Your Vegas Is Showing… Live from Nanolumens DSE 2018

Bryan lending his influence to the industry with Javier Garcia, Convention Engineer Manager at Cox Business Hospitality Network in an exclusive conversation with Adrian Cotterill with DailyDOOH at the NanoLumens Visualization Center, Las Vegas, during Digital Signage Expo 2018.

Your Vegas Is Showing… Live from Nanolumens DSE2018 from OpenEye Global on Vimeo.

What We’re Most Excited About at 2018 SEGD Branded Environments/DSE

March is upon us and once again a slew of designers, technologists, and digital signage enthusiasts will converge in Las Vegas for Digital Signage Expo (DSE), as well as the 2018 SEGD Branded Environments event.

With our yearly attendance to both events, we’re extremely excited to see and hear all the latest and greatest—and this year is no different.

So what are we looking forward to this year for both events? Here are our top 5:

1. Exploring the latest technologies: While CES may take the center stage for latest in technology advancements, we feel that DSE has a more use-case application. This is especially true for a firm like ours, always trying to push the envelope but keep within the desired business outcome and objective. With the floor at DSE continuing to evolve in both technologies on display and the way vendors design their booths, this intimate setting does wonders for fostering meaningful relationships. [ Did you know that your 2018 SEGD Branded Environments event registration includes access to the DSE show floor? Register now!]
2. Understanding the global impact of design: Design has no language barrier, and neither does a well executed digital signage campaign full with adaptive creative and content that speaks 1-to-1 with an audience rather than just a carousel of screaming advertising. As our borders become blurred, we’re anxious to see how design is a catalyst for a more global economy. This will be especially true as Simon Hancockand Charlie Bromleyfrom THERE present on global context of design during the SEGD Branded Environments event. [ View the complete 2018 SEGD Branded Environments agenda.]
3. Networking with old and new friends: Between DSE and SEGD, we have a ton of friends, which unfortunately, we don’t get to see too often. With all of us converging in Las Vegas for a few days, it’s a great opportunity to catch up, share new memories and plan some exciting ways we can all work together. With the interactive roundtable during the Branded Environments event, we’re able to share information and experiences with our peers, thus continuing to progress our thought-process forward.
4. Continuing the conversation: So how should branding, design, and digital signage play together? It’s the unofficial theme this year, and between our own moments of influence and speaking engagements—as well as some of the amazingly top curated content being presented—we can only hope to dive deep into this topic while gaining a more holistic view of the industry. Both DSE and SEGD do an amazing job with this, and the speakers lined up from top brands such as Staples, Coca-Cola and Uber only highlight the commitment to education.
5. Experiencing the sights and sounds of Las Vegas: Seeing all of this in action within the playground that is Las Vegas, how can you not be totally enthralled by it? Between the flashing lights, the latest in entertainment, as well as a dedication for pushing the envelope of what a branded environment is and should be, Las Vegas becomes the cherry on top of what is an already amazing week.

Are you attending the joint event this year? We certainly hope to see you there. [ Register here.]

For more information on where we’ll be and what we’ll be sharing, check us out here: www.openeyeglobal.com/dse18

Brands are from Mars, Agencies are from Venus

We’ve all heard horror stories of agencies greatly missing client expectations. It leaves a sour taste in both parties’ mouths and can quickly diminish the brand equity of the agency.

Mishandling expectations is a missed opportunity for everyone involved, but it doesn’t have to be. There should never be a huge divide in expectations vs. reality. A better way is possible.

The Way It Was The brand is often looking for an agency to come in, be creative, set processes to scale, and be the change agent of progress. But most brands are not able to effectively communicate their expectations, their KPIs, and the true goals of their stakeholders.

The miss happens because many brands operate in a “do now, ask for forgiveness later” manner in regard to getting approvals from their C-suite. This often leads to projects getting to beta and being scrapped.

An agency comes in, guns blazing with their best ideas ready to change the world. With most agencies operating in a feast-or-famine world, concessions are made, budgets are cut drastically, and unrealistic expectations are put forward just to win the business.

In this scenario, from the start, the brand and agency are off to a rocky start. Transparency is met with agency jargon and brand pushback. It becomes a vicious cycle.

A Better Way Expectation-setting should be the norm, and certainly the first step to any new brand and agency relationship. Before talking about tactical brand touchpoints, strategies to move the needle, or any other omni-channel execution, brands and agency reps should have a heart-to-heart conversation about realistic expectations, roles, and responsibilities to one another.

