MONTREAL, CANADA (PRWEB) May 16, 2013

BroadSign International, LLC, provider of digital signage software and services, has joined the ranks of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), a trade organization that represents over 800 member companies and more than 90 percent of the country’s OOH advertising revenue.

Out-of-home (OOH) advertising revenue rose 4.2 percent in 2012 compared to the previous year, accounting for $6.7 billion, based on figures released by OAAA. The increase in revenue highlights the industry’s positive revenue growth for 12 consecutive quarters.

“Out-of-home continues to perform well year after year and it remains one of the fastest growing advertising media,” said OAAA President & CEO Nancy Fletcher in the OAAA member newsletter. OAAA’s revenue estimates include billboard, street furniture, transit and alternative advertising, as well as digital platforms for advertising spending.

Market studies indicate that the digital component is a primary reason for the OOH industry’s steady and rapid growth. Many experts think that it is only a matter of time before more OOH advertising assets convert to digital.

“As digital increasingly drives the success of many OAAA member companies, we feel that we can greatly benefit from the research, tools and networking opportunities within the organization,” said Brian Dusho, BroadSign’s CEO. “Since our platform already powers some of the world’s largest and most successful digital outdoor networks, we will be happy to share our vast expertise with the community,” he added.

BroadSign has been providing software-as-a-service for digital signage networks for 10 years and now powers the largest connected aggregate of digital out-of-home screens. The company recently released its latest software platform, BroadSign X, which offers further enriched functionality, simplified workflows and greater network automation. This year also brought the introduction of the BroadSign Xpress player, a low-cost Android-based device that is an efficient tool for static signage vendors looking to venture into digital.

BroadSign will be exhibiting at the upcoming OAAA/TAB National Convention & Trade Show in Los Angeles at the J.W. Marriott at L.A. LIVE. Convention registrants can sign up for a meeting with a BroadSign representative at the event by clicking here.

About BroadSign

BroadSign International LLC is the leading global provider of software-as-a-service for digital signage networks. Its software allows networks to target out-of-home audiences, place advertising or promotional campaigns, play back scheduled content on each screen and account for campaign performance. Some of the world’s largest and most successful digital signage networks run on BroadSign’s platform. They take advantage of its comprehensive functionality, reliability and virtually unlimited capacity for growing networks without adding personnel. BroadSign is consistently ranked among the top 3 global digital signage software suppliers and received the 2012 Global Growth Leadership Award in the Digital Signage Software market from Frost & Sullivan.

In 2013 BroadSign expanded its portfolio by offering a fully-featured and fully-supported smart player, BroadSign Xpress. The industry-changing hardware device allows network operators to deploy digital signage at a fraction of the cost of PC-based alternatives. For more information about BroadSign, visit http://broadsign.com.

Press Contact

Daniel Parisien

+1-514-399-1184 ext. 107

After many months of preparation, BroadSign is excited to announce that the BroadSign Xpress players have been shipped to 200 Trailblazers situated as close as la belle ville of Montreal and as far as Australia. These lucky few are true leaders of the pack, in that they will experience BroadSign’s first-ever tangible product prior to the rest of the world- nobody else has access to BroadSign Xpress at this time.

Trailblazers will soon receive a box, in a brilliant shade of “BroadSign blue”, containing the BroadSign Xpress player and all material necessary to use the device instantly. Unique to the Trailblazer Program, BroadSign Xpress will arrive activated and populated with content – the Trailblazer simply needs to connect it.

What are the duties of BroadSign Trailblazers? Participants are given the opportunity to test, use and put the BroadSign Xpress players through their paces for 60 days. In return, Trailblazers will provide the company with valuable feedback about their experience and have the option to keep their free unit upon the Program’s completion.

Attention all BroadSign Trailblazers – it’s go time!

