First Waterfalls, Then Aquariums, And Now There Are Digital Campfires

March 15, 2023 by Dave Haynes

Display technology has been set up to emulate all kinds of things – from waterfalls to virtual ceilings and digital chandeliers – but I think this is the first time I have seen screens clustered together to emulate a campfire.

It is in the Frankfurt flagship of the outdoor’s-focused retailer Jack Wolfskin, a German brand with some 500 stores in Europe and Asia.

To start the ultimate adventure experience, says PR, Jack Wolfskin teamed with display manufacturer PPDS (Philips) and Hamburg-based integration specialist pilot Screentime  to kit out the Frankfurt am Main store.

In a curious twist, the PR provided shows the campfire set-up but doesn’t get into the what and why. PPDS did, however, provide detail on the 7.5 sq. meter fine pixel pitch display mounted on a feature wall in the store. It also notes a big 55-inch 4K used to promote sustainability efforts.

To complement this awe-inspiring (LED) screen, a 55” 4K Ultra HD Philips Q-Line digital signage display was strategically placed to showcase the sustainability features of the store and its products. These Philips professional displays were integrated into the store’s wider content system, which includes interactive touchscreens and seamless storytelling experiences that set the mood for adventure.

“The digital POS sales concepts we have developed for Jack Wolfskin’s flagship stores are designed to make the shopping experience even more emotional,” says Damian Rodgett, CEO at pilot Screentime GmbH. “The combination of LED boards, standard digital signage screens, innovative touchpoints, such as the campfire, and touch tablets leave a lasting impression on customers at the POS, where competition is increasing in the highly competitive outdoor apparel sector.”

“This is a good example of what is now the new benchmark in POS sales and marketing: a minimum of investment achieves the maximum impact on the customer experience.”

Update: Reader Andrew Capeluto, a creative technologist, notes that Google did a version of this using Android devices, for some oits brand labs.