To produce a positive ROI for the brand and the project, the agency must first know the ROI measurements and weigh them in order of importance as dictated by the client. This often means having conversations about metrics that matter as well as understanding the importance placed on certain data points as directed by the client.

The success of the project and the agency client relationship are both dependent on a clear understanding of where responsibilities lie.

From the agency side, the client needs to take ownership of both the experience and the project. This starts with defining all stakeholders and understanding their commitment level. Brands cannot expect the agency to unilaterally execute all aspects of the project. Instead, the process should be collaborative. A healthy collaboration is paramount to effectively developing a successful solution.

The process needs to be an ongoing team effort, not a one-and-done conversation. The success of the project and the agency client relationship are both dependent on a clear understanding of where responsibilities lie. From project inception to completion, the agency must figure out how to augment the team to ensure that the experience is managed, functional, and moving forward.

Agencies should constantly strive to understand the brand’s objectives for the project. Never assume and don’t take cookie-cutter approaches to force a solution. The goal is to always come to the table with a good understanding of the brand and its business goals whether the project is a retail activation, a digital signage program for multiple locations, or themed entertainment.

For the brand, it is essential to listen to customers, vendors, and the industry. As the holder of the purse, brands are often held in much higher regard. But there are plenty of occasions when an agency’s project due diligence gives it a better handle on realistic budgets and delivery timelines. Successful relationships call for open dialogue to develop understanding and agreement on realistic budgets.

So here is what is included in the instruction manual on the rocket ship taking agencies and brand to and from Mars and Venus.

5 Agency-Client Relationship Hacks

1. Brands, own the project. Brands should at all times have senior leadership buy-in to keep the ball rolling and to maintain positive trending project momentum. The “do now, ask for forgiveness later” approach can only lead to scope creep, uninspired strategies, and slow project death.
2. Set realistic expectations by pointedly making that conversation one of the first, and schedule expectations check-ins to ensure that all team members are continually aligned on the project vision to allow for any mid-course correction.
3. Agencies, instill a culture of transparency in your firm to circumvent moments of pivot or scope creep. When a project does need a different strategy or something isn’t working as it should, a transparent agency can have tough conversations no matter the outcome.
4. Document everything with a scope of work full of details. Nothing can kill an agency / client relationship faster than having a scope of work full of holes and lacking details. An ambiguous document usually indicates a lack of strategic direction from an agency as well as a client just looking to dive in without truly understanding the size and scope of the project. If changes happen during the project, as a way to combat scope creep, create addendums to ensure that expectations are consistently being met.
5. Build flexibility into the process. The market may dictate an unforeseen change, and an agency’s stance should not be so rigid that it cannot accommodate smart change.

This post originally appeared 1/22/18 on Retail Environments

Bryan Meszaros To Lead Global Design Community SEGD

We are proud to announce that our CEO & Founder Bryan Meszaros will lend his leadership talent to the position of President of the Society for Experiential Graphic Design (SEGD) from 2018 – 2020.

Bryan steps into this role as the experiential graphic design community is going through a period of unprecedented development and expansion. Over the last two years, membership in the organization has swelled to over 2,100 members in 30 countries and is represented by 32 local chapters in the U.S., Australia, China, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand and the UK. In addition, SEGD reports its highest-ever numbers for student membership.

Over the past few years, the association has continued its organizational mission to transition to a web-based association model through further development of its tools and resources. The website houses an abundant amount of content and there is a tremendous amount of value for members in SEGD.org through the creation of an extensive video library, new and advanced search functionality and an array of online resources known as the SEGD Toolbox, all of which are available to the membership.

“2018 promises to be another exceptional year for SEGD,” said Meszaros. “We are experiencing organic growth driven by the enthusiasm and input of all our members, who have increasingly diverse design backgrounds.”

Throughout his professional career, which spans almost 17 years, his understanding of bridging the gap between digital and physical design will serve as a solid foundation to help further the vision and initiatives established by past presidents.

The SEGD community is constantly challenging the boundaries of design to create new exciting experiences in the physical environment and therefore we should not limit our knowledge or exposure to other disciplines.

Free Your Design

Coming into his presidency, Bryan has put forward a campaign slogan meant to inspire the industry as a whole while stating his position that it is okay to break the rules and allow your imagination take over.

Free Your Design is a call to action to designers from around the globe to stand up for what the designs they believe in and take a stand to break the status-quo of stuffy design associations and firms.

