Project Summary
Founded in 1972, Samco recently topped off a steady succession of plant expansions — which have grown their facilities from 200 to 80,000 square feet over the years — with a complete renovation of their front offices. As part of those renovations, they called Rise Display in to install a new LCD display in the reception area, as a replacement for the old letter board they used previously to display greetings and messages to visitors.

“We display the names of customers who visit for the day, and we wanted to go ‘above and beyond’ this simple process,” said Samco President and COO Bob Repovs. “After we renovated our entire offices, we needed a more professional Reception Greeting Board.”

They considered various options, including LED displays, but in the end decided to opt for what they considered to be the most modern-looking solution, a dynamic 40″ NEC LCD display mounted prominently in the reception area.

In addition to providing the hardware and installation services, Rise also hosts and manages the content of the Samco display and provides the company with online access to its unique Rise Display Wire software, which gives Samco the power to enter and display their own daily messages on the board.

Project Summary
Although Heritage Valley strives to be uniquely connected to its community, with a large employee base of over 4,300 and two main hospitals 17 miles apart, it was often difficult to make sure everyone received information in a timely manner.

Carlotta Morgan, interactive media coordinator for the health system, remembers having to go to one location to deliver communication and then having to travel to the other location to do the same thing. “Of course,” she adds, “nobody gets the information at the same time.”

Having a central spot for displaying information would help, the hospital administrators decided. Initially, they tried using an LED display in the Sewickley hospital lobby to provide information, but the static display didn’t meet their needs. Heritage Valley wanted a system that could be expanded and used for two audiences: consumers and employees. Mrs. Morgan also wanted to be able to create a more dynamic display.

At first, Heritage Valley evaluated LCD digital displays that could be completely customized. They also considered buying a more encompassing subscription program, but found that those options often had features that weren’t needed and that were to expensive.

The Solution
Eventually, Heritage Valley selected Rise Display. The digital signs allow them to display live data, text, photos, animations, TV programs and videos from a computer and view it on the display screen.

“We used it out of the box,” Mrs. Morgan says. “Rise customized a template that met our branding standards, but other than that, it’s an out of the box solution.”

Heritage Valley bought four LCD displays to use in the main lobbies and cafeterias of the two hospitals. Since that initial investment three years ago, they have purchased four more units. In addition to installing one more display at each hospital, the have put two in their walk-in clinics, located in area Walmart stores.

As with any technological product, parts occasionally wear out. When that happened, Mrs. Morgan was extremely impressed with the customer service she received from Rise.
“They drop-shipped me the unit and I had it the next day. They were there to help me with all the configurations,” Mrs. Morgan recalls. She adds: “I love Rise.”

Heritage Valley anticipates using the Rise displays as an integral part of the hospital’s communication tools. Even now, Mrs. Morgan posts teasers on the displays directing viewers to information available on the hospital website. She looks forward to using the displays to provide real- time wait times at the various locations so patients can determine where they may receive care faster.

“That’s the ease of this,” she says. “Getting (information) down quickly and getting it up quickly.”

Project Summary
Gary Huether, president of Arooga’s, knew from the onset that he wanted to include high-tech digital signage in his restaurants. “With being a sports bar, being able to incorporate real-time sports scores was very important,” Mr. Huether explains. He also aimed to use the digital signage for advertising daily and weekly specials and special events.

Mr. Huether first came in contact with Rise Display at the Las Vegas Nightclub and Bar Convention and Trade Show. Among Rise’s wares was a vertical display that caught Mr. Huether’s interest. “With so many TVs in our places, some of the horizontal displays can blend in,” he says. “But the verticals really draw people’s attention.”

Additionally, “We were finding that not too many [companies] offered the live sports feed, which was one of our biggest needs,” he says. “But Rise did.”

Rise Display worked with Mr. Huether to design and install four 42″ vertical boards, and many horizontal displays ranging from 37″ to 50″, at each Arooga’s location. At least one vertical board is located in each lobby and is used to display rotating specials and advertisements for special events. “While guests are waiting for tables, I think [the vertical displays] get more of their attention than a stand-alone billboard,” says Mr. Huether. “And once we have their attention and are rotating the ads, I think they’re retaining more about our specials because it is something neat and unique.”

