Epsom Playhouse – screen displays

The brief: The Epsom Playhouse was looking for ways to improve communication with visitors to their box office, and bar area. They also wanted to capitalise on the footfall passing the playhouse to promote upcoming productions and events.

The solution: The PPL Group’s solution was to install a mix of 43″ commercial-grade AV Monitors and a 55″ outdoor digital advertising display.

The 43″ commercial-grade AV monitors are suitable for 24/7 commercial use, featuring an LCD panel with a narrow bezel and full high-definition 1080p for clarity. Power consumption is reduced by 30% by using LED backlighting, and additional energy efficiency is achieved by using power timing and ensuring the screens are turned off.

Two screens are mounted above the box office on scaffolding hanging from the ceiling, visible to all visitors entering the building. These two screens enable the playhouse to show content specific to a performance and promotional content to drive future visits. One screen is mounted on the wall within the bar area, which can display a mix of menu items and promotional content.

The 55″ Outdoor Digital Advertising Display is situated directly outside the building where there is a good level of footfall. This commercial-grade fully integrated tablet-style display is perfect for any weather conditions. Its features include:

• Direct sunlight readable: Ultra-high brightness panels make the displays up to 10 times brighter than a domestic TV, ensuring readability even in direct sunlight.
• Weatherproof: Designed to withstand the elements, these displays are protected against all wet weather conditions and airborne dust particles by their robust IP65-rated enclosure. They also feature a waterproof coating on all internal circuit boards and waterproof over-moulded AV connectors.
• Vandal proof: With a mild steel enclosure and thermally-toughened glass front, these IK10-rated displays are designed to withstand any damage that may occur in public spaces. To avoid tampering, controls and inputs are hidden and cannot be accessed by passers-by.
• Anti-reflective glass: The front glass face is specially treated to help diffuse direct sunlight, making the display easily readable even in bright weather conditions.
• Advanced temperature control system: To maximize the lifespan of the display, the internal airflow system keeps the screen running at the optimal temperature regardless of external conditions. Built-in air conditioning can be tailored to allow the display to work in any climate.
• Ultimate UV protection: The front glass of the display utilizes a special UV treatment that reduces the internal heat of the enclosure by up to 71%, reducing the number of cooling fans needed and increasing the life of your display.
• Internal locker: Should you need to run the screen from an external source, there is space to fit a small PC or media player inside the lockable compartment. This can then be connected to the display via HDMI, VGA, or 3.5mm audio inputs. To maximize the lifespan of the display, the internal airflow system keeps the screen running at the optimal temperature regardless of external conditions. Built-in air conditioning can be tailored to allow the display to work in any climate.

All the screens are connected to a My Signage Portal content management system, which allows the playhouse staff to design and schedule content, regardless of their technical knowledge or resources. The easy-to-use interface is used to build and schedule content for the display screens.

Results: The Epsom Playhouse communicates more effectively with members, visitors, and passers-by through a range of highly visual content. The screens have opened an additional revenue stream for the playhouse, with PPL Group selling advertising space on the screens, which is popular with local businesses targeting playhouse members.

The PPL Group also provides publishing services to the Epsom Playhouse, publishing four show guides/pantomime programmes per year. They manage the fulfilment of the guides to the playhouse membership and sell advertising space within the publication to generate more revenue. You can read the case study here.