Huge screen in mall offers a new advertising strategy

MANILA, Philippines - One of Asia’s biggest shopping malls is now housing the Philippines’ biggest digital display screen that offers a new kind of marketing experience for local advertisers and consumers. The SM Mall of Asia is housing a digital display network of over 500 32-inch wide-screen LCD panels in the SM Hypermarket stores along the Bay area in Manila. Sy-led SM Hypermarket teamed up with local firm In-Store Digital Display International, Inc. (IDDI) to deliver a different point-of-sale experience to the local market. “In-store digital displays are an effective medium in delivering consumer products manufacturers’ and distributors’ message to their respective target audience," said JJ Soriano, IDDI chairman, in a statement. IDDI, a company founded in 2006, said the Mall of Asia installation is their biggest to date. CEO and President Bingo Soriano said the in-store digital display brings a new kind of digital marketing to the local retail market. He added that with 74 percent of purchase decisions being made at point-of-purchase according to the Point-of-Purchase Advertising International of UK (POPAI), the SM Hypermarket digital display makes it possible to influence the shopper when he is as close as possible to the purchase of the products. Soriano added that positioning the digital display nearer the point of purchase makes it more effective than any other form of full-motion advertising. IDDI said its technology solutions are effective in informing and motivating customers by narrowcasting digitized marketing information to point-of-sale and point-of-influence locations in retail venues. The system uses a network of flat video monitors connected via the internet. Supporting the giant in-store display is an application which provides more digital marketing opportunities to local advertisers in a more dynamic and interactive way. For instance, the in-store solution will allow customers inside SM Hypermarkets will be able to download free ring tones, ads, and even digital coupons through Bluetooth technology, explained JJ Soriano. IDDI said it now has close to 500 screens deployed in the Philippines and plans to expand into other countries and territories such as Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Hong Kong among others. IDDI aims to be a major player in interactive in-store digital display advertising using state-of-the-art software and hardware technologies. - Veronica C. Silva, GMANews.TV