Finally Apple Stores take digital signage path

Apple knows how to present itself on center stage. Obviously the Middle East is no exception to that rule, the bigger the better and in the center of attention. The newly opened Apple Store at the MoE is setting new standards. In the past Apple stores were dominated by wooden tables filled with Apple products, large format light boxes and not much more which could distract from the products.

This concept seemed to have changed – or just altered for Dubai. The digital signage free retail concept has been replaced with a room wide fine pix LED wall and three professional displays. The classical digital signage installation showcases the various Apple Watch features / apps while the LED wall is just a massive stage for apple product animations.

The center of the store is dominated by two rows of trees, adding a sense of life with lush green leaves to the usually quite sterile shopping experience. The video wall doesn’t appear as massive as it should be looking at the sheer size of the installation. But the trees are partly blocking the view on the wall which seems to be designed deliberately that way.

Most striking is the content which obviously carriers the Apple DNA. The resolution is breathtaking, the clips are stylish and the speed of the animation is very slow. No hectic or flashy clips, just slow motions like a film of the earth slowly rising on the horizon.

We very much like the “new” Apple shop design, as they continue to reinvent brick and mortar retail as they have done with their products.

P.S. Coincidence or not – opposite of the new MoE Apple Store opened a new Burberry store with best of class digital signage. The current head of retail at Apple Angela Ahrendts was before responsible for Burberry retail. Very different products, very different instore concepts but one common umbrella: turning stores into stories.