“Free Your Design represents the opportunity to be creative without boundaries. It’s our ability to blend different design styles and creative materials to craft a physical experience that makes an environment more engaging. We (as a organization) have continue to challenge our designs as we envision new experiences” says Meszaros.

So what sets SEGD apart from other design organizations?

Unlike other design associations, SEGD focuses on the need for collaboration amongst a variety of groups (architects, digital agencies, fabricators, brand agencies, etc..) to create unique experiences. It’s a melting pot of the best of the best, and we couldn’t be prouder of our CEO & Founder for leading that vision.

Check out more on SEGD and the impact their having on the design community by clicking HERE.

The Big Cheese goes to China

I remember my first speaking opportunity back in 2007 on the stage of DSE East in Philadelphia. Yes you read that right, DSE East… anyone remember those days?

Since then I have been invited to speak at numerous digital signage & experience design conferences around the world. It is humbling to be asked to travel to different countries to share your thoughts and experience a variety of cultures first hand. OpenEye as an agency has had global roots since we started in 2001. From New Zealand to Russia and U.A.E to Brazil we explored, we spoke and we learned lessons from our experiences there.

We don’t use the word “Global” without having the miles to back it up!

This is especially true with my latest trip to China (which was a first for me) this past November. There on behalf of my presidency with SEGD, I was an ambassador of design and got the opportunity to check out so many cool places and meet some amazing people.

With so many inspiring moments on the trip, the ones to follow are a few that stand out for me. If you ever have the chance to visit China I do recommend it and take the time to explore!

STIDA Industrial Design & Branding Symposium (Chengdu)

The 2017 Industrial Design and Branding Symposium held in Chengdu focused on the theme of “Innovation Integrity”, and explored three areas including “Sichuan Innovation Future” “Focus on Multi-angle Innovation” and “Inclusive Thinking.” Having only a basic understanding of industrial design I tried to absorb as much information as I could prior to presenting. I do find it interesting that the Chinese are trying to change the world’s perception of themselves by using design as that driving force. It’s the younger generation of designers that are attempting to make the point that China is not just a country for manufacturing but a country that leads in design innovation.

Though the symposium had a focus on Industrial Design it did also touch upon Environmental Branding. I was primarily invited to speak on behalf of SEGD, talking about the community and its impact on educating designers as well as showing them the types of branding projects other members of the community had executed. In addition to SEGD I also spoke about digital engagement, referencing several of OpenEye’s projects and how digital should also been viewed as an element of branding.

Young Designers (Chengdu)

One of the highlights of the symposium was being approached by a group of young designers after my presentation. It’s great to see the growing emphasis on design in China and their passion in absorbing as much information as they can expose themselves to. Of course there were the language challenges but through my interpreter I was able to give them some advice as to where I see digital progressing in terms of environmental branding.

East Meets West (Chengdu)

One of the things I most enjoy about conferences is meeting new colleagues. There were a group of western designers I was fortunate to spend time with, each having a different perspective on branding. It was very interesting to hear their stories as a majority of them relocated to China specifically help create awareness for design. A couple of standouts from the group:

• Hiroshi Tsunoda / Founder & CEO of Spanish Tsunoda Design. http://hiroshitsunoda.com
• Joshua Fischer / Design Director of 818 Design / http://www.coroflot.com/JoshuaFischer818/profile
• Gabriele Tempesta / Designer @ Yang Design / http://www.yang-design.com/Default.aspx
• David Waterman / Sr. Design Director @ VTech / www.vtech.com

Pyxel Goes to the Great Wall (Beijing)

I travel to a lot of countries with OpenEye so hence the word “Global.” One of the things I love most about our culture is how the experiences we have shape our vision. We have never been a group with blinders on or just satisfied exploring within the boundaries of the states. Being on the Great Wall was one of those moments where you had to pause and take in the moment. Strangely on the way up to the wall you do pass through a “shopping area” where you will find various vendors selling souvenirs and of course a Burger King and a Subway. Still I was in awe of the structure and the breathtaking views.

Design is a Universal Language (Beijing)

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to host an evening roundtable discussion with a group of designers in Beijing. The focus of the conservation was digital engagement and its impact on environmental branding. This is still a relatively new area of discussion within China and the examples I showed (both from SEGD and OpenEye) helped to spark a healthy debate on where design is heading. Given the language barrier (and quite thankful for my translator) I was able to pick up on their passion for design innovation and interest in competing with the US.

