Pico Sign blog

Guides, comparisons and ideas for digital signage

Practical writing on planning, building and running screens — from the team building Pico Sign.

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A screen mounted high above the bar of an amateur football clubhouse showing a local butcher's sponsor advert — the shop's name, its trade since 1974 and a match-day pie offer, beside a photograph of the butcher at his block — while a few people stand with drinks below.
Guides

How to prove a sponsor's advert played on your screen

Learn how to provide data-backed proof of play for your digital signage sponsors, even if you use standard software that groups playback logs.

Pico Sign Team5 min read
A screen above the reception desk of a small boutique hotel showing a guest directory in the hotel's own serif and brass colouring — restaurant, breakfast, spa and meeting rooms with their floors — beside a photograph of the hotel dining room, beneath panelled walls and a brass desk lamp.
Guides

Why your screens lose their brand identity (and how to stop the drift)

Digital signage often suffers from brand drift when rushed staff guess at colors and fonts. Learn how to use locked templates and generative constraint to protect your visual identity.

Pico Sign Team5 min read
The inside of a small pharmacy after closing, empty and still lit, where a screen above the counter shows that the shop is closed, when it opens again, the three nearest places open late with their distances and closing times, and the numbers to ring for urgent advice.
Hardware & setup

The real cost of leaving digital signage on all night

Leaving digital signage on overnight wastes energy, degrades display hardware, and risks light pollution. Learn how to manage operating hours safely.

Pico Sign Team11 min read
A screen in the foyer of a community hall showing this week's four events with times and rooms, mounted on the same wall as a cork noticeboard densely covered in pinned paper posters curling at the corners.
Comparisons

Digital screens vs printed posters: what the evidence actually supports

A data-driven comparison of digital screens and printed posters, examining the real costs, carbon footprint, and psychological engagement of both mediums.

Pico Sign Team8 min read
A screen above the hatch of a coffee kiosk in a busy railway station, showing a single offer on a deep blue field — a flat white and an almond croissant together for $7.50, until 11am — beside a white panel holding a photograph of the two of them, while commuters cross the foreground.
Guides

Designing digital signage for a glance: the single-message rule

Digital signage is a glance medium. Learn how to apply the single-message rule, safe margins, and high-contrast design to make your screens instantly legible.

Pico Sign Team6 min read
A screen on the wall of a bakery's back-of-house preparation area showing the week's staff rota, with a line at the bottom naming who is looking after the screen and the specials board this week, while a baker works at the bench.
Guides

Who updates the screen? Solving the content ownership problem

Digital signage fails when no one owns the update process. Learn the four roles of screen management and how to build a turnover-proof content schedule.

Pico Sign Team11 min read
A view down the foyer of a music venue where the same gig poster — a photograph of a band on stage with the details set over it — is playing on two screens. On the near screen, mounted on a concrete stair wall, the band name, support act, date, door time and ticket prices can all be read. On the screen across the foyer only the band name is still legible.
Guides

How big does text need to be on a digital sign?

Learn how to calculate the correct text size for your digital signage based on viewing distance, hardware contrast, and human reading speeds.

Pico Sign Team7 min read
A single screen on the wall above the counter of a small independent clothing shop, showing a new-season lambswool promotion over a photograph of folded jumpers and a rail of knitwear, with rails of coats, a tall mirror and a paper carrier bag on the counter below.
Hardware & setup

Do you actually need digital signage software for one screen?

If you operate a single screen, you might not need digital signage software. Here is how manual hardware alternatives work, what they cost, and when they fail.

Pico Sign Team6 min read
Three screens in a row on the wall above the reception desk of a gym, all in the same club's red and white livery, showing the week's class timetable with coaches and places left, the guest Wi-Fi details, and a membership price list on a solid red field.
Comparisons

Digital signage pricing compared: every published price

A verified reference index of digital signage software pricing, scaling costs, and the hidden hardware fees vendors don't advertise.

Pico Sign Team7 min read

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