Because the flexibility to make content changes himself was important to Mr. Huether, he was provided access to web-based software that allows for changes to be made within minutes. “It’s as easy as uploading a .jpeg to an e- mail,” Mr. Huether enthuses.

Among the 100-plus televisions in each Arooga’s location, the electronic displays keep customers updated with real-time sports scores and game time information. Arooga’s also uses the digital displays for direct marketing and co-op marketing, which was an additional benefit, says Mr. Huether.

“I think the [displays] are great,” he says. “They’re building advertising in-house, and we can upload content by ourselves in a minute. They’re also doing the wow factor. When people walk into the lobby and see a vertical board with our name and brand on it, I think they see that we’re up with technology. It’s something new.”

“Without people, our ministries are not very effective. We can’t meet people’s needs if they don’t know what ministries we offer, or how they can be involved to help us meet the needs of others.”

Project Summary
Steve Weir, director of technology services for Grace Point, explains why he recently led a drive to update and improve the church’s methods of communicating with its members. “We wanted to further communicate the needs of our church to our attendees. We also wanted to further advertise the various ministries, and promote them, in hopes of getting more people involved here at Grace Point.”

His recommendation was to add digital signage to the church’s communication strategy. “We had been relying on a weekly paper bulletin and Power Point announcement slides before each service. But not everyone is able to view those. This also meant that we were missing our mid-week visitors and those who don’t receive a weekly bulletin.”

The Solution
Grace Point hired Rise Display to install three new digital LCD signs. “We now have a new display in each of the entranceways to our church,” Mr. Weir explained, “and a third display on our Missions Wall. This third screen displays missions-specific content, including missionary profiles and thought-provoking missions-related videos.”

The ability to include video and other rich content makes the displays useful and attractive. “The more ways we can get information out to people, the better,” he said. “The displays are visually attractive and grab people’s attention as they walk past them. Information is getting out and we aren’t relying solely on the paper bulletin.”

Mr. Weir said that reaction to the new media has been very favorable. “Thus far, our attendees have been rather impressed with the overall look of the displays. They do look great out in the lobby! The displays have really enhanced the aesthetic look and feel of both our lobby and our Missions area.

“The church staff has also been pleased with the new displays and the potential for ministry development and member participation. All of the feedback has been positive. Everyone loves the appearance of the displays and appreciates the additional media through which they can now receive information.”

And demand is growing for additional uses for the signs. “I frequently receive requests to add more content to the displays. Our ministry leaders especially see the potential positive impact the displays can have for their respective ministries. They’re consistently asking to have their ministry featured on the various displays.”

To meet that demand, Mr. Weir uses Rise Display Network, the online digital sign content management software supplied by Rise Display that makes it easy for church officials to change the messages on their own signs themselves. As he explained, “The website for uploading content is easy to use and very convenient.”

Overall, Mr. Weir says that his church is very pleased with the sign project’s outcome. “I have already recommended Rise to others as a premier digital signage solution.”

Project Summary
Until recently, they did not have a very efficient way to communicate the menu to the students and building staff. “We would post a small 8″×10″ sign board on the wall in several spots, with the full week’s menu. The students would have to walk to the sign, check to see what was being served in each line and then go to that line. This caused crowding at the cashier stands and delays in the lines.”

What they needed was a better way to display the menus to the students to avoid crowding. Their solution to this problem was to hang a large digital menu board on the wall where all of the students could see the menus without blocking any of the busy lunchtime traffic. “We needed to convey the daily menu for each of the lunch lines, and we also wanted to be able to reach the students at the Senior High School in a ‘techie’ way that they could relate to.”

The Solution
The department selected Rise Display to supply them with everything that they required to implement their plan. “Rise had what we needed and it didn’t look too complicated to run or set up or change,” said Ms. Maas. “To piece together a solution by myself was just not feasible — time-wise, product-wise or content-wise.” The display solution that Rise provided to Wayzata High School included not only the large LCD screen itself, but also the user-friendly Display Wire software that lets Ms. Maas change the menus herself from day to day.

