Barco #NYDSW Reception Keynote Laura Davis-Taylor
Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
Traditionally, the Barco reception has always opened New York Digital Signage Week, and this year, opening the event is a keynote speech by Laura Davis-Taylor, executive vice-president customer experience at MaxMedia, Atlanta, who will be discussing the changing shopper and retail environment under the topic ‘Innovation 2016: connecting data, devices, sensory and solutions’.
“Retail today is faced with a totally new customer living in an ever-changing transactional landscape—and the only thing we can count on is more change,” says Davis-Tayor. “How, then, should today’s leaders address it? What technologies, which channels, what content, what amount of investment—the choices are endless, full of risk and make innovation a daunting task. But to innovate, you must first understand what you’re dealing with.”
She says that she will be discussing three main topics: (1) who this new shopper is; (2) what is happening beneath the surface of their experiences; and (3) how to think like a CXO to digitally motivate their behaviors and allegiance.
“ACES are the ‘new’ always connected, experience seeking shoppers,” says Davis-Taylor. “This new breed of shopper was raised on screens and they are transforming markets. They are hyper-connected, digitally expectant and account for over 50% of all dollars spent at retail today. They are taking their business to fewer retailers that ‘get’ them, and in doing so they are putting major retailers out of business single-handedly. To ignore them is to commit retail suicide.”
“What do ACES want?,” she asks. “They may not be able to tell you, but don’t let that stop you. Aces are experience seekers, but they don’t see digital versus physical experiences. To them, it’s one in the same. Like the generations before them, they look at shopping as visceral, emotional and, hopefully, fun. Deep down, there are things driving them to ‘experience shop’, and what we are learning about what those things are—and how to measure them—is fascinating.”
And regarding cultivating your inner CXO: connecting data, devices, sensory and solutions, she says, “To be great at digital signage means you need to be great at digital. And to be great at digital, you now have to think like a Chief Experience Officer. A CXO knows that while digital signage is a critically important instrument, it is one of many others and must work within a larger orchestrated set of in-store experiences. It must sync up with other devices, exist within multi-sensory ecosystems and be constantly measured and tweaked.”
With 15 years experience in in-store digital, Davis-Taylors’s viewpoints are hard earned and passionately espoused. Always willing to share her experiences openly, we’re sure that this session will give you an elevated springboard for 2016 and beyond.
MaxMedia is known for its experience in retail. Joe Hasenzahl, executive vice-president business development, says, “At MaxMedia, we provide innovative strategy, content and metrics for retailers’ in-store experiences. Finding like-minded technology providers has always been a challenge for us and we are thrilled to find that Barco not only “speaks retail,” but has a full suite of technology offerings that make our ideas come to life.”
The Barco reception will take place from 16:00 – 19:00 this coming Monday, Nov. 2. We understand that this first event of the week is a sellout, but if you want to put your name on a waiting list in case a few tickets are freed up, see here.
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