DENEVA brings the Smart Retail to the AV Experience Zone at ISE Barcelona

As every year, ICON Multimedia has been attended at the largest fair in the AV sector, Integrated System Europe (ISE), which took place at the Fira Barcelona on June 1st and 2nd. Within this framework, the organizers of ISE and AVIXA have carried out the AV Experience Zone, aimed at bringing Spain’s end customers closer to the audiovisual industry (AV) and integration companies.

With this formula, ICON Multimedia has been maked known first-hand the enormous possibilities of Digital Signage technology applied to the retail sector, through the latest and most innovative solutions from DENEVA.

The event has been followed live and online through the official page of the AV Experience Zone

The THAT store, a futuristic shopping experience located at the Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, opened its doors this year. The store incorporates innovative digital elements that elevate from the traditional shopping experience. One of the most notable and eye-catching marvels at this store are the Mirandda powered smart fitting rooms. The latter is equipped with Smart Mirrors- a digital solution provided by Blue Rhine Industries. This organization is a leading provider of digital and static signage as well as system integration solutions in the UAE.

Mirandda Smart Fitting Room solution, developed by the Spanish Digital Signage software manufacturer, ICON Multimedia, supports the omnichannel strategy of this new concept store, which aims to attract customers to physical areas, creating 360º shopping experiences in its facilities to increase sales.

The solution, in the fitting rooms, features an interactive experience that automatically detects the items brought into the room by the customer (through RFID technology), and can instantly display alternate options in terms of sizes and colors to the viewer. The smart mirrors also automatically suggest outfits that match with the item that was brought into the changing room. The mirror is equipped with cutting-edge functionality that allows customers to make requests for other garments, without ever actually leaving the fitting-room. These requests-made via a dedicated THAT Store app connected to every Smart Mirror- are received by the in-store employees on their mobile devices. The employees can then immediately take action on these requests thus reducing lead times at the store.  These mirrors significantly improve in-store experiences for customers, provide tremendous value and utility, and drastically strengthen the interaction and engagement between the customer and the brand.  

Among the characteristics incorporated by ICON Multimedia’s smart mirrors in THAT, there is the ability to simplify the traditional sales process by embodying QR codes. This approach allows customers to dynamically generate QR codes that embody their shopping carts. The in-store staff can then merely scan the QR code via their mobile devices and complete the transactions in a matter of minutes. The mirrors are also equipped with presence sensors that allow the systems to understand the movement of customers across the room. This removes the need for customers to manually end their experiences, as well as equips the mirror with the ability to alert new customers that it is inactive until proper disinfection services are performed, thus guaranteeing health and safety standards in its usage

The beauty of digitalizing any experience is the ability to draw data and generate information based on this data. This is exactly what the smart mirrors allow the store to do. Through this device, the store can obtain useful information about the interests and buying behavior of customers as well as the effectiveness of sales staff and can strategically optimize business decisions.

With the integration of this technology, THAT creates a new concept store based on a “single store for a single customer” ideology. The two-tier store located in the Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, is a space where art, culture, and commerce amalgamate to provide customers with a wholistic experience. In addition to this, the store incorporates fitness spaces, a Yoga studio, beauty and laundry services, healthy food and beverage spaces, and a space for live music. THAT truly is, a futuristic concept.

ICON Multimedia and The Interior Ministry’s Secretary of State for Security have reached an agreement to use the DENEVA’s digital signage network to spread alerts of people who has disappeared. The aim of this initiative is to increase the number of messages displayed to reach a larger number of people who can provide clues. It will also sensitize awareness among the population regarding the events surrounding the disappearance of a person.

ICON Multimedia makes its Digital Signage software available to the usual searches carried out by the Spanish State Security Forces for the display of messages about disappearances. DENEVA has been recognized as an authorized content management platform for that use. For its development, the final customer’s agreement has to be a requirement, and it will be guaranteeing the compliance with data protection regulations at all times. In this way, the Spanish Ministry will be in charge of supplying the content related to the warning message, and determining the duration and area of diffusion depending on each case.

Currently, ICON Multimedia manages more than 40,000 active broadcasting points around the world through its DENEVA digital signage platform located in airports, railway and metro stations, buses, ports, petrol stations or shopping centres, among others. Places that acquire a special relevance in the search for people for their high rate of mobility within them. Those are essential in case of imminent danger for the person who has disappeared, specially the critical first hours.

Within the framework of the actions for the promotion of the Connected Industry 4.0, ICON Multimedia has implemented its DENEVA software in the premises of Euskotren for the management of services, agents and trains in the stations. This new application helps in the internal management and automatic organization of railway services, by displaying the allocation of trains and drivers, driving and resting times, the creation of line schedules and the planning of auxiliary services.

