Pearsons Department store gets Inspired

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: Pearsons Department store gets Inspired.

UK based department store Pearsons has just carried out the biggest refit in its 100 year history to bring the 6000ft2 flagship store up to date. Digital signage integrator Jigsaw Innovations, an Inspired Signage premium Partner, was at the heart of its screen network solution.

Pearsons was established back in 1903 when Arthur and Stanley Pearson acquired a drapery business that was later to become Pearsons of Enfield. At that time, staff comprised two sales ladies, two salesmen and a porter whose duties included delivering customers orders on his bicycle. One hundred+ years on and the family owned and run business now stands 400 strong, with additional stores in Wood Green, Bishop's Stortford, Loughton and East Barnet.

With store redevelopment at the retailers Enfield site spread over 18 months, the store underwent a 2.6m refurbishment program, integrating an Inspired Signage powered screen media network into the heart of its activity. As a result, the 20million+ turnover store has achieved a substantial increase in footfall and sales. The screens have had a positive impact and have contributed to a substantial increase in footfall and sales, says Pearsons MD Ian Ryden. In deciding what system best matched its needs, Pearsons plumped for Jigsaw as, according to James Game, Technical Director at Jigsaw Innovations, Jigsaw had the most innovative solution, delivering not only a superb content management solution but also a self-managed system high on graphical quality. In the installation, Jigsaw networked 24 LCDs, running four channels and covering all departments, promotions and instore marketing messages. Design of the screen media network allows for instant updates to be managed locally from the stores head office. Four media players are integrated into the system, all running the Inspired Signage system and delivering, says James Game, visually stunning 3D graphics to the screens.

Notably in  he system, Jigsaw delivered another digital signage first with the incorporation into the Pearsons network of the new Tri-View 360. The four channels are used to display a wide range of content including product  specific footage, store wide sales promotions, fashion, individual brand messaging, forthcoming store attractions, video and more. With the Inspired Signage solution up and running, says James Game, Pearsons is now in the driving seat to control and make dynamic changes to products, pricing and marketing messages in response to customer behaviour and seasonal events at the touch of a button.

Future content for screening on the Pearsons system can also be linked to the central stock control database ensuring that out of stock products are not offered on screen whilst the system features the ability to readily promote slow moving stock without the need for manual input. The system can also be set to trigger according to specific drivers such as the weather, for example. In hot summertime, the system can trigger cold drinks screening and in the winter, hot drinks. Screenings can also be linked to stock promotions, says James Game, such as the sale of umbrellas on a rainy day or general holiday items during the warmer summer months. Pearsons now screens a mix of store messaging and brand advertising, combined with feeds on community news, national news and sport, ensuring that the networked displays are used as a constant point of reference by Pearson customers.

Providing digital signage solutions in a retail environment has always been a much more complex endeavour than it may initially appear, owing to the large number of players that all must contribute to building a digital signage network, says Jigsaw MD, Bob Game. Besides the content provider and suppliers of the solution, other players include the software suppliers and network operators to manage content distribution across the network.

Content on the Pearsons screen media network is produced using the Inspired Signage system, using customer branded templates which enables the retailer to update all of its products, brands and messages instantly, throughout the store and without the need for any inhouse design specialists. Inspired Signages content management system delivers content at a super fast 60fps with 3D animations ensuring that the Pearsons brand is represented in the best possible light. My vision when establishing Jigsaw was to create a company that could deliver total turnkey solutions and a very important component in our ability to deliver is the Inspired Signage content creation and management software. Bob Game, Jigsaw MD.

About Inspired Signage

The Inspired Signage suite of dynamic digital signage software enables the creation, scheduling, delivery and management of high definition content for dynamic digital networks. Inspired Signage is suited to transport, retail, retail banking, education and many other markets where you have a message to communicate. Retail clients using Inspired Signage to deliver their digital signage initiatives include among others Hertz, Barclays Bank, Imax Cinemas, Pearsons Department stores, Air Viceroy Travel and Centra Stores.