Choosing the right technology for high-impact customer presentations

To drive awareness and increase footfall and sales, presentations have to make an immediate and powerful impact so that customer behaviours are positively influenced. There are two types of technology used to display these presentations – projectors and fixed LCD panels. Sony offers a brief overview of each, and the issues that are important to consider when making your choice.

The growing trend for customer presentations

More and more retailers are using compelling video presentations to drive awareness of products and services and highlight special promotions. In the public areas of shopping malls and precincts, and also in-store, well-located screens are helping to transform footfall statistics, increase sales revenues and reduce the burden on floor staff to explain product features and concepts. If you are thinking of following this important trend, it’s worth knowing what your technology options are.

Fundamentally, there are two types of technology that can be used to push dynamic video footage to customers – projectors that ‘throw’ images onto a screen, and large flat panel displays that are fixed to walls or ceilings. Each has advantages and disadvantages, and your decision will be dictated by a number of factors. As a proven supplier of projectors and displays for high-impact retail applications, Sony is able to offer impartial advice to help you make the right selection for your business.

While both technologies offer the means to display high quality video-based content, presentations and information to customers, the optimum choice will depend on practical issues – your budget, how much space is available, utilisation and ambient light conditions.

When a projector is the right choice….

A major advantage of projectors is that they can display very large image sizes with a relatively low investment. Typical business projectors can throw an image between 40- and a massive 400-inch diagonal. This is much larger than any flat panel display available in the market, and gives an immediate ‘wow’ factor. You won’t always need a screen – you can front project onto a flat wall, or even onto a shaped surface for even greater impact. One downside is that brightness can be lost in high ambient light conditions so another approach is to use rear illumination onto a special film attached to a glass surface such as a shop window

In addition, projectors can usually be re-located easier when compared to large and heavy flat panels. There are, however, three aspects of projectors that can limit suitability for some installations; depending on the size of image, there can be a substantial distance between projector and screen to achieve an undistorted picture, the proximity of a suitable screen or effective screen cannot always be guaranteed, and the lamp used as the light source will need to be changed periodically subject to running hours.

Sony recommends projectors for situations that are characterised by some or all of the following:

• Effective screen size requirements that are variable or greater than 52-inches
• No bright ambient light at installation site
• There is sufficient space in front of, or behind, the screen to meet the throw distance requirements

….and when LCD panels make sense

With high brightness and excellent picture quality, well-located LCD displays generate a positive impression on the target audience. Recent advances in screen design have led to dramatic improvements in viewing angle, with close to 180º now routine, while they also offer resolutions that embrace WXGA, HD-Ready and Full HD (1080p). Sony public displays include heavy-duty panel technology that extends the operational hours to fit with the ‘always-on’ requirements of retail outlets, and also meet the appropriate standards for use in commercial environments through resistance to, for instance, dust and high temperatures.

The only limitation of LCD displays is that the selected location should avoid facing into direct sunlight – which is clearly not a problem in-store. Their size and weight can impose safety issues for the installation teams, however all Sony LCD panels and mounting accessories are designed to meet stringent standards. Sony recommends displays for situations that are characterised by some or all of the following:

• Effective screen size requirements up to 52-inch
• Locations that do not face into direct sunlight
• Provision for mounting points that are capable of supporting the weight

For expert advice to make the right choice, and to learn more about the Sony range of projectors and displays for retail applications, please contact your Sony Dealer.