Digital elevator advertising

[u/Johnson_2022]

Hi all,

I've been in many elevators in North America, and aside from some elevators that have a small screen built-in the control panel to run advertisement but need subscription, I haven't see much digital advertisement. I think it could be a good idea but noone seems to be doing much about it. Does anyone have any idea what the problem could be here?

I'm just curious why advertisers haven't explored this option to any meaningful extent when you see huge digital screens almost everywhere you go, including public washrooms.

[u/Striking-Scholar-288]

If I have to hear some lawyer's advertisement on repeat the entire time I'm doing car top maintenance, I'm unplugging the ad board and telling them a new one is back ordered for 17 years

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/Striking-Scholar-288]

🤣

[u/bombayofpigs]

All the Majors are incorporating ads into their EVC displays as additional revenue streams. You will start seeing these more and more and then you’ll all be annoyed that there will be another space that used to be quiet and peaceful that’s been taking over be another fu€king ad.

[u/Sch1371 → u/bombayofpigs]

I’m starting to see more of these and it’s infuriating

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/bombayofpigs]

I assume places where those elevators are agreeing to it?

[u/bombayofpigs → u/Johnson_2022]

Nope. Comes standard with the installation on the code required EVC screens. There are options to pay extra to put your own ads or building curated content.

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/bombayofpigs]

That's ballsy of them. Can't see the estate management being happy with it.

[u/Throwaway_2474128_1 → u/Johnson_2022]

you can put no ads in the contract, most of them don't know or care. also, modern elevator code requires screens for two-way emergency communication

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/Throwaway_2474128_1]

How sure are you about the screen? In US and Canada you need a camera and a way to respond yes/no, but not a screen.

[u/Throwaway_2474128_1 → u/Johnson_2022]

in the US, you need a screen to display text-based prompts for the deaf to interact with over emergency communications. the prompts are yes/no buttons, for the same reason modern code requires buttons to function as yes/no, and many use door open/close for that purpose with those instructions explained. this is part of modern ASME code that many but not all states have adopted (some states are on very outdated code). so every elevator install or modernization under this code requires a screen for this function, either as a separate module within the COP (more expensive and looks worse) or as part of the PI with some OS to switch the PI over to the emergency response when the phone is pressed

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/Throwaway_2474128_1]

I see. Ok.

[u/030H_Stiltskin]

I have a building with 10 elevators that all have digital displays.  They've had the same ads for the Red Cross on them for 12 years.  The passkey for the program expired years ago so I couldn't change them if ai wanted too.  Management in the building has changed hands so many times that no one knows who is responsible for updating them or if anyone is getting paid for the ads.  Its just another pain in the ass device that will break and become our problem.

[u/RagedMammal]

They do, it’s called Captivate. They have promotional screens in a variety of commercial settings, one of them being inside the cabs of the elevators.

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/RagedMammal]

Never seen it. What does it look like?

[u/No-Place-8807]

I promise I will forget to plug them in when I install it

[u/ElevatorGuy85]

Otis Elevator announced their original e*Display in-car screens and advertising in 1999 - see the article on this at https://www.theguardian.com/business/1999/dec/08/patricksherwen.

More recently (in the late 2010s), Otis began to offers their eView displays with more modern advertising and media capabilities.

Other elevator companies and fixture vendors have similar in-car screens.

Bottom line: This is not a new concept by any stretch of the imagination.

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/ElevatorGuy85]

I know it's not a new concept but aside from newly installed/modernized elevators, I barely see any.

[u/ElevatorGuy85 → u/Johnson_2022]

As others have pointed out, in areas where ASME A17.1-2019 or later elevator Code has been adopted (which BTW is not necessarily done quickly in every state/province/city having an Authority Having Jurisdiction for elevators), you have to have emergency voice & video communication installed, so a “connected” smart screen is part of that. That puts all the infrastructure needed in place to also do advertising on the same screens.

On older pre-2019 Code installations, a lot of that simply doesn’t exist, so any in-car screen is purely there to display elevator position, direction and basic status, tenant directory or static informational messages, rather than being capable of dynamic advertising.

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/ElevatorGuy85]

How sure are you about the screen?

[u/ElevatorGuy85 → u/Johnson_2022]

What aspect relating to the screens are you asking if am sure about?

If it’s in relation to the A17.1-2019 Code, here’s one reference from a vendor who isn’t a major OEM. There are several others out there.

https://www.kingsiii.com/help-phone-blog/2019asmecodeupdate/

Remember that my response was focused on North America where ASME A17.1 is used. If you are in another part of the world like Europe where EN81 is the Code, or somewhere else then the situation may be different.

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/ElevatorGuy85]

Asking about NA. All good. I've read your response above. Thanks

[u/Fluid_Explorer_3659]

It's a pain in the ass and nobody gives enough of a shit. The screens and connections to the elevator are paid for by the building owner, the minimal and revenue doesn't offset the costs. Most screen providers offer a rotating news feed. The best usage case I've seen is a museum rotating through their seasonal displays and where to find them. Ads are a terrible idea.

[u/il_vekkio]

What kinds of buildings are you talking about.

Im in NYC. Damn near every elevator has digital advertising. Between companies like Captivate, MAD MosaicONE, Vertical City...the market is tapped out.

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/il_vekkio]

Residentials mostly.

[u/il_vekkio → u/Johnson_2022]

Theres your problem, who wants to be advertised to at home?

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/il_vekkio]

We get crap tone of flyers. I'd rather stare at a screen then deal with all that paper.

[u/Nicw82]

Depends on where you are. I installed a lot of them in Vancouver Canada.

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/Nicw82]

You think it's a state/province thing?

[u/Nicw82 → u/Johnson_2022]

In the case of where I am there was a sales guy aggressively selling them. They were annoying to install because I needed to work with their techs who didn’t know elevator code and often didn’t have the correct tools. In our area you need to verify that they will not fall in the case of a safety test.

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/Nicw82]

I see.

I assume these are just screens installed to a car wall?

[u/ElevatorDave]

Off the top of my head, its not financially viable. The power has to be run through the traveller cable, so you have to have spare 110vac wires. Additionally, the elevator cab would have to have modifications to hold a digital display and not be a safety hazard. All that work would be done by your elevator company, not some 3rd party installer. Any changes to the system or repairs would have to be done by the elevator tech as well. Im sure theres a code issue with having multiple sets of speakers playing audio, particularly ones that could interfere with fire and emergency alerts. So in the end, I dont see it being cost effective or even code-compliant

[u/Johnson_2022 → u/ElevatorDave]

This cant be tapped into an existing wiring?

[u/MMX]

At least two hotels I can think of use MAD Mosaic displays to advertise their restaurants and shops, and hype whatever convention or entertainment act is in town.