It Doesn't Have to Blink at Every Corner: DMS Talking to Cognitive Psychologist Stefan Brandenburg.
It Doesn’t Have to Blink at Every Corner: DMS Talks to Cognitive Psychologist Stefan Brandenburg.
Once again, we had the pleasure of speaking with a top expert — and learning a lot in the process. Cognitive psychologist Stefan Brandenburg shared his perspective on what makes Digital Signage so unique — from a psychological point of view.
Psychology already offers many well-researched insights into how people perceive posters, street signs, websites, and online applications. But digital signage is something in between — and there’s still relatively little research available.
From a Psychological Perspective, What Makes Digital Signage Unique?
One important concept here is the mere exposure effect — the psychological phenomenon where repeated exposure to certain content positively influences how we feel about it. Knowing that 70% of purchasing decisions are made at the point of sale, you start to see just how powerful digital signage can be.
This is where so-called nudging comes into play: companies can send subtle signals that increase the likelihood of specific customer behaviors. In my opinion, we need a broader ethical discussion around how acceptable and appropriate these methods are.
What Should Be Considered When Designing Digital Signage Content?
Digital signage is often perceived passively, in the background. You can create a pleasant atmosphere using color and positive imagery. When people do actively look at the screens, your messages should be understandable within just a few seconds. Interestingly, people in Asian markets tend to tolerate more visual content and information on a single screen. In Europe, however, content should generally be less aggressive and more refined.
The strength of digital signage lies not only in its multimedia capabilities, but also in its ability to adapt and change based on parameters like time or location. Every 5–10 seconds, new content can be displayed. Ideally, after the initial message, the screen should offer options for more information.
You Mentioned Personalization. What Does the Research Say?
Digital tools can have positive effects on orientation and decision-making. But there’s a fine line — if users feel overly controlled, that can trigger annoyance effects. From research on software-based recommendation systems, we know that a 60% match rate is often enough to be perceived as helpful. People don’t want everything decided for them. A particularly sensitive topic is personalized pricing. On one hand, it could increase fairness — for example, by offering discounts to lower-income customers. On the other, it could make price transparency harder, making it difficult for shoppers to understand pricing structures. So again, this is an area where an ethical debate is absolutely needed.
Digital Tools Can Support Purchase Decisions — But Where Is Personal Consultation Still Needed?
Decision trees that help customers compare features or prices can be very effective. But these systems can only rank products based on a few objective factors, like price or technical specs.
If a customer already knows their preferences and is well-informed, a digital tool might be enough. But indecisive customers — or those unsure of what features are important — still need a salesperson to guide them. This is especially true for people who are less tech-savvy. Another major barrier is the user interface itself. Poorly designed systems tend to discourage use. That’s why the development of digital signage solutions should always follow user-centered design principles.
We thank Stefan Brandenburg for this insightful conversation — we’ve learned even more about digital signage, and that’s exactly what inspires us.
If you’re interested in a digital signage solution or products like Retail Analytics, we’d love to hear from you. As a full-service agency, DMS is your partner for digital transformation — from consultation and concept development to implementation and ongoing support. And our job? To inspire.
