Raise your brand profile with digital media

One of the best ways to do this is through Mood Media Corporation’s (TSX:MM) in-store media solutions, which use tailored digital content at point-of-sale and throughout the store to enhance shopper experiences. The company is an in-store media specialist that uses a mix of music, visual and scent marketing tools to develop the ultimate sensorial experience for shoppers. Digital signage solutions and in-store music allow brands to communicate important messages about their services to consumers.

Digital media programmes improve the brand environment by creating an atmosphere worth returning to and can be further enhanced so as to become a digital communications channel - especially effective as this is where purchasing decisions are made. Mood Media Corporation consults leading retailers in a broad range of sectors, including fashion, banking, electronics and entertainment to create the right solution that reflects the customer's brand values. Two such examples of successful digital media programmes are Mood Media Corporation's work with leading mobile phone providers O2 and banking giant ING Group.

The first step was to work with both companies to understand their core values and business objectives before creating digital media programmes that include content for digital screens in-store, and music to reflect the brand. Mood Media Corporation uses this approach to work with over 800 retail brands and support over 155,000 business locations across 37 countries throughout Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.

Most importantly, working with Mood Media Corporation to create tailored digital media programmes will not only enhance your brand, but can also produce tangible sales uplift. Digital brand experiences can create new sales opportunities, according to a Digital Brand Study released by Razorfish in 2009. Results were positive with 65 percent of consumers reporting that "a digital brand experience has changed their opinion of the brand," while 97 percent stated the digital experience influenced purchase decisions. 

Who do you call for brand rejuvenation?

Mood Media Corporation worked with Telefónica O2 to reinvent the digital signage network in its Irish retail outlets. Sophisticated digital signage content and music channels were developed to suit O2's branding strategies. The network was originally installed in 20 core stores and expanded to all of O2's 74 stores in Ireland within a year.

The goal of the new digital media and music network was to facilitate O2's communication with customers in a fresh, modern, hi-tech way - in line with the company's business strategy in Ireland. It was also important to align the network with O2's in-store refurbishment programme.

Mood Media Corporation was tasked with rejuvenating the brand's existing in-store environment, by replacing static A1 posters and lack-lustre digital content with a flexible and energetic visual programme. The company worked to create a digital media network that is in harmony with the O2 point-of-sale environment. Colours, fonts, animations, images, messages and all the varied aspects of digital media content work in tandem to create a retail experience unique to O2 stores. Screens replaced large A1 posters internally and also in the windows of two stores on Grafton Street, Dublin.  

Mood Media Corporation proposed a novel template style to display the handsets by mixing motion, colour and O2 branding in easy-to-consume bite-size chunks of copy. Messages are also communicated in a visually attractive 3D video world with key retail propositions positioned in open, rolling fields and sand dunes with palm trees.

Music is also an integral part of the O2 brand and the company wanted to communicate this in store. With some of the best DJ's from across Europe, Mood Media Corporation offered the ability to capture O2's sophisticated branding in the music channel. The resulting tunes have a professional, acoustic, organic style to encourage customer perception of O2 as a fresh and dynamic brand. The music engages and entertains customers and staff, helping to increase dwell time, customer loyalty and ultimately driving up sales. Considering O2 is also a sponsor of Ireland's largest events arena, The O2 (formally known as The Point), music from specific gigs is also incorporated into the playlist.

The results were so successful that the initiative was recently nominated for the 'Digital Media in Retail Network' category at the POPAI awards, which celebrate the best point-of-purchase displays. The winners will be announced in October 2010.

Who to bank on when it comes to branding

Banks are typically difficult environments to engage consumers, considering that a trip to the bank is usually a necessity rather than an exciting excursion. Mood Media Corporation worked with ING Group to break down those perceived boundaries and create an "open-branch" feel, through the creation of a dynamic visual solution.

The aim of the digital media initiative was to create a more approachable environment and encourage ING's customers to consider their range of products and services whilst they wait to be served. The digital signage solutions were also designed to form part of a wider refurbishment of the branches.

Following overwhelmingly positive results from research into the value of narrowcasting solutions in 2007, ING engaged Mood Media Corporation to enhance the experience of their banking environment. The solution involved creating ING TV, an innovative visual solution that explains the benefits of new products and services and provides entertainment news local to that branch.

An approachable environment was developed by selecting bespoke music programmes to initially welcome customers and put them at their ease. Music is also a way to mask conversations in a branch environment. The programme is made up of three visual zones to engage customers at different points of their visit. To ensure that the bank's messages are continually reinforced, a digital signage solution in the window is used to promote key services, even when the bank is closed.  The digital solution in the self-service area helps drive product sales, while the solution in the queuing area incorporates entertainment with financial news.

The solutions not only enhance the customer's experience of ING's brand, but also help up-sell products and services that may be of interest to the customer. The results have been so positive that the entire digital network is also used for staff communications out of hours.