Architecture (Shanghai)

Rising 632 meters into the sky the Shanghai Tower has become the pinnacle sky-rise amongst the Shanghai Skyline. Designed by Gensler and completed in the Summer of 2015 it is an amazing structure. Like many cities in China, Shanghai’s rapid growth has meant a boon in contemporary architecture styles. The city is decorated with many beautiful buildings such as the Museum of Glass and the Jin Mao Tower.

Appreciation of Art (Beijing)

About an hour away from the Great Wall are the Ming Tombs. The tombs are the final resting place for thirteen of the sixteen emperors of the Ming dynasty. With in each tomb is a collection of relics belonging to the emperors. Decorative and richly eclectic art lines most rooms within the temples. Given some of these pieces date back to as early as the 1400’s it’s impressive to see the quality and detail that went into each piece.

Always time for a beer (or two) / Beijing

Yes it’s true, from time to time I like the occasional beer! Surprised? Who would have thought China would have a decent craft beer culture? I found this great gem called Great Leap Brewing at the end of a dark alley in Beijing. You have to love the naming of their beers especially thier General IPA’s named after a series of famous military personnel, both those sanctioned by formal governments and warlord states alike. Turns out they have a couple of locations in Beijing but my recommendation would be the one on Di’Anmen wai Avenue in the Dongcheng District.

Go with the Explorer General IPA if they have it on tap!

5 Things China Taught Me About Design for 2018

As some of you may know back in November I had the opportunity to present at the STIDA Industrial Design & Branding Symposium in Chengdu, ChinaIt was an amazing experience.

This was my first time in China and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit several cities and take in many experiences that I have only read about. I now understand what others said to me prior to leaving, “It’s one thing to read about China and a very different thing to experience it.” For two weeks I experienced many aspects of the country and came back home with a better understanding of the culture and how their economy is evolving.

BELOW ARE 5 THINGS THIS RECENT TRIP TO CHINA TAUGHT ME ABOUT DESIGN HEADING INTO 2018:

1. Inclusive design thinking, which is a holistic way of thinking about ‘everything’ will impact our western way of thinking about design in 2018 because we are being challenged by a new breed of young designers who are focused on disruption as an art form. To be able to challenge the status quo leveraging design is going to be much more prominent in the coming years.
2. Western design influence in retail is having an impact in the way brands are positioning themselves in China. A majority of the US brands that have opened outposts in China do so in a very extravagant manner, sparing no expense in the use of digital and materials that help elevate the brand. Before this growth, most local brands never had to compete on this level and it’s causing massive disruption amongst Chinese brands to stand out.
3. Industrial design and experiential design can work together in shaping consumer experiences. What I saw in China was interesting in the user’s experience, not just from the perspective on how they utilized a product but how that product could change the way in which we interact with different environments.
4. The architecture in China is amazing and they continue to push the boundaries of design. It’s fascinating to see their use of digital as a branding tool, either in the form of exterior elements or within the environment itself.
5. I realize design in nature has no language barrier. Despite having to rely on a translator for a majority of my conservations there were no awkward moments when I was discussing the principles of design we apply in our approach. We are all striving to create something that is functional and enhances the perception of a space we just at times use different elements to achieve the end result.

Overall, having this experience opened my eyes (no pun intended) to the way design can impact every corner of our world by being ‘borderless’ and sharing a universal language.

This is why heading into my presidency with SEGD, I’m using the slogan Free Your Design, because when we can create without borders and constraints, we can create awesomeness and happiness for our clients and audiences.

OEG Goes Back to School

2018 is an exciting year for our continued commitment of inspiring the next generation of designers and branders with both Bryan and Steven lending their influence and expertise at top-notch universities.

Bryan will be a “Professor in Residence” at Seton Hall University where he’ll be teaching a course starting 1/17 on Digital Engagement in Physical Spaces.

“I want students to develop a different perception on how interactive and visual media can be used in physical spaces as a storytelling platform,” said Meszaros. “We often don’t think of digital media as physical design element. My goal is to change that thinking and provide students with the understanding of how to apply their design skills to create these unique experiences.”

Course Content:
Digital Engagement in Physical Spaces aims to teach students to think about the context of different environments such as museums, retail stores, entertainment facilities, and corporate theatre.

Students will learn how to design dynamic 3D spaces that engage audiences providing new layers that enrich their experience. Students will be taught how to analyze and how to use critical thinking to evaluate interior and exterior spaces and how to improve upon them. Students will observe the use of visual and interactive technologies in a given space and measure human interaction. Storyboarding is an important component of this course. Visual, motion and interactive applications will be integrated into each project in the creation of dynamic environments.

