DailyDOOH

Gail Chiasson, North American Editor

With almost everyone in the digital signage industry working with some form of retail, we suggest that they add the Society for Experiential Graphic Designs Xlab 2015 conferences on Thursday, Nov. 5, to their New York Digital Signage Week agenda.

All sessions sound interesting, but the session On Transforming Retail promises to be really inspiring.

It’s being held at 1:30 p.m. just after lunch (Warning: don’t eat too much, as you don’t want to doze off during this one), a panel of professionals will be tackling the topic: Neil Redding, creative technology director at Gensler; David Kepron, creative director of the Brand Experience Studio at Little Diversified Architectural Consulting; and Joe Karadin, head of the Physical Design department of ESI Design.

While I personally haven’t heard Redding nor Karadin speak. I have heard Kepron and. believe me, he alone could keep you entranced for two hours. Pity that the On Transforming Retail session is only 1hr. 20 min. for the three speakers combined.

Redding explores what emerging technology can do to enhance the meaning and function of physical experiences. A seasoned creative technologist, business and experience strategist, software architect and developer with two decades of work across industries, regions, and cultures.

Redding is a successful leader, collaborator, manager, and guide, expert at aligning technical approach with creative ideas and business goals. His career as a software engineer and consultant, he has worked at or consulted for many major companies and advertising agencies including Apple Computers, Nike, Converse, Oracle, Ogilvy, Saatchi & Saatchi, Proximity BBDO, MediaCom and more. At Gensler, he collaborates with world-class designers and architects to make branded spatial experiences that are interactive, connected, innovative and meaningful.

Kepron draws on more than 20 years of experience in the retail industry as an architect, artist, and educator, and embraces a broad view of what makes great shopping experiences.

“Shopping environments are more than just ‘spaces’ to carry out a transaction,” he says. “They are ‘the in between places’ that bring customers and brands together, satisfying needs, promoting aspirations, and building connections through fostering empathic relationships.”

Kepron’s success has developed from merchandising sales floors and training retailers on the principles of effective visual merchandising. He sees the customer as the most important part of the production line and the primary function of all retail design is about ‘selling’ by weaving the customer’s innate physical and emotional responses to the environment with the brand story.

Kepron has served as adjunct professor for the MS Interior Design Program at the Department of Architecture & Interior Design of Drexel University in Philadelphia, New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, and the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising. He was also director of the Visual Merchandising Department at LaSalle International Fashion School, Singapore.

Karadin leads ESI Design’s Physical Design department, creating impactful spaces within the built environment. A highly experienced architect and exhibit designer, Joe has more than 16 years’ experience in exhibit and experiential design, as well as branded retail environments.

In addition to directing ESI Design’s Physical Design department, Karadin leads multidisciplinary design teams on projects as diverse as corporate innovation centers, children’s environments, retail experience design and science museum exhibits.

Since joining ESI Design in 2009, Karadin has been exploring new ways of creating, communicating, and producing physical design as it relates to the overall experience. His focus of interest is exploring the complex interconnections between content narrative and spatial arrangements and how that shapes user experience.

Karadin earlier worked at Thinc Design, Interbrand, and other notable design firms. He was a finalist for his design of the World Trade Center Memorial.

Xlab will take place at SVA Theatre, 333 W 23rd St, New York. Registration and networking begins at 8 a.m., with short welcoming remarks at 9 and the first session being sharp at 9:10.

We seriously suggest that you be there for this ‘transforming’ day!

#ff @SEGD Xlab Speakers @bekathwia @esidesign @intersection_co @neilredding @SensingPlaces @stimulant @joshgoldblum @jaredrawk @davidkepron

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 18th, 2015 at 13:01 @584 and is filed under DailyDOOH Update. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.