Motorists heading west along the Northwest Tollway in Schaumburg may have noticed the eye-catching display as they drive along the tollway near the Village of Schaumburg’s 90 North Entertainment District. This bold, brilliant outdoor sign is used for advertising and other messages by the Village to promote its new entertainment district.
Using audio-visual expertise to call out the features and benefits of the growing district
There has been a lot of buzz about the 90 North Entertainment District, designed to be a walkable community that includes businesses, restaurants, entertainment, and much more. It is already home to the Renaissance Hotel and Schaumburg Convention Center, Andretti Indoor Karting& Games, Motorola, a golfing destination venue, a Brazilian restaurant and more. To accommodate traffic at the district, there is a 900-space parking garage– which just happens to have great visibility from the highway.
In planning this unique property, an important consideration was reaching the widest audience to promote the district.
They sought a high-visibility form of messaging. The Village requested bids with an objective of reaching the passing motorists on Route 90. With statistics pointing to a daily traffic count of up to 300,000 vehicles, the motorists would be a great audience for the district.
Paul Miceli, Director of Audio Visual for Pulse Technology, had the solution: a billboard. Not just any billboard, but an outdoor digital display mounted on the side wall of the highway-facing parking garage, and a solution which carefully considered what pixel display would deliver the visibility at a distance that they sought. The overall size of the outdoor display recommended was 14’X48.’
Pulse won the bid for the work over several competitors and credits a careful review of the original specifications, and the company’s understanding of and experience with audio-visual signage as helping “seal the deal.” The original architectural plans for the district did include provisions for a sign design on the side of the parking garage, with the bottom edge of the sign being 65 feet above ground. “Knowing that the building was designed to support a visual display of this size and weight was helpful in our preparing are commendation for the sign,” he said.
The right pixel size helps make the difference
One factor in the design process was the pixel size recommended for the sign. In simple terms, a pixel is a tiny dot of light on a display screen. Each pixel lights up in different colors and levels of brightness. When thousands of pixels light up, the eyes blend them into letters, pictures, logos and video. It’s the same idea as a TV screen, a phone screen, or a computer monitor – just much bigger and brighter for outdoor use.
Pulse conducted research and analysis and ended up making a different recommendation from the original bid specs. Although the original request asked for a 6mm display with broadband and cloud access, Pulse instead recommended a 10mm display, which would provide greater ease of reading from a distance as vehicles travel along the tollway and through the neighborhood.
In looking at the routes and exits from which the sign would be visible, Pulse determined that a 10 mm display would deliver the visibility the village sought. Pulse offered an effective, less costly alternative than the competing bids. The 10mm option saved the Village tens of thousands of dollars in overall costs.
6mm versus 10mm
With a 6 mm display, the dots are closer together, which provides more detail. A 10 mm display is better for long viewing distances(roads, parking lots and across roads). The 10mm display is less costly and easier to maintain and is ideal for simpler messages that can be seen from a distance.
Either might work, but Pulse determined that a 10 mm display would deliver the distant visibility the village sought. Pulse offered an effective, less costly alternative than the competing bids. The 10mm option saved the Village tens of thousands of dollars in overall costs.
Doing your homework will deliver a better result!
In selecting an audio-visual provider for such a project, there are a number of factors to keep in mind including:
As part of the agreement with the Village of Schaumburg, Pulse Technology generated a five-year service agreement that will maintain the board for parts and labor, and for seven years on the board software. Pulse overseas the licensing and maintenance, as well as software updates.
“We have had considerable experience in designing both indoor and outdoor signage,” Paul said. “We are pleased to have been able to provide the Village of Schaumburg a cost-effective and dynamic display, and we look forward to seeing this district continue to expand and tell its many stories through this digital display.”
With the Village poised to add more buildings and businesses, the overall strategy to create a walkable, vibrant community that fosters economic growth and community engagement. A highly visible display is the perfect way to attract visitors and communicate the different messages that the Village wants to share.
Audio-visual can be a very powerful marketing tool!
In planning your business’s overall marketing strategy, don’t overlook the benefits of A-V. It can help you in a number of important ways, from the lobby greeting marquis to a full videoconferencing setup in a conference room, to outdoor displays such as the Village of Schaumburg has done.
Is your business utilizing A-V to the fullest extent? We are the A-V “go to” people.
Let’s have a conversation. Please give us a call at 888-357-4277 or visit https://pulsetechnology.com.With seven decades of industry experience, we can help you with whatever your technology needs are. As the new year is well underway, it is a good time to take stock of what you might be able to do to spice up your marketing and promotional efforts. We are here to help!