Afterpay Arena in Sydney has completed a venue-wide digital signage upgrade featuring what project partners describe as Australia’s largest transparent LED installation alongside new COB ribbon LED displays. 

Delivered by Outsource Resource under the direction of venue signage consultant Beyond Media, the installation includes three transparent LED displays suspended above the Grand Foyer. Together, the displays span 84 square meters (904 square feet) and are designed to maintain sightlines while creating a digital focal point visible through the arena’s glass façade.

Rather than mounting directly to the building, the displays are suspended from a purpose-built aluminum truss, allowing visitors to see through the screens into the venue beyond.

Transparent LED moves beyond digital signage

According to Wayne Randerson, Director of Innovation & Partnerships at Outsource Resource, projects such as Afterpay Arena illustrate how transparent LED is evolving beyond traditional display applications.

“Clients are increasingly looking for technology that integrates into a building rather than sitting on top of it,” Randerson says. “Transparent LED delivers that balance of architectural integration, visual impact and lightweight design.”

He noted that the technology is well suited to venue foyers, retail storefronts, airports, transport hubs and corporate lobbies where organizations want to introduce digital communications without sacrificing openness or natural light. At approximately six kilograms per square meter, transparent LED is also lighter than conventional LED systems, making installations possible in locations where structural loading has traditionally been a constraint.

The project also introduced P1.5 COB ribbon LED displays throughout the Grand Foyer and Secondary Entry, including a 28.2-meter (93-foot) main display and additional ribbon sections integrated into existing mezzanine railing using custom framing.

Michael Russo, Director of Sales & Operations at Outsource Resource, says successful transparent LED projects depend as much on planning as on the display technology itself. While lighter-weight displays create greater installation flexibility, structural engineering, maintenance access and content design all need to be considered from the outset to achieve the intended architectural effect. 

The post Stadium Signage: Afterpay Arena Adds Large-Scale Transparent LED In Sydney first appeared on invidis.

Vusion Group (formerly SES Imagotag) is taking a strategic step beyond electronic shelf labels and connected store infrastructure. The French retail technology company has signed an agreement to acquire In-Store Media (ISM), one of Europe’s largest specialists in in-store retail media.

Founded in Barcelona in 1998, ISM has built a substantial international business around retail advertising and shopper marketing. The company operates in nine countries across Europe, Latin America and Asia, serving more than 90 retailers and working with over 1,600 consumer brands. ISM generated approximately EUR 120 million in revenue in 2025 with strong profitability.

The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions. Vusion plans to finance the acquisition through debt.

From infrastructure provider to media network operator

The acquisition marks an evolution of Vusion’s business model. For years, the public company partly owned by BOE has successfully transformed itself from an ESL vendor into a broader connected-store platform provider. Its technology portfolio now includes ESLs, large epaper displays, digital signage displays, computer vision, store analytics and cloud-based retail management solutions.

With ISM, Vusion is moving further up the value chain.

Rather than merely supplying the digital infrastructure, the French company is positioning itself as an enabler – and potentially operator – of retail media networks inside physical stores. The acquisition adds advertising expertise, media inventory management and long-established relationships with both retailers and brand advertisers.

Retail Media next growth engine for Vusion

Retail media has become one of the fastest-growing segments in advertising over the past five years. Most investments have flowed into online retail platforms, where retailers monetize their websites, apps and e-commerce marketplaces.

Yet physical stores still account for the overwhelming majority of shopper visits and purchasing decisions. This is where Vusion sees the opportunity.

ISM brings extensive experience in this area. The company offers more than 50 retail media formats, covering both traditional and digital in-store advertising solutions across supermarkets, hypermarkets, shopping centers, department stores and specialty retail environments.

Strategic fit with Vusion’s connected store vision

For Vusion, the acquisition appears highly complementary.

The company already provides much of the hardware and software infrastructure necessary for digital retail media deployments. ISM contributes the missing layer: media sales expertise, campaign execution capabilities and advertiser relationships.

Together, the two companies aim to create a platform that connects retailers, brands and shoppers through measurable in-store activation.

Analysis: Vusion moves up the retail media value chain

Vusion is facing growing competition in the ESL market. While the French retail technology provider – with French and Austrian roots – remains the undisputed market leader, having deployed more than 600 million electronic shelf labels worldwide, the company understands that future growth will not come from hardware alone.

