The retail merchandising agency Franklin Instore has teamed up with interactive display firm Elo on a new “Digital Merchandising EcoSYSTEM” that pairs more conventional point of purchase marketing efforts with interactive displays – running with the idea of a “make once-use many” set-up that allows for repeated rebranding, re-messaging and re-merchandising a set-up based on promotional calendars.
So, for example, an end-cap in a big box store that is promoting battery-driven power tools can be cut over – by changing static materials and digital files – to promote a beauty brand, with the pitch that a system-based approach takes out a lot of planning and cost. The static and digital, and the overall system, are designed to play nicely together.
From the PR:
The revolutionary Franklin Instore Digital Merchandising EcoSYSTEM allows brands and retailers to simultaneously create custom digital experiences + curated product assortments that repeatedly re-brand, re-message and re-merchandise around promotional calendars. Leveraging Elo’s trusted all-in-one touchscreens, this new EcoSYSTEM is both a physical customer-facing platform and an integrated campaign development strategy.
As A Platform: The digital experience is intentionally nested within a visually merchandised, and thoughtfully branded, kiosk or endcap. Franklin’s managed digital services push site-specific promotions, clienteling offers, and content updates. Remote monitoring and analytic data ensure compliance.
As an Integrated Campaign Development Strategy: the EcoSYSTEM is a combination of parts, processes, technologies, UI wireframes, graphic templates and managed services, allowing brands and retailers to collaboratively create multi-year programs at scale that repeatedly refresh + remerchandise around promotional calendars.
“In our industry few ask what happens after the initial digital deployment, leading to a set it and forget it mentality” says Peter Hext, VP Instore Experience at Franklin Instore. “This is a BIG problem for brand marketers, IT, store operations and other stakeholders. Our approach, and this unique EcoSYSTEM , addresses this legacy problem for everyone.”
“Our all-in-one touchscreens and peripherals are built to last in the most demanding retail environments,” says Luke Wilwerding, VP of Sales at Elo. “The Franklin Instore platform, powered by their EcoSYSTEM , delivers a truly unparalleled experience with its striking designs, cutting-edge visual merchandising capabilities and dynamic interactive features.”
The pitch is “pilot in six weeks” instead of 4-6 months and I think the big key here is the pitch that this can all be a managed service – from graphic design to on-site work. That allows brands to stay out of reas where they have little experience. We have all seen in-store digital that’s ailing or dead, because the people who chose the hardware and software mix had little experience or insight about to use and what not to do.
Illinois-based Franklin Instore has a stand at NRF in New York in mid-January, as does Elo.