Recommended: Retail Systems (UK) story on digital signage impact and strategy

July 8, 2010 by Dave Haynes

There’s a nice thorough piece about digital signage in UK retail that’s been flagged by a few people I follow on Twitter. The piece, in IT-centric Retail Systems, is worth a read because of some of the detail on what’s going on, as well as some insightful comments.

The Co-operative Group, for example, has screens in 3,000 of its food stores and is finishing a roll-out in its pharmacy chain, as well, making it the largest screen-based network in Europe.

“It’s the in-store digital channels that are really leading the way for us – they are engaging for customers, have shorter lead times, near 100 per cent compliancy levels and are incredibly affordable, making them cost effective alternatives to their above the line counterparts,” says Susan Beetlestone, head of commercial marketing at the Co-Operative Group.

On content:

Marc Mendoza, CEO at Media Planning Group, says the message must be relevant and targeted to ensure it is not ignored. “If you have customers you want to influence at the PoS, it should tell them something they don’t already know and give them something new that takes into account their state of mind at the moment of delivery. It’s got to be promotion or offer-based – it can’t just be a brand medium,” he says.

Darren Turrell, director at in-store digital media experience consultancy The Embryo Studio, thinks otherwise. For some retailers he believes that digital in-store media can help to enhance the image of the brand – especially in fashion retailers where the creation of mood can be all important. “You have got lots of technology companies selling screens and people trying to sell advertising but you can use it to enhance the brand experience. If you take Hollister, they have been really bold with in-store media. They have screens in-store but they are not throwing advertising at it – it’s a beach scene that changes during the day. They are the sorts of people that are using digital media to create the right vibe to create an environment as a whole,” he says.

On Strategy:

Shoppers want four things – they want to know about new products, price and promotion, usage ideas and help me choose. You can deliver all of those far more efficiently through digital than on a static poster,” says Guy Chiswick, commercial director at Digicom.

Worth a read.