Eco-friendly Faceoff: Digital Signage vs. Print-based Advertising

This World Environment Day, read this post to learn if switching to digital signage will improve your business’ ecological footprint

Till not too long ago, consumers were not concerned with a business’ impact on the environment. But with the increasing realization of the world’s finite resources and the effects of climate change becoming more and more stark, customers today want companies to behave in a socially responsible manner.

It is becoming increasingly important for brands to let their audiences know they are conscious of their ecological footprint and are following environmentally-sustainable practices. If you are one such business, it is time to start thinking about the repercussions of your branding and advertising activities on Mother Earth.

Impact of print-based advertising

Do you regularly print paper posters or flex banners to advertise your brand? You may be causing more damage to the environment than you realize. Consider this:

• For every 1 ton of paper your business consumes, you sacrifice 17 trees and 26,281 liters of water. You also contribute 264 kilograms of air pollution to the environment.
• If you are using plastic hoardings or billboards to advertise your business, you are creating items that will stick around for more time than you will. Did you know plastic items can take up to 1,000 years to decompose in landfills?
• Both paper and plastic displays use dangerous chemicals and toxic glues that are absorbed directly into soil and water when discarded and harm the environment.
• What about the time when you sent an advertisement to print only to discover a glaring error in the final delivery? The entire lot gets dumped without seeing the light of the day, leading to a huge loss not only to your pocket, but also to the environment.

Is it a wonder then that 25 Indian states and union territories have already banned the use of plastic in some form or the other? It is only a matter of time before we see a blanket ban on plastic across the nation.

What makes digital signage eco-friendly?

Coming to the other side of the fence, let’s now see how eco-friendly digital signage is. The following benefits of digital signage give this advertising and branding solution a clear edge over print-based counterparts:

1. Versatility and customization: Digital signage can be used to showcase multiple messages, one after the other, without needing any extra ‘raw material’. So, while displaying five different promotions through print would have required 5x prints, a single LED display is enough to show all those five messages for as long and as frequently as desired.
2. Flexibility and cost savings: If you notice an error in the message being displayed, you can take it down in a wink. Replacing the message with the rectified one is a matter of seconds and can be done remotely also. No logistics cost is involved – neither in labor nor in the transportation of the printed material to the display location.
3. Durability: Digital signage solutions are long-lasting. LED displays come with a lifecycle of at least 100,000 hours of operation. Even if someone was to keep their digital solution running 24×7, 365 days a year, a properly-maintained display would last them upward of 10 years. Compared to print advertising, which comes with a finite life – either because the messaging becomes redundant or the print fades or tears – digital signage is a much more eco-friendly solution.
4. Recyclability: The manufacturers of LED display solutions are constantly researching and refining the production of digital displays with ecologically-friendly materials. When LED signage is disposed of properly, the glass, electronics and cabinet material can be reclaimed and used in the production of new products, decreasing its harmful impact on the environment.
5. Energy-efficiency: LED displays have come a long way in reducing the energy they consume. Compared to the devices of yesteryears, LED display solutions today use 90% less energy – yes, you read that right. So, you don’t even have to worry about digital signage display racking up your business’ electricity bills.

Clearly, there was never a better time to invest in digital signage than today. If you want to be seen as an ecologically-friendly business by your customers, buying LED displays and posters from the best LED company in Noida will be a step in the right direction.

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