Danish Sonofon Lightens Up

In the world of retail less has never been more. Bigger, better, brighter, the doctors of retail have always prescribed a strict diet of excess for success. But can the rule be applied to retail lighting? One Danish lighting designer has found that minimalism means more profit.

An increasing number of retailers like Denmark’s Sonofon in Copenhagen are tastefully incorporating complementary lighting effects into their store design. Sonofon, a telecommunications retail store that offers the latest in mobile phone technology, has turned the stylish looks of the Martin MiniMAC and MAC 300 wash lights into an integral part of its visual concept.

Martin Danmark help create new shopping experience

When Sonofon wanted to open a new store in a Copenhagen mall, they were reluctant to compete on the same terms as the surrounding stores, preferring instead to create as much distance between them and the competition as possible. A design team from Martin Danmark was asked to help them create a totally new shopping experience.

When the team went to see the other stores in the mall they found themselves overwhelmed by the uncomfortably high light output. Surrounding stores were locked in a war of light, intent on devising ever-brighter lighting schemes in a bid to outshine their competitors. The result for the visitor was a growing sense of unease.

An oasis of calm

By contrast, Sonofon offers the visitor an oasis of calm. Martin Danmark’s cleverly conceived lighting design has set it well apart. The store has the look and feel of a relaxed art gallery, a peaceful place that allows visitors plenty of time to browse.

In fact, so integral was the lighting design to the success of the store, that the Martin team found themselves involved with the project at the earliest stages, increasingly taking on the role of interior designers as well. Martin Danmark’s Nicolai Aaboe comments, “For once lighting wasn’t just an afterthought. It’s part of the fabric of the store. Sonofon wanted something totally new, and to do that we had to integrate the lighting with sound, multimedia, and the interior design.”

Illuminating display cubicles

Together with interior designers Part 4, the Martin team created the idea of the recessed display cubicles that line the walls. The cubicles are lit only with fiber optic technology powered by 22 Martin QFX150 FiberSources. “The idea was to create a kind of ‘product incubator’ to try to create as much focus on the products as possible,” explained Martin Danmark. “Particularly as mobile phones are so small and it’s often hard to tell them apart.”

In fact, it is the intelligent effects of the QFX 150 FiberSource that helps the customer distinguish one mobile phone from another. Color has become the key to differentiating between products. The QFX 150 FiberSources are programmed to perform different color schemes for different products. The mobile phone aimed at the businessman is accentuated by slowly fading shades of blue. Phones for the student market are given the full rave treatment with fast color changes and strobing.

MiniMAC Maestro provides sweeping projections

Newer products are given further focus by the MiniMAC Maestro, a moving head perfectly suited to the retail environment. Designed particularly for new product launches and promotions, the MiniMAC Maestros are used to project patterns, images and logos. Always an attention-seeker, one placed at the entrance provides sweeping image projections that help to draw in the traffic.

Space-age atmosphere is further provided by the compact MAC 300. Six of them are used to wash the floor and ceiling in subtly fading shades of indigo blue.

Integral to the success of the scheme is the touch screen ProScenium software that controls the effects. The system is easy to re-program, and allows shop staff to intervene by interacting with the touchscreen console.