Au Bon Pain Cafes Feature Interactive Nutrition Kiosks
Au Bon Pain, a French bakery café chain, is rolling out interactive Nutrition Kiosks that offer customers in-depth ingredient and dietary information about each Au Bon Pain menu item, from sandwiches to baked goods to specialty beverages. Updated to reflect seasonal menu changes, customers can always learn precisely what they are eating by simply touching the kiosk’s screen.
“By adding Nutrition Kiosks to our cafés, we are assisting customers who crave health and nutrition information to make informed meal choices,” said Frank Guidara, CEO of Au Bon Pain.
In addition to general nutrition and ingredient information, the Nutrition Kiosks have a feature that caters to customers with specific dietary needs. On demand, the kiosk can serve up menu items based on several categories, such as meal choices that are lower in sodium, calories, saturated fat, and carbohydrates.
Starbucks & Kraft Introduce Interactive Display Unit
Starbucks Coffee Co. and Kraft Foods, Starbucks’ grocery sales partner, recently introduced the Starbucks Interactive Unit (SIU), a touch-screen display to give grocery consumers insight on the best way to enjoy Starbucks coffee at home. The SIU will be featured in 4,000 grocery stores per year for eight to twelve week rotations.
The SIU’s touch-screen allows consumers to navigate through content areas such as, “Our Coffees,” “The Starbucks Difference,” and “Taste Matcher.” “Taste Matcher” shows consumers which Starbucks coffees best fit their individual tastes. The interactive experience is further enhanced with full-motion video and music.
Dave Sachs, Category Business Director, Kraft Foods, said, “In supermarket tests, the Starbucks Interactive Unit increased shopper visits to our shelf by 200 percent.”
The SIU was engineered by Netkey, Inc., Branford, CT. The Guild Group, White Plains, NY, worked with Starbucks and Kraft to develop the look and content of the interactive display.
Mannington Unveils “Coordinations” Display System
Mannington’s new “Coordinations” color wardrobe system is designed to create beautiful, durable flooring that coordinates with existing furnishings and cabinetry. This display is organized by color to help consumers coordinate flooring purchases.
New laminate plank designs featured in the Mannington Coordinations display include: Meridian Cherry, suited for use with lighter cherry cabinetry; Centennial Cherry, a deeper cherry color to complement darker cherry woods; and Georgian Hickory, a slightly more rustic look. The hickory, oak and maple looks are designed to complement a wide range of woods.
Hilti Featuring Merchandisers In Home Depot
Hilti is featuring this merchandiser in the Home Depot Rental Department to showcase the many quality Hilti tools available for rent by the DIY customer.
Helpful tool specifications and instructions are easy to find, and product storage is convenient and attractive. The display also merchandises and promotes consumables.
This display was created for Hilti by D&S Creative Communications, a Mansfield, OH-based promotion agency and display firm.
Duracell Power Station Appears In Wal-Mart Stores
Duracell created this Power Station, which was shipped to Wal-Mart stores nationwide. The display was designed for three months of use in the fourth quarter as part of Wal-Mart's holiday promotion.
The Power Station features sturdy construction using multi-materials. One of the main advantages for Wal-Mart is that the display arrives at retail fully loaded with nearly 2,000 pounds of batteries. Wal-Mart gives the display optimal placement including positioning in the toy aisle, electronics department, action alley and in the grocery divider alley of stores that have grocery departments.
The Duracell Power Station was produced by New Dimensions Research, a point-of-purchase display firm located in Melville, NY.
Try-Foods Features Interactive Display In Wine Aisle
Try-Foods International is using Maitland, FL-based Real Digital Media’s MPX-1 Multimedia Player as an interactive display system in the wine aisle of supermarkets.
Kevin Dunleavy, Exec. V.P., Try-Foods International, said, “Shoppers who are confused by the wide selection of wines that a supermarket offers, scan the bar-code at the bottom of the bottle into RDM’s interactive kiosk and instantly see a description of that wine, view its rating, and get advice on which cheeses, crackers, snacks and other foods go well with that selection. Supermarket managers expect that consumers who use the kiosk will be more satisfied with their purchase, have shopping carts that are filled with higher margin items, and return to that store when more wine is on their shopping list.”
The MPX-1 Multimedia Player is a solid-state, commercial-grade, IP- addressable, video and audio player. Individual players can receive location specific content through remote downloads.
Outwater Plastic Industries, Inc., has introduced a series of decorative screening panels ideally suited as decorative ornamentation for p.o.p. displays, exhibits and store fixtures. Stocked in 13 different patterns in unfinished MDF, hardwood and pine veneer faced board in 6'wide x 2' high varieties, the decorative screening panels are also available in white PVC, brushed aluminum melamine, unfinished mahogany or oak faced board. Suitable for painting or finishing, the panels can be utilized using the same tools as wood. For more information, contact Outwater Plastic Industries, Inc., 4 Passaic Street, Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075; (Tel) 1-888-772-1400 (catalog requests), 800-631-8375 (sales), (Web Site) www.outwater.com.
Microsoft Conducts Tablet PC Demo Program
Microsoft’s Tablet PC demo program will demonstrate the Tablet PC at kiosks installed in the lobbies of prominent office buildings in New York and Chicago.
Jack Morton Worldwide, New York City developed the demo program. The program is expected to reach approximately 40,000 building tenants and visitors.
Andrew Dixon, Microsoft’s Director of Tablet PC Marketing, said, “This demonstration program takes the Tablet PC experience where it needs to be; in office buildings where workers use and make decisions about their computers.”
Schlage Lock Floor Display
Schlage Lock is using this floor display to present a selection of locks and door hardware and accessories. The freestanding display provides a rich background to display the locks, enhancing the Schlage brand image. The unit displays a comprehensive selection of products in a mininum of floor space. This Schlage Lock Floor Display was created by Mark Novak & Associates, Inc., 149 North Northwest Highway, Park Ridge, IL 60068.
Christian Brothers Mobile Floorstand
This floorstand features low height which is required by supermarket chains and other outlets across the country. The display is on casters so that it can be moved to different areas of the store as needed. It displays two different Ports and four styles of Sherry and provides information concerning the taste characteristics of the different kinds of Sherry offered, thus encouraging impulse purchases. The merchandiser holds four cases of product. It is designed to organize the product by flavor and type. The Christian Brothers Mobile Floorstand was created by Flair Display Inc., 3920 Merritt Avenue, Bronx, NY l0466.
Glen Ellen Wine Cart
This display promotes wine with cut flowers. It merchandises premium wines from United Distillers & Vintners along with the flowers suggesting a perfect gift for any occasion. The unit appears in supermarkets across the country. The functional display was constructed from Easter White Pine and Baltic Birch panels. The wheels are injection molded plastic and the flower section of the unit is die-cut Sintra. The Glen Ellen Wine Cart was created by Coastal Wood Woodworks & Display, P.O. Box l37, Nobleboro, ME 04555.
Blyth Colonial Etagere
This display was designed to merchandise a high end of various glass scented candle products.To convey the elegant style of this product, additional add on components were used for tapered and votive candles. The 72" high étagère with 4 adjustable glass shelves features a wood base with vacuum pressed panels. Laser-cut tempered glass shelves have cut outs to allow the vertical posts to go up through the shelves giving the shelves an appearance of floating. The curved headers are screened and foil stamped to communicate Colonial’s image. The unit also provides storage for product back up. The brand identity and product benefits are clearly communicated increasing impulse buying and sales. The Blyth Colonial Etagere was created by Harbor Industries, Inc., l4l30 l72nd Street, Grand Haven, MI 494l7.
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