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Miller Zell Expands Retail Service Offerings With New In-Store Digital Media Capability

Posted on: Tuesday, 25 April 2006, 12:00 CDT

Expanding its leadership beyond traditional retail merchandising systems, Miller Zell, the leading provider of world-class retail environments and shopper experiences, announced today the launch of MZ In-Store Digital Media. This innovative new offering is designed to help retailers and consumer products companies navigate the new world of electronic in-store digital signage and place-based private television networks. This new capability is bolstered by an alliance with Digital Display & Communication, Inc., NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc., and 3M Digital Signage.

This strategic four-way linkage will deliver one-stop shopping for a full-range of turn-key, retail digital signage solutions. They include display equipment, digital integration, content production, and digital ad sales - coupled with Miller Zell's retail merchandising strategy, design, graphics, fixture production and full-program implementation capabilities.

"We believe this powerful collaboration will help clients better promote retail and consumer product brands at the critical point of shopper decision-making," said Craig Apatov, executive vice president of Miller Zell. "Our 30-year heritage as in-store customer experience experts will be key to driving adoption of everything from electronic signs to in-store television networks, carrying shopper information, messages from retail manufacturers and third-party advertisers."

The unique combination of digital expertise is already paying dividends with all four companies supporting major retail-level digital programs, including a networked system in Future Shop (Best Buy) stores in Canada; a customer communication system in SunTrust Bank branches; a 26-channel interactive system in HSBC's flagship bank branch in New York; and a new showroom messaging system in Mohawk flooring dealers throughout the U.S.

"We firmly believe the marketplace is primed for in-store digital systems that deliver strong business results for clients," said David Reynolds-Gooch, business unit manager at 3M Digital Signage, a worldwide provider of digital signage and interactive kiosk network solutions for retail, financial services, entertainment, education, and other industries. Formerly Mercury Online, the company will provide advanced content management software and network management technologies to drive a broad range of in-store retail communication systems and interactive kiosks.

"We are thrilled to be aligned with Miller Zell to help bring state-of-the-art digital messaging systems to the retail marketplace," said Doug Albregts, vice president of sales and marketing at NEC Display. "Retailers are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to reach their customers, and this new collaboration will help them demonstrate store-level merchandising innovation and drive significant sales improvement."

NEC Display is the leading provider of innovative LCD display screens and fully integrated digital signage display systems increasingly being used for in-store digital communication and signage programs. It ranked as one of the best-selling stand-alone LCD monitor providers in the U.S. for all of CY2005, according to iSuppli's quarterly monitor reports.

Toronto-based Digital Display & Communication will lead the development of digital programming and content management with its vast experience in digital merchandising systems and reputation as one of the most experienced digital signage network companies in North America, having enjoyed considerable success as one of the industries' founding corporations.

"Together, the four companies share a common vision to be major drivers of the rapidly increasing use of digital media as the de facto standard for in-store retail communication," said Stuart Kirkpatrick, president of DDC. "We are excited about the potential to collectively make a marked impact on the way people shop the traditional retail store."

With offices in New York, Toronto, South America and the UK, Miller Zell boasts a blue-chip client list, including Wal-Mart, Office Depot, Mohawk Industries, Coca Cola, ExxonMobil, H&R Block, GM, and Johnson & Johnson. Companies interested in exploring digital signage solutions through the alliance should contact Craig Apatov at 404-526-1372, or craig.apatov@millerzell.com.

About Miller Zell

Miller Zell is the leading provider of world-class retail environments and shopper experiences for major retailers and leading consumer products companies everywhere. The company strives to provide better business solutions that generate measurably better business results for its clients worldwide.

Miller Zell is consistently ranked as one of the top 5 retail design firms in the industry and is distinguished by its unique array of fully integrated strategy, program management, production and implementation services capable of supporting large-scale retail programs from strategic, creative inception through turn-key store-level installation.

Visit www.millerzell.com for more information.

Source: Business Wire

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