Interactive Display? Show Me the Money!!!

I don't usually refer other blogs or articles, but I read one (link below) that I thought was so on-point, I had to talk about it.  

It would appear that “Interactive” has too often become a euphemism for “silly, game/entertainment related touch-screen based display”.  

Lots of people will tell you “Interactive needs to be engaging.”  That is very true, but it is also very much a potential trap, because “engaging” is a subjective term.  It would appear that implementers of so much "interactive" seem to lose sight of a bottom-line business imperative: making money.  I know, that sounds so crass, so unimaginative.  Well, it’s really important to the people who pay for this stuff.

Interactive DOOH has got to “grow up” as the author of the article below says, and prove it’s money making, ROI-producing chops.  It is the key to getting a lot more business in the future for yourself and for your client.  It's not just about the coolness of the hardware, or the coolness or "fun" of the design concept, it's about how does this make the client money?  Just because you lured a few people into playing your stupid game, or dancing, does NOT mean you succeeded at any type of business objective.  Getting people to play games on your window has NOTHING to do with making a profit.  And your clients will not continue to pay for "Interactive" that does not in any way lead to profit.

Any Interactive display on or in a business should be somehow directly related to getting that person or the people watching to BUY SOME PRODUCT!  As a direct marketer for my entire professional career, I can tell you:  Clients will not continue to purchase something which they do not believe somehow leads to them making more money.  ROI is the driving force, today more than ever.  When DOOH (and especially, Interactive) demonstrates that ability clearly and consistently, we win the game. (And make more money.)


Flat-out, plain and simple, “SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!”

Article URL:  http://www.digitalooh.biz/2011/11/14/digital-ooh-needs-to-grow-up-now/