Regional Airport Draws Attention and Ad Revenues with Daisy-Chained ViewSonic Direct View LED Displays

Aug 9, 2023

SOLUTION BRIEF

Regional Airport Draws Attention and Ad Revenues with Daisy-Chained ViewSonic Direct View LED Displays

Contrary to common belief, US airports are not funded by local tax dollars. In fact, they are required to be self-sustaining and are primarily funded through a variety of passenger and tenant fees as well as the sales of food and goods at the airport.

During the pandemic, revenues at all types of US commercial airports fell. The CEO at one regional airport sought to ameliorate this challenge, along with addressing other business needs, by installing updated digital signage. Included in his goals were to increase revenue from all types of advertising, to increase guest spending at in-airport retailers, and to enhance both passenger satisfaction and the overall image of the airport.

As with most public commercial airports, this one was an early adopter of digital signage, and used traditional commercial-grade LCD displays to provide live ﬂight information and interactive wayﬁnding. Several 55-inch LCD displays showcased advertising from local retailers – all of which had been purchased several years ago. While still functional, they seemed small and outdated to the airport CEO, who had been noticing more modern-looking digital displays.

This CEO asked his IT director to investigate the technology behind the thin, massive displays he had begun seeing in select retail locations and huge airport hubs. Their AV integrator said that this cutting-edge digital signage technology was called Direct View LED, and that the newest type was thinner and more durable than ever. Made up of many smaller LED panels, this technology was simpler, easier, and less costly to maintain than traditional LED and LCD displays. Together they reviewed solutions offered by the major display brands. Ultimately both recognized ViewSonic as the manufacturer

with the best price and support for Direct View LED displays using the new Chip-on-Board (COB) LED technology.

The CEO loved the slim and vibrant look of the display, along with the ability to compartmentalize the space to display content from several sources. He was further swayed by the solutions’ low-maintenance proﬁle and the ability for airport staff to replace LED panels, if needed, rather than requiring the services of a third party – which would be less efficient and more costly. Instead of moving an entire display around for maintenance, the hot-swappable front LED modules allow staff to change any defective piece. An included vacuum maintenance tool uses suction to easily remove and replace LED modules. The ability to service the display quickly and without having to remove it from the wall would mean less disruption to passengers.

Additionally, he learned that the most current version of the technology, called COB, was more durable than earlier generations. With an ingress protection rating of IP54, the ViewSonic^® Direct View LED displays were protected against contamination from dust and other particles and would not be harmed by liquid spills or sprays. These latest ViewSonic Direct View LED displays would also provide more protection against accidental impact. This was an important factor for installation in a space ﬁlled daily with bustling crowds loaded down with suitcases and bags while gripping coffee and water bottles.

For his part, the IT director was pleased to learn that the displays included device management software that would enable him to remotely manage all aspects of the device. With a monthly subscription to myViewBoard^® Manager Advanced, he would be further able to control and schedule the multimedia content.

Nonetheless, the project almost stalled when ViewSonic’s largest available Direct View LED, at 216-inches, was too small for the area the CEO wanted to use – a long hallway that connected the terminals with the retail services space. With a call to his ViewSonic rep, the AV integrator had the answer: daisy-chain two 163” displays for an impressive 23.7 feet of brilliant, virtually frameless image.

Based on this solution, they ultimately decided to purchase two 163” 4K UHD all-in-one Direct View LED displays. Installation was completed in less than a day, with minimal disruption to passersby. The resulting display was beyond stunning, and according to the IT director, the CEO has been thrilled with the performance. To date, there has been virtually zero downtime in the 24/7 schedule. Airport retailers and local businesses are running ads, and the massive display caught the eye of a well-known local blogger passing by, who mentioned it in glowing terms in a post.

Ultimately, the airport CEO is quite satisﬁed with his investment in the huge display hallway, as he likes to call it. The images are consistently vibrant and stunning, and the super-slim proﬁ le skims the wall, giving it an ultramodern look. Not only has it brought in new and increased ad revenue, it achieved the goal of raising the proﬁ le of the airport. Passersby comment on it constantly, and the CEO has received calls from numerous local businesses interested in the technology. He is conﬁ dent that over the next year he will recoup the investment in ad revenue.