The Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO) is going for several of Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) technologies to develop a more cost-friendly digital signage system. It will help to establish the groundwork meant to improve the connection with its customers.
How it works
Digital signs involve software that has high resolution displays to enable messages to be transmitted instantly depending on what the operator desires to sell or communicate. The technology has been adopted mostly at building lobbies, bus stops and even in some restaurants to advertise special offers.
Very pricey technology
However, digital signage can be a bit pricey especially for Coca-Cola. This is because of the nature of its products. It sells beverages ranging from its namesake brand and other sodas to flavored energy drinks at numerous points of sale. The main objective is to have interactive endcaps in all those areas.
The digital menu boards can go as high as $40,000 which is higher than the cost of four Best Buy TVs or a Honda. Greg Chambers the global group director of digital innovation for Coca-Cola explained that he felt the company would be better putting up its own system.
Alternative technologies to adopt
The company analyzed different alternatives which involved several Google technologies. Chambers analyzed the Chrome operating system, Chromebits adding to the processing power and connectivity to off the shelf display hardware. He also considered DoubleClick ad-serving software as well as other Google Cloud Platform services including BigQuery and machine learning analytics to acquire most of the information he gathered.
Highly digital portfolio
With all the information gathered, the company will be in a better position to come up with a digital menu portfolio at a fraction of the current provider’s cost. The announcement was made public during the Google Cloud conference held in San Francisco last week. The system is already being used in hundreds of stores and more are expected to adopt it soon.
Eddystone replaced with in-store technology
The company initially used computerized signs which flash offers to nearby people with Android or iOS devices. They used Google’s Eddystone wireless beacon technology that communicates with devices by sending offers tailored on information on their devices. The company adopted the in-store technology which feeds more information about sales and sends it back to the company.