Both at NRF in New York and Euroshop in Düsseldorf, Vusion demonstrated how far its portfolio has evolved beyond electronic shelf labels. Alongside e-paper posters and category signage, the company is increasingly investing in software, data services, computer vision, and AI-powered retail solutions. The Vusion-vision is clear: transform stores from operational environments into connected digital platforms.

Against this backdrop, the acquisition of Spanish retail media specialist In-Store Media (ISM) is a logical next step.

With approximately €120 million in annual revenue and an extensive network of retailers and advertising brands, ISM adds a new dimension to Vusion’s hardware business. Compared to Vusion’s 2025 revenue of around €1.5 billion, the acquisition is financially manageable, yet strategically significant. More importantly, it brings capabilities that Vusion could not easily build organically: media sales expertise, advertiser relationships, and operational know-how in monetizing physical retail environments.

The transactions shows, that the traditional boundaries between ESL/display networks, data platforms, store infrastructure, and advertising ecosystems are rapidly disappearing. Retailers increasingly view displays, ESLs, and in-store communication systems not only as tools for pricing and operations but as potential media channels capable of generating incremental revenue.

In this environment, ownership of the network becomes more valuable than ownership of the hardware. The real prize is no longer the screen on the shelf edge but the ability to control, manage, and monetize shopper attention across thousands of locations.

By acquiring ISM, Vusion gains access not only to retail media expertise but also to a mature commercial platform operating across Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The acquisition strengthens the company’s position against both traditional ESL and digital signage vendors as well as a growing group of retail media specialists competing for a share of retailers’ advertising budgets.

Ultimately, the transaction suggests that Vusion’s ambitions extend well beyond connected store infrastructure. The company increasingly wants to participate in the economics of retail media itself.

• Stadium Signage: Afterpay Arena Adds Large-Scale Transparent LED In Sydney
• Retail Media: Vusion Acquires In-Store Media
• DooH: JC Decaux Completes Programmatic Rollout Across Latin America
• Events: Infocomm Asia Draws 6,600 Attendees
• US Retail: Electronic Shelf Labels Under Fire

The post Retail Media: Vusion Acquires In-Store Media first appeared on invidis.

JC Decaux has completed the expansion of its programmatic digital out-of-home buying across its Latin American network, adding nine Central American and South American markets to bring 100 percent of its regional digital inventory online.

The expansion covers Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Paraguay. Advertisers can now buy campaigns programmatically across JC Decaux’s entire Latin American digital network, which includes over 4,600 screens delivering an average of 8.2 billion monthly impressions.

The inventory spans streetside locations, airports, metro systems and shopping centers, allowing brands and agencies to automate campaign planning, purchasing and optimization while targeting audiences based on factors such as location, timing and context.

JC Decaux said the inventory is available through Viooh, the company’s supply-side platform, which connects to more than 50 demand-side platforms worldwide, including Displayce. The move follows the continued growth of programmatic DooH as advertisers increasingly integrate outdoor media into omnichannel digital campaigns.

Nicolas de Tapol, managing director for Central America, South America and the Caribbean at JC Decaux, said advertisers are increasingly looking for flexible, data-driven campaign buying, while Viooh Global Chief Commercial Officer Gavin Wilson described the initiative as another step in expanding programmatic out-of-home across the region.

The rollout also aligns with invidis’ previous analysis of Latin America as one of the digital signage industry’s most promising and untapped growth markets. While Latin America has historically seen lower digital signage investment than North America, Europe and parts of Asia, its large urban populations and growing retail media market make it one of the industry’s biggest long-term growth opportunities. 

The post DooH: JC Decaux Completes Programmatic Rollout Across Latin America first appeared on invidis.

Infocomm Asia 2026 closed with attendees from 77 countries and regions, while organizers confirmed the annual trade show will move from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for its 2027 edition.

Held July 15–17 at Bangkok’s Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, the exhibition reported that 44.2 percent of attendees traveled from outside Thailand. Organizers said the event connected exhibitors with representatives from approximately 3,800 commercial organizations across sectors including enterprise, education, government, healthcare, hospitality, and retail.

The show’s invited buyer program brought together more than 60 senior technology buyers from 12 countries representing nearly US$73 million in approved procurement budgets for projects expected over the next 12 to 18 months. Organizers also reported 700 scheduled business meetings between buyers and exhibitors.

