Clear Channel Shrinks Dimensions, Power, Costs Of Digital Signage

Clear Channel Outdoor is testing a new technology that allows users to shrink outdoor digital signage to a fraction of the width, weight, and power consumption of existing electronic systems, according to Paul Meyer, CEO of Clear Channel Outdoor's global operations. The new technology, Magink, was developed by an Israeli company of the same name--and is currently being tested in a few locations in Europe by Clear Channel Outdoor and European competitor JCDecaux, Meyer said.

In Magink's system, which Meyer described as "revolutionary," small plastic tiles are smeared with a specially formulated paste containing helix-shaped molecules one micron long. When exposed to an electrical charge, these molecules move in regular, predictable patterns--which can be calibrated to respond precisely to different wavelengths of light, forming colors and shapes. By varying the electrical input, the molecules can then be rearranged to form different images.

Magink's image resolution and brightness are comparable to traditional vinyl posters--but the Magink displays can be changed to display myriad images. What's more, once it appears, each new image does not require a continuous power supply to be visible; it will remain until another electrical charge substitutes a new image. Each display can be "re-imaged" about 70 times a second, implying a potential capacity for video-like animation, although this application is still theoretical.

advertisement

advertisement

This seems to solve several major problems--preventing more widespread penetration of electronic signage in the U.S., according to Meyer. For one thing, the weight of existing LED-based signs is a major obstacle to installing them on the sides of some buildings for simple reasons of structural integrity. Meanwhile, the large amount of electricity required for LED signs also makes them quite expensive--with cooling systems pushing consumption into hundreds of watts per square meter, by some estimates.

A 10-foot by 20-foot Magink display currently costs around $50,000 to install--about five times the cost of a conventional display, but far less than the $500,000 price tag of an equivalent LED screen. And once the display is up, it obviates further expenditure on paper, printing, and labor costs--yielding huge savings for advertisers and the proprietors of signage infrastructure.

Finally, Magink's image versatility is the Holy Grail of outdoor advertising, because it allows billboard owners like Clear Channel to "double up" ads on single displays, and to charge different rates for different day parts--for example with heavy commuting times fetching premium prices.

After its inception in Israel in 2000, Magink made its first major inroads into the U.S. market in July, 2003, when it acquired $27 million in expansion capital from VantagePoint Venture Partners, a venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley. Magink has also partnered with Mitsubishi to handle manufacturing responsibilities, counting on the firm's substantial experience installing similar displays in Japan, where they are already widespread.

Next story loading loading..