These days, it's common to step into a store and see various digital elements incorporated into the space. But it's not enough to just slap a few screens on the walls and call it a day. Digital should be a design element that complements your brand aesthetic, not fights it.
At Shop! MarketPlace in New Orleans earlier this month, Bryan Meszaros, founder and CEO of OpenEye Global, shared some tips on how to successfully incorporate digital elements into retail environments. His smart talk session, titled "Designing digital that actually belongs in retail," covered many considerations designers and installers should make when incorporating digital into a retail space's end result.
According to Meszaros, the best stores feel seamless because they were designed that way from the start. Teams need to align on a singular, cohesive vision.
For retail, that means:
Unfortunately, the cohesion often breaks down when digital is introduced. That's because digital is typically:
“If digital is an afterthought, it will always look like one," explained Meszaros.
So how do we avoid treating digital as an afterthought and instead make sure it's a cohesive part of the store experience? Digital needs to be designed from the start, not added to an existing plan. Think of it as its own design material that’s considered part of the overall design language, not a separate layer.
Use digital to shape the overall store experience and plan for it early in the design process:
Remember, use digital to shape the overall retail experience. Digital will intrinsically "belong" in a space if it feels native to that space.
Okay, you understand that digital needs to be woven into a retail space, not shoehorned into an existing design. Great! But what are some ways to do this?
These three options are a great starting point:
Architectural integration: Digital is designed to align with the lines and visual flow of the space. For instance, Direct View LED displays, or DvLED, should follow the architecture instead of interrupting it.
Fixture integration: Make sure digital is embedded into the merchandising system. Think unique screen sizes integrated into shelving or product displays.
Speaking of content, it's the through line that ensures your digital elements are harmonizing with your space. During his presentation, Meszaros shared an example of a retail store in Las Vegas that was beautifully designed and featured high-end cabinetry, but the content displayed on the digital elements felt like an afterthought.
He joked, “Are they promoting going to Universal Studios? Do they sell dishwashing detergent?” It was clear that this brand spent a considerable amount of money on millwork and the actual digital screens, but gave practically no consideration to the content on the screens. The result was a confusing, disjointed shopping experience that created a stopgap moment where it was unclear what the store's focus/purpose was.
If “[you're] going to put in a screen but have nothing left to spend on content." declared Meszaros, he’d rather not see a screen at all.
So what are some best practices to ensure your digital elements incorporate the right content for a seamless retail experience? Follow these general guidelines and include content that:
Digital isn’t just display on walls. As Meszaros pointed out, “The most impactful digital doesn’t always look like a screen.” Successful digital elements can live in materials, lighting, sound, and interaction. Creative tech has opened up new ways to engage customers and help visualize your brand in an appealing way.
If you're considering incorporating more digital elements into your retail space, or maybe you've invested in some digital but want to revamp your approach, keep in mind that the goal shouldn't be to add more screens, but to craft better experiences for your customers. "More" isn't always better; instead, think about what digital element helps strengthen your brand story and resonates with your target customer personas.
As with every success story, you're only as good as the team surrounding you and turning a blueprint into reality. Collaboration is crucial when weaving digital elements into your retail environment. Teams must come together early for success, and designers and technologists need to be aligned from the start. Remember, digital should be considered alongside architecture, not layered after the fact.
We're at a point in the evolution of the retail shopping experience where technology must be used with intention, not just implemented as a shiny distraction. Everyone on your team has to work toward the same outcome instead of disparate deliverables. Digital experiences need to feel cohesive, not fragmented. When that happens, you're deploying the right tech used in the right way in the right place.
Don't think of successful collaboration as having to compromise your vision. Instead, you're creating more clarity at a crucial stage of the overall design and installation process. By being proactive about communicating with your team members and weaving digital elements into your design process from the beginning, you avoid costly rework, awkward installs, and disconnected customer experiences at the end.
Speaking of "costly rework" and "awkward installs," dodge that mess by collaborating with the best. At Proxy Retail, our installers are specially trained to install digital signage and digital elements across dynamic retail and commercial environments. Even better, our project managers know how to keep the job moving along while simultaneously keeping clients in the loop every step of the way. Contact us to request a quote and we'll make your digital dreams a riveting reality.