Consumer electronics, including a surge in the sale of high definition televisions, is a rapidly growing segment. Yet stiff competition, also from online stores, as well as pressure from ever dropping prices, led Bilka to renovate the department in order to increase its visibility.
That visibility included a number of changes: new product divisions within the department, a wall of televisions displayed in HD, and the use of eye-catching lighting effects visible from all over the store - a colourful flash of movement to first grab customers' attention and then draw them in.
Finn Bak Klausmann, head of lay-out and interior decoration at Bilka Supermarked A/S, says that the aim was to give the department "a better visual expression". Seeking something tall enough to be visible from all points in the store, three 'towers' lined with plasma screens were created and dispersed across the department. Each tower is approximately 2.5m high and houses two Martin smartMACs that project effects onto circular cycs.
One smartMAC is used to flash movements of eye-catching colour while the other projects logos from brands such as JVC, Philips, Panasonic, Prosonic and Sony. As the smartMAC houses interchangeable colours and effects, Bilka is able to customise the look any way they wish.
"When we review the lay-out of our stores it's important that the things we do have an effect," Finn says. "It must be reflected in the bottom line. Our analyses show that it has really paid off in the radio/TV department.
"We've collaborated closely with Martin Scandinavia which I can say has been very satisfactory. We've been able to work out all the aspects together. The changes gave the desired effect, and the customers appreciate it."
Bilka and Martin Scandinavia are looking to incorporate smartMACs into other areas of the store as well, such as the toy department where the luminaire's colour and effects possibilities are a natural fit. Eventually all of Bilka's 17 stores in Denmark will be equipped with smartMACs, eight of those to be completed this year.
(Jim Evans)