Marie walks through the halls possessing a certain je ne sais quoi that reflects her endearing and inquisitive nature. Though a petite frame might suggest otherwise, her spirited mannerism ensures that her presence is known and respected in a room. Typically said combination of confidence and acuteness is acquired with time, but to Marie it came naturally. Her relentless drive catapulted her career path from a student at Lebanese University (where she obtained a degree in Management of Network Technologies) to President of LTS Networks Inc., a digital signage research and development company. Worth mentioning is that between graduating and climbing the corporate ladder, Marie was married, had children and immigrated to Canada where she learned her third language, English (she also speaks French and Lebanese).

It was in 2004 that Marie co-founded BroadSign and has been a fundamental member of the management team ever since. Currently, as Executive Vice President and General Manager, Marie calls on her fourteen years of experience to lead administrative and human resources operations. “Women in a working environment play a variety of roles and I spend my day constantly changing hats,” said Marie during our conversation in her corner office. When questioned about a certain role in particular, affectionately dubbed “BroadSign Mom”, she remarked, “one of the most rewarding elements of my daily routine is mentoring and supporting my colleagues, many of whom I’ve known for a great length of time. I’m so proud of them, us and the achievements that BroadSign has made over the past decade that have helped spur the industry’s growth. Watching passion and success come together is very gratifying.”

Passion is an emotion that has been crucial to guiding Marie throughout her career. In the early days, digital signage was brand new and quite dry. When meeting with a customer, Marie recalled that a whole executive team would be present to first and foremost sell the industry, adding a small mention of the actual product in passing. The development stage was also laden with technological occupations within which women did not boast a great presence. “I’ve worked with men my whole life,” said Marie, “and while I can be considered one of the boys, I never felt a need to emulate them. Through hard work, perseverance and taking opportunities as they arrived I was able to overcome challenges that women face in the workplace, regardless of the industry.”

“Though times have changed, women tend to feel that they are in constant need of proving themselves to the world. Perhaps we underestimate ourselves. When I take a minute to look back at what I’ve accomplished, I myself am astonished. We do things we don’t think we’re capable of!” proclaimed Marie, adding “as digital signage expands into different segments, women will change the face of the industry by bringing emotion, depth and elegance.” This was not the first time I had heard the words “digital signage” and “elegant” in the same sentence (and without a negation at that) but coming from somebody who knows her angora from her cashmere, it was the first time I believed it.

It would thus appear that Marie has it all – a wonderful family and successful career. Is this the new norm or is she an exception? “Working women are constantly trying to attain a balance between their career, family and friends. Yet such a balance does not exist – you cannot have everything,” stated Marie seriously. “Everyone, regardless of gender, needs to establish what their priorities are and what makes them happy. Success must be personally defined and advancement toward this vision will be obtained via persistence and the strength to overcome fears. In other words, live up to your expectation, not their expectation.”

Clearly Marie is not afraid to roll up her sleeves to deliver her best performance in any/all of her daily roles; after all, she insists that the most significant part of her education has been learning from her experiences. When asked about an important lesson she acquired on the job, her response came quickly and surely. “Do not see failure as failure- see it as a half success. And if it’s not meant to be, move on.”

Such advice will never go out of style.

Marie Elamar

Executive Vice President and General Manager

As executive vice president and general manager of Canadian Operations, Marie Elamar is BroadSign’s administrative backbone, overseeing all aspects of the company’s operations including finances and human resources.

Ms. Elamar co-founded BroadSign in 2004 and served as its vice president of Investor Relations and Strategic Development until 2006. Leveraging her commercial prowess and strategic insight, Ms. Elamar championed BroadSign’s strategic transition from a small research and development company to a leading global provider of digital signage software. Prior to BroadSign, she held a number of executive positions at software start-ups and publicly-traded companies.  In all, she brings 13 years of experience in the digital signage industry to BroadSign.

Ms. Elamar is a graduate of Lebanese University (Beirut, Lebanon) with a degree in Management of Network Technologies.

