Most people understand that not using a product or service to it’s full potential is a waste of money. It reminds me of when my father or uncle would seem to exacerbate when I would not fill my car with premium gas. My little zippy hybrid car manual’s instructions recommended premium. The reason for their dismay with my lack of concern over gas type had to do with their own experiences.
My dad owned a mint 1967 classic black Porsche 911. For my uncle, it was all about the comfort of his car since he is 6 foot 6 inches tall, and has gone between Cadillac's and Lincoln's his entire life (that I can remember). Both my dad and uncle could add regular gas to their cars, but they knew it would not allow the car to perform at maximum levels and deteriorate the automobiles faster. My dad even went on to explain the ideas of the higher octane levels resulting in engine knocking and compression ratio. In high-performance vehicles, which have a high compression ratio, the engines are more prone to pre-ignition and this is why they can truly benefit from premium fuel.
Now, both men will admit to me that yes, the cars will function on regular gas. Although their question to me is always, “Why do it?” Exactly, why do it? Why put static images or posters (or power-point presentations) on a digital signage system that could cost anywhere from $100,000 to over $1 million dollars to fully equip your casino floor in digital screens? Typically there are two main factors: unintentional ignorance and fear of cost.
Like me, who was unaware of the consequences when using regular gas in high performance car engines, many people need to be educated on reasons why using high-performance motion graphics, like 3D animation, is just better. Motion graphics can make advertisements more noticeable. Static image advertisements might attract some customers, but using motion graphics will command their attention and engage them. This is because the illusion of movement accompanied by music cues is compelling. Customers who have seen motion graphics versus static images say they are over 20% more likely to buy a product. On top of that, over half of the customers who saw the motion graphics were able to recall it as opposed to the less than 20% who saw non-moving images. Digital signage now has the ability to show resolution higher than 20/20 vision and fast enough to give the viewer the impression that the screen appears to be 3D. Again, the question is why not use that functionality to gain more customers and higher purchase rates? Motion graphics have almost infinite possibilities. With a creative designer or agency, you can easily conjure content that will surely attract your target audiences and have them avail of the many services or products your business offers. Motion graphics can be used in conjunction with video and animation to create unique promotions, corporate videos, training videos, explainer videos, as well as storytelling and product roll-outs.
Now, the other reason why people choose not to use motion graphics or 3D animations on their screens is typically the cost. This is where the car analogy does not correlate. Premium gas does typically cost about 20 cents more per gallon, however you are likely to get a high quality motion graphics piece with lower costs than a traditional corporate video or product demonstration video. This is especially true if you choose to use a creative video agency to create your motion graphics for you. These agencies are typically more efficient, faster, and have better quality because this is their core competency - creating dynamic motion graphics and animated content for screens, websites and social media. In conclusion, my question to you is, “Why?” Why use a medium that is far less effective and efficient with marginal savings, if any? Remember the amount of money you spent on the entire digital signage system. If you want to get your ROI, your content needs to be dynamic and effective.