Designing Content for the Intended Application
Introduction
The purpose of this demonstration is to show how important it is to create content specifically for the display’s intended application.
When you’re designing for outdoor advertising, it’s critical to remember that your audience is often moving — they’re driving, walking, or passing by — and they only have a few seconds to absorb your message.
Demo #1
Take demo #1 for example.
You can see that the main title stands out well, but the supporting text and smaller details are difficult to read. On a lower-resolution outdoor screen like this, fine details and small fonts quickly lose clarity.
Demo #2
Now here’s the same content shown on a higher-resolution screen in demo #2.
At this level, some edges appear smoother, and the photo background looks cleaner — but the smaller text still isn’t legible from a typical outdoor viewing distance.
Even if we continue increasing the resolution, that alone won’t make the message more effective. For outdoor applications, clarity and legibility matter far more than pixel density.
Demo #3
Here’s the same ad again, this time on a high-resolution display typically used for close-range installations in demo #2.
Every small detail is crisp — the subtext, logo, and even the workers’ faces are clear.
But there’s a trade-off.
These screens generally operate at lower brightness levels (around 5,000–6,000 nits), while outdoor displays require 8,000–10,000 nits to stay visible in direct sunlight.
In addition, higher resolution dramatically increases cost — and still doesn’t guarantee better readability outdoors if the text itself is too small.
To address this, instead of just upgrading resolution, we adjust the content for its intended environment.
Notice how the revised version:
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Uses larger, bolder text — at least 4 inches high for outdoor readability.
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Simplifies background visuals to improve contrast.
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Increases logo and tagline visibility without cluttering the layout.
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Maintains the same overall message, but with improved legibility and impact from a distance.
Conclusion
While increasing resolution or screen size can help, the most effective approach is to design content around how and where it will be viewed.
Outdoor signs should prioritize bold typography, high contrast, and quick readability.
Indoor displays can leverage fine detail, subtle color gradients, and smaller text because the audience is closer and has more time.
The best results come not from pushing the hardware, but from tailoring the content to the display’s purpose. That’s how you ensure every message is seen, read, and remembered.
Try It Yourself
To help visualize these differences, we’ve included a downloadable test file that you can load onto your own sign.
How to Download the Test Video
To test the content on your own sign, click the link provided for the demo video.
Once it opens in your browser:
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Right-click on the video.
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Select “Save video as…”
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Choose a location on your computer to save the file.
After downloading, you can upload the video to your sign’s media player or controller to see how it performs at your specific resolution and brightness settings.