5 powerful applications of Digital Signage: are you getting the most out of it?

That doubt is justified. Because Digital Signage can do much more than simply display information. It can welcome visitors in their own corporate identity, help you respond to current events at lightning speed, strengthen your brand, highlight vacancies and serve multiple purposes at the same time. But if you do not know about these possibilities – or do not see concrete examples – Digital Signage often remains limited to basic use. And that is a waste of your investment.

We support organisations every day in making optimal use of Digital Signage. From congress centres to pharmacies, and from retail to professional services. What we see time and again: organisations start with one application, while there is often much more value to be gained once you dare to look more broadly.

In this article, you will discover:

• 5 powerful applications of Digital Signage, with concrete practical examples
• How organisations such as NBC Conference Centre, NS, Randstad and BENU strategically use their screens
• How you can combine multiple functions for maximum impact

After reading this article, you will know which applications are available, which deliver the most value and how to determine which forms of Digital Signage fit your organisation and objectives.

Applications overview

To give you an overview of what is possible, below you can see the most commonly used applications of Digital Signage and what they concretely deliver for organisations:

Which of these applications best suits your organisation? In the rest of this article, we explain them one by one with concrete examples.

Application 1: Welcoming guests in your (or their) corporate identity

Digital Signage is ideally suited to giving visitors a warm welcome. Not only in your own corporate identity, but especially in the corporate identity of your client or guest. Particularly at locations where different organisations come together every day, this makes a major difference to the experience.

If you manage a congress centre, event location or office building, you want visitors to immediately recognise themselves in their surroundings. Static wayfinding can hardly achieve this, but with Digital Signage you can create that experience: colours, logos and tone of voice can easily be adjusted without replacing physical signs. Within minutes, the location feels like the guest’s ‘home base’.

Practical example: NBC Conference Centre

NBC Conference Centre in Nieuwegein welcomes a wide range of clients every day. With Digital Signage, each organisation can welcome its guests in its own visual identity. Wayfinding, room names and announcements are fully adapted to the corporate identity of the event taking place at that moment.

The large LED pillars in the entrance and the stretched displays above the entrance doors are particularly striking. These screens immediately attract attention and ensure that visitors intuitively find their way. Even details such as digital toilet signs have been incorporated into the overall experience.

The result is a location that does not feel generic, but fully adapts to the identity of the client.

Application 2: Respond quickly to current events

One of the biggest advantages of Digital Signage compared to print is speed. Content can be adjusted in real time, allowing you to respond immediately to changes.

Think of price changes, temporary promotions, seasonal products or current events. Whereas this takes a lot of time and logistics with print, an adjustment in Digital Signage is often visible on all screens within minutes. This makes the medium particularly suitable for environments where the offering changes regularly.

Practical example: NS

At NS (Dutch Railways), Digital Signage is used in kiosks, Julia’s and lounges. The screens replace traditional menus and price lists. New products, temporary offers or seasonal items can be implemented centrally, without anything having to be physically changed at each location.

This provides not only speed, but also consistency. All locations display the same up-to-date information, making outdated menus a thing of the past. The screens adapt to the moment, which improves both efficiency and the guest experience.

Application 3: Strengthen your brand and highlight vacancies

Digital Signage is more than an information tool. It is also a powerful instrument for strengthening your brand and increasing your visibility as an employer. Especially in a tight labour market, it is important to reach potential candidates at multiple moments and locations.

Screens in shop windows and inside branches ensure that a brand story is communicated consistently. You can extend campaigns, give vacancies extra attention and at the same time show customers what your organisation stands for.

Practical example: Randstad

Randstad uses Digital Signage both in shop windows and inside its branches. Campaigns and brand messages are displayed in the windows, while there is also space inside for vacancies and internal communication. This creates one recognisable story that appeals to both customers and job seekers.

Because everything is centrally managed, the visual identity remains consistent. At the same time, there is room to display locally relevant content, so that the message matches the target audience of each branch.

Application 4: Inform customers at the point of purchase

Many purchasing decisions are only made once someone is already in the shop. This is exactly where Digital Signage can make a difference. By displaying relevant information at the right moment, you help customers make a choice. This can include product information, offers or additional information that builds trust. Especially in sectors where advice and information are important, this is a major added value.

Practical example: BENU Apotheken

At BENU Apotheken, hundreds of Digital Signage screens have been installed in branches throughout the Netherlands. These screens display a mix of health information, campaigns and current offers. The content is tailored to the season and to the questions customers have at that moment.

Central management ensures a consistent appearance, while local branches have room to add their own accents. This keeps communication both professional and personal.

Application 5: Combine multiple functions for maximum impact

The real power of Digital Signage becomes apparent when you combine multiple applications. Instead of using one screen for one purpose, you can use the same screens for wayfinding, branding, information and experience.

Practical example: NBC Congrescentrum

NBC shows how powerful this combination can be. Visitors are not only guided to the right room, but at the same time experience the client’s corporate identity and the look and feel of the event. Wayfinding, room booking and branding reinforce one another, while striking screen formats provide additional impact.

By combining functions, you make optimal use of Digital Signage and create a richer experience for visitors.

What these examples show is that Digital Signage has no fixed formula. The same technology is used by different organisations in completely different ways, depending on their objectives, target audience and environment. Success does not lie in the number of screens or the technology itself, but in the choices you make: which functions you combine, which content you display and when you display it. That is where the difference arises between “a screen on the wall” and a tool that genuinely contributes to experience, communication and results.

Get more out of Digital Signage through the right application

Digital Signage is only as powerful as the way you use it. You have seen how organisations use it to welcome visitors, respond quickly to current events, strengthen their brand, inform customers and combine multiple objectives.

Do you recognise the question you started with: am I really getting everything out of it? The practical examples show that the difference does not lie in the technology, but in the choices you make.

AVEX has been helping organisations for more than 35 years to use audiovisual solutions in ways that genuinely add value. Not only technically, but above all strategically: with attention to application, content and management.