The document summarizes interviews with the top 10 digital signage players in Japan. Key takeaways include: 1) Digital signage is expected to grow in 2013 while DOOH is not expected to improve. 2) Some players feel Japan's digital signage market is lagging globally but others feel it has matured. 3) A scoop revealed that PDC plans to open an office in the US in April 2013 in an effort to become a global player.

1. FEBRUARY
2013
DIGITAL SIGNAGE 360:
A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
The Key Digital Signage Players in Japan
and Their Thoughts on the Market
February 26, 2013
Neil van Wouw, CEO, Vanten K.K.
mail: neil@vanten.com
twitter: @vanwouw
www.digitalsignageexpo.net
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2. image by Kirstin Hallett
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3. $1 Million
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4. Roadmap
• Methodology
• Top 10 players
• What they said
• Bonus Scoop!
• Key Take Aways
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5. Methodology
• Interviewed 9 people
• Got them all at start of 2013
• Asked them same 4 questions
1. What is current state of DS?
2. Key happening in 2012?
3. What do you expect for 2013?
4. What are you doing in 2013?
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6. The Top 10
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7. Vendor Service End-User Advisor
. n s
re re rov t i o ion t c. S up ing
a a a t en Lo D ro ult
dw w . P eg r era t H e r G
ar ft rv t p
n
on Ow DO Oth Ind
O . ns
H So Se In O C Co
Eguchi, DSC
Hitachi
JR
MCF
Mori
Newphoria
Pas, JPVA
PDC
Scala
Vanten
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8. Vendor Service End-User Advisor
various
Industry
segments
. n s
re re rov t i o ion t c. S up ing
a a a t en Lo D ro ult
dw w . P eg r era t H e r G
ar ft rv t p
n
on Ow DO Oth Ind
O . ns
H So Se In O C Co
Eguchi, DSC
Hitachi
JR
MCF
Mori
Newphoria
Pas, JPVA
PDC
Scala
Vanten
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9. DOOH
Vendor Service End-User Advisor
vs
non-media re re ov
. n
i o ion
s
c. S up ing
DS a r t t D ro ult
dw w
a a
. P eg r era
t
t en Lo H e r G
ar ft rv t p
n
on Ow DO Oth Ind
O . ns
H So Se In O C Co
Eguchi, DSC
Hitachi
JR
MCF
Mori
Newphoria
Pas, JPVA
PDC
Scala
Vanten
9

10. Vendor Service End-User Advisor
Key
Industry
Groups
. n s
re re rov t i o ion t c. S up ing
a a a t en Lo D ro ult
dw w . P eg r era t H e r G
ar ft rv t p
n
on Ow DO Oth Ind
O . ns
H So Se In O C Co
Eguchi, DSC
Hitachi
JR
MCF
Mori
Newphoria
Pas, JPVA
PDC
Scala
Vanten
10

11. 01 Digital Media Consultant
Digital Signage Consortium
江口
Yasuji Eguchi
Industry
"Customers don't think ‘I want to buy Group
DS’ . They think ‘I want to increase
sales’, etc. Customers don't want to
know what a system does, they want to
know what it does for them."
Who: Digital Media Consultant specializing in Digital Signage;
co-founder and administrator for Digital Signage Consortium.
What: Consortium of 116 companies with a mission to tackle
industry challenges and expand the market, and increase value
of signage experience in daily life.
2013: Working more with clients who want a digital media
bundle: smart phones, tablets, web, all together with DS.
Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Dig
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12. 02 Hitachi 榎堀
Takeshi Enokibori
Camel Fact
“2 years ago everyone was shooting for Hitachi was top
a $10B market by 2015, but now Scala partner in
expectations have scaled back. Maybe 2011.
DS was too focused on Ad business.”
Who: $100B Rev, 38th on Global Fortune 500. System
Integration subsidiary has media services group doing Digital
Signage. Hitachi is a major Scala partner.
