LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Expanding on its long-standing relationship with Walt Disney World Resort, HP (NYSE:HPQ) today unveiled the HP Field House at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, a project designed to deliver an immersive technology experience to the 2 million athletes, coaches and spectators that visit the complex each year.

“Continuing HP’s decades-long collaboration with Disney, the HP Field House captivates audiences through state-of-the-art athletic facilities with a rich, interactive technology experience that extends the spirit and passion of sports beyond the field of play”
.The 165,000-square-foot complex – now branded the HP Field House – is a multipurpose facility that has been the cornerstone of ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex since it opened in 1997. The facility will now deliver an elevated experience for sports enthusiasts through a variety of HP enhancements inside the facility and beyond.

From the HP Photo Creation Center, to the touch-enabled desktops and digital signage that deliver interactive park experiences, to the HP TouchPads that will be used for on-field stat collection, the HP Field House enables athletes, coaches and fans to have a hands-on experience and completely customize their visit in ways that can only be done at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

“Continuing HP’s decades-long collaboration with Disney, the HP Field House captivates audiences through state-of-the-art athletic facilities with a rich, interactive technology experience that extends the spirit and passion of sports beyond the field of play,” said Carlos Montalvo, vice president, Innovation Program Office, Personal Systems Group, HP.

“Today’s youth athletes are extremely tech savvy and HP is the perfect partner to help them better capture and savor the lasting memories of their unique sports experience in ways that no other sports venue can,” said Ken Potrock, senior vice president, Disney Sports Enterprises.

Personalized avatars, applications and concierge services

Customized concierge kiosks featuring the first-ever deployment of HP TouchSmart 9300 Elite Business PCs allow athletes, coaches and fans to access and print a wide range of sporting event information using HP TouchSmart technology. Based in seven convenient locations throughout the complex, the kiosks guide users to field assignments and provide schedule updates, access to event highlights and general complex information such as maps, weather and dining options.

The TouchSmart kiosks also host a custom application that allows sports fans to create personalized avatars for their official ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex credentials. Able to generate 37 billion uniquely tailored avatars, the application offers a wide array of preferences and design tools, including a range of sports uniforms, jersey colors, team numbers, facial features, skin and hair tones, and accessories.

Users also can enjoy one-click access to print, email or share their designs with a personalized message, or upload them directly to Facebook. Special HP product offers for guests also will be provided in the same sleeve with the avatar.

HP Photo Creation Center creates lasting memories

The centerpiece of the HP Field House, the HP Photo Creation Center enables sports fans and athletes to download, design, enhance and print commemorative game day and event images such as matte or glossy photographs for purchase. Guests also can upload their content to the HP Photo Creation Center to create a variety of custom keepsakes, such as photo cards, multipage calendars and photo CDs. In addition, guests can print large-scale posters with the option to print single image or collage posters, wallpapers and banners for purchase onsite.

The ESPN Idea Lab showcases the future, today

The Idea Lab provides HP, Disney and ESPN the opportunity to collaborate on 3-D, custom application development and new HP products offering visitors an exclusive opportunity to interact with HP’s newest products in a way they have never experienced them before.

Champion Stadium suites

HP is installing a range of PCs, printers and displays in the Champion Stadium suites, home to Atlanta Braves Spring Training. HP also will update the concession areas throughout the venues with digital signage – including a four-panel display scoreboard in the rotunda of the HP Field House – so fans will never be far from the action on the field.

Overall, the integration of HP technology bolsters the growing list of innovative features added to the 220-acre complex in recent months, including the ESPN Innovation Lab, a high-tech Production Center, several high-definition cameras and video screens, and a 20-zone audio system.

About the HP Field House – home to a world of indoor sports

The HP Field House is a multipurpose indoor arena reminiscent of a classic 1950s style field house, with room for six full-size collegiate basketball courts and a seating capacity of 5,500. The facility can accommodate most indoor sports, including basketball, wrestling, gymnastics, volleyball, martial arts, roller hockey, cheerleading and dance, in addition to concerts and conventions. Regular events include AAU basketball, College Cheerleading, Dance Team National Championships and the Old Spice Classic, a leading Division I NCAA men’s basketball holiday tournament.

