Val Morgan, the largest cinema advertising provider across Australia and New Zealand, has installed Panasonic commercial plasmas to complement its Australian business with digital signage.
 
The company sells and markets screen advertising for around 1600 cinema screens in Australia, on behalf of Hoyts, Greater Union, Birch, Carroll and Coyle, Village, Reading and leading independent cinema operators.
 
Paul Butler, Marketing Director, Val Morgan, said: "We co-ordinate campaigns through the network of cinema screens right across the country, tailored to the customer's demographic requirements. We are also able to supplement this with in-foyer activities such as promotional events."
 
The company has rolled-out 300 50-inch Plasma panels to provide digital signage across key metropolitan multiplex locations.  The Val Morgan branded panels now allow advertisers to supplement in-cinema brand advertising with tactical messaging that can be updated regularly.
 
Paul Butler explained: "Our advertisers use the plasma screens to reach patrons in the foyer on entry and exit to the cinema. This provides a powerful complement to on-screen advertising and allows additional contact points with consumers and the ability to tailor messages to specific locations if so required."
 
The screens support Val Morgan's strategy of moving to a digital environment, with all panels linked across a network to a central server.  Information can be uploaded on demand and all locations can be monitored in real-time.  Each individual complex may run a different play list depending on the advertiser's requirements.
 
Paul Butler added: "The screens are networked to a central server so updating can be instantaneous – like a broadcast network. With this level of control the system is very flexible, messages can be tailored according to factors such as day of the week, which can be powerful for retail or FMCG categories."
 
The move to digital reduces costs and increases business responsiveness.  The backlit in-foyer light boxes previously used by the company incurred printing, transit and change-out costs each time they were updated.
 
The look of the advertising and the panels in the cinema venues was crucial to the roll out.  The look created focuses on contemporary, clean, striking and well-produced visuals in portrait style.  The screens were chosen and installed to match this as well as being sympathetic to the modern fit out of today's multiplex locations.
 
"The commercial plasmas were a cost-effective digital signage solution and we chose Panasonic because of their reputation for reliability and quality.  This is important as the screens can be running from 10am until around midnight.  We also needed a good High Definition image, which the 50-inch panels provide."
 
Mark Deere-Jones, Director, Business Systems Group, Panasonic Australia, said: "Val Morgan's innovative business strategy demonstrates how digital signage can be harnessed as a powerful and flexible advertising medium, increasing revenues for the provider and the customer."