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by

Umer Kamran

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Digital Display | Wayfinding

Digital Content Platform to Modernize Lobby Screens

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Modern Lobby Experience with a Digital Content Platform


Client Overview

A leading North American real estate operator managing multi-city office towers sought to modernize its tenant-facing lobby screens. Existing displays were locked into a third-party media vendor with limited customization, no ad-revenue sharing, and aging infrastructure.


The Challenge
  • Rigid vendor lock-in: Content and layouts were controlled by an external provider with little flexibility.

  • Aging infrastructure: Screens and playback devices were nearing end-of-life.

  • No monetization: Valuable lobby screen real estate generated no direct advertising revenue.

  • Operational risks: Lack of centralized control across multiple cities led to inconsistent messaging and security gaps.


Our Approach

The client considered shifting to a SaaS-based digital content platform. The solution involved:

  • Replacing ~85 lobby screens across two major cities.

  • Deploying lightweight devices behind each screen, centrally managed via a cloud portal.

  • Enabling vertical/horizontal layouts, music/audio integration, and real-time previews.

  • Piloting the new system in parallel with the incumbent vendor to de-risk cutover.

  • Conducting a full security review, including network segmentation and content governance.


Results & Benefits
  • Flexibility: Property teams can now schedule content, building messages, and emergency alerts with ease.

  • Cost transparency: A clear 5-year TCO of ~$630K, offset by advertising revenue opportunities.

  • Monetization: Ad insertion unlocked a new revenue stream from underutilized lobby screens.

  • Consistency & control: Centralized oversight improved brand alignment and operational resilience across sites.


Lessons Learned
  • Early alignment on security/compliance is critical when introducing third-party SaaS to building networks.

  • A parallel pilot is the safest path when sunsetting long-standing vendor relationships.

  • Defining an ad-governance policy upfront ensures monetization doesn’t conflict with tenant/brand values.

Blog Image
Blog Image

Modern Lobby Experience with a Digital Content Platform


Client Overview

A leading North American real estate operator managing multi-city office towers sought to modernize its tenant-facing lobby screens. Existing displays were locked into a third-party media vendor with limited customization, no ad-revenue sharing, and aging infrastructure.


The Challenge
  • Rigid vendor lock-in: Content and layouts were controlled by an external provider with little flexibility.

  • Aging infrastructure: Screens and playback devices were nearing end-of-life.

  • No monetization: Valuable lobby screen real estate generated no direct advertising revenue.

  • Operational risks: Lack of centralized control across multiple cities led to inconsistent messaging and security gaps.


Our Approach

The client considered shifting to a SaaS-based digital content platform. The solution involved:

  • Replacing ~85 lobby screens across two major cities.

  • Deploying lightweight devices behind each screen, centrally managed via a cloud portal.

  • Enabling vertical/horizontal layouts, music/audio integration, and real-time previews.

  • Piloting the new system in parallel with the incumbent vendor to de-risk cutover.

  • Conducting a full security review, including network segmentation and content governance.


Results & Benefits
  • Flexibility: Property teams can now schedule content, building messages, and emergency alerts with ease.

  • Cost transparency: A clear 5-year TCO of ~$630K, offset by advertising revenue opportunities.

  • Monetization: Ad insertion unlocked a new revenue stream from underutilized lobby screens.

  • Consistency & control: Centralized oversight improved brand alignment and operational resilience across sites.


Lessons Learned
  • Early alignment on security/compliance is critical when introducing third-party SaaS to building networks.

  • A parallel pilot is the safest path when sunsetting long-standing vendor relationships.

  • Defining an ad-governance policy upfront ensures monetization doesn’t conflict with tenant/brand values.

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