In addition, it allows the optimized assignment of schedules, shifts, tasks and/or destinations of the personnel, allowing to adapt or modify this previous planning in case of possible incidents or changes, and thus optimize the requirements of the available personnel.

An efficient and flexible system, available to be adapted and applied to different specific railway environments.

ICON Multimedia is already working on several applications integrated in its Passenger Information System to promote a safe and connected mobility.

The Government Delegate in Castile and Leon, Javier Izquierdo, has visited today the headquarters of ICON Multimedia, accompanied by the Government Subdelegate in Palencia, Ángel Domingo Miguel. A private meeting whose aim was to know the activity of the company, as well as the projects in which the company is currently immersed, whose strategic guidelines are based on Digital Transformation and internationalization.

During his visit, Izquierdo pointed out the importance of the digitalization of companies in the region, emphasizing connectivity and cybersecurity, with the aim of “offering products in better conditions, with more quality and much more profitability”, setting as an example ICON Multimedia for the way it promotes the “Spain brand” and its commitment to innovation in international projects.

For his part, Rafael Hornos, one of the managers of ICON Multimedia, highlighted the importance of helping the business community to continue on this path and recalled the importance of investing in talent.

ICON Multimedia and Palencia Abierta have reached an agreement to launch gift cards for the employees of the technology company to spend during this Christmas season in the proximity commerce and the hostelry in the region. This is an initiative that aims to support the establishments in the city that, in view of the current health crisis, have been affected by the economic situation.

In total, ICON Multimedia has distributed a sum of 1 000 euros, distributed in gift cards of EUR 200 to several of its workers, who have been chosen by their colleagues, in a consensual way through group dynamics, to reward their effort, tenacity and commitment to the company throughout this year.

The awards presentation took place today at ICON Multimedia’s facilities, in the presence of its three founding partners, and the President of Palencia Abierta, María José López, who highlighted that this alternative “is an incentive for local businesses that offer safe and reliable spaces, and a way to diversify spending by being able to use it both in commerce and in the service sector, which has been severely affected during this pandemic.” For his part, Enrique Hornos, CEO of ICON Multimedia said that “this is a way to celebrate and recognize the merit of our workers; and at the same time support Palencia businesses, something so necessary in this difficult year, making Christmas much more collaborative and supportive.”

Palencia Abierta continues with this campaign so that other companies can adhere to this agreement, as well as other establishments adhering to the Association, in order to promote an economic recovery in this sector.

For all industries, 2020 has been an unusual and very peculiar year. What began as a normal year was disrupted by the arrival of COVID-19. Despite this interruption, Digital Signage has continued to move forward, adapting to the imminent needs of customers. New business opportunities have arisen, such as the use of Digital Signage circuits to promote solutions such as capacity control in establishments, control of social distancing or the use of masks.

But what does 2021 hold in store for us? What are the trends that guarantee the development of the sector?

More advanced audience measurement solutions

Big Data is still the undisputed leader. During 2020, we have seen a development in audience measurement solutions, in order to adapt them to the new reality. Now, besides knowing the sex, age, or mood of the people in front of the displays, we can know the distance between them, or recognize the person, even if they are wearing a mask or not. Much more data that allows to segment the target audience and analyze them, which makes it possible to identify their preferences in order to adapt the informative and advertising contents to the different users.

The integration of audience measurement systems in Digital Signage solutions is essential to know the ROI of the campaigns, increase the profitability of the areas and improve the customer experience.

Mobile devices, key resources for Digital Signage content management

Aiming to avoid tactility, mobile devices represent a key resource to ensure engagement at the point of sale. Now, it is possible to turn the entire display network of a Digital Signage circuit of one or multiple establishments or a corporate environment into a real-time solution for tele-training, with just a few simple clicks through mobile devices.

Mirroring systems or the use of QR code enable the immediate access and management of the Digital Signage network contents through smartphones, ensuring the success of the sales by making them highly customized for each client.

Digital product catalogs

One of the trends in Digital Signage for 2021 that is already becoming a key sales factor for the retail sector are digital product catalogs.

In the face of COVID-19, the retail sector has sought new solutions to limit its spread and reduce customer contact with products. As a result, new solutions have been developed at the point of sale, allowing customers to select a product from an extensive digital catalog. Therefore, the establishment avoids displaying all the items, which are susceptible to being touched and infected by visitors to the establishment.

Through these digital catalogs, the customer is able to select an article, know other sizes, dimensions or existing colors, or know other possible combinations with other existing products in the establishment, promoting impulse buying, and then add the chosen item to the shopping cart and receive it at home or ready to pick up at the counter.

After each use, the screen of this information point can be easily cleaned and disinfected for the next use.