Written by Stephanie Gutnik 

MONTREAL, CANADA. April 30, 2013 – Health solutions provider Stayhealthy, Inc. has selected BroadSign International, LLC as its digital signage software provider for deployment of its network of HealthCENTER kiosks across the United States.

The initial, completed deployment of approximately 2,000 kiosks includes Kroger grocery stores where the self-service, health screening kiosks are situated in waiting areas of in-store pharmacies. The plug-and-play kiosks are FDA-cleared and offer convenient, easy-to-use, clinical-grade health screenings. Consumers can measure key health indicators including blood pressure, heart rate, total body weight, total body composition (lean mass, body fat, hydration index), vision (color blindness) and BMI. Consumers may also upload personal blood glucose meter and activity monitor data to track their personal results over time to assist in improving health. 

Stayhealthy’s new generation of health screening kiosks are the nation’s first and currently only available platform that connects health screening kiosks with Class II medical devices and digital activity monitors united by a secure, HIPAA-compliant online portal installed in over 3,000 professional, medical offices involved in wellness and weight loss programs around the world. 

The deployment of the Stayhealthy® HealthCENTER Kiosk Network™ offers consumers the convenience of accurate, self-service measuring of key health indicators at no charge as they shop. Users may also register at the kiosk and receive access to their own personal, Stayhealthy online health record account (Stayhealthy® Dashboard™) to automatically track and monitor their results from any web access location, 24/7.

“With access to affordable healthcare remaining a challenge for a large portion of the population, Stayhealthy is addressing the need by offering an easy-to-use and convenient solution,” stated John Collins, chief executive officer of Stayhealthy, “to empower and engage consumers to securely and accurately measure and monitor key health indicators to improve their health. We are excited to engage BroadSign as our premier platform provider to manage both our rapid content deployment and complex network operations. We appreciate that BroadSign brings robust functionality, flexibility and support to Stayhealthy’s HealthCENTER Kiosk Network™.”

Stayhealthy’s primary mission is to increase consumer access to convenient and accurate health screenings and solutions. Employers, provider groups and public health organizations share a vested interest in connecting with these communities. The Stayhealthy network of health screening kiosks will be funded in part by revenues received from digital advertising and health-related messaging played on the touchscreen and, optional, 32-inch HD LCD display while consumers wait between health screenings. This dwell time offers opportunities for marketers, especially those in health categories, to participate. 

“We are very pleased that BroadSign was selected as the digital signage engine for the Stayhealthy® HealthCENTER Network™,” noted Skip Beloff, BroadSign’s vice president of sales. “Our track record demonstrates that BroadSign is a safe bet when it comes to network uptime, maximum automation and the ability to expand networks efficiently and effectively.”

Press Contacts                                                                              

For BroadSign: 
Daniel Parisien
Vice President, Marketing and Strategy
+1 514-399-1184
daniel.parisien@broadsign.com 

For Stayhealthy:
Lori Ruben
Director of Corporate Communications
+1 626-256-6152
lori.ruben@stayhealthy.com

About BroadSign International LLC

BroadSign International, LLC is the leading global provider of software-as-a-service for digital signage networks. Its software allows networks to target out-of-home audiences, place advertising or promotional campaigns, play back scheduled content on each screen and account for campaign performance. Some of the world’s largest and most successful digital signage networks run on BroadSign’s platform. They take advantage of its comprehensive functionality, reliability and virtually unlimited capacity for growing networks without adding personnel. BroadSign is consistently ranked among the top 3 global digital signage software suppliers and received the 2012 Global Growth Leadership Award in the Digital Signage Software market from Frost & Sullivan.

In 2013 BroadSign expanded its portfolio by offering a fully-featured and fully-supported smart player, BroadSign Xpress. The industry-changing hardware device allows network operators to deploy digital signage at a fraction of the cost of PC-based alternatives. For more information about BroadSign, visit http://broadsign.com.

