Commercial Integrator November 2022 - 16

PERFECTING YOUR CRAFT
importantly, it's technological infrastructure
to draw people into the space, perhaps
even for an event like the one MrBeast conceived.
Digital signage and other integrated
technology can give people a reason to
come into the mall, rather than going the
easy route of online shopping.
Everything Has Its Challenges
Seeing the possibilities of what can be
done in the American Dream really got me
thinking. What goes into adding signage to
a modern shopping mall? Anne St. Mauro,
vice president of project management at
SNA Displays, generously shared her expertise.
And she was the perfect person to
do so, as her team and she lead the charge
in pushing SNA Displays' many successful
projects across the finish line.
According to St. Mauro, one of the biggest
challenges arising when malls look to
add digital signage solutions can be obtaining
accurate documentation. She explains,
" When a property has changed hands
over its life, the ability to keep accurate
documentation regarding the building's
structure and electrical systems is diminished
- and sometimes non-existent. " To
overcome this obstacle, St. Mauro notes,
her team seeks out information from the
designers of the record. " We research the
building's public records for building-code
approvals and documentation, " she elaborates.
" We're also sure to conduct physical
probes and testing to determine conditions
and capacities. "
Another hurdle centers on regulatory
requirements. " It can be daunting and take
more time than anticipated, " she acknowledges.
" The process for approval differs
across the country. Some municipalities
and zoning boards are familiar with digital
signage and others are not. " Drawing on
her team's and her substantial experience,
St. Mauro remarks that some cities may
require obtaining a variance to apply exterior
digital signage. " Understanding the
regulatory environment early and seeking
the correct information from the regulators
and manufacturers is key to successfully
navigating the process, " she declares.
To be clear, though, none of these
hurdles should dissuade you. Every great
success story inevitably involves overcoming
challenges, St. Mauro and her team have
16
found ways to prepare for both known and
unknown variables.
The Real Risk is Doing Nothing
We're all familiar with the steady growth
of online shopping. Brick-and-mortar
operations, including shopping malls,
have been looking for ways to keep up and
create engaging experiences. Ordinary,
boring malls have to find a way to fill their
environment with modern technology.
Immersive experiences and digital signage
solutions can help revive spaces that some
see as passé.
Exterior signage, in particular, has the
potential to draw attention, St. Mauro says.
" We've added monuments, pylons, tickers
and more when it comes to an exterior
signage implementation, " she describes.
" We've also added interior signage for
advertising stores, brands and events. " She
then adds that wayfinding kiosks and maps
also factor into the mix. Nobody's denying
that digital signage solutions can be expensive
in terms of making the initial investment,
but the real risk lies in doing nothing.
Then, malls will become - or perhaps will
remain - vacant lots.
The Opportunity is Now
Who knows what the shopping mall will
look like in 20 or 30 years. The point
is that the greatest opportunity for
updating and transitioning to the future is
now. And implementing a digital signage
network is central to that. St. Mauro cites
flexibility benefits versus static signage.
She explains, " As tenants enter and
leave, changing the content on an LED
display has little lead time compared to
static signage. " Another value centers
on lower costs through the lifecycle as
compared to static signage. " There is
an initial capital investment, " St. Mauro
acknowledges, " but considering the potential
for additional advertising revenue
and decreased maintenance costs, [it]
allows an owner to recover their investment
more rapidly. " Visitor engagement
and involvement are just the cherry on
top. And those are exactly what modern
shopping malls want and need to revive
their environments.
The modern shopping mall will increasingly
find creative ways to utilize digital
signage solutions. I, for one, am excited
to see what the future holds.
A couple of decades ago, even ordinary, boring malls could draw huge crowds for
in-person shopping. These days, however, retail outlets have to find a way to fill their
environment with enticing, modern technology. Of course, that entails an investment,
but the real risk lies in doing nothing.
Commercial Integrator NOVEMBER 2022
commercialintegrator.com
ANDRIS PIEBALGS/STOCK.ADOBE.COM
http://www.commercialintegrator.com
Commercial Integrator November 2022

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