Results
“We are very pleased with both the sign and its content. The district maintenance staff installed the screens, the district electrician installed the Rise engine and the district carpenter built a box around each screen to match the wood in the rest of the building. The whole setup looks very sharp. One major advantage is that there are no visible buttons. We have received many compliments on the set up.”

And the Display Wire software they use to run the sign? “Once everything was up and running, it all ran smoothly. It has been great. It’s very easy to learn and maintain.”

According to Ms. Maas, their new LCD display is a huge hit with both staff and students. “The staff loved the high school signs. Now the kids don’t crowd around the cashier stands to look at the menus — they can look above the lines and tell very quickly what is being served on each line. Some start looking as they are coming down the hall.”

“And best of all, the kids are constantly commenting on how cool the signs are.”

Business schools aren’t the only educational institutions that are turning to digital signage to help them get their messages out. For example, New York City’s famous Juilliard School, the country’s pre-eminent performing arts academy, recently updated their campus communication strategy by installing large LCD screens in the central lobby of their main campus at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

A private performing liberal arts college, The Juilliard School has roughly 1,900 students in its college, pre- college, music advancement and evening divisions.

Project Summary

According to Tunde Giwa, the school’s chief technology officer, the decision to add digital signage to Juilliard’s main lobby came about as part of their Juilliard/Lincoln Center Redevelopment Project, an ambitious undertaking begun in 2007 that involves major renovations to more than 50,000 square feet of existing campus space, and adds an additional 39,200 square feet of new theatres, studios, classrooms, practice rooms and specialty spaces to the arts school’s expanding downtown premises.

“We wanted to add digital signage to our lobby as part of our redevelopment project,” Mr. Giwa explained. “We needed this to communicate to our internal and on-campus audiences about events, along with news and weather.”

After first trying a consultant’s recommendation, which called for a digital signage setup that Mr. Giwa characterized as “a very complex system,” the school sought out and contracted the services of Rise Display, mostly because they found Rise’s recommendations and software to be much easier to understand and use.

The Rise Solution

“This was our first foray into digital signage,” explained Mr. Giwa. “The system that a first consultant designed for us would have required a lot of people to have learnt a very complex software product, to allow us to design and schedule our digital signs. We did try to learn how to use it, but it was much too complicated.”

Simplicity then became one of the main requirements in their search for a better digital signage control system: “It had to be easy to use, and attractive.” Rise’s combination of high-end display hardware and web-based sign content management software — called Display Wire — fit the bill. In contrast to their confusion with the first consultant’s system, Mr. Giwa said, their experience with the Rise solution was much more rewarding. “Rise’s software was much easier to implement, and much easier to use. It’s a quality product.”

The Final Result

The performing arts school’s new digital signs opened to rave reviews on campus. “In general everyone likes the Rise system,” continued Mr. Giwa. “Users comment on how easy it is to use and members of the community seem to really like it. We’re very happy with it. Very satisfied.”

Founded in 1842, Villanova University is a coeducational Roman Catholic institution that welcomes students of all faiths. Villanova University is the oldest and largest Catholic university in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with more than 6,300 undergraduates enrolled in a wide variety of degree programs. For more than a decade, Villanova University has been ranked #1 by US News and World Report in the Best Universities-Master’s category in the northern region.

With a reputation for high-tech leadership that earned it PC Magazine and Princeton Review’s recognition one of the top 20 “Most Wired Colleges in the Nation,” Villanova University was an early adopter of digital signage, having installed its first LCD display in the business school’s applied finance lab several years ago.

Project Summary

Now, as more and more schools are equipping their own trading labs with digital signage, Villanova is busy creating a networked, campus-wide information system. With 17 large screens already installed on campus, and approximately another 35 planned, Villanova’s digital signage network is expanding rapidly, a testament to its popularity on campus.

“We wanted to introduce a better method for disseminating information throughout the University,” explained Michael Hoffberg, Villanova’s associate director of media technologies. “We were looking for an elegant and affordable way to convey up-to-date information — events, special activities, schedules, emergency notifications and so on — to students, staff and faculty in an attractive, timely, and eye-catching manner.”

