More big guys jumping in

December 6, 2007 by Dave Haynes

A sure sign that this industry is getting real traction is the continuing of large, well-financed companies wading into a space that was long the domain of start-ups.

The latest are global IT and professional services firm Ingram Micro — which has been quietly active in the space for a year or more — and both Best Buy and Pattison Sign Group.

Ingram wants to sell you stuff and do stuff for you, as well as provide a financing facility. To give you some perspective on the size of these guys, they did about $34 billion in revenue last year.

Best Buy Canada’s commercial division and the Pattison Sign Group (not the billboard guys, but the other wing of Pattison that does actual signs for a lot of large companies) have announced what they call a support network.

Best Buy will sell the gear, Pattison will install and support the deployments.

From Media in Canada:

Pattison Sign Group VP strategic development Franco Ferrari says the deal will help businesses “cut through the clutter and target the right customer, who is now more mobile than ever before. This partnership provides clients with a full and robust digital signage turnkey solution, and an innovative and unique way to influence the decision-making process. It’s basically a new way for our clients to touch their customer at the first moment of truth.”

I know the Ingram folks to talk to north and south of the border, so zip me a note if you need directions and an intro.