Artificial intelligence was the dominant technology theme throughout the exhibition, with exhibitors showcasing AI-enabled collaboration platforms, workplace technologies, LED displays, digital signage and automation solutions. More than 20 global and Asia-Pacific product launches were presented during the three-day event.

The accompanying Infocomm Asia Summit featured 37 conference sessions delivered by 60 international speakers, while a new Smart Workplace Experience demonstration highlighted AI-enabled meeting rooms, digital signage, workplace automation and collaboration technologies operating in a simulated office environment.

Looking ahead, Infocomm Asia 2027 will take place July 28–30 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur. Organizers said the move shows Malaysia’s growing role as a regional hub for digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and smart technologies.

The post Events: Infocomm Asia Draws 6,600 Attendees first appeared on invidis.

The debate over ESL has moved from retail technology circles into mainstream US politics. As the FT reported (Paywall), New Jersey became the first US state to impose a one-year moratorium on new ESL installations after Governor Mikie Sherrill signed the Fair Price Protection Act. The legislation targets so-called “surveillance pricing” – the use of personal data to set different prices for different consumers based on what they are deemed willing to pay.

The move highlights how a digital signage technology widely deployed across Europe and Asia is becoming entangled with broader economic anxieties in the US, where consumers remain highly sensitive to food inflation and retailers face mounting pressure on margins.

From operational tool to political issue

For retailers, the business case for ESL has long been straightforward. Electronic labels eliminate the need for staff to manually replace paper price tags, simplify promotional updates and support omnichannel processes such as click-and-collect fulfilment.

Major retailers including Walmart are investing heavily in the technology. The US retail giant plans to have ESL deployed across its entire network of more than 5.000 stores by the end of the year – a multi-billion dollar invest. Grocery chains may spend up to USD 400,000 on an ESL installation per store. However, the investment can pay for itself within two years through labour savings and process improvements.

Labour unions and consumer advocates argue that instant digital price updates could eventually enable dynamic pricing models similar to those used by airlines, hotels and ride-hailing platforms. Combined with growing concerns about data privacy, ESL have become a symbol of fears that retailers could one day use customer data to charge different shoppers different prices.

Despite grocery chains practice of changing prices only once a day at night, consumer protection groups and unions are worried about the potential of changing prices more frequently and even switching to personalized pricing.

Retail technology vendors reject surveillance claims

Manufacturers and retailers strongly reject suggestions that ESls are designed to enable personalised pricing. More than 650 million ESLs from market leader Vusion (formerly SES-imagotag) have been deployed in over 60 countries, making the technology a well-established component of modern retail infrastructure.

Standard ESLs lack the sensors, cameras and processing power required to identify individual shoppers and adjust prices accordingly. The e-paper displays are primarily designed for ultra-low power consumption, long battery life and wireless communication rather than data processing or customer tracking.

Retailers are equally keen to distance themselves from dynamic pricing concerns. Walmart has repeatedly stated that prices are typically updated outside opening hours and that the company has neither the intention nor the capability to offer different prices to different shoppers through ESL technology.

For retail technology providers, the current debate reflects a misunderstanding of what ESLs actually do: digitise price display and support store operations, rather than collect customer data or determine pricing strategies.

A warning sign for retail digitisation?

The New Jersey law does not ban ESL permanently. Instead, it creates a one-year pause during which policymakers will examine the technology’s potential impact. However, the decision could influence legislative debates elsewhere. The UFCW has supported similar proposals in a dozen states, although none have yet been approved.

For the retail technology industry, the dispute demonstrates how digital transformation projects are increasingly judged not only on efficiency gains but also on their broader social implications.

Across Europe, ESL are largely viewed as infrastructure for modern retail operations. In the US, they are rapidly becoming a test case for how consumers, regulators and organised labour respond to automation, data-driven retailing and the perceived risks of algorithmic pricing.

As established grocers struggle with slowing sales volumes, increased competition by hard discounters like Aldi and continued pressure on household budgets, the controversy suggests that even relatively mature retail technologies can become politically sensitive when economic uncertainty is high. The New Jersey moratorium is less about the technology itself and more about trust.

• Stadium Signage: Afterpay Arena Adds Large-Scale Transparent LED In Sydney
• Retail Media: Vusion Acquires In-Store Media
• DooH: JC Decaux Completes Programmatic Rollout Across Latin America
• Events: Infocomm Asia Draws 6,600 Attendees
• US Retail: Electronic Shelf Labels Under Fire

The post US Retail: Electronic Shelf Labels Under Fire first appeared on invidis.

