OUTPUT

Chief executive of Outform Group and i Display Ariel Haroush talks exclusively to Output's Camilla Corr about appreciating retailers' needs, the importance of digital signage being accessible and practical, and how crucial it is to really understand consumers when designing products.

Haroush's experience in the display sector was honed whilst running Outform, which was launched in 2004 and provides POS to a number of different brands. It became evident, he notes, that companies were increasingly seeking display solutions with integrated digital components and so, some two years ago, i Display began to take its first steps into the market. Haroush maintains that working so closely with both large retailers and a wide range of brands provided him with an in-depth understanding of what shop owners and their consumers want.

"You have to understand," Haroush explains, "competition in retail is brutal. The key is: how does one big brand differentiate itself from another?" This concern brought about the inception of i Display's touchbutton-activated shelf-side product i Shelf, which Haroush adds, 'could help differentiate [one brand from another]'. The battery-operated offering catches consumers' attention with its flashing LED button, which when pressed, triggers both audio and video content.

It demands attention, Haroush asserts, and has so far delivered some 'stunning results' in terms of return on investment (ROI). In Saudi Arabia, i Shelf was instrumental in a 25 percent increase in sales for a leading children's nappy brand, Haroush states.

Haroush believes that certain trends cut across most retail environments and as a result, i Display designs solutions that meet these common needs rather than tailored products. The company also feels that delivering digital out-of-home (DOOH) ranges at a modest cost is crucial in enabling large brands to deploy their message over multiple end points on large networks.

'Accessibility is key' to i Display's product design, Haroush continues, adding that users 'needn't be top-level operators'. He states that the company's web-based content management system is 'as easy to use as Gmail' and cites the special easy-to-clean UV coating featured on i Display's screens and the fact that the i Shelf was created around logistical concerns such as shelf stacking as examples of how the company addresses user-friendliness. Haroush adds that due to 'understanding what retailers want', i Display develops its hardware with '24-7 operation' in mind as well as offering the option to run the company's products on battery or AC power, which makes them easy to move and reduces infrastructure requirements.

In terms of where the market will go next, Haroush predicts an increasing interplay between digital signage and smartphones, noting that he thinks Android technology will be a dominant force. He adds that measurement through proof-of-performance and the introduction of more scalable product offerings will be central concerns for the sector in the coming months and, of course, the drive to keep understanding how retailers think and how to meet their needs.