Many of today’s retailers are trying to understand how to best create an engaging in-store experience within their traditional retail environments. Additionally, brand representatives need a way to engage consumers who are increasingly accustomed to the convenience of online shopping.

Diesel S.p.A. was faced with a similar challenge, even as one of the world’s leading designers of high-end, ready-to-wear fashion apparel. The company operates more than 400 stores around the world, including 50 in the United States.

The Challenge

Integrator YCD Multimedia previously helped Diesel develop a video wall the retailer could use at fashion shows and in the company’s headquarters to display new product lines and merchandise. Based on that experience, Diesel sought a similar collaboration with YCD for a retail store environment that would reflect its hip style and provide relevant brand messaging to customers. Diesel wanted to install the system at flagship locations in New York and San Francisco with scalability for other locations and future growth.

YCD was founded in 1999 on the principle that it would provide corporations with advanced digital media solutions on a flexible platform designed to help businesses attract clients, reinforce branding and ensure a measurable impact on their business. These solutions were exactly what Diesel needed, especially from a company that has partnered with more than 2000 customers to date.

“Diesel has an aesthetic that blends very well with digital signage,” said Sam Losar, president of U.S. operations with YCD Multimedia. “Styles and campaigns change so frequently that Diesel can just upload new digital content whenever they want.”

The Solution

Diesel and YCD selected the 5th Avenue location in New York and the Market Street location in San Francisco as the premiere sites for the stores’ new digital signage. When choosing a display to use, Diesel wanted a combination of excellent quality and large screen size at a reasonable price.

After considering a number of options, YCD chose NEC’s 46” X462UN display. Its professional-grade, industrial-strength panel intended for 24/7 operation was most ideal. The display includes robust thermal protection, internal temperature sensors with self-diagnostics and fan-based technology to prevent overheating. The ultra-narrow bezel, which allows for a screen-to-screen distance between two neighboring displays of a mere 7.3mm, lends itself to a near-seamless, tiled video wall.

“There are a lot of big screens on the market, but NEC is probably one of the more competitive, if not the most competitive, in price and in the size range we wanted,” Losar said. “And obviously, content is extremely important. You want that to be displayed with the greatest graphic quality, and I think the NEC screens accomplish that.”

Diesel installed six displays in a 3×2 configuration with content driven by YCD’s proprietary software. The content is uploaded remotely and can be updated at any time.

“The NEC video wall at Diesel’s flagship store creates an ambient shopping experience that keeps the customer engaged, while also strengthening the brand message,” said Daniele Minestrini, Diesel’s head of the interior design department in New York. “It’s obvious that dynamic video content with high graphical quality resonates more with a customer than traditional print signage, and therefore digital signage is the best means of high-impact communications with shoppers.”

While the NEC video walls were originally deployed in the two Diesel locations, the scalability of YCD’s software platform leaves the door open to install digital signage in as many locations as Diesel desires, at a price point that fits with the retailer’s growth plan. The company plans to roll the video walls out in additional stores to help create ambiance and keep customers in the store for a longer period of time, while providing the ideal brand experience.

“The NEC video wall at Diesel’s flagship store in New York City is a good example how digital signage helps engage shoppers and enhances the flow of store traffic,” said Noam Levavi, YCD Multimedia’s CEO. “Merchandise spread throughout the store, specifically in harder-to-find areas, now becomes more accessible.”