DSA President Stu Armstrong answers questions about the newly merged DSA, its benefits for members and the industry and its priorities moving forward.

What were the reasons for the merge and how will it benefit members of both groups?

Great question, since it goes to the heart of why an association deserves to exist in the first place. In my opinion, it distills down to a core reason – to serve its membership, and therefore the industry, with activities that advance the betterment and sustainability of the industry. In other words, to help members grow their businesses more efficiently with solutions that are more effective. This is particularly critical when you have an emerging high-potential industry such as digital screenmedia.

Look around in this digitally enabled world; media is consumed in ways never before considered by marketers. End-users that range from brands, advertisers, retailers and all sorts of various public venues are looking at more effective ways to engage their desired audience: the shopper, the commuter, the patient, the sports spectator and the staff employee. Without exception, digital screenmedia technologies are becoming ever-present in our lives and, therefore, play an increasingly important role in their marketers and/or enterprise’s solutions. In many cases, it is the integration of these technologies (digital signage, interactive and self-service kiosks and mobile applications) that have tremendous appeal. It is no surprise that product and service companies within the screenmedia industry are fashioning their offerings to meet this rapidly emerging buyer need. This was apparent within the Digital Signage Association and the Self-Service &Kiosk Association prior to the merger, in that 207 companies had dual memberships. With the formation of the Digital Screenmedia Association, we aim to pave the way with education, advocacy and networking activities that make it easier for our member companies to be enormously successful. For example, being the industry association, we have become the leading forum for end-users. Just to name a few, our roster of over 322 end user members includes Lowe’s, BMW, Staples, Best Buy, Target, Six Flags, Bank of America, IKEA, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy and American Airlines, plus numerous universities and state and city government groups. What a unique opportunity to share and learn from the ultimate users and buyers.

In announcing the merge, the DSA stated it aims to serve users, deployers, vendors, integrators, agencies and network operators in all areas of digital technology applied to audience engagement, including mobile services. What’s at the top of the list moving forward?

We have a large number of member companies that had signed up to the Self-Service & Kiosk Association and the Digital Signage Association due to the fact that they are selling or buying technologies in these areas. In a very short few years, the strategies necessary to build and operate effective networks of digital signage and kiosks have merged tools, technologies and techniques. So it is our first priority to continue our programs and deliver a higher level of value to those two groups. With that said, the other leg of the DSA stool is mobile media applications, which are becoming ubiquitous quickly with 300-percent increase over the last three years in those who have and use smart phones daily in the U.S. If you think about it, a handheld smart phone is actually a personal interactive digital kiosk.

Mobile-marketing applications from SMS and Interactive Voice Response to near-field technologies such as Bluetooth and smart phone apps are quickly becoming second nature for many people. The DSA already has many members who are involved in this wave of innovation, such as Motorola, IBM, Intel, AT&T Mobility, Walsh Wireless, Samsung, Sprint Nextel Corporation, Symon Communications and Cisco. So in the upcoming months you will hear of some significant programs around mobile and its integration with kiosks and digital signage media applications.

What are some challenges around melding two important associations and forming a singular strategy?

I am pleased to say that there have been no tough challenges around chemistry or disagreement around cited objectives or goals of the newly formed DSA. From the first meeting through the merger there has been an enthusiastic rally around the Digital Screenmedia Association and its seven-point objectives:

1. To be the unified voice of the members for the betterment of the industry
2. To promote effective uses of digital screenmedia solutions
3. To increase public acceptance of digital screenmedia solutions
4. To educate members and the industry at large
5. To help user/deployers find solutions to their problems and improve ROI
6. To create market awareness of vendor members and provide them with business opportunities, contacts and resources
7. To help members operate their businesses more profitably with growth and diminished risk and cost

We literally have more than 10 initiatives in progress right now, with dozens of member companies participating in task forces and committees that are moving programs ahead and generating value for the members and the collective industry as a whole. And all of this continued concurrently as the merger was completed, a new association name adopted and our 501(c)6 not-for-profit status was secured. As president of the DSA, I am very proud to be part of such a smart, inspired and great group of people.