ICON Multimedia and Palencia Abierta join forces to promote local businesses and hostelry

ICON Multimedia and Palencia Abierta have reached an agreement to launch gift cards for the employees of the technology company to spend during this Christmas season in the proximity commerce and the hostelry in the region. This is an initiative that aims to support the establishments in the city that, in view of the current health crisis, have been affected by the economic situation.

In total, ICON Multimedia has distributed a sum of 1 000 euros, distributed in gift cards of EUR 200 to several of its workers, who have been chosen by their colleagues, in a consensual way through group dynamics, to reward their effort, tenacity and commitment to the company throughout this year.

The awards presentation took place today at ICON Multimedia’s facilities, in the presence of its three founding partners, and the President of Palencia Abierta, María José López, who highlighted that this alternative “is an incentive for local businesses that offer safe and reliable spaces, and a way to diversify spending by being able to use it both in commerce and in the service sector, which has been severely affected during this pandemic.” For his part, Enrique Hornos, CEO of ICON Multimedia said that “this is a way to celebrate and recognize the merit of our workers; and at the same time support Palencia businesses, something so necessary in this difficult year, making Christmas much more collaborative and supportive.”

Palencia Abierta continues with this campaign so that other companies can adhere to this agreement, as well as other establishments adhering to the Association, in order to promote an economic recovery in this sector.

For all industries, 2020 has been an unusual and very peculiar year. What began as a normal year was disrupted by the arrival of COVID-19. Despite this interruption, Digital Signage has continued to move forward, adapting to the imminent needs of customers. New business opportunities have arisen, such as the use of Digital Signage circuits to promote solutions such as capacity control in establishments, control of social distancing or the use of masks.

But what does 2021 hold in store for us? What are the trends that guarantee the development of the sector?

More advanced audience measurement solutions

Big Data is still the undisputed leader. During 2020, we have seen a development in audience measurement solutions, in order to adapt them to the new reality. Now, besides knowing the sex, age, or mood of the people in front of the displays, we can know the distance between them, or recognize the person, even if they are wearing a mask or not. Much more data that allows to segment the target audience and analyze them, which makes it possible to identify their preferences in order to adapt the informative and advertising contents to the different users.

The integration of audience measurement systems in Digital Signage solutions is essential to know the ROI of the campaigns, increase the profitability of the areas and improve the customer experience.

Mobile devices, key resources for Digital Signage content management

Aiming to avoid tactility, mobile devices represent a key resource to ensure engagement at the point of sale. Now, it is possible to turn the entire display network of a Digital Signage circuit of one or multiple establishments or a corporate environment into a real-time solution for tele-training, with just a few simple clicks through mobile devices.

Mirroring systems or the use of QR code enable the immediate access and management of the Digital Signage network contents through smartphones, ensuring the success of the sales by making them highly customized for each client.

Digital product catalogs

One of the trends in Digital Signage for 2021 that is already becoming a key sales factor for the retail sector are digital product catalogs.

In the face of COVID-19, the retail sector has sought new solutions to limit its spread and reduce customer contact with products. As a result, new solutions have been developed at the point of sale, allowing customers to select a product from an extensive digital catalog. Therefore, the establishment avoids displaying all the items, which are susceptible to being touched and infected by visitors to the establishment.

Through these digital catalogs, the customer is able to select an article, know other sizes, dimensions or existing colors, or know other possible combinations with other existing products in the establishment, promoting impulse buying, and then add the chosen item to the shopping cart and receive it at home or ready to pick up at the counter.

After each use, the screen of this information point can be easily cleaned and disinfected for the next use.

In a move that is set to build on its long-standing global partnership with DENEVA software manufacturer, ICON Multimedia, leading display producer, Vestel, has introduced a new DENEVA-approved and certified System-on-Chip technology solution. Allowing all the capabilities of the world-class DENEVA platform to be integrated seamlessly into the entire Vestel line-up of 43” to 98” digital signage displays, the new solution offers an extra competitive advantage to integrators, widening the spectrum of opportunities for projects across a greater range of industry applications.

Offering the possibility of a seamless and cost-efficient turnkey digital signage solution with a world-renowned, scalable and user-friendly software, this embedded SoC technology ensures that considerable savings can be achieved for everything from small digital signage setups to special, bespoke projects, and time-sensitive, multinational rollouts. As well as eliminating the need for any middleware, it streamlines the deployment process, while also working to keep installation, operational and maintenance costs to a minimum.

As soon as it is connected to power and network, this out-of-the-box display solution ensures automated, centralized control of small, medium and enterprise level digital signage networks, enabling end users to develop network applications, as well as create and schedule multimedia content in any resolution for one, some or all of the displays. For more immersive showcases, much of the Vestel range of digital signage supports the display and playback of 4K UHD HDR content.

Building on the success of its tried, trusted and internationally recognized partnership with DENEVA in retail, corporate and QSR industries, Vestel, with its new integrated DENEVA solution, is now in a position to offer even greater built-in specialist and targeted support. Compatible with all the latest DENEVA range of software applications, the solution ensures custom-built functionality for all sectors, ranging from retail, QSR, finance, supermarkets and hospitality, to corporate, education, transport, and healthcare.

The SoC-powered range of Vestel displays are now also approved for compatibility with the new DENEVA Safe and Tech solution. This utilizes AI, Big Data and biometric systems to ensure businesses can more easily comply with the latest Covid-19 regulations for maximum in-store capacities, mask wearing and social distancing.

Designed for portrait and landscape orientations, the flexible Vestel series can be adapted to suit any environment, coming with a range of display capabilities, which include continuous 16/7 and 24/7 run-times, as well as brightness levels of up to 2,500 Nits. The SoC technology solution will be available for the entire Vestel digital signage line-up from 2021

The Romanesque Information Point (PIR, according to its Spanish acronym) located in the hermitage of San Juan Bautista in Palencia joins the digital transformation. For this, the City Council of Palencia, through the Department of Culture and Tourism, has made use of ICON Multimedia’s Digital Signage solutions with the objective of creating an innovative and immersive experience, capable of becoming a museum center and starting point of the Romanesque in the province.

For this project, it was necessary to arrange large format and resolution displays, so the manufacturer Vestel has been selected for the installation of a 55” video wall that welcomes visitors inside this place of worship and shows all the richness of the cultural heritage of the province of Palencia. In addition, ICON Multimedia has also provided this place with tactile solutions, with the installation of two professional multi-touch Full HD displays by Philips, with Android technology, so that the user can interact with the content and discover more information about the Romanesque style.

This implemented technology operates with ICON Multimedia’s DENEVA software, which allows an immediate and centralized management of high quality contents.

The inauguration of this Romanesque Information Point took place last Friday, December 4^th. In this event, the First Deputy Mayor of Palencia and Delegate Councilman of EDUSI (this Spanish acronym stands for Integrated Sustainable Urban Development), Alfonso Polanco, the Councilwoman of Tourism, Culture and Festivities, Laura Lombraña, as well as a representation of ICON Multimedia, were in attendance.