Let’s begin this article with a brief reference on the state of the Ukraine Pharmacy Retail Industry: “In 2020 the volume of pharmacy drug sales grew by almost 8% compared with 2019 and amounted to $3.4 billion. According to the RBC‑UKRAINE report, the pharmaceutical market continued to grow before the war; per‑capita consumption of medicines increased. Thus, drug consumption in 2020 rose to $105 per person. For comparison, in 2019 this indicator was $82. As before, the lion’s share belongs to the pharmacy segment — 89% of the market is directly financed by consumers.”
Innovative Digital Signage solutions, actively deployed by Western pharmaceutical companies and large pharmacy chains in recent years, play an important role in this growth dynamic.
It’s time to examine in detail the ten most effective Digital Signage solutions, according to experts at Innovative DMC, that are commonly used in pharmacy chains across Ukraine, Europe and the UK.
1. LED or illuminated pharmacy sign
In our opinion, first place rightfully goes to the LED or illuminated pharmacy sign. These signs most often appear as a cross, circle or square. Over the last 10–20 years such signs have become an integral, easily recognizable attribute of any pharmacy. The high effectiveness of an LED sign in a pharmacy is primarily due to dynamic, bright visual effects that act as an attention magnet for pedestrians and drivers passing by. They attract potential customers looking for medicines, hygiene products, contraceptives, etc. LED advertising‑information signs come in two types: non‑controlled and controlled. Non‑controlled signs are ordinary displays whose settings (at best) can be tied to on/off times depending on the time of day. Controlled signs are LED panels (often multicolor) with different pixel pitch and brightness that can be managed remotely by deploying a specialized Digital Signage software‑hardware system. These solutions allow businesses to configure retail content‑play scenarios, use text messages and various dynamic effects, increasing the likelihood that customers will choose your pharmacy even when competitors are nearby.
2. LED outdoor and indoor screens in pharmacies
Second in the TOP‑10 of effective Digital Signage solutions for pharmacy chains are LED outdoor and indoor screens. LED outdoor screens actively replace older generation LED signs or amplify their effect by increasing advertising area. Adopting or transitioning to LED advertising screens gives pharmacy businesses far more options because they are a flexible, multifunctional tool for visual and audio communication with consumers very close to the point of decision. The rapid adoption of Digital Signage by Western companies and pharmacy networks in the Middle East (notably Israel) demonstrates fast growth in using such solutions in pharmacies, hospitals and medical institutions. In earlier blog posts we examined case studies of the most effective approaches to using advertising‑information screens in healthcare. Bright, dynamic content on a large LED screen or a controlled LED sign is far more effective at grabbing attention (especially at night), increasing visual contact time with the message and boosting the likelihood of an impulsive decision.
3. Using consumer, commercial or professional LCD advertising‑information screens inside pharmacies
Using advertising‑information screens inside pharmacies is especially popular in Western Europe, with Finland often leading the list. In a previous blog article we detailed the key differences between consumer, commercial and professional TVs used in Digital Signage projects for pharmacy chains. Returning to the benefits of indoor displays: as project experience with DSGO.pro shows, Ukrainian pharmacy chains prefer budget implementation options using consumer or commercial monitors. The most effective screen sizes are 32–49 inches. There’s also a positive trend toward using SMART TV OS Android because such projects require minimal investment. Scaling is fast and doesn’t require skilled specialists, administrators or the pharmacy chain’s IT department. All you need is to install the DSGO Lite App on SMART TV and register it in the management system. After that all content (audio, video, interactive) management processes are automated, remote and centralized.
4. Video walls in storefronts or inside the pharmacy
The use of LCD and LED video walls in business is synonymous with one word — WOW. In every field, video‑wall installations are an attention anchor with enormous impact on consumers. They’re not only an image component but also an effective monetization tool by selling advertising space to manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and medical products — ideal for market launches or seasonal activity peaks. Video walls in Pharmacy Retail are usually installed in flagship stores or centrally located pharmacies where foot traffic is high. With an architect or designer, a video wall often becomes the focal point or a key interior attribute. It’s impossible to walk past a large video wall in a storefront, lobby or at the checkout without noticing it, and the message remains in the consumer’s memory for a long time. There are many arguments for using video walls in networked pharmacies and beyond; we plan a dedicated article soon with practical recommendations, step‑by‑step advantages, and budget‑minimizing lifehacks from Innovative DMC experts.
