Preview: Retail Innovations at DSE 2016

With just a couple weeks until the big show, we caught up with DSE Show Director Andrea Varrone, who filled us in on what to expect on the retail side of this year’s show, March 15-18, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

VMSD: How many years has the Digital Signage Expo been in existence, and how has the show evolved over the years?

AV: It’s [been around] 12 years; this will be our 13th show. I’d say the number one way it’s evolved is its size. It started, essentially, in October of 2004, and we had about 40 exhibitors and 600 attendees, and we now have over 200 exhibitors and between 4000 and 5000 registered attendees. I would say, secondly, we were kind of born in retail – we’re now expanded and attract 20 end-user vertical departments.

How has the educational programming changed throughout the years?

We’ve been able to expand. We’re up to 20 speakers this year, 40 sessions; we’ve got 28 on-floor workshops, and also 42 roundtable discussions – on all different topics, to attract all kinds of different end-users. So, it’s extremely comprehensive. There’s nothing quite like it out there for digital signage. There’s a lot of vertical events that go on, as well as technical shows like InfoComm, but we’re the only one with such a large, robust, laser-focused program just for digital signage.

What new sessions this year are being introduced to educate retail designers on the latest in-store digital technology?

We have a couple of co-located events, starting on Tuesday, (March 15), that I think would be of great interest to retailers. The co-located event with SEGD, [called DesignX], which is essentially a design workshop, co-located with the organization – they’re describing it as “creating the digital dream team” – [includes] aligning content to user and client needs, so it’s basically for all the architects looking in on in-store planning, and being ahead of the game to allow for this type of technology [in-store].

We’ve got our Digital Retail Forum, which is put on by the Platt Retail Institute, which is obviously right in the wheelhouse for what [VMSD] readers are looking for. As well as the roundtables that will happen on the floor. So there’s a high focus on retail.

So in planning this year’s show, what emerging digital retail trends have you noticed?

I would say, for sure, the beacon technology is probably the biggest hot topic this year. [A lot of] Big Data. And you’re going to see a lot of software integration with beacon technology this year. I’d say, also, the holograms and projection mapping are going to be a big thing. We’re seeing a huge uptick in that. Lots of really thin-bezel screens. We’re trying to do as much as we can to get exhibitors to give us a sneak peek ahead of time this year of what they’re going to be showing. Be sure to keep a lookout on our website to see more of what’s in store.

What advice do you have for retail designers checking out DSE for the first time this year?

We’ve created an end-user networking center in a pretty large space on the show floor, where we’re going to have impromptu roundtable, peer-to-peer discussions, so I definitely recommend stopping by there and checking in when you get to the show. There’s going to be a lot of good information there, especially when it comes to the verticals, obviously with retail being one of the major ones. It’s a way to pick up a [retail] “road map” for what you’ll want to see when you’re at DSE. We’ve also got a page on our website specifically for retailers, which shows all of the sessions that are related to retail, so you can take a look at that before you register.

How is your team making it easier for new retail attendees to navigate the show?

As the show gets a little bit bigger every year, we realize, especially for someone who hasn’t been to the show before, they may not know where to go, so we’re trying to do as much as we can to assist with that. We also have an attendee relationship manager here on staff, and as we get big retail end-users, she will actually personally reach out to them and provide any help they need in registering or figuring out what they’ll want to do while they’re out there. A lot of the exhibitors are starting to showcase a total solution now, so it can be hard to figure out who actually does what.

Are you seeing a lot of retail attendees registered this year?

We’re excited with how registration is going so far. We have big names like Ralph Lauren, Clinique, Microsoft Stores, American Eagle, Estée Lauder – we’re seeing a lot of really big retailers that are coming.

For more information on DSE 2016, visit digitalsignageexpo.net.