Lagardère Travel Retail: A digital oasis at Abu Dhabi’s Terminal A Airport
Nestled within the bustling Terminal A of Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH), Lagardère Travel Retail stands out as a brilliant fusion of commerce, culture, and storytelling, creating enhanced duty-free shopping experiences for millions of passengers every day. Spanning 5,200 square meters, this duty-free retail hub features 18 outlets, offering a diverse range of shopping, food, and beverage options. Seamlessly integrating digital technologies into the retail experience, Lagardère delivers a functional and engaging shopping experience for travelers.
To support the design and delivery of a comprehensive AV solution for this duty-free operator at AUH airport, Blue Rhine Industries was chosen based on our strong references, capabilities, and in-house fabrication skills. Nita Odendra, Director of Strategy at Blue Rhine Industries, begins by telling us: “We worked with them on this project for about four years, from concept to final delivery, and we did face some delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.” She also highlights the company’s extensive experience in travel retail, saying, “We have been working on travel retail projects for about 12 to 13 years now.”
A uniquely cohesive experience
Inspired by the vast, golden sand dunes of Abu Dhabi’s desert landscape, the architecture of Terminal A features flowing curves that echo the natural formations of the dunes. In harmony with this design, Lagardère Travel Retail aimed to create a duty-free retail environment that complemented the Terminal’s aesthetic. Nita explains, “The client wanted a digital signage solution that was not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing and engaging for travelers. A seamless integration of technology was crucial to deliver clear and consistent messaging throughout the entire duty-free area.”
An integrated digital canvas
The comprehensive AV solution at Terminal A serves as an integrated digital canvas, delivering an enhanced traveler experience underpinned by convenience, functionality, and luxury. “Combining curved LED digital facades, synchronized digital elements, ambient audio, and intelligent control systems, the result is a visually stunning and engaging retail space that is both operationally efficient and flexible while harmoniously blending in with the Terminal’s architecture,” explains Nita.
The main AV elements include three double curved LED screen facades at storefronts with seamlessly integrated LED strips placed below the curved LED screens, a flexible 4mm pixel LED ticker running within the store that’s used for promotional offers and information, 3D facade fabricated out of aluminum sheet with animated lighting, interactive screens, and advertising video walls.
An experiential and immersive space
The centerpiece of the installation is a one-of-a-kind egg-shaped LED fascia screen. Nita explains, “The entrance to the store has a half-circle, tight-pitch LED that is elegantly curved both vertically and horizontally, like part of a sphere. Below the main screen, the lower part over the entrance uses a series of thin LED strips that become part of the overall content once activated, allowing for synchronized ambient and experiential visuals with both the main screen and the strips.”
Towering at 11 meters, the three custom-designed double-curved screens are 1200 nits, much brighter than most indoor screens, which typically are at 800-nit brightness. Seamlessly integrated into the storefront design, these double-curved screens stand tall, harmoniously blending with the architecture to create a striking visual focal point for passengers walking by.
These fascia screens use Philips professional display LCDs with embedded System-on-Chip (SoC) technology by RYARC, eliminating the need for separate media players. This sleek setup has fewer cables, simplifying installation and reducing maintenance requirements.
Nita adds, “As you walk into the duty-free area, we have a 4mm pixel LED ticker that runs all through one section of the store. The back of the display is clad in gold to hide the LED modules, cabinets, and any cabling. Approximately 80 meters long, this flexible LED strip is used to showcase dynamic promotional content while also acting as a wayfinding system and emergency alert notification system.”
A user-friendly, cloud-based content management system (CMS) oversees all digital touchpoints within the duty-free area, including LED fascia screens, LED strips, audio, lighting, and music. Nita emphasizes, “Everything is time-synchronized for a flawless content experience, ensuring real-time updates and cohesive messaging throughout the space.”
Nita highlights that their solution goes beyond just displays. “We designed and manufactured an illuminated 3D aluminum facade for the storefronts, custom-made with several different shapes that combine to form a beautifully captivating entrance.” The team also took charge of the entire signage for the space, which included all category signs, shop front signs, as well as animated lighting and a centrally or individually operable Background Music (BGM) system. The installed BGM systems include JBL Control 16C/T Two-Way 6.5″ Coaxial Ceiling Loudspeakers, Yamaha MA2120 power amplifiers, the Yamaha DCP1V4S Digital Control Panel, the Dante DTRA-2 I/O box, and the Netgear ProSAFE FS108S Ethernet Unmanaged Switch.
Redefining retail experiences
The Lagardère retail experience exemplifies how technology can enhance passenger experiences and revolutionize the way we travel, shop, and engage with retail environments. But how exactly have these cutting-edge AV solutions created value for passengers, retail brands, and the duty-free operator?
One significant benefit is the reshaping of perceived wait times. Research tells us that digital signage can reduce the perception of wait times by up to 35% in environments like Lagardère, a crucial factor in making the travel experience more enjoyable for passengers on the go.
Moreover, in busy departure terminals, where time is of the essence, capturing travelers’ attention in an already lively duty-free area can be a challenge. Here, the striking design elements at Lagardère, like the double-curved LED and fascia screens, with an impressive 1200 nits of brightness, draw the attention of travelers, boosting promotional visibility and encouraging longer dwell times. In retail zones, this heightened engagement can potentially lead to increased impulse engagement and higher sales. The egg-shaped screen and the LED ticket also serve as unique platforms to showcase brands and products in the retail space. The innovation in design not only enhances luxury and prestige within the duty-free space but also amplifies brand visibility, helping Lagardère stand out from the competition.
Additionally, the integration of SoC technology within the egg-shaped screen simplifies operations and reduces maintenance costs, which is valuable in a fast-paced airport environment like Terminal A. Lastly, the technology’s modular design and integration capabilities promise scalability and flexibility. As business needs evolve, the digital signage network can be easily expanded or adapted to different areas of the Terminal, positioning Lagardère for continued innovation in the future.
Nita concludes by emphasizing, “Terminal A of the AUH airport is a global gateway, catering to about 11,000 passengers daily. Our endeavor in this project wasn’t just to enhance this space with visuals; it was about innovating with precision to elevate the entire passenger travel experience at Lagardère.” Today, Lagardère is more than a retail store; it is a destination for the international traveler, one that combines innovation, digital technologies, and appealing aesthetics to create unforgettable travel experiences that will shape the future of travel retail.
