A Multi-Media Playground

The first thing we did was figure out how to attract people into the store. To do that, we had to get dramatic.

We mounted a continuous line of 24 42-inch plasma screens around the walls of the store's interior, fifteen feet above viewers' heads.

We then created a scheduling program, which would trigger programming based upon the day and time, and the expected visitor demographic in the mall. Weekday mornings it would play "Oprah!" and "SpongeBob SquarePants," which would appeal to mothers shopping with their toddlers. Afternoons it would play MTV and VH1, which grabbed the teenagers in the mall after school. On Sundays, it would play sporting events and feature films.

At selected times, the plasmas played something special: the famous cartoon character, the Road Runner (Time Warner's High Speed Online mascot), ran as fast as a speeding train across each screen in sequence, leaving clouds of smoke and dust in his wake. Mall visitors often came to the store, just to see the Road Runner segment.

We also created a ten foot high video wall right inside the entrance, which would use Warner Brothers' most dynamic movies and shows to draw in passersby.

Once people were inside, we wanted them to sample their options - the connections, speeds, bandwidths, remotes, and programming packages - in a way that made them comfortable. So we designed elements into the store that would appeal to people's varied interests and expertise.

For the technically astute, we gave them hands-on ways of exploring the equipment, including testing stations for digital video recording.

For those less comfortable with technology, we gave the store's staff the ability to assist them on any piece of equipment, from anywhere in the store. That way, the visitor was never lost. A staff member could always take control of their experience, and walk them through any confusing points, no matter where the staff member was.

The staff could also take any electronic demonstration, and route it so it would appear virtually anywhere in the store. Giving the staff such wide ranging access had another benefit: every spot in the store became a sales station. A customer's buying decision, then, never had to be delayed.

A store like this one, full of high-tech equipment, can seem cold, if not designed correctly. We took pains, then, to make it feel friendly and elegant.

For instance, when it came to Warner's new digital cable phones, we didn't use artificial means to demonstrate the clarity of their lines. Instead, we set up a working phone for customers to try. From there, they could call family and friends anywhere in the world, including the North Pole. What better way to sample a product than by having it connect you to someone you love?

We also made sure that store's many screens played Time Warner's famous content. After all, no one was visiting the store to buy a machine, wires, and a service contract. They were visiting so they could find a way to watch the movies and programs that they adored, in a way that was vivid and affordable.

Above all, then, our design stressed content. We wanted visitors to see and hear just how vivid cable could make their at-home viewing experience.

What started out as a cable retail store, became something unique. VM+SD ("Visual Merchandising and Store Design") Magazine calls it "an immersive multi-media playground."