The largest retail network in France selects all-inclusive DOOH technology to run across 80 stores
The largest retail network in France selects all-inclusive DOOH technology to run across 80 stores
When FNAC, an international entertainment retail chain and the largest retailer of its kind in France serving 2.2 million members, decided it wanted to have full high-definition (HD) video and image quality digital signage displays rolled out across all 80 retail stores in France, it looked for a supplier with a great deal of market and product knowledge.
Each of the 80 stores had to have three different eye-catching, full-screen, HD digital signage programmes running and playing videos mixed with still images. These included: the televisions for sale in the electrical department running promotions and sample video content in-synch with each other, in full-HD quality, enabling customers to compare the TVs on an equal basis; multiple portrait displays mounted as large video walls displaying promos for upcoming events and concerts, and showing up-to-date pricing, times and dates; and the point-of-presence (PoP) displays found next to the store shelves displaying storewide savings, promotions and bargains. And the content running on all of these systems needed to be accessed locally at each individual store and also from head office on a daily basis for in-store promotional updates.
Finding the right solution, suppliers
FNAC selected TMM Communication, an instrumental player in the French digital signage market, for this major project. TMM proposed using a combination of Roku’s BrightSign solid-state media players, the BrightSign Network solution and even created a unique interface software specifically designed by TMM for the FNAC project to enable easy content management. This solid-state design provides high reliability, supports networking for remote updates and is significantly more affordable than PC based solutions in the short and long term, both on unit and network service pricing.
In this project, more than 3,000 digital displays are running up-to-date HD video content and promotions throughout the 80 stores, all driven by 1,500 networked BrightSign media players, with the content managed by the BrightSign Network from FNAC’s head office and staff in the regional stores.
"With its extremely reliable and feature-rich solid-state media players, BrightSign has reached a milestone in the digital signage industry as it allows system integrators to offer powerful and cost -effective digital sign solutions to retailers like never before." says Michel Baronnier, CEO of TMM Communication.
The thinking behind the technology
TMM chose the HD210 and HD1010 BrightSign networked models. From basic looping video to fully interactive solutions, they allow content to be delivered remotely and provide a variety of remote management and reporting functions. Both models support the full range of networking options, allowing customers to readily configure and manage digital signage networks using software or scripting.
Roku’s founder and chief executive, Anthony Wood, explained: “By creating a product line of five new BrightSign models, we’ve taken our products to a new level. Rather than offering fully loaded models with features that may not be necessary for all applications, we’ve packaged each model with specific software and hardware capabilities that we’ve found are most popular to the wide range of digital signage applications out there. Now you only pay for what you need and save money in the process.”
The BrightSign Network was chosen as it’s an all-inclusive networking solution based on XML technology. This allows skilled software developers to easily connect to BrightSign’s hosted network service, providing value-added features like the interface TMM developed for FNAC. The software simplifies the presentation creation and content update process and interfaces with the BrightSign Network service to ensure smooth updates without having to access all of the management features. This links in to execute the publishing of presentations to the 80 FNAC locations throughout France. A key benefit of the core effort TMM put into the development of this unique interface is that it can be repurposed for future projects.
No compromise with non-PC platform
All BrightSign models benefit from unparalleled video quality, highly relevant digital signage and kiosk functions - without the complexity of PC-based solutions. Their simple plug-and-play platform makes it easy to create engaging, innovative display experiences with many of today’s standard media files, including MPEG-4 part 10/H.264. Playback is also made simple using SD cards containing content and playlists. No special software, complicated applications or IT department support are needed.
At the completion of this project, up to 3,000 BrightSign units will have been installed in FNAC stores including outlets outside of France.
