Product News | October 11, 2021

Why digital wayfinding signage is better for your business

We all know the feeling of walking into a large building and having no idea where to go. Roaming through hallways, taking wrong turns or trying to find someone to show you the way can be an absolute nightmare.

Luckily, this doesn’t stop people from exploring new places. In fact, people spend 70% of their time away from home. To make the journey more exciting, digital wayfinding signage is the way to go.

Show instead of tell

Digital Wayfinding — Adding mobile to the mix makes it even easier to navigate locations. With QR codes, apps and websites, maps and instructions can be sent straight to smartphones so people don’t have to look for another kiosk if they need more information.

With smartphones, tablets and laptops, it is now easier than ever for people to explore their surroundings. And while Google maps and online directories are useful tools, they’re only one piece of the wayfinding puzzle. Digital wayfinding solutions dig deeper to provide people with customized, up-to-date, interactive information.

Beyond what their static ‘you are here’ ancestors can provide, digital touchscreen kiosks and interactive screens show users tailored instructions on how to reach their destination. With highlighted paths and 3D maps, visitors can visualize exactly what route they are going to take.

Better your screens, better your business

Unlike static, digital allows businesses to collect data about user behavior based on searches and clicks. This lets businesses review, monitor and analyze the effectiveness of their digital directory.

Places with high foot traffic can benefit from knowing what stores and services are searched for more often, helping build strategies to make shops more visible and easier to find. The information gained from analytics can help businesses understand what content works and what doesn’t.

User data can help businesses like malls, airports and museums grow and improve their offerings. Search volume can be used to determine which new shops or added services will be most interesting to customers.

And while digital wayfinding signage is a great way to increase customer satisfaction, it is also a useful tool for internal communications. “Building managers and HR personnel can use kiosks and real-time data to better the work environment,” explained Jérôme Hérard, founding partner at ViaDirect, a global leader in digital wayfinding solutions. “With the recent popularity in flexible working conditions, desk sharing and coworking spaces, having a digital system in place to keep everyone informed is essential.”

Update content on the fly

Printed maps and static signs can quickly become outdated, seeing as offices reorganize, exhibits change and shops relocate on a regular basis. Digital wayfinding solutions makes these changes a breeze. With the ability to update maps and directories in minutes, maps are kept up-to-date without having to spend hundreds if not thousands on printing and installing static posters.

Digital screens also have the added ability to display non-wayfinding content. When no one is actively looking for directions, screens can display current weather, event schedules, local news and other interesting content. Locations can also make extra revenue by displaying advertisements on the screen.
Businesses can also add to the user experience by getting creative with their screens’ messages and colors to present an exciting brand identity. Personalized content and wayfinding features leave a positive impression on a user.

Digital wayfinding signage is the perfect solution for businesses to enhance their consumer experience and an easy way to manage and update content.

Product News | October 11, 2021

Cotswold Outdoor Group Expands Retail Media Strategy to In-Store with Broadsign and IUF

Exterior view of a Cotswold Outdoor store in a shopping centre, featuring a large digital display in the storefront showing an outdoor campaign.

Collaboration delivers scalable display network infrastructure, creating new omnichannel opportunities for advertisers and driving measurable results

MONTREAL – (October 6, 2026) – Retail media technology provider Broadsign and in-store media integrator IUF announced a collaboration with UK retailer, Cotswold Outdoor Group, to expand its retail media network (RMN) with a new scalable in-store advertising infrastructure. The upgrade provides a unified workflow that streamlines media planning, management, and measurement in-store and across onsite and offsite channels. It enables Cotswold’s brand partners to seamlessly execute omnichannel ad campaigns that engage shoppers at the point of purchase and beyond.

Broadsign, Cotswold Outdoor Group, and IUF designed the network with long-term growth in mind. It presently includes 149 till, shelf, totem, large format, and front-of-store displays across 23 stores, which are powered by the Broadsign Platform (specifically the Broadsign CMS and Ad Server) and support a range of media.

The Broadsign Platform is helping to streamline operations and centralize content management and network health monitoring. The technology is also advancing screen monetization opportunities by scheduling ads, automating yield, and balancing complex campaign rules to help Cotswold Outdoor Group capture optimal revenue. With IUF’s ongoing deployment and support, the infrastructure allows the retailer to manage and scale in-store media operations efficiently while maintaining a reliable shopper and advertiser experience.

Through Broadsign’s omnichannel integration with Zitcha, Cotswold Outdoor Group’s retail media platform, brand partners, and agencies can easily extend omnichannel strategies into the physical store environment. The network is already delivering measurable results for participating brands, like HOKA, ASICS, and Nike. Most recently, a targeted HOKA campaign combining onsite and in-store media placements delivered a 13 percent lift in units sold per store, demonstrating the value of reaching shoppers at multiple touchpoints on the path to purchase.

In-store shoe display featuring running footwear from HOKA, ASICS, New Balance and other brands, with a digital screen showing a HOKA advertising campaign.

“At Cotswold Outdoor Group, we’re passionate about helping people get closer to the outdoors — and that starts with creating inspiring moments. Our brand partners are a big part of that journey, and this collaboration with Broadsign and IUF offers a powerful new way to connect with our customers in-store, alongside our onsite and offsite media channels,” explained Mary Antieul, Head of Commercial, Cotswold Outdoor Group. “It means we can bring the right messages to shoppers at the right moment, with less friction for brands and a more connected experience for customers. The early results have been really encouraging, and we’re excited to build on that momentum as we expand the network and explore future programmatic opportunities.”

“Retail media is evolving fast, and partnering with IUF, we’ve delivered an in-store media infrastructure for Cotswold that can scale rapidly. Together, we’ve designed a network that makes it easy for its team to add, manage, control, and monetize new screens and integrate programmatic trading capabilities down the line,” explained Frank Vallenga, Vice President, Platform Sales, EMEA and SEA, Broadsign. “By leveraging our integration with Zitcha, Cotswold has been able to connect audiences across their various retail media channels, which is a challenge many retailers have yet to solve.”

“This project went from tender to a live network generating revenue within twelve weeks which demonstrates the expertise of all of the technical partners involved,” said Josh Bunce, CEO, IUF. “Together we were able to deliver a cohesive customer journey so that Cotswold Outdoor Group can maximize its in-store retail proposition today but also ensure that it can scale easily into the future. The in-store channel is proving to be a competitive differentiator when advertisers start mapping out budgets with brands already seeing impressive results from the in-store activations.”

About Broadsign

Broadsign develops the leading global platform for managing and monetizing out-of-home (OOH) media. The company, which also operates Place Exchange by Broadsign, the largest independent SSP for Digital OOH, empowers media owners, media buyers, and retailers to harness the power and reach of out-of-home to connect with audiences in ways unlike any other advertising channel. More than 2.8 million static and digital signs along roadways and in airports, shopping malls, grocery and convenience stores, health clinics, transit systems, and more run on Broadsign.

About IUF

Making spaces perform, IUF is a leading technology solutions partner that delivers seamless, future-ready digital solutions across retail, stadiums, transport, DOOH, live events, attractions, workplaces and more. IUF designs, delivers and manages end-to-end digital signage, experiential and large-scale LED, transforming physical environments into intelligent, revenue-driving destinations. Founded in 2008 in Bristol UK, IUF is now active in over 30 countries.