NEC Video Wall Brings Dramatic Surf Experience to Sun Diego Boardshop

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Case Study

Carlsbad, California, is the physical embodiment of a Beach Boys’ song—

all Pacific surf, sun and sand. Surfing, naturally, is the main pastime in the

coastal village, which made it a fitting choice for Sun Diego Boardshop’s

newest store. The shop sells everything from surfboards to bikinis to

sunglasses, as well as beach-related gifts and knick-knacks.

Sun Diego moved into an enormous octagonal ballroom in May at the

Twin Inns, which Carlsbad Magazine dubbed “the anchor of all Carlsbad

landmarks.” In its 127-year history, the Twin Inns served as home to

Gerhard Schutte, known as the “father of Carlsbad,” and several elegant

restaurants before recently converting to retail space.

“There’s a ton of Carlsbad’s history in that building,” said Pete

Censoplano, Sun Diego’s vice president of operations and marketing. “It

was important to us to do something historic and special.”

Staying true to the building’s heritage, the store features iconic surf

photographs and a rotating exhibit of notable vintage surfboards dating

back to the early 1900s. Sun Diego decorated the space with a turn-of-

the-century industrial theme, save for one notable exception: a mammoth

high-definition video wall.

The Challenge

Sun Diego wanted a dramatic centerpiece for the store that captured the

thrill of surfing while also showcasing the different brands it sells.

“The main part of our industry is obviously the romance of surfing and the

beautiful places surfers get to go,” Censoplano said. “There’s no better

way to tell a story to a customer than through video.”

Quick Facts

Facility• Sun Diego Boardshop

Location• Carlsbad, California

Challenges • Engage customers with videos that showcase

the romance of surfing alongside brand ads

Solution• 46” NEC X464UNV

Date• May 2014

The Challenge

Censoplano, along with Sun Diego’s owner, saw a video wall in another

business and knew it would be the perfect addition to their new space.

Sun Diego reached out to its long-time DVD supplier Grandview, which

has evolved into a full-service digital signage company, about getting a

similar wall in the Twin Inns store.

While the wall Censoplano saw featured a two-minute looped ad

for just one clothing brand, Sun Diego wanted to feature clips that

highlighted all of the brands it sells. The store also hoped to host live-

stream events around competitions such as the U.S. Open of Surfing.

“It’s a whole new use for premium surf content,” said James Ravenel,

Grandview Digital’s head of business development and sales.

The Solution

A synchronized picture that ran seamlessly across multiple screens

ranked highest among Sun Diego’s priorities for the video wall.

Grandview worked with NEC Display Solutions on several previous

projects and recommended the 46-inch X464UNV displays for the Twin

Inns store because they’re designed to create a unified image when

tiled.

“NEC is the brand for us,” Ravenel said. “The screens are commercial

grade, and the staff has some of the most knowledgeable guys we’ve

met.”

Case Study

Challenges (Cont.)

The Solution Clarity was important so that the videos appear just as breathtaking from a

distance as up close. The high-definition images appear crisp with true-to-

life colors that emphasize the beautiful blue-green ocean waves.

The picture is bright enough to be visible during the day in the Twin Inns’

light, airy space, while the screens’ flat finish ensures there aren’t any

reflections. The displays are durable enough that Sun Diego can keep them

on all day, every day during store hours.

The NEC bundle came with everything Grandview needed for the

displays, including mounts, a color calibration tool and spacing kit. NEC

staff members were also readily available to provide technical support, if

needed.

Grandview manages the content remotely and frequently swaps it out

for Sun Diego to coincide with in-store promotions. The content includes

footage professional videographers shot as well as brand-produced ads.

“Sun Diego is rewarding customers by enhancing the shopping experience

with large, HD footage of really good, beautiful surfing and the surfing

lifestyle,” Ravenel said. “And it also uses the wall as a way to communicate

directly with customers.”

Sun Diego can’t quantify the ROI of the video wall yet, but Censoplano said

that it’s made a huge difference in the store’s atmosphere. Eventually he

hopes to be able to tie specific promotions to sales results. While this is the

nine-store chain’s first use of a video wall, it will likely include one when it

renovates its Belmont Park location, as well as in any new stores.

“The video wall definitely impacts customer satisfaction,” he said. “We’ve

had so many compliments on the store. Just the reaction that we’re getting

from the look of the store and the combination of the modern video wall—

when you leave, you think, ‘Whoa, that’s really cool.’”

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