Photos of the HP Field House and HP technology installations are available at http://wdwpress.com/hp.

Making magic together for more than 60 years

HP’s presence at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex extends the company’s long-standing relationship with Disney, which began in 1940 when HP worked with Walt Disney to enhance the acoustics in movie theaters before the release of the Disney film “Fantasia.” Currently, HP sponsors Mission: SPACE in Epcot and is one of the sponsors of the Disneyland Dream Home at Disneyland Resort. Disney is a large HP customer and utilizes thousands of HP business PCs, servers and managed print services, in addition to technology services and storage.

About ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which hosts more than 300 events a year, is the leading multisport venue for amateur and professional sports in the United States, accommodating 60 different sports and athletes from more than 70 countries. Designed to take youth sports to the next level, the 220-acre facility features ESPN Innovation Lab, a real-world testing ground for the ESPN Emerging Technology group to develop ground-breaking on-air products like Ball Track and ESPN Snap Zoom, as well as development of its new 3-D television channel. In addition, the complex features 56 high-definition cameras (42 robotic, 10 hand-held and four studio) and 40 high-definition video screens, including three jumbo screens, that can capture and display footage from any event taking place at the complex. The camera and video screens, as well as a 20-zone audio system, are controlled through the state-of-the-art Production Center that features eight edit bays and links to ESPN facilities in Bristol, Conn., New York and Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.wdwnews.com for press releases, photos and videos. Follow us on Twitter at @DisneySports.

About HP

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning expected development, performance or market share relating to products and services; any statements regarding anticipated operational and financial results; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include macroeconomic and geopolitical trends and events; the competitive pressures faced by HP’s businesses; the development and transition of new products and services (and the enhancement of existing products and services) to meet customer needs and respond to emerging technological trends; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its customers, suppliers and partners; the achievement of expected operational and financial results; and other risks that are described in HP’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to HP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

© 2011 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6633556&lang=en

http://twitter.com/#!/digital_aisle

HP (NYSE:HPQ) today announced the HP TouchSmart software development programs that allow software developers to create consumer and commercial applications for HP TouchSmart PCs and touch-enabled digital signage displays.

The programs are designed to significantly increase the utility of TouchSmart products for consumers and businesses.

“HP TouchSmart development programs allow developers to uncover new market opportunities while users can discover a whole new world of possibilities on their touch products,” said James Taylor, director, Experience Marketing, Personal Systems Group, HP. “HP’s unique multitouch user interface, combined with native applications, provide the most advanced software platform for touch-enabled PCs and digital signage.”

HP connects with developers at TouchSmart DevZone

Developers looking to create applications for consumer TouchSmart PCs can visit the TouchSmart TouchSmart “>DevZone at www.touchsmartdevzone.com to download the HP TouchSmart software development kit free of charge. The kit includes a complete set of code samples, documentation and application programming interfaces that make creating applications for HP TouchSmart products easy and fast.

DevZone also has the latest TouchSmart news and allows developers to connect with each other to discuss their solutions, share tips and exchange information.

HP has been working closely with companies including Hulu, Netflix, Pandora, Rhapsody and Twitter to create built-for-touch applications for its third generation of consumer TouchSmart products, which are now available for purchase.

“Working with HP to develop a touch-enabled Netflix application for the HP TouchSmart PC has been a remarkably easy process,” said Bill Holmes, vice president, business development, Netflix. “The Netflix application enables people to view thousands of full-screen TV episodes and movies with just the swipe of a finger, making browsing and instant watching fun and easy for Netflix members.”

New HP Interactive Solutions ISV Partner Program for business products

The HP Interactive Solutions ISV (Independent Software Vendor) Partner Program allows ISVs to register with HP to access technical resources and support for building tailor-made business solutions for business TouchSmart PCs and touch-enabled and non-touch digital signage displays. In partnering with ISVs, HP provides its business customers more choices and provides a more complete solution for their needs.

