Question: When is a whisper louder than a shout?
Answer: When the whisper is as large a store’s display window!
Music has long been known of as an attractant (or sometimes a deterrent) to engage consumers in shopping. Consider the music heard by shoppers in malls, on street corners, and even the infamous ‘elevator music’ heard during a busy day. All the sounds and music that consumers hear is designed to get their attention. But, often the music is place in the background for shopping activity where it can be ignored. And on displays, small speakers playing music have limited reach and impact. Stores put a lot of effort and money in their displays and windows, but the investment is wasted if people walk past without a second glance.
The product from FeONIC was originally developed for sonar devices by the U.S. Navy. It changes shape in a magnetic field and the force makes structures actually vibrate, producing sound that gets attention. The device can be used with glass windows and other display surfaces. The company claims that independent research has shown that use of the Whispering Windows can increase sales by up to 50%, getting attention and driving customers into the stores. After testing the technology at its flagship store in Rome, Gap plans to use Whispering Windows in conjunction with its new “Denim Moves You” campaign – converting windows into a speaker that projects the sound from a new video.
Group Activities and Discussion Questions:
1. Show the Gap video that will be used at the company’s flagship stores:
2. Next, show the videos explaining FeONIC’s whispering windows technology. There are three videos showing the application, the technology, and live demonstrations: http://blog.feonic.com/invisible-speakers-movies/
3. Divide students into groups: What are applications of the technology for stores and displays? What products and stores would benefit from using this in their displays?
4. How could this technology be combined with other experiential marketing approaches?
Source: Brandchannel.com, 10/10/12
