Security in store

We’ve just passed the Christmas shopping rush and, although this is a very profitable time for retailers, it also highlights security and safety issues that can’t be ignored. The economy recovery has encouraged people to go shopping. But more people out and about also represent more risk.

When it comes to larger retail areas, such as shopping malls, getting accurate safety and security measures makes good business sense to avoid law suits and keep crowds under control.

Follow this link to see the PDF: Security in store_Jan14

Service with a smile

Risk uk - Geny Caloisi looks at the best forms of leisure industry security and how to properly deal with the public

Risk uk – Geny Caloisi looks at the best forms of leisure industry security and how to properly deal with the public

Leisure industry security encompasses a variety of venues, events and businesses. From night clubs, casinos and stadia, to gyms, retail and restaurants; they all have their own specific needs. Some can automate parts using security cameras, but the human input is essential and it also provides good customer services.

Security measures in this area can range from the preventative type, where people will be searched to avoid allowing offensive items entering the event, or crowd management techniques will be used to ensure a smooth flow; to the intervention in a case of disorderly behaviour or an emergency. Leisure facilities have to show a commitment to reducing anti- social behaviour and preventative measures can go a long way to achieve success.

Jean-Paul Frenett from Access Control Security (ACS) says, “Access control and CCTV are invaluable during opening hours for any business. These methods combined mean you can track movement of both visitors and staff, with historical checks to see who accessed certain areas and when. At night, fire and security alarms guard leisure businesses.”

Follow this link to see the PDF: Service with a smile_Nov13

Confucius Institute for Dance and Performance launches at Goldsmiths

An interesting project to build a cultural bridge between the UK and China has started in South East London. This June Goldsmiths University launched the Confucius Institute for Dance and Performance with inspirational speeches from Chinese and UK officials and beautiful performances from these two corners of the world.

Working in partnership with the Beijing Dance Academy, studies at the Confucius Institute for Dance and Performance at Goldsmiths will include Mandarin, Chinese performance arts and dance, Chinese culture and Kung fu and Tai chi.

Speaking at the launch event, Baroness Morris Yardley said, “This project will allow students to discover a culture they might not even have thought of getting to know. At Goldsmith we want to offer excellence and access building new relationships between nations, cultures and people.”

There are over 300 Confucius Institutes in 105 countries. Their aim is to promote Chinese language and culture, and support Chinese teaching and cultural exchanges. Each institute determines its own specialist program of activity.

China’s Ambassador Liu Xiaoming, added, “This is the first Confusions Institute focused on art and performance. Learning Mandarin is an essential part of learning Chinese culture. Goldsmith has produced great artists and I hope this wonderful adventure will bring new stories of friendship between China and the UK.”

Just before the performances Madame Xu Lin, Chief Executive of the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban), closed the speeches reflecting, “This partnership is a fertile ground for new styles in dance and performing arts can emerge. They will not necessarily be Western or Eastern; they will be a combination of the two.”

Students from Goldsmith and from China carried out a series of contemporary and classic dances. There was Chinese poetry written and recited by an English student from Goldsmith, and even an opera singer from the university sang in Mandarin.

The Institute lessons will start in the new term.

First published in Dance Today and NUJ Lewisham

The Customer Journey

The Outdoor Media Centre (OMC), a trade and marketing body representing the interests of the Outdoor Advertising industry, has commissioned a study to find out what influences buyers and how does this influence work. ‘The Customer Journey’ research presents a new paradigm on the way we buy and shows that outdoor advertising has a strong influence on consumers.

‘The Customer Journey’

ICM Research and On Device Research (ODR) carried out research using a mixture of online and dynamic tools, including face-to-face and mobile phones.

Historically it was believed that the customers’ experience on their purchase process was like a funnel: they would start with a wide range of options, which then was narrowed down and resulted on the final buy. This is also known as the AIDA (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action) model.

‘The Customer Journey’ found that this model no longer applies. The process is not lineal. The new path to purchase is convoluted with feedback loops. The decision to buy is influenced, changed expanded and narrowed, by diverse stimuli several times along the way. From online and word-of-mouth to social media, they all play a role. However advertising media was found to be a more effective stimulus to purchase, with a higher share of effective encounters than non-media.

Mike Baker, ceo of the Outdoor Media Centre comments, “It is very good to see that advertising works and represents the majority of the stimulus to purchase. Understanding the customer journey is key for those of us who work in advertising and media.”

The research defined four stages on the customer journey: absorbing information, i.e. passively receiving information but not actively looking; planning a purchase, i.e. actively planning to buy a product and building a shortlist; obtaining a product; and sharing information about it afterwards, i.e. social media.

Nine different product categories were examined to see the reaction they had in customers. The categories were: cars, fashion, travel, personal finance, telecoms, drinks, perfume, films and pay TV.

“Each category has a different buying cycle, which is closely linked to the frequency of the purchase and the value of the goods,” explains Baker and adds, “for instance, more people respond to fashion stimuli than they do to banking advertising. But then again, they represent very different needs.

The study found that encounters with outdoor advertising led to a high degree of positive feelings, and also actions. The research confirmed that outdoors’s key audiences are young, affluent, urban, connected and mobile. These are the groups who are both most heavily exposed to outdoor ads and most likely to respond to them.

Results also showed that outdoor-exposed audiences are strongly correlated with social media use, and are more active than the population at on social media at every stage of their journey. A higher level of outdoor ad exposure led to a higher propensity to search online and buy products as a direct result of outdoor advertising. Outdoor is also the medium most highly associated with mobile internet search.

Of all the encounters logged at the diary stage, TV and Outdoor advertisements were by far the most numerous within media, while word of mouth and hands on use of the product were most numerous in the non-media encounters.