Developers in the program will be able to take advantage of an equipment discount offered as well as the technical, marketing and sales resources available at www.hp.com/go/touchsmartpartners. Technical resources include white papers, product information and a technical forum managed by the ISV team and HP engineers. Marketing and sales resources include HP branded collateral, sales assistance tool and more.

HP already has strong relationships with industry ISVs and has worked closely with them to enhance the end-user experience with TouchSmart products in healthcare, hospitality and retail outlets.

“As a trusted partner and member of HP’s Interactive Solutions ISV Partner Program, Digital Aisle has been able to develop an array of intelligent software solutions that help engage and move retail shoppers closer to purchasing not one item on the shelf, but several,” said Peter Guenther, chief executive officer, Digital Aisle. “We are currently offering a portfolio of applications across many channels, such as mass retail, grocery, drug and specialty, which allows users to have an interactive dialogue about the specific products and brands being merchandised. Our solutions influence their purchasing decisions in a way that they have never experienced before.”

More information about becoming an HP Interactive Solutions ISV partner is available at www.hp.com/go/touchsmartpartners.

Also visit HP in booth 601 at Microsoft’s Professional Developer Conference, Nov. 17- 19 in Los Angeles for more information on the TouchSmart software development programs.

About HP

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com.

Note to editors: More news from HP, including links to RSS feeds, is available at http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/.

(c) 2009 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

Company Debuts Its First Fully Interactive, 42-Inch, High-Definition Digital Signage Touch Display

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct 13, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Building upon its nearly 30-year history of touch innovation, HP  today launched the next era of multitouch computing for consumers and businesses.

Among the new products, HP introduced three touch-enabled HP TouchSmart PCs and its first fully interactive, 42-inch diagonal, high-definition (HD) digital signage touch display, the HP LD4200tm.

“Since the launch of the first TouchSmart PC nearly three years ago, we’ve worked closely with a growing number of software companies and independent vendors to develop built-for-touch applications that give consumers and businesses rich interactive multimedia experiences,” said James Mouton, senior vice president and general manager, Desktop Global Business Unit, Personal Systems Group, HP. “These collaborations have helped to make HP touch computing the most advanced touch experience in the market today.”

New consumer HP TouchSmart PCs packed with exclusive touch applications

HP now offers a choice of 20- or 23-inch diagonal widescreen consumer HP TouchSmart PCs — the HP TouchSmart 300 and HP TouchSmart 600. Each features a sleek, award-winning design that integrates either a stunning HD-capable or HD widescreen display with a multitouch enabled screen.

Users can simply pinch, rotate, arc, flip, press or drag a finger across the screen of the PC to access information, entertainment and social networks in a natural, intuitive way. Though accompanied by a wireless keyboard and mouse, new 16:9 widescreen tiles make multimedia, social media and other applications a rich and engaging touch experience.

The new consumer HP TouchSmart PCs feature exclusive built-for-touch applications(1) including:

– Hulu Desktop to provide quick access to Hulu’s vast library of hit TV shows, movies and video clips. Users can browse, search and watch their favorite comedies, dramas, sci-fi and web-original shows from nearly 200 leading content companies. Users with Hulu.com accounts also can access their queue, subscriptions and viewing history.

– A touch-enabled Netflix application delivers thousands of full-screen TV episodes and movies that are streamed from Netflix over the Internet. Using HP’s signature fan view, Netflix members can instantly watch a move from their Instant Queue on the PC or remove a movie from their Queue via touch. Netflix members also can rent DVD and Blu-ray discs as well as edit and manage their Netflix accounts using the application. A two-week free Netflix trial is available to all TouchSmart users in the United States.

– Twitter, a free social networking and micro-blogging service, makes it easy to catch up with family, friends and colleagues with the touch of a finger.