M&A continued to re-shape the digital signage industry in the last year. Global service providers continued their steady, methodical expansion. Ricoh, Forté, Diversified, and AVI-SPL all pursued ongoing acquisitions and greenfield expansions to strengthen global delivery capabilities. Forté remained consistent with its strategy of acquiring GPA partners seeking exits, while Ricoh continued to broaden its multi-technology portfolio, enabling the Japanese IT group to serve additional markets with its own teams on the ground.

At the manufacturer level, the most significant developments were announcements rather than completed deals. TCL announced a joint venture with Sony, while Skyworth revealed a similar partnership with Panasonic – signalling a broader realignment of the global B2B display market from 2027 onwards. Major Chinese display manufacturers are preparing to take majority stakes in the B2B display businesses of two long-established Japanese industry pioneers.

At the same time, market exits highlighted mounting pressure on mid-tier vendors. Vestel withdrew its own B2B-branded display offering to focus entirely on contract manufacturing – a clear signal that scale and differentiation are now prerequisites even in hardware.

Focus on USA

In the US, deal sizes increased both strategically and financially. Creative Realities crossed a psychological threshold with the acquisition of Cineplex Digital Media, pushing group revenues beyond $100 million and reinforcing its position as a scaled North American integrator and managed services provider.

Another noteworthy strategic move was Poppulo’s acquisition of Reach. The enterprise-focused communications and digital signage platform deliberately added a long-tail-oriented software and integration business – a rare example of consolidation bridging the gap between enterprise and SMB segments. This strategy is also underlined by the acquisition of Sociabble. Israeli ISV Novisign pursued a similarly opportunistic approach by acquiring the US customer base of a West Coast digital signage integrator exiting the software market.

More M&A in the invidis Yearbook

This excerpt is taken from the in-depth M&A feature in the 2026 invidis Yearbook. Download the yearbook to explore more acquisition activity, especially in Europe. The yearbook also features comprehensive industry analysis, market data, and the latest technology trends. There are two version, the International and the Americas Edition. Download them now.

The post M&A: Scale Becomes the Strategy first appeared on invidis.

Anthony James Partners and Osborn Engineering are overseeing technology planning, design and implementation, with Daktronics selected to manufacture and install the new LED systems ahead of the 2026-27 basketball and hockey seasons.

The centerpiece of the upgrade is a new center-hung display featuring four 3.7 mm LED faces in a continuous convex design. The system will also incorporate two underbelly displays to improve viewing for fans seated directly beneath the structure.

The new center-hung replaces a system installed in 2006 that featured four 16-by-9-foot (4.9-by-2.7-meter) video displays. The primary display area will increase from approximately 576 sq. ft. (53.5 square meters) to more than 1,900 sq. ft. (176.5 square meters), a 234 percent increase, while delivering more than 2.5 times the pixel density.

Corner and ribbon displays

Elsewhere in the arena, four corner displays measuring nearly 38 feet (11.6 meters) wide by 12 feet (3.7 meters) tall will expand sightlines across the seating bowl. A continuous 360-degree ribbon display will stretch approximately 951 linear feet (290 meters) around the arena, while 43 ribbons, positioned at upper and lower seating-bowl entrances, will support event content, venue communications, and sponsorship opportunities.

“The enhancements to the video boards will deliver sharper visuals, allow for more dynamic content, and provide greater connectivity to the action,” said Ross Bjork, Ohio State senior vice president and director of athletics.

Installation of the new LED displays is scheduled for completion by September 2026.

The post Technology Overhaul: Ohio State Arena Adds 7,200 Square Feet of LED first appeared on invidis.

The German parent company of T-Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, is taking its next step into the DooH market, launching a screen network in restaurants that partner with food delivery service Lieferando.

T Advertising Solutions, the Deutsche Telekom subsidiary that runs the company’s advertising ecosystem, handles sales for the network. The rollout relies on high-resolution 55-inch displays.

Hybrid booking model

The new network supports two booking paths: through T Advertising Solutions’ own sales team, or programmatically via the Vistar Media platform. That setup lets advertisers adjust content in real time using anonymized mobile network data. Vistar Media, now a T-Mobile subsidiary, serves as both data and distribution partner on the project.

“With this project, we’re connecting brick-and-mortar dining, digital reach and telco data into a new offering for advertisers,” said Stephan Jäckel, managing director of T Advertising Solutions.