What: Primarily an integrator deliver signage solutions for
customers, but more and more also helping with operations
and even content.
2013: Big push into Energy Mgmt System (EMS) solutions.
Visualize how much customers are using... and saving. Also
show this to the public as part of their CSR initiatives.
Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Dig
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13. 03 JEKI 山本
Takashi Yamamoto
“Signage doesn't make money, locations Camel Fact
make money. so adding value to the Shinjuku is #1
busiest station. 3.6M
location works. ...transportation (trains)
per day. 1.3B per yr.
now pulling DS along in Japan”
Who: Marketing and communications subsidiary of Japan Rail
(Jeki). Japan has 81 of 100 busiest trains stations world-wide,
including all top 23.
What: Digital signage in trains and stations since 2002. Digital
just passed revenue for hanging posters in trains in 2012.
DOOH revenues now $53M on network of 20,000 displays.
2013: Will deploy DOOH in Shinjuku Station finally. Will be
looking at next areas of expansion including LED signs replacing
platform billboards. First one is in trial now in Ebisu.
Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Dig
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14. 04 Media Contents
Factory 毛塚
Makito Kezuka - CEO
"a few years ago people considered Cool Fact
MediTouch iPad
whether to use DS, now they just App helps doctors
do... DOOH media in Japan is going talk to their patients!
the way of niche media."
Who: Niche DOOH at 800 medical locations, mostly clinics
and hospitals. Aggregated Ad sales with other medical DOOH.
What: Paid by locations as well as selling Ads. Also selling an
App MediTouch into hospitals for doctors to help explain to
patients (Free App, but licence content), and making web sites
for clinics and hospitals.
2013: Continue steady expansion of 100 locations / yr. Become
even more relevant to the niche.
Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Dig
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15. 05 Mori Building
井上
Saaya Inoue - Town Mgmt Dept
“DS content is expensive... needs to be Camel Fact
In ’92, founder
made for different displays. There’s got
Taikichiro Mori was
to be another way... seems to be lot more
world’s richest man
content being made (more cheaply) for
web and smart phones.”
Who: Real estate developer with 107 properties in Japan and
China. Flagship developments include Roppongi Hills in Tokyo
and Shanghai World Financial Center, tallest building in China.
What: Signage since 2003, when built Roppongi Hills to
include 250 displays across 30 content channels. Now have
additional 300 displays, 30 channels at 7 more locations.
2013: Renewal of Roppongi Hills signage brings interesting
challenges. ’03 Tech, 4:3 displays are embedded in elevators.
Considering implications of tech choices for next 10 years.
Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Dig
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16. 06 Newphoria 角井
Joji Tsunoi
“It’s time for digital signage to spread Cool Fact
First Japanese
into outlying regions, not just the key
content company to
hub locations. These places should use a
focus on DS content!
more simple signage solution at first.”
Who: Digital media content specialist supporting customers
with content solutions for web, mobile and signage.
What: DS contents that are easy to use for signage networks.
Work together with lots of SPs, content holders as well as
original content. Quality contents from reliable, stable partners.
2013: Multi-device content and HTML 5. Make content that
really helps out the customers, and keep doing it all in a way
that works for best for them.
Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Dig
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17. 07 Pas Communications
Japan Public Viewing Assoc
星野
Mutsuo Hoshino - CEO
“We all stopped DOOH after the 3.11 Camel Fact
Shibuya crossing
earthquake. This was a big mistake ...we
has 500k people
need to make a universal standard for crossing each day.
disaster reporting communication”
Who: Biggest Ad rep for DOOH billboards. Founder of Japan
Public Viewing Association for owners of DOOH billboards.
What: Run several of highest revenue DOOH billboards in
Japan (including at Shibuya crossing), and biggest aggregate
media buyer for DOOH billboards.
2013: Increase integration of DOOH billboards with other
Digital media and technology.
Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Dig
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18. 08 PDC 牧野
Craig Makino - Director
Cool Fact
“From a global perspective we have PDC did the
hardware, but nobody is trying to go Acure touch screen
outside of Japan... also lack of global vending machines!
players... small footprint for Samsung,
LG. Japan is still a Galapagos.”
Who: 1st Digital Signage integrator in Japan, corporate spinout
from Panasonic.
What: Have done more high end showcase locations than any
other player in the market, including Roppongi Hills, Roppongi
Mid-Town, Tokyo Skytree.
2013: Are going to be the first Japanese signage company to
open an office(wait for it....) view to becoming global player.
??????? in the US with
Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Dig
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19. 09 Scala Japan プルー
Guillaume Proux - CEO
“clear trend to even cheaper h/w Cool Fact
Mr. Proux is
running systems other than windows, for
not afraid to jump
example Android. we think this trend will into some coding.
drive up volumes significantly.”
Who: Tokyo office and asia hub of global digital signage
software vendor.
What: Sales and marketing of Scala software in Japan and
other East Asian countries.
2013: Continue to get closer to the customer. Moving to no
longer just providing content solution, but helping the efficiency
of the business through DS, and bringing more tech partners.
Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Dig
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20. 10 Vanten K.K. 新留
Neil van Wouw - CEO
“Digital Signage in Japan has taken a Camel Fact
Turned down
few hits, but it keeps on growing and
chance to pick up
maturing. The shift towards ‘Digital’ in World Cup for this!
all things media can’t be stopped.”
Who: One of very few independent companies in Japan,
focused on Digital Signage and offering a full range of services.
What: Providing cloud based PaaS / SaaS services with own
platform, EngageMeda. Also supporting customers with
content, operations and Ad sales.
2013: Extending EngageMedia platform to support low end
devices running Android. Add partners to broaden base of
signage solutions available to customers.
Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Dig
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21. What They Said
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22. Japan Market Now (DS)
1. Lagging... Galapagos?
2. Waiting & Watching
3. Accepted & increasing
4. Cheaper, smaller
5. Experience counts
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23. Japan Market Now (DOOH)
1. No one has succeeded...
2. Except JR and transportation.
3. LED and Cinema don’t count.
4. Not acknowledged as a media.
5. Downhill since Lehman.
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24. DS last year (2012)
1. Landmark deployments
2. Multi-screen
3. Even cheaper, smaller
4. 3.11 & 1 Cho dream
5. Lost buzz but grew up
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25. DOOH last year (2012)
1. Lost a few players
2.Revenues down
3.Transportation made it
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26. Outlook this year (2013)
1. One source multi-use content
2. Economy is looking better
3. Smart TV and HTML 5
4. Mobile eating DS budget
5. No new DOOH in sight
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27. The Bonus Scoop
(you read it hear first)
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28. 08 PDC 牧野
Craig Makino - Director
Cool Fact
“From a global perspective we have PDC did the
SCOOP!
hardware, but nobody is trying to go
outside of Japan... also lack of global
players... small footprint for Samsung,
LG. Japan is still a Galapagos.”
Acure touch screen
vending machines!
Who: 1st Digital Signage integrator in Japan, corporate spinout
from Panasonic.
opening
What: Have done more high end showcase locations than any
other player in the market, including Roppongi Hills, Roppongi
April
Mid-Town, Tokyo Skytree.
2013
2013: Are going to be the first Japanese signage company to
open an office in the US with view to becoming global player.
Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Digital Signage Trading Cards・Dig
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29. Key Take Aways
1. DS doing well considering
2. DS should grow in 2013
3. DOOH not doing well
4. Some experienced players
5. Presentation at: bit.ly/DS360
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30. FEBRUARY
2013
Thank You!
Neil van Wouw, CEO, Vanten K.K.
mail: neil@vanten.com
twitter: @vanwouw
Get this presentation
on Slideshare at: bit.ly/DS360
www.digitalsignageexpo.net
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