Just ask Jed Mok, Chief Executive Officer of Vividthree, an immersive media company that has created eye-catching visual content across Asia.

Queried on what makes a brilliant display, he would say “creative, creative, creative”, to emphasise the point that creative content counts.

Indeed, the pandemic has pushed new boundaries for new media consumption and brands have to be mindful of the preferences and behaviours that target audiences have, especially in an era where they are used to consuming content on demand, whether on social media or streaming services.

At the same time, new screen technologies and formats also mean that content creators should look beyond reusing the same 16:9 video that is also cast on other media, said Mok.

There is a demand to find new ways to engage, for example, in delivering fresh new content that fit the shape and size of a new display, he explained.

To create compelling visuals, he listed three important pointers to consider:

• Be clear of objectives: Is the campaign or idea meant to be tactical or more strategic? Who is the message for and what reaction should the audience have? The desired outcome has to be clear from the start.
• Keep the experience short: Attention spans are short today, and the challenge is making the visual engagement meaningful for people who might only spend a few seconds on the display as they walk past.
• It’s about the creative: Be sensitive to the environment where the content is being displayed. A good bespoke creation should leverage the specific environment where the screen is installed, taking into consideration about footfall, light conditions, etc. Blend into the surroundings at times or surprise the audience with something unexpected.

It is also important to rethink how physical spaces are used. For a retailer, instead of maxing out a retail space displaying products, a physical store can focus on delivering an experiential storefront that is not possible online.

One dramatic example to showcase immersive experience, would be setting up an LED screen that runs three storeys high in a mall to show off a basketball star’s stunning moves. 

Through an eye-catching display, the store can more effectively promote the sports shoes it is selling. Whether a customer ends up buying at the store or on his mobile phone isn’t important, said Mok.

At the same time, restaurants can also rethink how they use today’s static wallpapers to evoke an emotion among customers who turn up. Instead, it’s possible to set up LED displays on walls, ceilings and even the floor today to deliver an engaging experience like never before.

“So, each time a customer walks in, he may see a different visual on the wall,” Mok said. “Each visit brings a new and refreshing experience, not always the same old one.”

What will make visual displays more interesting in future is the still-untapped potential of interactivity between audience and screen beyond static touchscreens. Mok envisions a future where users may even use their smartphone to unlock content or interact with the LED displays for new experiences, therefore connecting and extending brand experiences from their mobile devices.

Sub-par displays will not do justice to showing off great content. Simply put it, great content has to be matched with high quality displays.

LED technologies have improved by leap and bounds in the past few years in terms of display quality and deployment capabilities.

Fine-pitch LED displays, which enable more details, have opened up new possibilities to immersive visual experiences.

In the heart of Seoul in South Korea, the LED display shows off a seamless façade of bright lights and vivid colours. It never fails to draw attention from anyone present.

The setup is at one of the busiest streets in the country, wraps around the top of COEX complex and is four times the size of a basketball court and is 10 storeys high.

At the Finavia airport in Helsinki, Finland, one thing never fails to catch the eye of visitors who walk into its new extension.

A 360-degree LED screen, curving above the edges of a forest-inspired plaza, showcases the stunningly beautiful natural environment of Finland, from vast mountain views to snowy forest vistas. At the heart of the effort is to surprise visitors with an immersive visual treat.

Across the globe, such experiences are being enabled by new LED displays at a wide variety of locations, including retail malls, VIP lounges, hotels, sports venues and healthcare facilities.

Among the innovations in visual displays, the most exciting today is Micro LED technology, a breakthrough in fine-pitch LED that enables improved flexibility in the way a display is set up and easier management in its maintenance.

Samsung’s foray into Micro LED is represented by The Wall, a next-generation display able to bring detail to life through superior colour purity and a wider colour gamut than conventional LED displays.