International pharmacy retailer replaces static content with Signagelive powered HD video walls in Lithuania and Estonia

Signagelive cloud-based software powers video walls installed in busy retail parks to enhance promotional activities and increase overall sales

BENU Pharmacies, part of the International PHOENIX Group, has implemented a digital signage solution, powered by Signagelive, as part of a companywide initiative to replace printed advertising with digital content to deliver a better retail experience and grow brand loyalty.

Almost 800 pharmacies in several European countries including Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are unified under the BENU brand, which employs more than 5500 employees and serves over 45 million customers annually.

The digital signage solution, which has been installed by Hansab UAB, a leading provider of innovative technology solutions in the Baltic region, is being used to display promotional content on video walls and high brightness window displays in busy shopping malls in Lithuania and Estonia.

The digital signage solution is intended to differentiate the BENU brand from other pharmaceutical retailers by enabling it to display dynamic content that can be updated on demand in direct response to market requirements and competitor activities. Installation began in the summer of 2015 and was completed in December of the same year.

The decision to replace printed advertising with a digital alternative formed part of a wider initiative to modernize the overall pharmacy retail experience by launching a new brand and refurbishing all existing stores. Apart from being expensive and time-consuming to implement, the pharmacy could only update its printed materials every three months because of the labour-intensive processes involved. The transition from printed advertising to digital signage not only gives the BENU brand an ultramodern appeal, it offers greater flexibility and saves time and resource by streamlining content updating processes.

The digital signage solution comprises 3 x 55“ LG video walls (set up in a 2×2 configuration format) and 1 x high brightness window display installed in prime locations in large shopping malls to attract the attention of passers-by.

Content generated by the BENU brand is uploaded and stored on Signaglive’s cloud-based digital signage platform, eliminating the need for onsite storage servers. Using Signagelive’s enterprise-class management dashboard and user-friendly CMS, season specific content can be created and rolled out in real time to video walls located in different shopping malls. Additionally, the content can be modified or changed on demand to reflect circumstances such as rival promotions.

Signagelive’s platform ensures all information is rendered correctly and fully synchronised on the local area networks (LAN) to display engaging HD content on the individual video walls, creating a seamless and stunning visual experience for shoppers.

The newly implemented digital signage solution has enabled BENU Pharmacies to be completely self-sufficient in the running and management of its digital advertising. Hansab simply has to log onto the network periodically to make sure there are no connection issues and that the digital signage solution is performing optimally.

“Signagelive and Hansab have enabled the BENU brand to run much slicker advertising campaigns,” comments Dovydas Stukas, Head of Digital Signage and Multimedia solutions group at HANSAB UAB. “Using Signagelive’s powerful management CMS BENU can generate content that reflects the time of year (sun cream in the summer, vitamin supplements in winter) or create a new campaign in direct response to competitor activities to maximize brand awareness opportunities.”

“This installation gives us great exposure in the retail space and will serve as a springboard for other opportunities in the Baltic region,” says Jason Cremins, CEO of Signagelive.” We have completed a number of high-profile projects with Hansab over the last few months and they are an important go-forward partner for Signagelive as we take our business to the next level.”

Hansab expects BENU pharmacies to extend its digital signage network over the forthcoming months as it rolls out video walls in the smaller shopping and installs displays behind all instore checkouts to further enhance promotional activities.