The Final Result

Rise’s Display Wire gives University administrators complete control over the composition and timing of all content. Distributing information via digital signage enables the University to limit paper postings and is intended to cut down on the volume of emails sent to the Villanova community. In addition to displaying information about campus events, schedules, and emergency notifications, Villanova also sells advertising to local merchants that accept the school’s Wildcard debit card.

All members of the Villanova community use the Wildcard identification card to enter and check out books from the library and use campus resources such as vending machines, dorm laundry facilities and the bookstore. The Wildcard can also be used as a debit card that is accepted at a growing number of off-campus vendors including retail stores, restaurants, and fast-food chains. The Wildcard office is now selling advertising to local merchants that accept the Wildcard.’

“In each of the buildings that we’ve equipped with Rise engines and software, our clients now have a method for displaying important, current information critical to the students, faculty and/or staff,” said Mr. Hoffberg. “Based upon their feedback, this method of distributing information via digital signage far exceeds previous use of paper postings. It has also cut down on the barrage of emails that’s sent each day to the Villanova community.

“The big ‘payoff’,” he continued, “is the effective dissemination of information. It’s an effective, low- maintenance system that did not impact heavily on our limited staffing resources. Many of the current signage users have expressed interest in adding more monitors to their systems.”

The award-winning Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BTFP) is one of the nation’s longest-running technology-based economic development programs. For more than 25 years, BFTP has provided both early-stage and established companies with funding, business and technical expertise and access to a network of innovative, expert resources. BFTP is positioned throughout the state with regional headquarters in the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and State College.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania recognizes the extended benefits of digital signage. At its TechVentures facility in Bethlehem, BFTP has installed a network of sixteen 46″ LCD displays throughout the building, with the specific goal of using them to support the center’s role as an incubator community for early-stage technology companies.

Project Summary

The incubator network is an important element in BFTP’s strategy for developing its technology infrastructure.

“Our original business incubator, a one-story building on Lehigh University’s campus, was filled to capacity and we needed to grow,” explained Laura Eppler, BFTP’s director of marketing. “A vacant three-story building across the street on Lehigh’s campus became available, so we renovated and updated it completely and relocated. We didn’t want to lose the camaraderie and sharing of experiences that helped so many firms in the earlier incubator, and we were concerned about that since our new facility is multi-story. We needed a method to encourage a sharing of ideas and synergy among the resident companies in the business incubator. We used digital signage to address that challenge.”

The Solution

BFTP worked with Rise to create a network of digital bulletin boards that are interspersed throughout the facility, including a 2×2 video wall in the front lobby and 12 LCD displays placed in other common areas. All locations were strategically chosen “to facilitate interaction among resident companies, to keep them informed of business news throughout the day, and to provide information to visitors of the facility,” said Ms. Eppler.

Appearances were also important. “The displays present a high-tech image to visitors and resident companies that reflects on the entire facility.” Calling their display network “the best solution to our communication development and brand-building goals,” Ms. Eppler said that digital signage can indeed help to foster community in a large facility. “News travels both electronically and via word-of-mouth. With our displays, we have been able to maintain the synergy that is such an important element in a business incubator.”

The Final Result

As for helping to contribute to their high-tech brand, Ms. Eppler confirmed that the signs at Ben Franklin TechVentures are not only informative, but also impressive. “Both resident companies and visitors have raved about the ingenuity of the solution.” Overall, she said that BFTP is very happy with its sign network at TechVentures.

“Our role is to link companies with experts, universities, funding and other resources to help them prosper through innovation. Communication is key to accomplishing that. The digital displays have helped us facilitate communication and collaboration at Ben Franklin TechVentures.”

The College William & Mary might be the second oldest in the nation, but it is still a cutting-edge research university. The college is highly selective, but also public, offering a world-class education without the sticker shock.

The college is known as a “Public Ivy” — one of only eight in the nation. That means the college offers a superior education that’s accessible to everyone. Situated in Williamsburg and the amazing Commonwealth of Virginia, the college is proud to be one of the reasons for the economic success of their hometown.