About Stayhealthy, Inc.

Stayhealthy, Inc. is a privately-owned healthcare solutions corporation headquartered in Monrovia, California.  Since 1995, Stayhealthy has been committed to improving the way the world measures, manages, and accesses health and fitness.  Stayhealthy has built a world-wide reputation within the research community for providing the highest-quality, FDA-cleared health measurement products, solutions, and services.

Stayhealthy has deployed a nationwide network of biometric products and health screening kiosks in pharmacies, employer facilities, wellness centers, clinical, and provider sites to support public health initiatives to integrate with the healthcare community.

Stayhealthy products, solutions, and services are backed by its powerful, HIPAA-compliant, online portal to empower and engage individuals, healthcare professionals and organizations across the globe to track health measurement results over time, set goals for improvement, and monitor progress. 

www.stayhealthy.com

MONTREAL, CANADA – Digital signage software maker BroadSign International, LLC celebrates its tenth anniversary with the release of a powerful new version of its SaaS platform. BroadSign X offers further enriched functionality combined with more simplified workflows and a greater degree of network automation.

The BroadSign X software version follows the introduction of BroadSign Xpress, the company’s first Android media player hardware. BroadSign Xpress matches the full functionality of PC playback devices at a tiny fraction of the price, thus drastically reducing the cost of network deployment. Networks that wish to use the Android player must upgrade to the BroadSign X network management platform, available to existing client networks free of charge.

Among other significant enhancements, advertisers can now spend budgets more efficiently using BroadSign X’s “campaign goal” feature, which allows for a campaign to stop automatically once the desired number of ad runs, impressions or viewer interactions have been achieved.

“We always aim to absorb the latest developments in digital signage technology and anticipate future trends,” says BroadSign CEO, Brian Dusho. “Our latest products, the BroadSign X platform and BroadSign Xpress Android player, reflect this approach. The practical outcome is that every new product of ours makes DOOH media space more accessible to advertisers,” he added.

The new BroadSign X platform also boasts features such as simple screen control, RS 232 device control API, export package check-sum, day part API and TCP triggers, as well as broadcast-like video transitions.

About BroadSign

BroadSign International LLC is the leading global provider of software-as-a-service for digital signage networks. Its software allows networks to target out-of-home audiences, place advertising or promotional campaigns, play back scheduled content on each screen and account for campaign performance. Some of the world’s largest and most successful digital signage networks run on BroadSign’s platform. They take advantage of its comprehensive functionality, reliability and virtually unlimited capacity for growing networks without adding personnel. BroadSign is consistently ranked among the top 3 global digital signage software suppliers and received the 2012 Global Growth Leadership Award in the Digital Signage Software market from Frost & Sullivan. For more information about BroadSign, visit http://broadsign.com.

A statue outside of Caesar’s Palace was dressed for the occasion.

Around 3,500 individuals attended the event, consisting mostly of movie theatre management. Cinema operators are increasingly using digital signage within their facilities via lobby screens, concession areas and screens outside theatre rooms. One of BroadSign’s larger networks, Cineplex, falls into this vertical.

Brian Marin, a Sales Director for North America at BroadSign, was present to learn about the industry’s newest trends and noted that kiosks designed to facilitate the movie previewing, ticket purchasing and seat reserving process were plentiful.

A peek at CinemaCon’s Trade Show floor

After a successful inaugural year in 2012, the Hockey de Rue street hockey tournaments are back. This time around, the Hockey de Rue Committee has designated Patrice Brisebois as the official ambassador. Said celebrity and a team of avid social media mavens are determined to spread the word and raise the bar in terms of donations.

Supporting the collaboration between the Montréal Canadiens Children’s Foundation and the YM-YWHA is time and/or money well spent. The former provides fiscal support to community organizations who aim to improve the lives of youth living in disadvantaged areas while the latter reaches out to people of all ages with services promoting social, cultural, physical and intellectual enrichment.

