About

Music City Center is the most technologically advanced convention center in the country, but the traditional static wayfinding signage did not represent this. Systems Innovation partnered with MCC to elevate the environment to a dynamic, interactive experience for guests. A secondary goal was to develop a new revenue stream with the capability of offering advertising throughout the center. Partnering with 22 Miles enabled a level of customization and interactivity not available from traditional, off-the-shelf signage software.

Challenges

The number-one problem was integrating digital technology into an infrastructure originally designed for static communication – fitting the digital components into the existing architectural structure so the technology looked like part of the original design and not an afterthought.

This created two main complications:

• Customized design – because the building architect desired an aesthetically pleasing project and the existing infrastructure had to be reused, the projects required carefully engineered substructures to integrate the new technology – the digital signage often weighed more than the prior static sign and required careful product selections.
• Customized software – traditional, off-the-shelf digital signage software did not have the capabilities needed to accommodate the unique signage shapes and uncommon aspect ratios. This required custom modules to be programmed by our partner 22 Miles.

Solutions

Extreme customization was key to this successful project.

Systems Innovation utilized non-standard materials, such as architecturally fabricated metal and extruded aluminum framing, to create custom substructures that are adjustable, can handle the weight and support requirements of the LED screens, and seamlessly integrate the new digital displays into the existing environment.

Systems Innovation partnered with 22 Miles to create a user-friendly, dynamic platform for content. During the process, it was discovered that the off-the-shelf software would not work because it was not built to handle the multiple unique shapes and aspect ratios. 22 Miles had to completely reconfigure the software, resulting in a system that achieved a new level of dynamic display that was still user-friendly and wouldn’t require complex technical knowledge to operate.

MCC now has their own private media network.

Results

The feedback received from MCC has been remarkable. By offering a targeted communication strategy with dedicated signage locations, exhibitors have seen a 50 percent increase in attendee engagement. The digital signage package Systems Innovation installed at MCC has given them more differentiators to go after larger conferences and has added to the amazing facility’s reputation. As a result, revenue generated from the digital signage will pay for itself in less than two years.