Screen count set to quadruple

The network currently comprises 500 screens across seven German cities, including Berlin, Cologne and Munich. According to T Advertising Solutions, that number is set to double by the end of 2026. By the end of 2027, the company plans to expand the network to 2,000 displays total, quadrupling its current footprint.

Deutsche Telekom recently launched a separate DooH network on utility cabinets in Munich and Düsseldorf, using bright LED screens. For that rollout’s insertion-order bookings, the company brought on AWK as its sales partner.

The post 2,000 Screens Planned: Deutsche Telekom and Lieferando Build DooH Network first appeared on invidis.

Leyard Europe has released details of the project, which saw STVR replace aging display technology in its Bratislava studio with a curved LED wall designed for live television production. 

Working with systems integrator City Light Slovakia, STVR replaced aging display technology in its flagship sports studio in Bratislava with a curved 6.35- by 2.04-meter (20.8- by 6.7-foot) LED wall based on the Planar Directlight Slim Series with a 1.2 mm pixel pitch. The display serves as the primary backdrop for the broadcaster’s sports programming.

According to Leyard, manufacturing the display at its Slovak production facility helped meet the tight project schedule. The local production capability reduced lead times, allowing the system to be delivered, installed, tested and commissioned before the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Feb. 6, 2026.

The installation uses front-serviceable LED cabinets arranged in a curved configuration, providing greater flexibility for television production while simplifying future maintenance. The display also incorporates power and signal redundancy to improve reliability during live broadcasts.

City Light Slovakia coordinated the installation with STVR and Leyard Europe to complete the project within the three-week window created by the procurement process.

The upgraded studio debuted in time for STVR’s Winter Olympics coverage and continues to serve as the broadcaster’s primary sports production facility. In addition to sports programming, the LED wall supports other live television broadcasts.

The post Winter Olympics 2026: Leyard Details STVR Studio LED Upgrade first appeared on invidis.

According to the latest Futuresource data, glob al professional LCD shipments have stabilized at around 8 million units annually since the end of the pandemic. LED, by contrast, remains the market’s most volatile segment. Global LED volume grew by 24 percent in 2023, contracted by 3 percent in 2024, and rebounded strongly with 14 percent growth in 2025. These fluctuations are largely driven by China, which still accounts for roughly 50 percent of global LED volume.

In EMEA, LED growth appears far more linear. Between 2022 and 2025, LED sales in the region almost doubled. Yet despite this momentum, EMEA still represents only 14 percent of global LED volume, compared with 23 percent of global LCD volume. LED adoption outside China is accelerating – but from a structurally smaller base. In 2025, around 760,000 LED screens were sold globally, with 103,000 projects in EMEA. This reinforces a longstanding industry assumption: LED excels in generating attention, stands for large investments, but remains a minority technology in terms of installed base.

Big in value, small in projects

When LCD and LED are viewed together, the market reality becomes clearer. Approximately 8 million professional LCD displays and 0.8 million LED screens were sold globally in 2025. This results in around 8.8 million addressable digital signage touchpoints worldwide, of which less than one in ten uses LED technology. Value tells a very different story. LED already accounted for 38 percent of global professional display value in 2025, highlighting its capital-intensive nature and its continued pull on investment budgets. For the first time, Futuresource has gone beyond square meters and analysed LED video controller data to estimate the actual number of LED screens deployed worldwide. Futuresource estimates the global LED controller market at 1.2 million units, reflecting the fact that larger LED installations often require multiple controllers per screen.

The contrast between LCD and LED is also evident in market structure. In EMEA, the LED market is highly fragmented. Daktronics leads, closely followed by Samsung and Unilumin, with Samsung’s share less than one percentage point behind the leader. Yet the Top 3 LED vendors account for less than 40 percent of the regional market. The LCD market shows the opposite pattern. Sam sung, LG, and Philips together control 56 percent of total EMEA LCD volume – with Samsung alone holding 36 percent. The LCD market has effectively consolidated around a handful of global brands, while LED remains structurally diverse.

Tech and Market in the invidis Yearbook

This is an excerpt from the latest invidis Yearbook 2026, the “bible of the digital signage industry.” It includes rankings, market and technology analyses, and interviews with leading digital signage companies. Download the yearbook here.

The post Market Data LCD vs LED: Leaders and Global Shipments first appeared on invidis.