technologies as approved suppliers that some 4,200 dealers can use.
GM is requiring U.S. dealerships to undergo an assessment this year to see what each store needs in the way of digital signage, GM spokesman Jim Cain told the publication. “The expectation is dealerships will complete consultations this year and install signage next year.”
The content includes advertising on video screens in dealer showrooms, and controlled content for in-dealership TV sets in customer waiting areas. I am not a big fan of the waiting room TV news tickers and weather and pointlessly busy screens thing that is part of what ABN does, but the company also delivers full screen car porn video walls and sales promotion screens.
The story notes that GM is the second major automaker to put a mandate in place, with Nissan making digital signage part of its corporate design for Nissan and Infiniti dealerships in 2015. Other automakers have varied programs.
GM is also doing a dealer program in Canada, though I don’t think it is mandated … just endorsed and perhaps encouraged. It has different vendors.
You can read the full Auto News story here.
Car Porn Video Walls?