Agency Exec Argues Smaller Screens Often Beat Big Boards for Conversions
2026-10-13 · via Digital Signage Today
Gino Sesto, president of Los Angeles out-of-home agency DASH TWO, argues in a new column that operators and brands overvalue large-format digital signage and underuse smaller, close-proximity displays that can drive better conversion results for less money.
The piece matters for anyone sizing a signage deployment on a fixed budget, because it pushes back on the assumption that a bigger screen automatically means more impact. Sesto says screen selection should be driven by audience distance, creative strategy and the action an operator wants a viewer to take, not by graphic guidelines or the instinct to go as large as the budget allows.
According to Sesto, massive displays are best suited to two jobs: broad brand awareness and acting as a visual landmark. He says these screens dominate sightlines from far away but lose relevance as viewers get closer, becoming "part of the noise" once someone is standing near them. A 15-inch or 22-inch display placed a few feet from a customer, he says, creates a more personal and focused touch point than a 75-inch screen mounted well overhead.
Content and calls to action
Sesto says creative has to match the viewing distance. Large screens need bold visuals and minimal text, ideally under five words, with no complex formatting. Smaller screens, placed at eye level or arm's reach, can carry more detailed messaging such as product specs, ingredient information or customer reviews, and can use subtler animation, because the viewer is close enough to read it.
He is most pointed on calls to action. Sesto says DASH TWO's own campaigns showed that QR codes, URLs, touchscreen prompts and NFC tags perform poorly on large overhead displays because scanning from a distance requires zooming that distorts the code and causes read failures, and because viewers do not want to hold up foot traffic pointing a phone upward in a crowd. He says a QR code on a 10-inch counter display produces a significantly higher scan rate than the same code placed high on a wall screen, though the column does not provide figures to back that comparison.
The column offers a simple decision framework: use bigger screens for awareness goals, move screens closer when the goal is action, match screen size to where the viewer is actually standing, and keep any CTA within smartphone or arm's reach.
What the piece does not address is cost comparison between large LED installations and distributed smaller-screen networks, or how operators should handle mixed-goal locations where both awareness and conversion matter in the same space. It is also written from an agency perspective promoting DASH TWO's own campaign experience rather than independent data, so the claims about scan-rate differences and engagement should be read as one agency's track record rather than an industry benchmark.
The announcement in full
Reproduced from Digital Signage Today for reference. Digital Signage Magazine did not write the text below.
True impact isn't measured in screen diagonals. It's measured in how effectively your screen connects with the viewer in front of it.
October 13, 2026 by Gino Sesto — President, DASH TWO
When most people think about digital signage, they think "go big or go home." From giant stadium boards to street-level marquee displays, scale gets mistaken for success. But deploying massive displays without considering viewing distance and context can waste money and reduce engagement.
creen selection should be driven by audience distance, creative strategy and desired viewer action—often making smaller, close-proximity displays far more effective and ROI-positive than massive marquee screens.
The bottom line: Bigger screens create broad awareness, but smaller, strategically placed screens deliver the intimacy and engagement that spark direct conversions. Here's why.
Massive screens have two main goals — high-level brand awareness and visual landmarking. Think about the places where you frequently see big screens. They aren't available everywhere. In our experience, they are often defined by:
Another downside to the "bigger is better" argument: Large displays dominate sightlines from a distance but lose effectiveness as viewers approach them. They become part of the noise. The message loses relevance up close because it's harder to take in. And the power of that dynamic first appearance loses impact.
On the other hand, a message delivered on a smaller screen feels more intimate, more immediate and more impactful.
They excel at delivering direct engagement, dwell-time interaction and conversions.
A 15-inch or 22-inch display placed 3 feet from a customer creates a personal, focused touch point that a 75-inch screen 20 feet above their head can't replicate.
What are the ideal placements for these smaller screens? We have used them effectively in a number of our campaigns, including:
Designing content for the viewing distance
We've established that good things come in smaller packages. But how can you adjust creative strategy to work for smaller screens? Remember, creative must match the screen size and viewing distance, not just the brand's graphic guidelines.
Larger screens require bold visuals, minimal text (ideally less than five words), and no complex formatting. By contrast, smaller screens are made for up-close moments. They support more detailed messaging, including product details and high-density information that doesn't work well on larger setups. Plus, small screens can feature subtle animation.
When a viewer stands a couple feet from a display, their personal space bubble opens. A small screen at eye level or arm's reach naturally creates a dynamic more like looking at a phone screen or talking to a retail associate. This is why smaller screens feel like a personal recommendation or guided experience.
Large screens come off more like broadcast television or public service announcements. Instead, agencies can tailor small-screen messages to feel more focused, giving them a conversational appeal instead of making people feel "talked at."
Small screens also offer the chance to go beyond hype, which is terrific for broad messaging on big screens but less effective with a more intimate message space. Small-screen advertising can convey specific product details, ingredient breakdowns, customer reviews or pairing suggestions to establish trust with the viewer.
Driving action: Why CTAs shine on smaller displays
This lesson can only be learned through firsthand experience, so trust our hard-earned fails: QR codes, web URLs, touchscreen prompts, and NFC tags are ineffective on massive overhead displays because of the wide physical gap. Scanning a QR code from far away demands camera zooming that distorts pixels and causes scanning failures.
Plus, viewers rarely want to point their phone cameras upward in a busy crowd to capture a code on a public board. They don't want to cause a traffic jam by slowing people behind them when it takes too long to line up the shot.
By contrast, moving displays closer to a viewer's field of vision eases the barrier to action. Smaller displays at eye level or arm's reach invite immediate physical and digital interaction. For instance, a QR code on a 10-inch counter display produces significantly higher scan rates than the same code high on a wall screen.
Stop asking viewers to jump through physical hoops and give them a smoother path to engagement. Bringing the screen closer removes both the physical distance and cognitive effort required to move from noticing an offer to completing a sign-up, transaction, or download.
Don't let screen size become a vanity metric. Right-sizing your digital signage network maximizes audience impact and equipment budget. Use this decision framework checklist to guide your size decisions:
What is the goal? Awareness Go bigger. Action Bring it closer.
Where is the viewer standing? Match screen size to sightline distance.
Is there a CTA? Keep it within smartphone or arm's reach.
Remember, true impact isn't measured in screen diagonals — it's measured in how effectively your screen connects with the viewer in front of it.
Gino Sesto is founder and president of DASH TWO, a two-time OBIE-winning out-of-home and digital agency in Los Angeles that has run 20,000+ campaigns for music, entertainment, and consumer brands.
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