FloorWindo® – Untapped Potential for Brand Marketers

Download a PDF of this White Paper Walk into many retail establishments and you’ll notice nearly every inch of space in your sight line is filled with merchandise, graphics, check out counters and display areas, all competing for your attention. Visual display professionals know how to layer signage effectively throughout a store by utilizing the ceiling for hanging graphics, perimeter and feature walls, end-caps, floor stands and counters. However, this abundance of visual input creates challenges for in-store marketers who need shoppers to notice and respond to specific messages amid this visual profusion. Leading researchers confirm this challenge. “As stores expand and choices proliferate, the in-store experience becomes more and more overwhelming in terms of sheer quantity of stimuli,” says Scott Young, president of Perception Research Services. But you do have a secret weapon, and to date its potential has not been fully realized. There is a way to rise above (or in this case, fall below) the maelstrom and grab shoppers’ attention: floor graphics. People naturally glance down frequently to ensure their safety while walking, so floor graphics are perfectly positioned to attract a shopper’s attention. And since floor areas are kept clear, bold graphics can really stand out. There are even specific environments that actually predispose shoppers to look down. In a recent example, Merchant Mechanics, a leading retail behavioral research and consulting firm, was charged with providing insight for optimized signage placement to increase awareness of the U.S. Postal Service’s ‘automated teller’ option. According to Matt Tullman, president of Merchant Mechanics, this service was originally promoted using isolated stands and on-wall signage. However, behavioral observational techniques showed that the standing graphics went largely unnoticed —on average, only 12% of passers-by noticed the messaging, depending on placement. Furthermore, awareness of the promoted resource was less than 30%. Research revealed the untapped potential of floor graphics to call attention to the service—more than one third of the postal customers moved through the main lobby looking down, mostly to read mail they were sending or had picked up. Floor graphics were a perfect choice to capture the attention of those ‘heads down’ consumers. In addition to promoting awareness, floor graphics also provided a wayfinding component to aid in locating the automated kiosks. A subsequent study showed that attention to the signage increased to more than 18%, awareness increased by 28%, and usage of the automated postal machine increased by 11%. Today, there are a variety of ways to display floor graphics. For example, they can be printed on a thin substrate and adhered directly to the floor surface. This method enables visual display professionals to leverage the potential of using the floor, but it offers some drawbacks. One issue is that the graphic will begin to wear away with normal foot traffic, at which point they must be removed. Additionally, the graphic is static—it can only be changed when a new image is affixed to the floor, so the message cannot easily be kept fresh. An effective and more flexible solution is to use a moveable graphic holder, designed specifically for use on the floor. An example is Rose Displays’ FloorWindo® graphic holder. A low-cost signage ‘billboard on the floor,’ FloorWindo is skid-resistant, adhesive-free and easy to reposition. In addition, FloorWindo is reusable, further enhancing its cost-effectiveness, and is designed so store staff can change out graphics in seconds, ensuring the message is always kept fresh. It also has the added advantage of durability. Unlike graphics adhered directly to the floor, which can become worn in a short period of time, FloorWindo is designed with a scratch-resistant CleargriPTM window that makes it ideal for even high traffic areas. Finally, this product is engineered for safety—it is certified by the National Floor Safety Institute for slip-resistance and it is also ADA Compliant. Versions of this product are even available for entrances to stores, made with a surface to wipe your feet.

Floor graphics can even feature motion to further attract attention; in a research project for a major pharmaceuticals manufacturer, Merchant Mechanics tested the attention drawing power of projecting moving, versus stationary floor graphics in a high-traffic retail environment in Manhattan. The study found that 22% MORE passers-by noticed the dynamic graphic.

In short, floor graphics offer many advantages: they don’t take up space, they don’t compete with other merchandising displays or block product viewing, they’re cost-effective, and they take advantage of normal consumer behavior—looking down to either ensure their safety or as part of their response to the specific environment—to capture their attention.

One Great Idea, Many Uses

Floor graphics may be used for many purposes. A graphic at the entrance can welcome customers, alert them to special promotions, reinforce promotional messages delivered through media such as radio and TV, or promote certain products or brands. A floor graphic can be located at the point of purchase, encouraging a purchase of a particular brand by reinforcing the brand message, providing product information, and differentiating the product from the surrounding competitive brands. Graphics located at the point of sale can stimulate impulse purchases or educate shoppers about rewards and incentive programs. In addition to using floor graphics to stimulate buying behavior, visual display professionals can also use them to educate and inform—such as displaying detailed product or promotion information:

• One fast food chain used floor graphics to display their children’s menu since the floor is far closer to small customers than a board located high above the counter
• A shoe store used a floor graphic of foot sizes to aid in measuring customers’ feet. Floor graphics can even be used to generate revenue if a retailer views them as an advertising medium, ‘renting’ the advertising space to other companies.

As an example, an amusement park might pay to promote their destination with colorful and enticing floor graphics in the entry of a family restaurant, and even tie in an incentive promotion with the restaurant. Suppliers can also be tapped to rent space on which to promote their products, doubling the benefit to retailers by generating direct rental revenue and increasing sales of the supplier’s products.

Let Your Imagination Soar

Ideas for using floor graphics are limited only by your imagination. Suggestions to consider:

• Seasonal messages or special offers displays at the entrance
• Product information
• Indicator for where people should queue at the checkout, as in a ticket or bank teller line
• Promotions to stimulate impulse purchases at checkout

The use of floor graphics has been steadily increasing, but it still represents a rich and untapped potential for many retailers. The relative low cost and high visibility of floor graphics makes them an ideal choice for almost every type of retailer. The results speak for themselves. For more information about floor graphic solutions, call 1.800.631.9707 or contact a signware specialist.