– With Rhapsody as the engine, the new HP Music Store gives users streaming, on-demand access to 8 million songs delivered to the new TouchSmart PC. Customers who subscribe to Rhapsody can enjoy favorite artists, create playlists or just sit back and listen. Non-members can enjoy a free 14-day trial.

– Pandora Internet radio is now touch enabled for a free personalized music experience to find new music based on old and current favorites.

– TouchSmart RecipeBox lets aspiring chefs discover, explore and keep track of recipes saved from multiple websites and cook with a hands-free experience via voice commands.

– TouchSmart Live TV allows quick access for watching and recording live, local TV. Customers can set recordings in advance of their airing via an electronic programming guide.

– TouchSmart Canvas allows customers to organize their photos on a virtual canvas to quickly and easily create photo collages using touch to edit and rotate photos.

– TouchSmart Link allows the transfer of photos and images taken by a mobile device to the TouchSmart PC via Bluetooth(R) wireless technology.

Customers with previous TouchSmart PC models who upgrade to Windows 7 through the HP Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program will receive software with some of these new touch applications.

A new swivel stand and tilt webcam(1) increase users’ ability to share and collaborate around the HP TouchSmart, which also can easily be wall mounted (with optional wall bracket accessory). All models meet ENERGY STAR(R) 5.0 requirements.

Some models of the HP TouchSmart 600 easily connect to gaming consoles, including Xbox, PlayStation and Wii, via HDMI or composite video ports.

World’s first multitouch consumer notebooks now better than ever

For those whose active lives demand a device for note capture, entertainment, communication and robust computing that’s easy to carry, the HP TouchSmart tx2 notebook PC delivers. The HP TouchSmart tx2 combines powerful computing with tablet PC capabilities and entertainment features in an attractive design light enough to go anywhere.

With multitouch support within HP MediaSmart, the HP TouchSmart tx2 is the first notebook PC for consumers that enables the use of two fingers to navigate HP’s entertainment applications. The HP TouchSmart tx2 features most of the same touch applications as the HP TouchSmart PC as well as exclusive touch-enabled games and Corel(R) Painter Sketch Pad for creating digital art.

The HP TouchSmart tx2 weighs 4.65 pounds,(2) features a 12.1-inch diagonal WGXA HD HP LED widescreen integrated touch-screen convertible display, AMD Turion(TM) dual-core processors(3) and a glossy HP Imprint finish with titanium color “Reaction” pattern.

The convertible design with a twist hinge allows consumers to enjoy the HP TouchSmart tx2 in three modes: PC, display and tablet. With a rechargeable digital ink pen, users can turn the HP TouchSmart tx2 into a tablet PC to write, sketch, draw, take notes or graph right onto the screen — and then automatically convert handwriting into typed text.

Business HP TouchSmart drives new customer interactions, business models

The industry’s only full-featured, all-in-one, multitouch-enabled business PC, the HP TouchSmart 9100 Business PC provides real-time information, videoconferencing capabilities(4) and multimedia features in a 23-inch diagonal full HD(5) widescreen display.

The HP business TouchSmart is enabling a more interactive, compelling customer experience at businesses such as bridal retailer Priscilla of Boston for luxury dress concierge service, St. Louis Oncology for medical filing, the NBA’s Detroit Pistons for instant replays and food, and hotels such as Sheraton and Marriott to provide enhanced customer lobby experiences.

New business models are emerging with the HP TouchSmart 9100. Digital Aisle, an interactive shopper solutions company, is bringing “virtual sales assistants” to life using HP’s interactive touch screens. The Digital Aisle’s Virtual Bartender uses HP TouchSmart technology to help people plan parties, print and email recipes, and learn expert bartending tips. This interactive point-of-purchase tool has been deployed to independent and chain retailers across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

An array of new enhancements on the HP TouchSmart 9100 include:

– DVI output, enabling customers to connect to their full HD format displays and projectors

– Configure-to-order options designed to meet the needs of businesses, including a choice of genuine Microsoft Windows(R) 7 32-bit or 64-bit operating system,(6) processors, optical drives, hard drives, solid state drives, Kensington locks, HP Protect Tools and HP BIOS to enable USB ports and SATA device lock down, and retasking of button controls for custom kiosk configurations

