Cisco Transforms Digital Signs into Highly Interactive Experiences, Creating New Ways to Increase Engagement

From entertainment to sporting stadiums, customers deploy Cisco Digital Signage to deliver more engaging, interactive user experiences

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 6, 2012 – Cisco today announced new digital signage innovations that can dramatically enhance how organizations attract, educate and engage customers, employees and citizens, and elevate their brand visibility. These innovations, delivered through the Cisco® Interactive Services solution set, provide enhanced interactive capabilities through video, Web applications and touchscreen digital signs. Cisco is also announcing new customers that showcase the continued expansion of the digital signage market; customers including parx casino® in Pennsylvania are using Cisco Digital Signage Solutions to change how they engage and communicate with their customers and employees.

Cisco’s Interactive Services solution set is introducing new web clients and a cloud-based management platform that enable customers to create, centrally manage and rapidly deploy personalized and interactive signage experiences across a network of high-definition and touchscreen digital displays. Through these new offerings, organizations can deliver a variety of customizable content to each endpoint that can be highly targeted for various audiences and can be delivered at the most optimal times of the day for maximum impact. So, for example, from a single display, an end user could conduct digital transactions that are relevant to what’s being shown, like ticket purchases, or visit Web pages and applications that could provide additional information. The innovations also provide advertisers with an opportunity to personalize advertising based on the content the user is viewing, their location or a programmed schedule. Through Cisco Interactive Services, viewers are provided with an enhanced user experience with new hands-on features such as a virtual keyboard and intuitive, touch-based scrolling capabilities. These capabilities enable viewers to directly engage with the content on a digital display, and find the relevant information they require.

Cisco and its customers are embracing these innovations at a time when the digital signage market is evolving – from static content on traditional screens to customized rich media content delivered on a multitude of connected devices. As a market leader in digital signage, Cisco’s strategy is to drive this new era of interaction and engagement. With a broad portfolio of media endpoints, video infrastructure and digital signage management software on a network-based platform, Cisco is uniquely positioned to broaden the use of digital signage into a medium for two-way interaction. When deploying these new solutions, Cisco’s medianet architecture enables organizations to create a video-optimized network that reliably delivers optimal quality video content, with high security to any network device.

ANNOUNCEMENT HIGHLIGHTS

• The Cisco Interactive Experience Client (IEC) 4600 Series, including the IEC 4610 and 4632 models,are networked clients that provide enhanced interactive capabilities to high-definition and touchscreen displays. Each IEC hosts a Web browser specially designed for digital displays, to support a variety of content including localized information, existing Web portals and Web applications, RSS feeds, advertising, and live video and collaboration capabilities.
• All of this content is managed and distributed through a central management platform, the new Cisco Interactive Experience Manager (IEM), part of Cisco’s digital media management software suite. The IEM is a centralized Web portal that helps customers easily scale management of Cisco interactive experiences enabled with an IEC. Functions include remote monitoring and trouble-shooting displays, managing and scheduling large amounts of rotating video content, and implementing signage templates.
• The IEM can be provisioned on an Interactive Experience Platform server at the customer site, and is scheduled to also be available as a cloud-based service. The IEP server is based on a Cisco UCS® C-Series C200M2 server and provides the reliability and scalability benefits of the Cisco Unified Computing System™ with software optimized for performance.
• In September 2011, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York announced it is using Cisco Interactive Services for its new On the Go! touchscreen travel station pilot program. The On the Go! touchscreen, deployed at select subway and commuter rail stations throughout New York City, provides riders with an interactive way to access information about their trip, including real-time trip planning, service status, local maps and other information.
• Cisco Interactive Services and the new digital signage products are available now in North America, Europe, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and  India, and are scheduled to be available globally by the second half of 2012.

Featured Cisco digital signage and interactive media customers include:

• parx casino® in Philadelphia, Pa., wanted to create an enjoyable entertainment atmosphere while keeping guests up to date and informed on casino activities. Cisco Digital Signage is enabling the casino to do just that by delivering highly engaging real-time communications and visitor information to their guests.
  • From large 65-foot displays at the entrance to hundreds of single-screen displays throughout the complex, guests can easily find information ranging from upcoming casino promotions, available amenities, transit schedules, and racing and gaming waiting lists.
  • Through Cisco’s centrally managed signage platform, parx casino® is able to simultaneously manage multiple channels of video content and quickly deliver information as needed to any display any time. Video content can be scheduled in advance or changed at a moment’s notice for events or notifications.
• Since opening in June of 2011, LIVESTRONG Sporting Parkin Kansas City, Kan., has been committed to delivering a unique fan experience through high-definition video, digital content and new interactive applications for fans.
  • Utilizing Cisco StadiumVision®, a special set of offerings for sports and entertainment that amplify any event, LIVESTRONG Sporting Park can instantaneously deliver live video to over 300 high-definition digital displays to bring the action on the field closer to each fan in the stadium.
  • In addition, each display can highlight dynamic content like team trivia and game information, weather and traffic updates, merchandise and concession promotions and new team sponsorship opportunities.
  • Since its opening, LIVESTRONG has seen a vast increase in fan engagement and interaction during games and events. Last season saw record attendance, and 2012 will bring seven national televised home games to showcase what has been hailed as one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in North America.

Supporting Quotes

• Carrie Nork Minelli, Director of Advertising and Public Relations, parx casino®

“parx casino® has created a unique environment which excites, welcomes and engages our guests. By featuring video, we are able to interact closely with our guests via digital displays throughout our casino buildings. Each display is centrally managed, allowing us to deliver different content and target guests in specific areas for promotional opportunities or inform the entire casino of available events and amenities. Video has become a key tool for us to make our guests feel more engaged and increase their participation throughout the casino.”

• Asim Pasha, Chief Information Officer and Chief Architect, Sporting Kansas City

“LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in Kansas City is designed to cater to today’s evolving needs of a more social, connected fan. Video is a crucial part of enhancing the sports experience at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, from digital displays throughout the stadium to more interactive video within the executive suites. By teaming with Cisco, LSP creates a more immersive and engaging environment for our fans, bringing the game closer to each fan, encouraging fans to engage and interact with the team, other fans and with the action happening on the field. With the right network in place, we are able to innovate more rapidly than ever before and will be able to for years to come.”

• Guido Jouret, Vice President/General Manager and Chief Technology Officer, Emerging Technologies Group, Cisco

“By its nature, video is a medium of engagement and participation. With today’s announcement, digital signage is evolving from a passive experience to an engaging, interactive media experience. Now, any digital sign on the network becomes an opportunity for two-way interaction between a company and its customers, allowing a consumer to engage with the display and receive relevant, customized content in return. By bringing those capabilities into the digital signage industry, Cisco is changing how organizations can advertise, educate and connect to their viewers.”

Additional Resources:

• Cisco Digital Signage
• Cisco Digital Media Experiences
• Cisco Interactive Services Solutions
• Cisco Interactive Experience Clients
• Cisco Interactive Experience Manager
• Cisco Business Video
• Enterprise Medianet Solutions
• Cisco Show and Share
• Cisco Enterprise Content Delivery System
• Cisco Media Experience Engine
• Cisco TelePresence
• For more information about Cisco’s collaboration news and activities, visit the Video Blog or follow us via Twitter @CiscoVideo.

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