Source: Digital Signage Expo 2008
Award Submission
Company: Scala Inc.
(www.scala.com)
Client: IKEA


London, United Kingdom. April 23, 2007— Scala, Inc., the leading supplier of end-to-end digital signage software solutions, announced today that IKEA, the leading functional home furnishing products company, has inaugurated its in-store digital signage network utilizing Scala InfoChannel.

Beaver Solutions, a Scala Certified Partner, delivered the installation of all the key components for IKEA TV. The objective of IKEA TV in the initial phase is to promote the “Hero” product line, to be soon complemented with other initiatives including “Welcome Customers to the store”, “How to shop” and “How to plan an IKEA Kitchen.”

“Beaver Solutions is proud to have been selected to provide a brand new digital signage system for Sweden’s most famous export”, said Barry Thurston, Director, Beaver Solutions.

Throughout the UK, 14 stores have been equipped with Scala InfoChannel software to distribute 8 separate channels of content to screens distributed throughout the store in key locations. Each IKEA store uses an average of 8 screens, placed at selected points-of-purchase.

Phase 2 of the IKEA TV Network will add 3 more stores as well as 10 additional channels and an excess of 20 screens per store. Phase 3 will expand the digital signage network with the remaining 11 IKEA stores after an evaluation process.

“When complete, IKEA TV could well be broadcasting on 196 channels managed by over a hundred InfoChannel licenses”, adds Barry Thurston.

Each screen will show a new character developed by IKEA, appearing in a number of animations crafted by IKEA to deliver a specific message to its shoppers. This content is displayed to visitors as they journey through the store. Diversified content including product videos and local store messages is shown, with message variety planned to increase in the future.

IKEA
Scala InfoChannel was selected among a number of software applications due to its unrivalled control of all areas of the playback at each screen and centralized control via Scala InfoChannel Content Manager. One of the key requirements from IKEA was to provide both local and national control of chosen content, allowing staff in each store nationwide to change messages at a moments notice.

Content is managed centrally by IKEA with Beaver Solutions’ support, thus enabling IKEA to update any screen in the network via a web-based content management suite.

“IKEA TV is a very exciting project to plan and develop. We are privileged to count on our partner Beaver Solutions to apply its professional team, its experience, and its relationships in the UK market thus enabling the coordination of seven separate organizations to deliver the solution required by IKEA, on time and on spec.” said Oscar Elizaga, Scala Vice President, EMEA. “IKEA is a very forward thinking company with a clear vision of its in-store digital signage objectives, which makes its selection of Scala
InfoChannel as the core of the IKEA TV project all the more significant” he added.

About Beaver Solutions
Beaver Solutions, formed in 1998 are part of The Beaver Group and specialize in delivering digital signage and narrowcast networks to, companies and public institutions. Using the very latest in display and networking technology, Beaver Solutions specify, supply, install, train and support each solution. Through Beaver Design, a sister company Content and network management services are also provided offering a full one stop service to customers We work with various software and hardware manufacturers in the field of digital display to ensure we deliver the best fit for our clients. Clients include IKEA, Ericsson, Daikin, P&O, E.ON, ITV1, The Home Office, Walkers Snack Foods, Department for Transport & Stoke City Council.

About Scala
Scala, (www.scala.com) the world’s leading provider of software for digital signage software used in retail, education, entertainment, government and other industries, is celebrating it 20th anniversary in 2007. With its roots in the Cable TV industry, Scala has evolved to become the global leader in digital signage software. Over the years, Scala created a cutting edge multimedia software platform that powers thousands of digital signs around the world including the digital signage networks of Tesco, the Paris Palais de Congrès, Best Buy, T-Mobile, La Grande Récré, ShopRite, Hertz, Virgin MegaStore, EuroDisney, Bloomberg, Burger King, Kiwi, Futuramedia, Azizia- Panda Supermarket, Carrefour, McKee Foods, Muvico, Santiago Airport, and RaboBank. Since InfoChannel® is proven, scalable, and easy to manage, it is the platform of choice for many digital display networks ranging in size from one screen to thousands of screens with uses including advertising displays, touch screens, retail TV, LED billboards, lobby signage, digital menu boards, interactive kiosks, and more. Scala pioneered the industry of digital signage in 1987, and is today headquartered near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with offices in California, the UK, France, Norway, The Netherlands, China and Japan.