– Optional wall mount adapter attaches the HP TouchSmart to a VESA wall mount or a VESA-compatible articulating arm

– U.S. Trade Agreements Act (TAA) compliant — HP TouchSmart 9100 configure-to-order units comply with TAA requirements(7)

– Premium performance with a powerful Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo processor,(8) Genuine Windows 7 Professional, up to eight gigabytes (GB) of memory,(9) up to a 500 GB hard drive or an optional 64 GB solid state drive,(10) and a trial version of Microsoft(R) Office(11)

– NVIDIA GeForce G200 integrated graphics or upgrade to NVIDIA GeForce GT230 discrete graphics using the Mobile Express Module (MXM) graphics slot

– New standard onsite warranty providing next-day(12) business servicing

– FireWire(R) output for quick and easy transfer of digital files, photos and videos from a wide variety of IEEE94-compatible peripheral devices

– Optional wireless keyboard and mouse

– Optional Blu-ray combo optical(13) disk drive

The HP TouchSmart for business is a space- and energy-saving portal for businesses. Its ENERGY STAR qualified and EPEAT(R) Silver registered design uses 55 percent less metal and 37 percent less plastic than standard PCs and monitors. With the easy-to-use HP Power Manager tool, companies also can configure their individual PC power settings to save energy without interfering with the PC’s ability to perform.

Businesses shine with HP’s first fully interactive, 42-inch, HD digital signage display

The HP LD4200tm is a 42-inch diagonal, sleek black digital signage built to fit in trendy indoor environments, such as kiosks, retail, point of sale, shopping malls, travel terminals, hotel lobbies, recreational venues, universities, stock exchanges and hospitals.

It features infrared technology, which recognizes multitouch gestures for onscreen interaction in 1,920 x 1,080 full HD native resolution to provide stunning views of video, graphics or text in both bright and dim lighting. In addition, an ultra-wide 178 x 178 degree viewing angle enables observation from almost any angle and, unlike TV screens, the HP LD4200tm is built to run 24/7 with low power usage while maintaining longevity. It also comes with a standard three-year limited warranty.

The Virtual Bartender educates buyers on how to mix the latest cocktails and plan the perfect party. Shoppers can also print or email recipe information right from the units.  Congratulations to Diageo and Digital Aisle for reaching this impressive milestone!

Just like TV, advertising has gone digital. Established companies and startups alike are racing to equip retail stores, train stations and even buses with LCD screens and touch-screen computers to deliver ads with animation, video and flashy graphics.

Titan Worldwide, an eight-year-old New York firm that handles a variety of advertising — transit, telephone kiosk, outdoor billboard and light pole banner — has begun placing flat-panel LED displays on the sides of buses and on train station platforms in Chicago.

Digital Aisle, a fledgling company in Woodridge, Ill., has taken that concept a step further by introducing interactive, touchscreen computers in retail stores across the country. In nearly 500 liquor stores nationwide, for example, the company’s Virtual Bartender teaches buyers how to mix drinks or plan the perfect party. It even includes a printer that allows customers to print out drink recipes.

“It’s about engaging the customer and turning their browsing into sales of that product,” says Digital Aisle President Eric Nordquist, a retail industry veteran who launched the company three yearsago with partners Chad Soderholm and Peter Guenther.

The two companies are among a raft of competitors in the nascent but growing U.S. digital signage market. According to InfoTrends, the North American digital signage market will grow from $1.6 billion in 2008 to $2.6 billion by 2013. Digital signage takes elements of television and the Internet and targets consumers in what the industry calls the “out of home” ad market. Chicago technology and marketing startup DNA Networks, for example, installs LCD screens in hotel lobbies and near meeting rooms, and through a revenue-sharing model is helping hotel management promote their properties and earn revenue from selling ads aimed at travelers.

