From a digital signage network that began less than three years ago with three locations, this year the network is on track to reach 1,000 screens in more than 200 sites across five market verticals. Perhaps most unique, his digital signage network vision to create a single content platform and design strategy for vastly different ARAMARK business segments and consumer audiences is a working and thriving reality. For these reasons and others below, he was named DSA’s Industry Deployer of the Year for 2012.   

 

ARAMARK creates and provides content for its place-based digital network serving many of its client’s venues. It has staked a claim to creative digital signage deployments and engaging content, according to partner NEC Display Solutions.

Together with the ARAMARK digital signage technology team and partnering with business leaders in sports & entertainment, healthcare, higher education and more, his creative services team developed and implements research-driven menu design strategies that focuses on key menu options while reducing customer decision and wait times.

Partnered with the ARAMARK Digital Signage Technology Team, Yunis and lead designer Steve Willison have optimized content development to achieve deployments that are at or near the lowest cost points in the industry with highly effective operator support to provide consistent experiences and outcomes across the enterprise. Constantly learning and adapting, the ARAMARK DSN Team is working diligently to integrate other digital channels, and is now aiming their focus on implementing user-generated content with social and mobile media integration.     

 

While some food service organizations are focused on deploying menu boards to meet forthcoming FDA guidelines alone; partnering with enterprise colleagues, Yunis and his team are taking a more forward-looking and collaborative approach to communicating wellness. One example is leveraging digital displays and traditional P-O-P to better inform, highlight, educate and engage consumers on healthier food and beverage decision-making. In another case at a major children’s hospital on the East Coast, Yunis spearheaded the digital deployment of a food court, offering a variety of ethnic and other themed food stations. While not unique in and of itself, menu items on the digital signs are constantly being refreshed by the local managers -- keeping adult patrons apprised of daily changes in menu items and prices -- while integrating child-focused brand characters and identity.    

 

Constantly educating, designing, advocating, and ultimately implementing innovative cross channel digital solutions, the ARAMARK team focuses on connected experiences, connected environments and connected consumers all converging on the key objective of ever-better consumer experiences that drive demand and inspire active loyalty with consumers and clients. His reputation in the digital signage industry has not gone unnoticed.

Yunis is frequently invited to speak at industry events and on panels, serve on industry boards, and can be found on YouTube videos, offering his vision for the digital signage industry and its nexus with business. Moreover, Yunis has established personal and powerful knowledge-sharing relationships with industry peers, clients, colleagues and operating teams he supports, helping them better understand the necessary strategy and tactics to best leverage digital signage for maximum business impact and better consumer experiences.
 
-Philip Anast, Account Manager, Tech Image (for NEC Display)

The 2012 DSA Industry Excellence Awards, which recognize the best digital signage, mobile, self-service and interactive kiosk technology projects were presented recently at an event in conjunction with Customer Technology Engagement World.

 

The Digital Screenmedia Association has announced the winners of its DSA Industry Excellence Awards, which honors the best digital signage, mobile and self-service kiosk technology deployments across all vertical market segments.

 

The awards were presented during a gala event at The City Club of San Francisco, in conjunction with the Customer Engagement Technology World trade show and conference.

 

The 2012 winners are:

Network Operator of the Year

Monster Media

Industry Deployer of the Year

George Yunis, ARAMARK

Screenmedia Integration Award
SoloHealth Station by SoloHealth

Best Corporate Communications Deployment – Self-Service / Interactive Kiosks
Project: Kiosk solution for delivery confirmation at Deacero metal processing facility