Steven will be an Adjunct Instructor of Branding and Marketing Theory at Drexel University for their Digital Marketing Certificate Program, which starts January 16 at their Philadelphia campus.

If you’re interested in how our branding and experiential design expertise can transform your brand or organization, don’t hesitate to contact us today.

Digital Signage Expo 2019 Recap

Back from Digital Signage Expo (#DSE2019), and we’re still glowing. Between all the great conversations, the awe-inspiring tech we saw, and hanging out with old and new friends, once again, we are amazed at the progress the industry is making and we’re proud to be such an integral part.

How so you might ask?

For starters, upon entering the show floor, once again you’re greeted by the creative we did for the entryway. This year, we’re especially excited at the partnership we have with Peerless, Brightsign, and Samsung, and how well it was received as it was certainly a first and lasting impression.

Once inside, you couldn’t help but hear all the chatter about our Madame Tussauds Las Vegas Hangover Bar Experience we created with NEC and Avery Dennison.

Here’s what Doug, our creative lead had to say about the Madame Tussauds Experience we created for the NEC booth:

Curious as to what is powering this awesome experience? Check out our friends from Avery Dennison & NEC giving some insights.

Our CEO & Founder Bryan Meszaros was also the moderator for the SEGD Branded Environments event, which covered topics on how design and technology are truly shaping physical spaces and how we engage and interact with them as well as being instrumental in putting together the DSE Content Workshop, which had close to 50 attendees and a handful of great speakers and panelists.

And if you didn’t hear, we launched our latest ebook during #DSE2019, the A to Z Guide to Digital Experiences in Physical Environments. You can grab your FREE copy by clicking the link below.

Download your FREE copy here: CLICK HERE

Until next year, peace out #DSE2019!

(video credit: Digital Signage Federation)

A Designers Role in AV

Last week (August 1, 2019) our CEO & Founder Bryan Meszaros shared the stage inside Citi Field, (home of the NY Mets) and shared his insights, expertise, and knowledge for the #AVITSummit, where he explored what the designers’ role in AV really should be.

With #AVTweeps being as strong and engaged as it is, we decided to take a collaborative approach to how we curate content for the presentation and dive into 4 main areas.

Our ultimate goal? Understand how collaboration could occur between design agencies (like ourselves) and AV Integrators.

Leveraging Twitter, we decided to ‘poll our audience’ to help us pave the way.

Here’s what you said…

It also goes without saying that having this opportunity is a HUGE honor and it couldn’t have happened without all the hard work from Megan Dutta from SCN Magazine.

Want to learn more about our framework? Download our latest A-Z Guide to successfully installing digital experiences in physical environments.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD 

How the Built Environment is Keeping Pace with the Digital World

From a historic building, a collegiate campus, an airport, a tourist town or hotel resort that spreads across expansive acreage, most every entity wants to capture, direct and/or engage their occupants, visitors and consumers. As technology continues to shape both the people, industries, and infrastructure we live within—augmenting processes, streamlining activities, and integrating innovations to achieve new heights—the built environment must renovate and reimagine itself to keep pace with the modern digital climate.

Founded in 2011, W&CO is a digital design and development studio based in New York City, that specializes in strategy, interface design, development and innovation for mobile and web platforms. With a concentrated focus on digital integration within the built environment and leveraging technologies like Digital Wayfinding, Map Design, UI/UX, Interactive Design, Development, Content Management Systems, Cross-Platform Development, e-commerce, Javascript and more, W&CO has enabled digital strategies for a wide range of clients, including the Civic, Education & Non-Profit, Hospitality and Technology sectors.

On this episode of Experience By Design, W&CO Principal, Vijay Mathews, joins Bryan Meszaros to discuss the emerging trends that will have a long-term impact on the experience factor, the rise of technology adoption during the pandemic, the pros and cons of data collection and analytics, and provides insights to unlocking engagement in a contactless world.

“There needs to be a real understanding and use case for those technologies, especially in an environment or in the workspace where these are heavily used—oftentimes, daily used—applications,” explained Matthews. “So, the last thing you want to do is push forward a technology that has a large or highly advanced learning curve that could potentially be a barrier for many people to use and to access. So that’s always the one thing we try to balance.”

Join host Bryan Meszaros on Experience by Design every other Wednesday as he explores the latest trends and solutions helping craft the world’s most intriguing experiences.