With Virtual Bartender, Digital Aisle can, for example, tailor content to men or women with lessons on how to throw a guys’ or women’s night out in bars or restaurants. Similarly, with the transit industry, Titan Worldwide utilizes global positioning system (GPS) technology in its digital king-size bus posters to serve up advertising targeted to the demographics of the specific neighborhoods the buses are in. On DNA Networks’ screens in hotel common areas, local spas, restaurants and golf courses can advertise and offer discounts, adds Josh Coffman, a partner at DNA.

“There’s increased pressure to get more out of every dollar, and many see digital sign­age as the answer to advertisers’ prayers because it allows for very compelling media to be presented to highly targeted audiences,” says Lyle Bunn, a Toronto-based consultant to the digital signage industry.

Reaching for the (Digital) Aisle

While Digital Aisle deploys touch-screen computers, most digital signage companies use flat-screen displays with a PC or a slimmed-down, specialized computing device (called a media player or media appliance) directly attached.

Titan Worldwide’s displays can be connected to its digital network in three ways: through secure Internet connections, cellular broadband or internal private networks. Titan connects its bus LED screens through a secure cellular broadband network, while the LCD screens on train platforms are connected to the transit system’s private network, says Aaron Higley, Titan’s director of digital operations. Titan uses a secure VPN connection between the company’s network and the transit authority’s data center, he says.

Digital Aisle relies on several touch-screen computer manufacturers and typically deploys 22-inch to 32-inch computers. Recently the company began using smaller 10-inch to 15-inch computers. The Windows-based systems, which are connected online via a cellular phone network, have no keyboards, mice or open ports. Once turned on, the systems launch into Digital Aisle’s application. On the home screen of the company’s Virtual Beauty Consultant, for example, consumers can get help in picking the right product to color their hair; at the touch of a button, video of a consultant will walk them through the process, says Guenther, Digital Aisle’s CEO.

The display includes a barcode scanner and a printer for printing product information and coupons.

Reaching Mass Transit (Digitally)

Titan Worldwide, which launched its digital division in late 2007, has begun rolling out digital signs in New York and Chicago. The company initially piloted the technology in one train station inChicago and now plans to install the displays in 20 stations by the end of April and eventually in 144 stations throughout the city, Higley says.

80% of users of networked digital displays or in-store TVs expected to increase the use of the technology over the next three years.

Titan shares a portion of its revenue with the Chicago Transit Authority and uses third-party software to stream advertising content from its company headquarters to servers located in the transit authority’s data center. The servers distribute the content to computers attached to each display.

Each train platform will feature six 52-inch LCD screens and a 32-inch LCD at the turnstiles. Some locations will also feature a 57-inch Urban panel with an HD display on both sides positioned near the station entrance. The LED displays on the sides of buses, known as digital kings, are 1 inch thick, 12 feet long and 2.5 feet tall, Higley says.

Unlike traditional static posters, digital displays allow the company to sell multiple ads on the same space and cycle through them. They will also serve as an informational resource to passengers, providing news, sports and weather information along with regular updates on when the next train will arrive, he says.

Original source

By AARON O. PATRICK

With people going out less often amid the recession and drinking more at home, Diageo is adding a twist to its marketing.

The company, whose brands include Johnnie Walker scotch and Guinness beer, is developing in-store displays to encourage shoppers to buy more of its products in supermarkets and liquor stores. Central to its approach is a plan to roll out big refrigeration units so stores can sell their beer chilled.

DIAGEO

Mockup of a Diageo “pod,” designed to create a partially enclosed, refrigerated beer zone within a supermarket aisle.

The idea is to create a partially enclosed, refrigerated beer zone within a supermarket aisle, using a design Diageo calls “the pod.” The refrigeration units, which will cost retailers roughly €10,000 ($13,000) each, are intended to hold all kinds of beer, not just Diageo’s brands, in an attempt to boost beer sales overall.

No retailer has yet bought the pod, which was designed by British in-store marketing specialist Design Central. But Diageo says it is working with Spar, a European food chain, to install a smaller version this spring.

