The Vestaboard smart message board takes the flexibility and utilitarian nature of digital signage to a whole new level by bringing a nostaligic and artistic flair to “analog signage.” Launched into mass production just over two years ago, Vestaboard is a 41.5-inch-wide x 22-inch-high x 3.5-inch-deep physical message board with 132 individual “bits” that use old-style flip-flap display technology used in train stations and decades-old alarm clocks.

Via a downloadable app that automatically pairs with the Vestaboard, users can send instantaneous shared messages via Wi-Fi to the signage with direct notes of their own creation, or it can be configured to display the weather, sports scores, news or even witty quotes with an optional software upgrade.

Not coincidental, the inspiration for Vestaboard came from an old-style message board. Five years ago, founder and CEO Dorrian Porter was standing the Paris train station watching (and listening to) the clickety-clack of the giant arrival/ departure board, and he wanted to send a message to his kids back home in the U.S. He was captivated by the flip-flap display in the train station and conceptualized being able to send some with more impact to his kids than just a text message on the phone.

After several years of R&D and multiple iterations, Vestaboard was born with the help of several designers from Amazon Nest and renowned designer Fred Bould for the industrial design. The result is a nostalgic physical display with 8,448 moving flaps that integrates with smart home technology.

Each bit on the Vestaboard can display letters, numbers or even colors. The 55-pound, wall-mountable signage uses conventional VESA mounting and comes in the original flagship matte black or a new limited edition white. The aluminum frame can be removed to replace bits if necessary.

2024 Lighting Controls and Fixtures Report

Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.

Download your copy now!

The unit has a two-year warranty and an MSRP of $2,995, which includes the signage itself, a mount and extra replacement bits. There is a tech support line that responds within 24 hours for dealers, and a solid margin built in for integrators, according to the company.

The official launch was in November 2020 and to date the company has sold more than 6,000 units worldwide. Vestaboard made its debut at CEDIA Expo 2022 in Dallas in late September recognizing the potential for the custom installation channel to bring this connected device to its clientele. At the trade show, the company showed its integration with Sonos that enables the Vestaboard to automatically display the title and artist of the song being streamed. The company is in the midst of earning its Works With Sonos designation.

Vestaboard Plus is an upgrade software that has more than 200 channels of content that can be scheduled to display. The content includes John Wooden quotes, messages for dog lovers or hoops dreams, programmed to display the Spotify song being played in the home, or even Calvin & Hobbes quotes.

Neil Patrick Harris, and More, Give Their Endorsements

In a residential applications, users can send shared messages to the family. Family members can be greeted with simple “have a great weekend” notes or silly messages. Among the Vestaboard fans are several celebrities, including Jennifer Garner, Zach Braff, Drew Brees and Neil Patrick Harris, who says Vestaboard is “… a brilliant, inventive take on those arrival boards you’d see in a train station in old movies. It’s ingenious. It’s completely programmable – all 26 letters, all 10 digits and a litany of colors and characters mean you can post just about anything. It’s gorgeous, and it’s hanging on a wall I my home.”

In commercial applications, Vestaboard is deployed in hotels, offices, restaurants and other locations. Corporate office locations are commonly using it to send team-building messages to employees, for example.

“You can program it via the app to change however often you want… every day or every month,” says Kristin Keefe, head of marketing. “If every day, you can have it change hourly, every two hours, etc., and the specific time you want it to change.”

• Page 1