Nickelodeon’s first retail offering in Europe aims to create an interactive experience for visitors of all ages to enjoy.
In common with other children’s entertainment brands – including one closely associated with a mouse – Nickelodeon has extended its presence into the retail world. After opening five stores in places such as Riyadh, Panama and Honduras, the company opened its first European retail location in May 2015.
Situated in London’s Leicester Square, the heart of one of the world’s prime retail and tourism destinations, the store provides a platform to showcase the global brand and its internationally recognised characters, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Dora the Explorer. Rather than simply offering branded toys and clothes for sale, the store aims to provide a brand experience, featuring activities around the premises – including the chance to meet and greet a life-size SpongeBob costume character.
The job of delivering an immersive audiovisual scheme fell to PAI. Appointed by SmartDesign Group, the South Wales-based systems integrator was tasked with installing an array of AV, sound, lighting, multimedia and interactive elements throughout the multi-level space.
Spanning two floors and covering more than 400sqm, the flagship store boasts more than 40 digital displays, a range of short-throw and glass projection, touchscreen technology and audio equipment.
Approaching the store, eyes are drawn to a striking landscape videowall behind the windows on the upper level. Made up of three separate but synchronised videowalls, comprising a total of 24 Samsung screens in 4 x 2 formation, it operates from store opening through to the early hours of the following morning.
Inside a further 21 screens are distributed: a 2 x 2 videowall above the staircase is surrounded by a large frame in Nickelodeon’s famous bright orange, while seven screens make up a vertical screen feature, which connects the two floors and sees vibrant content move up and down. Half a dozen 46in commercial monitors can be found on the first floor, with four 32in models at the point-of-sale areas.
Distribution and control comes via a Pharos system, paired with 26 BrightSign LS422 networked media players supporting 1080p30 video playback and six LS322 commercial audio devices.
While ultra-short throw projectors broadcast content across walls, other models project bubbles, jellyfish and more across the floor. In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles zone, glass projection is used to display footage of Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo.
Elsewhere a kiosk in the shape of a pineapple – the underwater home of SpongeBob SquarePants – hosts eight iPads featuring a multitude of apps and games. Along with a CleverTouch S Series 55in touchscreen, there are plenty of interactive pause points to keep customers young and old amused.
Full range, two-way loudspeakers, powered by Ashly amplification with built in Protea digital sound processing, provide the themed music and character support audio across the whole store.
PAI’s in-house media and IT teams now manage regular content updates across the store, as instructed by the client.
Apart Audio
Ashly signal processing and power amplification
Brightsign digital signage media players
CleverProducts interactive touchscreens
Hitachi Digital Media
LG displays
NEC Display Solutions
PAI Group solutions
Pharos Controls
Samsung displays
