Retail Special | An AV Magazine supplement in association with Midwich

AVMAGAZINE 6 | AV RETAIL SPECIAL | MAY 2018 I n the war for customers’ attention, digital signage is increasingly the retailer’s weapon of choice. “The higher tier retailers are pushing the boundaries with digital signage, with creative displays, videowalls and even fully immersive store fronts with entrances that are purely digital signage,” says Phil Davenport, EMEA director of sales and operations at Datapath. These days a single screen is rarely enough. “Multiple displays are not only more demanding of customers’ attention but also open up great creative possibilities,” says Davenport. “For example, several displays located around a store can run their own local content, but then ‘join’ together for a continuous image.” CONTENT IS PARAMOUNT Along with the attention-grabbing displays, what really “makes” digital signage is what goes on behind the scenes. “Content is paramount to any digital signage installation,” says Mark Flowers CTS, external sales specialist at Midwich. “In contrast to static signage, retailers can update content according to changes to their stock availability, promotions or any other variables. “The key is opting for a consistent content management system (CMS). BrightSign, for example, provides a consistent platform that can be accessed either locally over the LAN or remotely 8 Customising your retail offer These days a single screen is rarely enough for the creative possibilities of digital signage. using the BrightSign Network regardless of the display technology.” As signage points multiply, effective CMS becomes even more vital, says BrightSign’s CEO, Jeff Hastings. “Imagine a department store with a videowall in the foyer, digital signage menus in the restaurant, and advertising screens throughout the store. With a good CMS one person can manage which content is delivered to which screens and at what times of day. “BrightSign Network is an affordable, scalable, subscription-based hosted service, providing the complete infrastructure to serve and support a retailer’s digital signage network. It makes delivering remote content to one or many units a breeze, and frees customers from the complexities of hosting and maintaining their own network.” Nowadays most shoppers are inseparable from their smartphones, and linking these into the retailer’s signage network can be incredibly powerful. “BrightSign’s BrightBeacon uses Bluetooth to allow retailers to push personalised information to customers via their phones,” says Flowers. “BTLE/beacon-enabled signage can deliver a two-screen experience where the customer interacts with both the screen in front of them and the screen on their hand-held device,” explains Hastings. “It’s a great way for users to interact with product demonstrations and it helps DIGITAL SIGNAGE RETAIL SPECIAL physical retail compete with digital retail. The trend is towards new technology integrations that power the experience, including audience recognition, beacon/ BTLE, iPhone wallet passes, voice recognition and new possibilities with RFID.” This year Midwich launched MiSupport, an enhanced aftercare option for BrightSign signage systems. “We offer an added value and all-in-one extended warranty, training and technical support helpdesk service that can be added to the reseller’s product or system at the point of purchase,” says Flowers. TRUSTED TECHNOLOGY Flat panel videowalls continue to be a trusted technology in retail, and improvements in videowall processing such as Datapath’s Fx4 and Hx4 are enabling retailers and their suppliers to create stunning custom designs, says Flowers. “The award-winning Fx4 controller is used across a broad spectrum of retail environments for creative displays, scatter walls and synchronising large displays,” says Davenport. “Creative projection applications can also benefit from Fx4 power for UHD applications.” Most Fx4 users also opt for Datapath’s Wall Designer software, which enables them to visualise their content by adding inputs, backgrounds and adjusting capture regions. Datapath’s Fx4 and Hx4 are enabling retailers and their suppliers to create stunning custom designs LG showcases the In-Glass display in a retail environment In association with Mark Flowers, external sales specialist