In a move that is set to build on its long-standing global partnership with DENEVA software manufacturer, ICON Multimedia, leading display producer, Vestel, has introduced a new DENEVA-approved and certified System-on-Chip technology solution. Allowing all the capabilities of the world-class DENEVA platform to be integrated seamlessly into the entire Vestel line-up of 43” to 98” digital signage displays, the new solution offers an extra competitive advantage to integrators, widening the spectrum of opportunities for projects across a greater range of industry applications.

Offering the possibility of a seamless and cost-efficient turnkey digital signage solution with a world-renowned, scalable and user-friendly software, this embedded SoC technology ensures that considerable savings can be achieved for everything from small digital signage setups to special, bespoke projects, and time-sensitive, multinational rollouts. As well as eliminating the need for any middleware, it streamlines the deployment process, while also working to keep installation, operational and maintenance costs to a minimum.

As soon as it is connected to power and network, this out-of-the-box display solution ensures automated, centralized control of small, medium and enterprise level digital signage networks, enabling end users to develop network applications, as well as create and schedule multimedia content in any resolution for one, some or all of the displays. For more immersive showcases, much of the Vestel range of digital signage supports the display and playback of 4K UHD HDR content.

Building on the success of its tried, trusted and internationally recognized partnership with DENEVA in retail, corporate and QSR industries, Vestel, with its new integrated DENEVA solution, is now in a position to offer even greater built-in specialist and targeted support. Compatible with all the latest DENEVA range of software applications, the solution ensures custom-built functionality for all sectors, ranging from retail, QSR, finance, supermarkets and hospitality, to corporate, education, transport, and healthcare.

The SoC-powered range of Vestel displays are now also approved for compatibility with the new DENEVA Safe and Tech solution. This utilizes AI, Big Data and biometric systems to ensure businesses can more easily comply with the latest Covid-19 regulations for maximum in-store capacities, mask wearing and social distancing.

Designed for portrait and landscape orientations, the flexible Vestel series can be adapted to suit any environment, coming with a range of display capabilities, which include continuous 16/7 and 24/7 run-times, as well as brightness levels of up to 2,500 Nits. The SoC technology solution will be available for the entire Vestel digital signage line-up from 2021

The Romanesque Information Point (PIR, according to its Spanish acronym) located in the hermitage of San Juan Bautista in Palencia joins the digital transformation. For this, the City Council of Palencia, through the Department of Culture and Tourism, has made use of ICON Multimedia’s Digital Signage solutions with the objective of creating an innovative and immersive experience, capable of becoming a museum center and starting point of the Romanesque in the province.

For this project, it was necessary to arrange large format and resolution displays, so the manufacturer Vestel has been selected for the installation of a 55” video wall that welcomes visitors inside this place of worship and shows all the richness of the cultural heritage of the province of Palencia. In addition, ICON Multimedia has also provided this place with tactile solutions, with the installation of two professional multi-touch Full HD displays by Philips, with Android technology, so that the user can interact with the content and discover more information about the Romanesque style.

This implemented technology operates with ICON Multimedia’s DENEVA software, which allows an immediate and centralized management of high quality contents.

The inauguration of this Romanesque Information Point took place last Friday, December 4^th. In this event, the First Deputy Mayor of Palencia and Delegate Councilman of EDUSI (this Spanish acronym stands for Integrated Sustainable Urban Development), Alfonso Polanco, the Councilwoman of Tourism, Culture and Festivities, Laura Lombraña, as well as a representation of ICON Multimedia, were in attendance.

DENEVA reinforces its portfolio of solutions with DENEVA.Catalog, a new way of presenting and segmenting Digital Signage content in real time, which aims to provide a better service to establishments in a face-to-face manner, as well as to help preserve health safety.

DENEVA.Catalog allows store personnel to launch content on demand through their mobile device, tablet, or the web desktop itself, to any screen in their store managed through DENEVA. In this way, a much more personalized attention is achieved by displaying the specific information required by each customer, getting a higher retention of the message and, therefore, a greater impact on face-to-face sales. In addition, it can also be used as a tool for tele-training or as a second screen at the consulting booth.

This new smart tech application from DENEVA progresses in the digitalization of the retail sector in favor of the connected and experiential store, where now the Digital Signage plays an important role by ensuring greater comfort and security of the purchasing process at the physical store, thus regaining the users’ trust.

In addition to the new DENEVA.Catalog product, DENEVA already has a wide range of solutions adapted to this new context, based on mirroring systems or the use of QR codes, which allow immediate access and management of content through the smartphone. Solutions adapted to corporate environments or the retail industry, where video conferencing solutions are also integrated. A clear transformation from Digital Signage to Digital Signage 2.0.