The signage market in Europe has been doing very well so far in 2024 following a difficult 2023. CONTEXT data shows that in Q2, the quantity of signage–oriented LFDs sold through distribution grew by 17.2% compared to last year, marking the third consecutive quarter of growth. In addition, Q2 saw sales of LFDs into retail chains grow by over 200%. To find out more about the drivers for this growth, CONTEXT headed to the Samsung Synergy Powered by Salesforce Partners event hosted at Samsung XP in King’s Cross, London.

The event included a dynamic panel discussion featuring key industry speakers, such as Henrik Hansen from Samsung, Giles Corbett from Cloudshelf, Alex Dollery from LSE Group, and K.C. Watson from Quality Clouds. Attendees included representatives from Salesforce, Overcast, Intel, ChromeOS, Alinea, and SuccessPlatform. The event featured discussions around the transformative potential of digital signage, aiming to shift from traditional advertising to interactive engagement points that enhance customer experiences.

Samsung’s primary focus is on transforming digital signage into interactive customer engagement tools. This involves a seamless integration of hardware and software, enabling real–time personalised experiences. Key software partners include:

• SuccessPlatform: Utilises customer data to offer personalised deals based on past purchases and in–store behaviour.
• CloudShelf: Displays a retailer’s entire inventory, allowing customers to browse and purchase items not available in–store, creating upselling opportunities.
• Overcast: Generates relevant content for identified customers, enhancing engagement.

These solutions leverage AI, with Intel providing AI chips and ChromeOS serving as the operating system.

Post–Pandemic Retail Landscape

The pandemic has reshaped retail, shifting from fears of the “fall of the high street” to recognising the importance of brick–and–mortar stores. Retailers now favour smaller stores and experience centres, using digital signage to enhance customer interactions and facilitate home deliveries.

Sustainable Trade Cycles

The panel also discussed creating sustainable trade cycles, particularly in markets like electric vehicles (EVs). For instance, customer data collected through questionnaires can personalise offers. Continuous engagement through connected car displays can offer deals on maintenance and renewal, fostering long–term customer relationships.

Samsung aims to revolutionise digital signage by partnering with third parties to create interactive engagement points that enhance customer experiences, drive sales, and promote sustainable trade cycles. The integration of advanced software and hardware is spurring demand for digital signage, especially as the retail landscape evolves towards smaller, more numerous stores. AI plays a crucial role in personalising content and gathering customer data, although privacy concerns were noted.

The food sector, particularly supermarkets, has been a pioneer in adopting technologies like self–checkout systems and upselling during online shopping. Other retail industries are now following suit, bringing online shopping advantages to physical stores. However, the increasing use of PTZ (pan–tilt–zoom) cameras for customer profiling raises privacy concerns, akin to the ubiquitous tracking of internet cookies.

Samsung’s initiative signifies a major step towards a more interactive, personalised, and data–driven retail environment, highlighting the future of digital engagement in physical spaces. 

Make sure to stay in the loop with the latest AV trends and developments by following our LinkedIn CONTEXT Europe page and filling in your details below to attend our weekly webinar.