E-paper-based digital signage is still rare. But more and more brand managers and interior designers are discovering its benefits. Korea's leading beauty brand, Amorepacific, installed Samsung e-paper screens in its new flagship store in Seoul, a former auto repair shop.
Stylish Signage: Retail Designers Discover E-Paper
A stroll through Korea’s capital will discover many hip pop-up stores and flagship stores of world-renowned brands. Similar to Japan, South Korea’s retail designers are focusing on cool displays embedded in local architecture. Instead of standardized corporate architecture, you can find large-scale brand displays in individual, usually small retail spaces in Tokyo’s Harajuko or Seoul’s Seongsu. A challenge for retail designers and digital signage integrators in particular.
The digital layer is often planned too late
Retail designers often still lack the understanding and prioritization of digital signage – so the planning of a digital in-store layer often occurs far too late in the planning process. Where screens could have the greatest impact along the customer journey, no space is planned, or no power or network outlets are provided.
Thus, screens typically migrate to wherever the infrastructure is available – but at the expense of impact, interactivity, and conversion. Now, e-paper displays are increasingly coming into play – the digital signage solution for which there’s always space, regardless of whether power and network connections are available.
Korea’s largest beauty company, Amorepacific, for expample, installed them its new pop-up stores. A former auto repair shop that was transformed into a beauty destination. Traditional light emitting LED or backlit LCD displays would overly dominate the understated, natural product presentation at Amore Seongsu in Seoul.
Advantages of E-Paper in Digital Signage
– Flexible placement: Enables seamless digital integration into retail design
– Sleek, paper-like appearance
– Lightweight, easy to install suspended from the ceiling
– Flexible installation and easy to hang, an important requirement for pop-up stores
– Doesn’t distract from the product/brand story
– Easy updates via the CMS app / no printing / dynamic content
– Sustainable
Samsung x Amore Seongsu
The requirements were high: The architects of the flagship store of Amorepacific wanted to preserve the architectural elements such as the structure, floors, and walls of the former auto repair shop during the planning phase. In addition, Promotional areas in the flagship store are extensively redesigned every month. And sustainability is fundamental to the beauty products as well as the retail design concept.
E-paper displays checked many of the requirements of a perfect digital signage platform for the brand – low power consumption (charging via standard USB-C) and easy integration into the store design.
From a retail design perspective, e-paper displays are a suitable solution for the demanding requirements of Amore Pacific’s beauty brands. They are a visual medium that effectively enables communication without cluttering the space and allows for a less intrusive presentation. LCD and LED displays, on the other hand, would be too bright and would disrupt the calm atmosphere.
invidis Comment
One challenge with e-paper displays so far has been their limited color gamut. One of the reasons why DooH networks have so far avoided using e-paper. Samsung sees this as a competitive advantage, as they claim to offer better color reproduction despite using the same E-Ink platform as other display manufacturers.
For beauty customers at Amorepacific, who prefer soft, natural colors, the current available color reproduction is suitable – for other brands like Deutsche Telekom with a specific corporate color, the current display quality is not yet sufficient. However, we expect further progress in this area in the coming months. At ISE, the industry will have to demonstrate how color reproduction has been improved in the latest generation. The success of e-paper displays depends on this – and on lower price levels.
