As a part of their recently released AV in retail trend report, “The Power of Integrated AV Experiences in Retail,” AVIXA featured ESI Design’s work at Comcast Studio Xfinity as a case study in how to create an immersive retail environment.

The report highlights the way our work at Studio Xfinity transformed the uncool concept of the ‘cable store,’ and turned it into an immersive audiovisual experience, starring the full range of Comcast products and services.

Comcast faced a unique problem when they commissioned ESI Design to create a new flagship store: How do you transform an often dreaded trip to the cable store into an experience that’s fun for the customer and good for the brand? As ESI Design’s senior designer Emily Webster explains:

“The customer was coming in, whether they liked it or not, to get something fixed. They’re sitting there waiting with nothing to do. We saw it as an opportunity to engage customers further with the product family.”

On entering, customers are greeted by more than 800 square feet of LED screens, large-scale media installations, tablets and touchscreen surfaces touting all of Xfinity’s offerings. While they wait, customers can play single and multi-player games, watch live demos of Xfinity’s newest products, or grab a cup of coffee from the coffee bar. Not only do customers enjoy their visit, but through the immersive retail environment they learn about the products in a way that they can’t while shopping online.

The large-scale media canvases are also powerful and adaptable branding tools:

“If you include these interesting digital canvases and displays throughout a store, and find ways to make those displays tell whatever your story is that month — or even that day — then the way you use the store can constantly evolve,” says Webster.

Download the AV in retail trend report here.