Looking at the advertisements displayed on electronic billboards, viewers might think they are watching two different matches.
The billboards placed around stadiums or major music events serve as revenue channels for broadcasters or the brands showcased to thousands or even tens of thousands of users. However, a simple screen can only display one advertising content at a time, which causes international events to feature advertisements aimed at a specific group of users.
In the past decade, the decade of technology and breakthroughs in electronic devices, online advertising has reached a new threshold. Many companies now offer broadcasting services capable of delivering specific advertisements to certain local broadcasters.
For example, if you live in the UK, viewers will see advertisements from brands in their area; whereas if you live in Vietnam, you might see a live stream of a sales event from an online seller, as long as the advertiser can afford the service fee.
Signals will be transmitted from the billboard to receivers placed in the stadium.
This presentation technique is called virtual advertising. Signals will be transmitted from the billboard to receivers placed within the stadium, displaying different content on the screens.
Let’s take the technology from Appario Global Solutions (AGS) as an example to explain how this “game-changing” advertising method works.
Multiple Advertisements for Multiple Target Customers
The Swiss-based company AGS has designed and patented the Parallel Ads technique, which can promote brand images to a large customer base.
Utilizing the Dynamic Content Multiplication technique (also patented by AGS), LED electronic screens can output up to four advertisement signal streams. Through a signal-receiving chip, the electronic billboard can receive multiple broadcast streams simultaneously and transmit them to cameras placed around the stadium.
Parallel Ads technology also allows broadcasters to transmit slow-motion replays while still displaying advertisements as required.
The billboard only displays a single piece of content for live viewers, while indirect viewers see the content transmitted through the chip to the camera. According to AGS, the Parallel Ads technology also allows broadcasters to transmit slow-motion replays while still displaying required advertisements. Parallel Ads can be integrated into any live broadcasting camera setup.
Synchronizing Chips with Cameras
Once the camera is synchronized with the LED electronic billboard, it will simultaneously receive a series of high-frame-rate broadcast signals and separate them into standard-speed signal streams. These outputs are directly fed into a vision mixer located in mobile broadcasting vehicles. The signal stream does not need to pass through any additional processing hardware to go live.
This method of signal transmission is immune to weather factors such as rain, fog, or heavy snowfall.
The vision mixer.
The naked eye of a live viewer can only see what is displayed on the electronic billboard, ensuring a consistent experience for all attendees in the stadium. Because the human signal reception mechanism differs from that of cameras, the chip on the electronic billboard can “filter out” signals for the recipient, transmitting only the waves visible to the camera.
According to Sony, this advertising broadcasting technology is highly compatible with fast-paced performances, such as fast-paced sports or dynamic music shows that require multiple camera angles and continuous panning.
Karsten Schroeder, director of AGS, states that Parallel Ads allows brand owners to advertise while “simultaneously interacting with multiple sponsors or customizing advertising content for specific markets; enhancing influence and product value.”
