Sony’s Professional Services division in the UK reports working with Worldwide Retail Store to help create the ultimate retail entertainment experience for National Geographic’s new flagship store on London’s Regent Street.
Described as more than a traditional retail environment, the Regent Street store will feature compelling interactive visual displays and design dedicated to stimulating, educating and inspiring visitors to celebrate global cultures, according to the retailer. In addition to its retail marketplace, the store will feature an exhibition area, auditorium, pinchos café, travel desk and photography studio, set across three floors and approximately 1,800 square metres (19,375 square feet).
“To achieve a truly compelling in-store customer experience we need to use the best available technology, to inform and entertain customers,” comments Pere Matamales, CEO at Worldwide Retail Store.
“Having taken the original brief from Worldwide Retail Store, surveyed its space and considered how technology could be used with the National Geographic brand, we quickly realised that there was enormous potential to create a truly innovative retail experience,” comments Tim Potter from Sony Professional.
The National Geographic Store, which takes up 20,000 sq feet of retail space, features a digital signage system spanning 42 displays. It distributes video content throughout the store according to managed schedules and plays content from centralised media players. The store features a HD capable A/V distribution system to feed live video (such as National Geographic channels) to the screens across the store and is supported by a high quality audio system, split into 10 separate zones, that is integrated with the digital signage system.
In addition, there are two video walls featuring multi screen displays – including 4×40-inch LCD display screen system installed above the reception, a 4×4 rectangular multi screen located in the auditorium.
The auditorium also features a camera, a PA/VA audio system and a video conferencing system with connectivity to Sony’s 2k fixed installation projector, capable of live link ups to explorers around the world.
The technology
The technologydeployed includes Sony Ziris digital signage software (DSS), an HDXchange media asset management content storage system and Sony public displays (FWD series). Video content will be distributed over IP for store and forward playout (normal DSS operation) and as full resolution switched video for live and off air content. The multiscreens will be driven by their associated screen controller. The HDXchange will be used to ingest and edit content before forwarding to the Ziris digital signage management system. The HDXchange will be located in Barcelona.
The store will host a network of Sony’s latest IP security cameras (SMC-DS50 and SMC-DS80 models) featuring intelligent motion detection. This will be controlled in a central hub in London.
To deliver the project Sony will be working with specialist dealers Total Audio (audio system), Electrosonic (video wall technology), Heston Apax (Video Security) and Digital Presence (digital signage and projectors).