Project Summary

John Merrick, an associate professor of business at The College of William & Mary’s Mason School of Business, has had a diverse career in both academics and Wall Street. That was why, when he first came to the college in 2005, he was asked to provide a vision for how the school’s then- new Acuff Financial Markets Center could be developed.

“I had had some experience teaching in a trading room,” says Professor Merrick, “and wanted a room that would serve as a financial market lab and, at the same time, and really foremost, as a superior, technology-enhanced lecture space. I think that’s the difference in our room versus other layouts that I’ve seen: It is first and foremost a lecture space.”

The Acuff Financial Markets Center now holds MBA classes in corporate finance and financial markets. In addition, it is where the school’s Career Acceleration Modules are held. To simulate a live markets environment, the room has nine Bloomberg terminals for students to share, as well as eleven state-of-the-art Samsung LCD displays.

“I knew that Rise Display was the premium provider of these displays because I saw how things had worked out at Baruch College, [where I formerly taught],” Professor Merrick explains. “I had also caught up with [Rise] at an academic conference … so I introduced them to our building team … to see if they agreed with the decision.”

They did, and the results of the installation, says Professor Merrick, have been phenomenal.

The Final Result

“In terms of teaching in that [room], what you end up with is a very exciting environment,” he says. “You’re getting [students] to work in an environment of routine visual distraction … where they have to learn how to absorb what’s coming in and only be attracted by the important stuff, rather than distracted by the changing displays. The second part of [the benefits],” Professor Merrick adds, “is being able to put data into our playlist that’s relevant for the topics we’re teaching that day.”

Among the information presented on the two video walls lining one side wall, and the two LCDs flanking the front of the room, are live TV feeds, stock and bond market graphs, foreign currency exchange rates, and historical stock and bond market graphs.

“Everybody loves [the digital displays],” says Professor Merrick. “Not only our students, but our alumni who come back, especially those who are connected to Wall Street, are incredibly impressed. Some of our alumni are a little bit jealous,” he adds with a laugh. “They wish they had had these facilities when they were here.”

Established in 1967, the University of Toronto Mississauga provides undergraduate and graduate studies and is the second largest division of the University of Toronto, Canada’s largest university. The university is set upon a park-like campus on the Credit River, approximately 33 kilometers west of Downtown Toronto.

The Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre, UTM’s library, is a central place for the students to meet and study. Tucked inside this library is the Li Koon Chun Finance Learning Centre, a new, state-of-the-art facility. Programming is provided on a variety of topics related to the stock markets and financial literacy for students, faculty, and staff of UTM. The Centre offers 32 computer stations and four Bloomberg terminals for student use and training purposes. In addition, the Centre is used as a unique classroom for students in the department of management.

Project Summary

“There are a couple of finance courses and an international business course held in the Centre,” explains Michael Meth, the Centre’s director. “The management program is one of our biggest supporters, but because of our location in the library, we reach a lot of people on our campus.”

Because of this reach, it was important to the University that the Centre offered cutting-edge communication solutions. That’s where Digitals Signs come in.

The Solution

The University of Toronto Mississauga selected an AV integration partner to provide the Sharp LCD screens for the room, and asked Rise to help define the rest of the digital signage solution along with the LED ticker. Rise worked closely with IT to build a media player that would support running a 2×1 video wall plus a separate single LCD screen from a server room nearly 1000 feet away. After the media player, Minicom distribution system and LED ticker hardware components were defined, the creative staff went to work designing the content to give a broad overview of the markets worldwide.

The Final Result

The LED ticker, and all three LCDs, were installed and running for the Fall 2008 ribbon-cutting to greet the room’s donor and the media. A wall of windows lets library patrons see the technology from all angles. “The digital signage lets us push through market news, North American Exchange stock quotes and index data, and a live video feed from the Business News Network,” Mr. Meth says.

Mr. Meth has also found an effective way of utilizing the ticker at night, when the stock market is closed but the library is still open. “We keep the closing prices running, but we also start running sports scores,” he says.

“I think people are pretty impressed by the digital signage,” says Mr. Meth. “People will often stand by the window and watch what’s going on the ticker and displays. Overall, they’ve been very favorably received.”

Hardware, software, live data, and installation for this project was provided by Rise Display