Retec’s installation of Liquid Digital’s Mediaserver digital signage platform will continue into another handful of stores later this year following the initial deployment into the brand new Banking & Finance Centres in Tesco’s Coventry, Oldham, Long Eaton, Blackpool and Brislington stores.

The Liquid team, the digital creative arm of the Retec Digital Group, have created all of the animated point of sale content on the 40” LCD screens positioned in high profile locations visible from the main areas of the supermarket shop floor.

Solution Overview

As part of their rollout of new Banking & Finance Centres into leading stores, Tesco commissioned Liquid Digital to provide a reliable end-to-end digital signage solution, including creative content production, for their new in-store finance centres.

Mediaserver’s unique software-based template content dynamically displays up-to-date exchange rates, interest rates and comparisons with competitors, giving a level of compliance that printed material or rendered-video playback engines cannot provide.

Mediaserver is a flexible, practical, proven & reliable end to end digital signage solution, offering:

Dynamic content, rendered on the fly, allows the use of content templates that can dynamically change their appearance depending on external feeds, client-accessible web templates, day-part and easily configurable playback rules

A web-based scheduling, monitoring & management information engine to allow all relevant stakeholders real-time access to a system status dashboard and playback and usage reports

Runtime engine provides crisp dynamic content with fades between content items generated by the software in real-time, avoiding gaps between content items

The same proven & reliable base delivery and reporting platform as used across all the digital signage and interactive screen networks offered by Retec Interface & Liquid Digital, including installations for Sainsbury’s, WHS Travel, Cabvision, Asda, In4Health and Tesco.

Liquid Digital have moved office to 12-14 Berry street, situated right in the heart of Clerkenwell, London.

Not only are we surrounded by the Capital's thriving creative and digital media culture, we're also in the same building as our group partners, ODD, the creative and design agency, and Retec Interface's London presence, bringing yet another step forward for the cohesive offering across the Retec Digital group.

Once we've unpacked our boxes, plugged in our computers and put the kettle on we'll post some pictures of our new home.

If you're coming to visit the nearest tube stations are Barbican and Farringdon.

Our new phone number is 020 7490 7781

Liquid are delighted to announce that, as from 20th May 2008, we've joined the hugely successful Retec Digital Plc group of companies. We're now part of the same stable that provides Sainsbury's, Boots, Tesco and Argos with some of their high profile innovative digital solutions.

Retec's core offering is based on their expertise in 'Guided Selling', and with Liquid now sitting at the heart of all things creative within the group we're looking forward to getting our teeth into some very exciting challenges.

As part of the changes around here, we'll be expanding our team quite soon, as well as launching some brand new developments and projects.

Liquid Director Simon Edwards, said: 'This is a great opportunity for the Liquid team, all of whom are staying in place following this deal. Just recently we've picked up some interesting new projects in the World's of retail digital screen networks and experiential marketing. Joining Retec will help to accelerate that trend for us, whilst still retaining our individuality and ability to respond quickly to briefs. It's a very exciting time for us all.'

Andrew Hatcher, also a Director of Liquid added:'The connection with group partner, Media 4UK, and their nationwide team of installation and maintenance engineers is ideal for us, for expanding our existing networks and also providing on-site technical support for some of the innovative and stylish events for which we're well known.’

John Cole, the CEO of Retec Digital, commented:'This acquisition will allow Retec to further develop its strong position in the digital media market. The Liquid creative team will be a great asset to our business as they bring with them an impressive customer base as well as new skills that will enable us to expand our capacity and offer a new range of products and services to existing and new customers’

Our MD, Simon Edwards, and Creative Manager, Lloyd Harrison, recently made a trip to the Midlands to talk to students on the BTEC National Diploma in Digital Arts (Games Development) at North Warwickshire & Hinckley College.

Concentrating on the skills needed to work in the digital creative industry, the pair spent a day giving the benefit of their ‘wisdom’ to the 40 or so students, with 2 separate workshops, one based from an employer’s perspective, and the other from the employee’s.

“I talked about the story of Liquid Digital and explained what we look for when interviewing new designers and animators,” said Simon, whose session also included a brainstorming session based around marketing a games company. “The students came up with some great ideas, which demonstrated their wider understanding of the game industry”.

Lloyd’s session covered the essential ingredients of a creative portfolio, and concluded with a practical session on using Processing, particularly as a tool for rapid game development: “Most of them hadn’t used processing before, but they all quickly grasped the basics of programming interaction and drawing shapes.”

Ian Wynd, the College’s Head of Media, commented: “It’s a very competitive industry and it helps the students a lot to get first-hand advice from those established in the industry. Simon and Lloyd’s experience with animation and project management can be a great inspiration to those just starting out in the industry”.

The workshops formed part of a series of master classes held at the college aimed at bringing professionals and students together.

You can learn about the course here:

Liquid are pleased to finally announce the installation of our Liquid MediaServer system into five WHSmith Travel stores in London's newly opened Terminal 5 (the kit was installed way back in December 2007!).

Our team worked closely with the WHSmith Travel & Property teams to deliver five stunning installations. Each LCD screen is recessed into the store fixtures with the screen housing hidden under a custom built cover panel. This installation technique fully complements the new look stores and really helps WHSmith to answer BAA's brief for retailers to incorporate 'clean lines' into their store designs.

We're also delighted to report that we steered well clear of all the reported teething troubles and didn't lose a single item of luggage!

The annual Chanel Maison d'Art show, this year named Paris-Londres, took place on the 6th Dec 07, attended by stars such as Lily Allen, ClaudiaSchiffer and Emma Watson. Chanel's presence in London was backed up by a 4-day campaign featuring 50 cabvision cabs chauffeuring VIPs around the capital.

Within the taxis, teasers for the event were shown exclusively on the Cabvision screens and Liquid's remote delivery mechanism proved its worth by delivering the clips within an hour of being produced, in time for the star-studded passengers to sit back, relax and enjoy the 'Chanel channel', before the pre-collection show at a 'top secret' location.