Different Models and Successfully Selling Up

On a recent trip that took me through Dulles International Airport (outside Washington D.C.), as I descended into an underground passage to my terminal, I was struck by what a appeared to be a massive backlit SEG display – roughly 250x6 ft in size (times two) – which had what seemed to be consistent color and impeccable production and installation. Then, I noticed the image changing in subtle ways and realized it was a massive digital display.

‘Wow,’ I thought, ‘that’s gotta cost a fortune.’

But on my flight, as a sipped coffee and snacked (far too briefly) on a stroopwafel, I considered further. In the long-term, is it really expensive? Sure, the upfront costs are much more that, say, the SEG I originally thought I was looking at. But barring maintenance, it’s a one-time investment. After the display technology is in place, there will be no ongoing installation changeouts when the specified image or client must change, no production costs to print and finish what would be a truly massive graphic.

The next consideration here is customer context, specifically, how does the owner/operator of the digital display achieve ROI on its investment. The display I say, which is featured in the photo above, was for PenFed Credit Union, which, according to its website, currently has more than $28 billion dollars in assets, so it seems buying time on this display — or even dominating it for a extended period — is not going to “break the bank.”

Similarly, at least money-wise, Washington D.C. airports are rife with ads for defense contractors, which also have deep pockets. For instance, Lockheed Martin, according to Defense News, had a total defense revenue of $72 billion in 2025. Again, I would assume, there are funds in its marketing budget to cover the costs of, for instance, the Dulles Airport display.

One interesting thing about advertising by defense contractors: it does not, and will likely never, talk to me as a potential customer. Despite the millions of people who may see their airport ads, only a very small population is targeted because they are likely to wander (or be ushered through) that airport. Despite that small population, my guess the expanse of the ads proves out.

And I think that’s an important distinction: big customers have big budgets, and big budgets bring big opportunities, whether in digital displays or static signage. The customer for certain displays are not “Diane’s Gluten-Free Cookies” or “Antonio’s Pizzaria Autentico:” Not at that scale.

Scale really is the keyword in this discussion, whether it is scale at capacity, complexity, or cost. It really comes down to whether the customer base is suitable for delivering profitable results. Scaling up may mean having to sell up — to reach customers with bigger budgets, larger marketing spends, and highly-specialized need to reach exclusive or affluent customers. Serving these areas may require new approaches, a new corporate identity, and a willingness to say goodbye to the small clients who have become a liability

It must be stated that moving into new markets, new customer communities, and new technologies, or not, should always be a strategic choice, built on a strong business case. In the wide-format segment which abounds with strategy, careful choice becomes a virtue. The sky may be the limit, but don’t forget you will need propulsion to get there.