In newspaper parlance, burying the lede is an oft-used phrase describing stories that start with inconsequential and uninteresting stuff and then, well into the narrative, finally get around to the interesting bits.
The home automation systems giant AMX is, a little surprisingly, in the digital signage business – having acquired a UK company a few years ago. It sent out a yawn-inducing press release recently that went on at considerable length about “futuristic” capabilities that just about all its competitors also offer.
The release was actually from June, but a UK AV pub just did something with it.
AMX®, the leading provider of solutions that simplify the implementation, maintenance, and use of technology to create effective environments, today announced Inspired XPert, a cutting-edge digital signage solution with capabilities of a futuristic movie. Inspired XPert delivers amazing 1080p image quality with processing power to simultaneously display HD video, images, text, and internet feeds. As part of the Inspired Signage line from AMX Inspired XPert is designed for ease of use and is subscription free. AMX is demonstrating Inspired XPert in booth C4417 at InfoComm 2010, being held June 9 – 11 in Las Vegas.
Inspired XPert is ideal for delivering HD multimedia content across a building, a campus or around the world as users have the ability to edit and schedule content from a centralized location. With its ready-made templates users can easily create layered, custom layouts consisting of video, images, online content, newsfeeds and advertisements. The templates allow users to place the video, text and images, independently, anywhere on the screen. For those who are too busy, AMX offers an experienced team of graphics designers who will work directly with customers to develop a set of templates engineered to effectively communicate a brand message.
There’s a hint at the end of third paragraph of the interesting stuff, and finally, for those few still reading the release, in paragraph five:
“A capability that truly sets Inspired XPert apart from other digital signage solutions is sensory control, which enables users to incorporate basic human senses like sights, sounds, and even touch and smell to some degree, to communication a message that breaks through the clutter and really crystallizes with audiences,” said David Gentile, Systems Engineer for AMX. “With Inspired XPert, digital signage can automatically change, based on outside temperatures, or be set off by motion sensors and other triggered events. Imagine a consumer picking up an item from a shelf triggering instant on-screen product information and product comparisons – Inspired XPert can do this.”
Well if it truly sets the offer apart from the competition, what the heck is it doing buried towards the end of the release? That part really is quite interesting, but most readers will miss it.
As it stands, it is a release from a very well-resourced giant saying, “You know that digital signage stuff that some 400 other companies have? We do that, too.”
That’ll get the phones ringing.
Simply put, in a release or any written material, the interesting stuff goes up top. The overly formulaic approach to this release means few readers will get beyond the first line.
No related posts.
Yeah, I noticed that one – they did a good job of making it sound like a really dull me-too product. Could the otherwise mysterious reference to “capabilities of a futuristic movie” possibly be intended to conjure up memories of our old friend Minority Report?