5. Advertising‑information monitors along pharmacy aisles
For pharmacies larger than 50 m2, using small budget advertising screens along the aisles is likely to be highly effective. This allows the chain to better inform consumers about specific products, provide detailed information about a medication or device (for example, a blood‑pressure monitor) and ultimately improve communication with the target audience. Given the growing availability of relatively inexpensive Chinese‑made advertising screens in Ukraine’s Digital Signage market (and noting that China doesn’t always mean low quality), with the right approach our specialists can propose options to optimize the budget without compromising display quality. Aisle‑mounted advertising monitors are one of the earliest and well‑proven tools for interacting with in‑store consumers.
6. Interactive touch panels or multi‑touch monitors
Interactive engagement via touch technologies is gaining momentum in pharmacy networks year by year. One early example was a touch‑screen rollout in a German pharmacy network at the start of the COVID‑19 pandemic. Interactive communication scenarios offer a number of advantages, the key one being minimized contact between the customer and pharmacy staff. Remote selection, ordering, payment and e‑commerce integration allow maximum distancing in the point‑of‑sale or order‑pickup process. Touch information kiosks also let users learn more about a product without staff assistance. Optimizing human resources, payroll and costs for producing POS materials, stands or promo constructions (which eventually require disposal) is another strong argument for adopting Digital Signage solutions.
7. LCD or LED digital shelving in the form of shelf‑talkers
Digital shelves in the form of shelf‑talkers are just starting to enter the market. A major drawback today is price — innovations often require large initial investments and performance risks exist. Nevertheless, in the past two years there have been more reports of completed shelf‑talker projects in the pharmaceutical industry (mainly in Asia and the USA). In Ukraine and the EU, shelf‑talkers are currently more common in food & non‑food retail chains. Here is an example of a related project for the Borjomi brand.
8. Advertising‑information screens at pharmacy checkouts
The checkout is a “golden” spot — the checkout display is its own “business plan.” The layout of product placement on checkout displays in most pharmacies is very similar, and some placements are covered by exclusive agreements with pharmaceutical companies or distributors. In recent years, small tablets or compact screens mounted at the checkout have become popular in Digital Signage for pharmacies. This is the most effective tool (in terms of price‑to‑quality) for capturing consumer attention in networks. Minimal investment, maximum coverage and online content updates in a few clicks — these are three anchors that drive the decision to move to Digital Signage in pharmacy chains.
9. Tablets integrated into shelves or displays
Continuing the list of the ten most effective Digital Signage solutions in pharmacy chains and the pharmaceutical retail segment, we highlight interactive communication scenarios using tablets or interactive LCD screens. Need to survey customer satisfaction or service quality? No problem. With flexible Digital Signage software settings you can collect this data and analyze it to improve service or increase loyalty. Want to boost engagement? Also easy. Create a simple interaction scenario or even a game character and visiting the pharmacy becomes a fun experience.
10. “Virtual storefront” made of LCD video‑wall monitors
Closing the TOP‑10 is a truly innovative solution — the “virtual” pharmacy. It appears as a normal pharmacy at first glance, but instead of shelves with real products it uses large vertically mounted LCD screens. The pioneers of virtual storefronts were German retailers. How does it work? Touch‑screen monitors are placed between real shelves in the self‑service area. They simulate real pharmacy shelving where a customer can view a product, add it to a virtual cart and then collect it at the checkout with a receipt printed on the self‑service checkout screen. It’s simple, efficient and automated — an omnichannel and highly effective way to interact with pharmacy visitors.
All of the tools described above can be successfully integrated and employed (to varying degrees) in any pharmacy or pharmacy chain, giving businesses competitive advantages over traditional POS materials, leaflets, posters and static information. To conclude, the ways to apply and monetize Digital Signage solutions in pharmacy chains and other business sectors are limited only by two factors: the customer’s imagination and/or the budget for implementing Innovative DMC’s Digital Signage solutions.
