Great photography and videography are key when designing your digital menu boards, which are an extension of your advertising. The close-up shot of a burger dripping with cheese makes people crave it and more apt to buy; make sure to showcase effectively.

Here are some tips for using photography and videography on your digital menu boards:

1. Use what you have first. 

Build a library of all images and videos to pull from. While there is no rule on how many photos can be showcased on your menu board, good photography is a critical factor in determining how well something might sell. If you cannot find high quality images, then the internet offers a plethora of free images for use.

2. Enhance still photography with animation.

Adding subtle animations, such as steam rising off a cup of coffee or panning left to right over your signature dish, enliven your photography and draw attention to your boards with movement.

3. Animate your menus with video when you can.

Video has alot of sizzle. It draws attention and creates a memorable experience while influencing buyer behavior. Did you know that content in motion is 10x more eye-catching than static content?

Your digital menu boards are an extension of your overall brand. The use of color and layout on your digital menu boards is vital to maintaining your brand’s look and feel while making your boards legible. Make sure you are using readability first.  Remember, every concept can adapt to a white background with black text.  Function will always override creativity when it comes to menu boards.  The objective is to never have a complaint regarding the menu boards.  And in 10 years of building menu boards we know what we are doing

Things you want to consider:

1. Keep readability in mind, “simple is good”.

Your boards should be easy to read from 10-15 feet away. Choosing colors that contrast well help with readability.

1. Measure the distance from the guest guests position while observing the screens location.  10-15 feet is pretty standard for back wall distance.  3-6 feet for ceiling drops.
2. Back wall 10-15′:  55″ minimum screen size
3. Ceiling Drop 3-6′: 43″ minimum screen size
4. In Doubt?: email us at install@moogx.ai

Background: 

1. White background is best bet for background (forever). 
2. Color background are slightly different depending upon the manufacturer, model, age of your screens.  Therefore, background colors, even when the hex color numbers are exact will look different depening upon many factors.  Even black on an LG screen will be slightly different than on a Samsung, vs a Sony.  So you get the picture right?  Red is not always red.  And when you put screens side by side colors will not match exactly.  Also, remember the life of your screen is 

Text: Black is best for font color

2. Compete or compliment.

There are two common approaches to adding animation to digital menu boards:

• Complementing the menu or competing with the menu for attention. Animation that draws the viewers’ attention away from the standard menu and towards a high-margin or limited-time offer would compete for the viewers’ focus.
• Photography that pans and includes a subtle menu item caption animation would complement the standard menu. The strategy you select should reflect your overall goals.

3. Consistency is key to experience. (Black text, white background)

Your photography should have a consistent look throughout your menu boards. If your budget allows, have your photographer take multiple shots of each item from different angles. If your budget is smaller, consider using placeholder photography while designing your layout; that way, you can tell the photographer exactly which angles you would like your photos taken from.