The effort is part of a strategy by Chief Executive Paul Walsh to make Diageo, the world’s biggest alcoholic-beverage company by revenue, better at working with supermarket chains, an increasingly important outlets for alcohol sales in Europe and the U.S. In Britain, Molson Coors Brewing expects beer sales by supermarkets and other stores to overtake pub and club sales this year for the first time, according to a company spokesman.

In September, Mr. Walsh named longtime Diageo salesman Ron Anderson to the new post of chief customer officer, and put him on Diageo’s top management committee. One of Mr. Anderson’s top priorities: teaching drinkers to make their own cocktails. “Mixing is a problem,” he says. “It’s a case of having people understand what they need at home.”

Diageo is installing computer screens in liquor stores to help people plan parties. Customers type in the cocktails they want to serve and the number of guests they are expecting, and the computer prints out a list of ingredients and quantities, including ice. The machines, which the company says are in 500 liquor stores in 38 U.S. states, can also send cocktail recipes via email.

Diageo, along with rivals Brown-Forman and Fortune Brands‘ Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Diageo also plans to release several new premixed cocktails in the U.S. this year.

Analysts say Diageo’s retail push seems to be working. Sales of its Smirnoff vodka grew 2.2% in the U.S. in January, twice the rate of the spirits market as a whole, according to a Feb. 26 report from Credit Suisse, while sales of most big spirits brands fell. Credit Suisse analysts said the figures suggest that Diageo’s campaign will help it get through the recession with a minimal loss of sales.

In Europe, Diageo’s Irish unit has emerged as a leader in the supermarket strategy. In the past few years it has given away 600 display stands that hold spirits, mixers and condiments. They could be used, for example, to tempt margarita lovers by displaying Diageo’s Cuervo tequila, lime juice and salt next to each other. The stands cost Diageo between €100 and €200, a spokesman says.

Spirits account for most of London-based Diageo’s profit, but beer is especially important to it in Ireland, where it brews Guinness as well as such brands as Budweiser and Carlsberg. Diageo Ireland learned that 78% of those who buy beer in Ireland drink it within three hours, says Henry Dummer, the company’s head of customer marketing in Ireland. Many Irish supermarkets don’t sell chilled beer, missing out on sales, he says.

Now, Spar has agreed to install Diageo-designed beer refrigerators in all 50 of its Irish Eurospar stores over the next two years, says Declan Ralph, Spar Ireland’s retail-development director.

Diageo wanted British supermarket giant Tesco to install the first pod, says Mr. Dummer. But a spokesman for the retailer said it has “no plans” to do so in Britain or Ireland. A Diageo spokesman said Tesco is working with it on other beer-display projects, and that Diageo is in talks with other retailers about the pod.

Write to Aaron O. Patrick at aaron.patrick@wsj.com

Let the Virtual Bartender plan your next party

Like plowing through a day’s worth of laundry, going grocery shopping is one of those bi-weekly chores that is unavoidable.   And if you’re like me, once you finally get to the grocery store, you realize you’ve forgotten that list you’ve been working on the last two weeks.  Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a personal shopper to help you? Someone who could ask about your likes and dislikes, whether you have plenty of milk or should pick up some more, and even recommend some recipes for that chicken, beef or fish?

While the supermarkets have yet to reach that level of service, a few local liquor stores are at the forefront of helping their customers with selecting the right beer, wine and spirit, while providing suggestions on quantity, brand as well as recipes for the home booze jockey.

It’s called the Virtual Bartender, and though it’s not available in every liquor store, it certainly is the most friendly and interactive electronic party planner we’ve encountered. For a firsthand account of the machine’s capabilities, we stepped up to a screen at Branmar Liquors on Marsh Road.

Virtual Bartender

It’s almost impossible to pass by the Virtual Bartender when you walk into one of the four Delaware locations that features the monstrous machine. The 32″ LCD HD monitor shines like a beacon to those looking for ways to creatively quench their thirst, while the on-screen mixologists beckon to help walk you through the touch-screen steps to better booze.

