Even as technology is being brought into the marketing space of large retailers, some brands are using technology in their own dedicated venues to demonstrate their brand strengths to retailers as well as their own staff.
One of the most recent efforts can be seen in the opening of the newly built Adi Dassler Brand Center (ADBC), for adidas AG, on the former military base "Herzo Base" in Herzogenaurach, Germany. The black glass monolith building with its almost 125,000 sq. ft. usable area, offers ample space for exhibitions and presentations. Nothing unusual there, but since the facility's opening May 2006, retailers have increasingly used the facility to get up to speed on Adidas marketing concepts and product rollouts.
ict Innovative Communication Technologies AG, Kohlberg was responsible for the extensive media and digital signage installations in the ADBC. The 8500 sq.ft. Forum at the ADBC, used for product presentations and marketing campaign briefings, is also used for financial press conferences, analysts' meetings, and other events, has the most modern media technology installed. Visitors to the ADBC can call up information about the history of adidas on multimedia and interactive exhibits on the "Walk of Fame" which circles the Forum. Highlights of important sporting events which are historically relevant for the adidas brand are presented on LCD displays and touch-monitors.
The facility also includes gigantic softedge-projection in the 20,000 sq.ft. Arena.
A total of twenty-five projectors (Panasonic PT-D7700) were installed in the Arena, a presentation room similar to an auditorium with capacity for 700 spectators. Images are projected onto a level exposed concrete surface which facilitates a total image with the dimensions over 300 feet wide. PC and video content, PowerPoint presentations and live camera images can be arranged and controlled as larger than life multimedia shows. adidas can change the configuration of the with the touch of a button.
"One of the biggest challenges of this demanding project was the absolute flexibility of the entire system required by adidas, and the resulting complex interaction of technologies", says Thomas Klukas, commercial project manager at ict AG. "Adaptations and extensions to the system are possible at any time. There are numerous floor tanks already integrated in individual areas of the ADBC, which facilitate the connection of additional feed sources (e.g. laptops) or which can be used as additional production bases for individual shows", continued Klukas.
For more information: ict Innovative Communication Technologies AG; Phone +49 (0)70 25 / 102152; E-mail: i.neher@ict.de