Two days of fun are in store for those registered to play, volunteer and root for the home team (I know, wrong sport). The Youth Tournament is scheduled for May 19^th, followed by an Adult Tournament on the 20^th. Should you reside within a close proximity to Montréal, registration is still open and prizes are in place to reward fundraising efforts.

When asked about his role on the Hockey de Rue Committee, Skip Beloff, Vice President of Sales at BroadSign stated that the reaction from clients and sponsors to the event has been very positive, with several BroadSign clients such as Cineplex and Couche Tard running the below video . “I think that the relaxed yet spirited nature of street hockey is a great way to get the entire family moving and raise funds for an important cause,” he added.  

For more information about Hockey de Rue, visit the organization’s website: www.hockeyderue.com.

As a member of the Millennial Generation, I have been socialized to believe that anyone can do anything, anywhere. It thus comes as a bit of a surprise whenever I realize that I have unconsciously made a generalization about a group of people performing a task about which I know relatively little. In my mind, lifeguards are fit teenagers with laid-back attitudes and the typical businessperson is glued to their mobile. No one is to blame for these perceptions; they are culminations of observations amassed over time. Truth be told, when I interviewed for a position at a digital signage software company, I semi expected to meet employees reminiscent of characters from The Big Bang Theory. Was I wrong?

My office IS greatly comprised of men, who, like in the television show, are self-identified “geeks” and proud of it. Among them, however, lies one of the most accomplished and experienced women in digital signage, Marie Elamar. “I have been in this industry for 14 years now and can say with certainty that strong women have largely contributed to shaping our space into what it is today,” said Marie when told of my idea to write a series featuring a selection of the community’s heavy-hitting females.

A quick scan of the Digital Signage Expo or a Digital Place-based Advertising Association members meeting also demonstrates a high ratio of men to women, yet high heeled professionals are present and their achievements are impressive. What used to be a male-dominated domain is now seeing an influx of women in positions of all levels and I believe that a balance of genders will bring innovative perspectives and ideas to the industry.

The “Leading Ladies” series is intended to showcase the career paths and contributions of women in the digital place-based world to both encourage female newcomers such as myself and bring together industry veterans. Each article will showcase a woman who has made a unique footprint in the digital signage realm and judging by my growing list of candidates, the rise of females in the industry is a true and exciting reality. Whether you wear Bostonians or Manolo Blahniks, cufflinks or hair clips, it is my hope that the series provides you with insight and inspiration.

The inaugural interview of this series, featuring BroadSign’s own Marie Elamar, will be published May 1^st, 2013.

Written by Stephanie Gutnik

Transitions tend to be both uplifting and unsettling periods of time. In Montréal, April is a month that bridges cold and warm weather by bringing rain, snow and sun, sometimes all in the same day. It can be difficult to determine what footwear to put on in the morning and it was thus a relief to escape fickle shifts in weather by traveling to sunny Las Vegas for the 2013 International Sign Association’s Sign Expo. At the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, however, I encountered yet another point of transition. Traditional printers are looking to venture into the digital signage realm and similar to dressing for spring in Montréal, they are wondering if they will have to wear more than one hat.

The 2013 Sign Expo was impressive in scale with a reported attendance of around 20,000 registrants. Another interesting size range had to do with the products and services themselves: companies had offerings ranging from signs as small as those appearing on public restroom doors to objects as big as trucks used for sign installation and maintenance. There were even live demonstrations of print being applied to the exteriors of cars.

As opposed to previous years when the presence of digital signage was said to be scarce and dispersed, 2013 brought a specific area for DOOH booths called the Dynamic Digital Park. This allowed for vendors to convene and appear as a congruent sector (which in fairness, the industry is working toward). It was BroadSign’s first time exhibiting at the 2013 Sign Expo and the company was neighboured by 18 other affiliates of the digital signage community such as fellow Digital Signage Federation members Ingram Micro, Caldera, Stratacache, Samsung, Almo and the DSF itself. Sitting at the booth, I overheard a passerby telling his companion that digital signage is the next big thing. When his companion inquired as to what digital signage is, the passerby replied, “you know, menu boards and stuff”.

