Harrods instore digital media still going strong

Harrods was an early adopter of in-store digital media

and continues to use it as a revenue generating tool with third-party advertisers a key element of the store group's profitable model.

Ahead of presenting at the Retail Bulletin In-store Engagement Conference 2012 in London on July 10th Guy Cheston, media sales director at Harrods, says of their digital techniques, “Although I feel we were quite pioneering with our digital installations, and our most recent one sets a new benchmark, you have to try and stay ahead of the game as technology advances fast. Because obviously what was suitable five or six years back goes out of date quickly,” he says.

The present arrangement involves 170 digital screens located in high footfall areas – notably around the escalators - running on eight different networks. Each network has its own playlist of content.

The big advance for Harrods has been a move away from operating single screens towards multi-screen ‘video walls’ of which it operates two. They are each made up of 16 screens – with each wall having its own playlist.

What makes the Harrods digital signage strategy different, according to Cheston, is having third-party advertising as the primary content on the screens, which generates revenues. “These are predominantly adverts of brands in-store, which drives customers to their concessions. We get a return on investment from these ad sales,” he explains.