First, you will be asked to enter the year of your birth and gender, after which a list of topics will appear on the left hand side of the screen. These range from “drinks,” which gives you cocktail options, “occasions,” which recommends recipes and quantities of alcohol needed based on the amount of guests at the party you’re planning, and “brands,” which allows you to scroll through the recommended spirits, which can typically be found in the store.

Occasions

This is probably the most functional and helpful of all the Virtual Bartender’s options. After clicking on the “occasions” tab, the computer will ask you how many guests you’re expecting at the party, in order to suggest an accurate amount of booze you should be purchasing. From there, the computer will ask what percentage of your guests drink what spirit. For example, you might 30 percent rum, 30 percent vodka, 20 percent tequila, 10 percent gin, 10 percent whiskey.

Once finished calculating, the Virtual Bartender will come up with a number of bottles to purchase in each category, and will also recommend the proper amount of mixers and garnishes, so that you can walk around the store and collect your arsenal of products for the party.

Brands

The one minor drawback about the Virtual Bartender is that it is pre-programmed to recommend certain products, depending on the store.

For example, the computer might recommend Jameson’s over Bushmill’s,or Stoli over Absolut. But the advantage is that, more times than not, the alcohol recommended by the computer is available in that store (though it is not updated with that store’s individual inventory).

If you’re committed to one particular brand that the computer doesn’t recommend, however, it’s only a matter of going to that spirit’s or wine’s section in the store to find your alcohol of choice.

Conversely, if the computer recommends a spirit you just don’t care for, the store’s employees will most likely help you find an acceptable substitute.

Drinks

So you’re not planning a party, but you just want to try something new? Just head to the “drinks” tab, and the Virtual Bartender will take you to where you can enter your favorite spirit, so that it can make a suggestion for a cocktail. Or enter the name of the cocktail (if you know it, but are unsure of the ingredients), and the Virtual Bartender will list all of the ingredients and the measurements for each one.

Click on the “print” tab and you get your own little recipe receipt printed out, which you can take with you and add to your recipe book at home. If you’re the type who tends to lose little bits of paper, the Virtual Bartender also allows you to email the recipe to your home e-mail address, where you can bring it up later.

Original article by ROB KALESSE

Diageo North America is seeing results from its embrace of in-store computer technology as customers at more than 500 liquor outlets in 38 states can bring their cocktail and party questions to the Norwalk company’s Virtual Bartender.

Virtual Bartender is an interactive touch screen kiosk designed to help shoppers plan their social events, providing them with tips on drink recipes, how much to buy and myriad other party planning advice, Diageo spokeswoman Zsoka McDonald said. The slow economy has caused people to rethink how often they go out for drinks or dining and instead entertain at home, she said.

“People want information for dining at home. They can interact with the Virtual Bartender. The lull in the economy has made retailers more interested in having them in the store,” McDonald said. Customers can print out information or send e-mails to their home computers.

The Virtual Bartender is a popular stop at Bill Berkoff’s BevMax store on East Main Street in Stamford.

“My customers love to use it. It’s a wealth of information. The Virtual Bartender is amazing,” said Berkoff, an early adopter of the technology. “We were the first in the state to get it.”

He said the system has been updated since it was installed about two years ago, and the video now is high-definition quality.

While the technology is another way for Diageo to connect with customers, it could have ramifications for package store operators, particularly those who have small stores where they emphasize personal customer service, said Kevin Coupe, editor of www.MorningNewsBeat.com, a Darien-based Web site for the retail and food industries.

“Customer service is a big advantage they have over the big stores,” Coupe said, adding that store operators who have the kiosks still must make an effort to interact with customers on a first-name basis.

The kiosks can make party planning easier for customers, but Coupe said they eventually may be supplanted by companies providing the same information on smartphones.

By Richard Lee
STAFF WRITER

It is a high definition touchscreen bartender that can be your best friend during happy hour.  Carter from Specs says “It’s not only cool, but works as a great sales tool!”  From Margaritas to Cosmos to Bloody Marys, the Virtual Bartender has everything!

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