It is the “and stuff” that has a lot of room to grow at shows such as the 2013 Sign Expo where despite the inclusion of a Dynamic Digital Park, the area was still tucked into a corner and an afterthought for most attendees. Nevertheless, traditional printers are showing an interest in digital place-based media and digital vendors were on site to educate. Similar to Apple’s tutorials for newbies, static sign providers will require a significant amount of guidance and hand-holding as they navigate into the blue waters of digital. This was made evident in part by the DSF’s “7-step plan for sign companies interested in developing a digital signage practice” which was being distributed at the organization’s booth.

Once adequately educated, I believe that static signage companies will decide that only one hat is necessary and instead look for single solutions providers and partners to fulfill their digital needs. This will not be a one-way movement but a transition complementary to both sides. Now all that’s left is to determine who will be wearing the pants.

 Written by Stephanie Gutnik

FRANKFURT, GERMANY - Media Frankfurt GmbH, Germany’s largest OOH advertising media owner in airports has converted all of its 161 digital locations to BroadSign International’s digital signage software platform.

Media Frankfurt’s network is currently comprised of 238 large-format LCD panels, strategically placed to capture the attention of over 57 million passengers annually. A number of large LED screens will be added in the near future.

The technical aspects of network operations for Media Frankfurt and managed services are supported by Neo Solutions, a full-service digital signage systems integrator, who is already managing several thousand screens running on BroadSign SaaS.

Media Frankfurt’s Director of Operations, Christian Brauch said that the company selected BroadSign following some high-profile referrals and a period of extensive research and testing. “Since the switch we find that the software makes it easy for us to configure the networks as well as schedule and execute campaigns of any complexity,” he added.

“The German-speaking digital signage market is rapidly expanding and we are honored to be selected by such a prominent operator as Media Frankfurt. We are confident that their investment in BroadSign as an emerging standard will help make their media more efficient and compatible with the many other European networks thanks to our platform,” states BroadSign’s Vice President of Sales, Skip Beloff.

Press Contact:                                                                                                                               

For BroadSign:
Daniel Parisien
+1 514 399 1184

For Media Frankfurt:
Christian Brauch
Director of Operations
+49 69 69708-88        

About BroadSign

BroadSign International LLC is the leading global provider of software-as-a-service for digital signage networks. Its software allows networks to target out-of-home audiences, place advertising or promotional campaigns, play back scheduled content on each screen and account for campaign performance. Some of the world’s largest and most successful digital signage networks run on BroadSign’s platform. They take advantage of its comprehensive functionality, reliability and virtually unlimited capacity for growing networks without adding personnel. BroadSign is consistently ranked among the top 3 global digital signage software suppliers and received the 2012 Global Growth Leadership Award in the Digital Signage Software market from Frost & Sullivan. For more information about BroadSign, visit http://broadsign.com.

About Media Frankfurt

Media Frankfurt GmbH is the exclusive marketing agency for advertising space at Frankfurt Airport. Thanks to its connection to the JCDecaux network (the world-market leader for airport advertising) with 152 airports around the globe, Media Frankfurt is also the point of contact for German companies planning international airport campaigns. With over 2,000 advertising media, Media Frankfurt reaches about 60 million passengers at Frankfurt Airport, the home base of Lufthansa and an important hub of the entire Star Alliance. The product portfolio of Media Frankfurt ranges from Citylightposters, via digital media, light boxes and large-scale billboards, to customised airport marketing solutions. The spectrum of services provided by Media Frankfurt includes not only the marketing of advertising space but also the development of products and concepts. http://www.media-frankfurt.de