Each medium showed a stronger share of voice at one or other phase of the customer journey: TV at the absorbing phase, online at the planning phase, radio and newspapers at the obtaining stage, and social media at the sharing stage. Outdoor is the strongest of all media at the obtaining stage and the second strongest at all the other three phases. This demonstrates a key role for outdoor at every stage of the customer journey.

The static stage of the research was commissioned from ICM and involved an online sample of 1,537 nationally representative GB adults to provide insight into how people see themselves at different stages of the customer journey, and what information sources they use. The dynamic stage was handled by OnDevice Research, with 2,141 participants recording their brand and advertising interactions over a two-week period. Respondents noted encounters that they felt were relevant with one of nine different product categories by using a mobile-based diary to record their reactions and behaviours in the context of advertising and non-advertising encounters. More than 13,000 such encounters were recorded.

First published 13 April 2012 – Output

When Fashion Goes Digital

The two Westfield shopping centres in London pride themselves on being leaders in digital advertising. Following on this trend, they are launching their spring/summer 2012 collections with Futurefashion, an all-digital event.

futurefashion @ WESTFIELD

futurefashion @ WESTFIELD

Personalisation and social media sharing is the name of the game. Futurefashion celebrates sartorial style by providing a platform to create shopper’s personal interpretation of spring summer trends Anyone can create their own fashion looks and moods on digital touch screens. They can browse and select from over 500 fashion items on one of five 103” LCD touch-screens, introducing a change in the way we shop and self-style.

The screens are showing the season’s most sought-after fashion and trends, including tribal, retro, brights and candy.

Shoppers can begin by touching the screen to browse images from trend- themed galleries, each housing current high-street and luxury apparel; accessories and illustrations and props. Spring/summer fashion from Westfield’s 700+ brands can be navigated on-screen and looks can be created on a futuristic editorial style canvas by dragging items to adapt and personalise a unique spring look.

Once shoppers have curated their Spring/Summer look, they can share it to Westfield’s Facebook Gallery and choose to have a bespoke shopping list of items selected with prices automatically emailed to them.  If they choose to, they can also easily share their style via their own Facebook and Twitter pages using Social Photobooths and Tweet Mirrors.

Of course, smartphones cannot be excluded from the equation. All fashion products shown on the screen are embedded with a QR code, which can be scanned and used to obtain a discount code which can then be used in-stores.

Tech-savvy shoppers who have NFC (Near Field Communication) enabled handsets will be able to scan and collate discounts which can also be redeemed in-store, all at the touch of a button.

Myf Ryan, Westfield general manager of marketing UK said: “It is important for us to respond to the rise of the online retail world which offers the convenience of browsing and buying at the click of a button. We hope that by introducing new ways to interact with fashion through the latest technology in a retail environment, the boundary between bricks and mortar and online shopping will blur and a new age shopper who can seamlessly shift between both will emerge – more empowered than ever in how they shop.”

To round it all up, the shopping centre is also boosting a 3D Lenticular Catwalk Show to showcase the latest looks.

The campaign will run from 27th March  – 1st April at Westfield London and 4th – 9th April at Westfield Stratford City.

*First Published in Output Magazine

Above all, entertainment

Lighting & Sound International, cruiseship install - Above all, entertainment

Lighting & Sound International, cruiseship install – Above all, entertainment

The cruise ship industry is booming and P&O Cruises’ newest ship, the 115,000 ton, 3,080 passenger Azura knows how to attract its customers with the best entertainment afloat. Geny Caloisi reports on how P&O Cruises has taken the opportunity to enhance the consistency and reliability of the ship’s technical entertainment installation . . .

Follow this link to see the PDF: Above all, entertainment July10

Rising from the ashes of the Black Country

AV Magazine, public gallery case study - Rising from the ashes of the Black Country

AV Magazine, public gallery case study – Rising from the ashes of the Black Country

An interactive building for creativity and learning is spearheading the regeneration of West Bromwich. The Public, with a series of gallery spaces for the 21st century, is this and much more. Geny Caloisi investigates.

Follow this link to see the PDF: Rising from the ashes of the Black Country Sep08

Rocking in the air

AV Magazine, applications - Rocking in the air

AV Magazine, applications – Rocking in the air

Lighting and video effects are a rock and roll staple that can set creative targets. Geny Caloisi went to Liverpool for a first hand look.

Follow this link to see the PDF: Rocking in the air Sep07

 

Betting on Macau

Opening ceremonies are not merely exclusive to sporting events. Using Hong Kong connections,UK company RS Live flew to Macau to open the territory’s newest casino using aerialists, lighting, a-v and LED screens. Geny Caloisi was on the flight.

AV Magazine, applications - Betting on Macau

AV Magazine, applications – Betting on Macau

February 11 was D-day in Macau, China. The new Grand Lisboa Casino was to open its doors to the enthusiastic gambling community and to mark the historical event, its owner, billionaire Dr Stanley Ho, wanted a show that would last in people’s minds and hearts for years to come.

But Ho also had another reason to put the event on – to demonstrate to his US rivals that he is still a strong player in the Far East gambling world.

Follow this link to see the PDF: Macau Aug07

A new life for The Dome

AV Magazine, applications - A new life for the Dome

AV Magazine, applications – A new life for the Dome

The white elephant has been revived. The a-v content, rather than the technology, in the original Millennium Dome let it down, but now the structure has a new lease of life, reports Geny Calois.

The beginning of the new millennium left Londoners with a huge dormant white elephant in north Greenwich. The Dome angered many people because of the ludicrous amount of taxpayers’ money – £750m – spent on something that only lasted a year and was closed for five.

But the days of the Dome’s useless existence are over. Now it has become a vibrant gathering space with plenty of things going on at any one time. This is the birth of ‘The O2.’

Follow this link to see the PDF: New life for The Dome Aug07