Digital Storytelling at retail: Hits & misses

Digital experiences must go beyond broadcast, enabling convenience, storytelling and seamless engagement without overwhelming the shopper 

Step into the Phoenix Mall of Asia, and the first thing that hits you is ‘motion’. Tropical backdrops, high-fashion visuals, and larger-than-life digital screens spill out from almost everywhere, transforming Bengaluru’s newest retail hotspot into a cinematic experience. Here, digital storytelling is no longer an accent; it’s the main act.

While undeniably eye-catching, the sheer volume of digital displays made the experience feel repetitive, with only a handful truly standing out. The most effective examples were those where digital signage was integrated thoughtfully and used thematically to tell a story rather than merely broadcast information.

A few watch and accessories brands stood out by giving the category a larger-than-life presence—using scale to its advantage. Cinematic digital content anchored the window display, flanked by well-considered VM accents that tied the campaign together seamlessly. Beauty and personal care brands, too, showed a more strategic use of screens, deploying them to spotlight new launches, top sellers, skincare routines, and trial-led prompts that nudged shoppers closer to engagement. While athletic footwear and sneaker brands have traditionally owned the branding-film space, their digital storytelling on store facades is focused on limited drops, celebrity-led merchandise, and major sporting events. A homegrown home and garden brand introduced a quiet, frugal layer of technology through a digital interface that allowed shoppers to browse its entire catalogue. Thoughtfully positioned at the checkout, it stayed out of the way of the immersive in-store experience while still enabling easy online browsing and ordering.

On the flip side, several brands underutilised this expensive real estate. In some brands, multiple screens in the same store displayed the static “50% off” message in red, offering little incentive to stop, especially when nearly every other store in the mall was running a similar promotion.

Besides digital screens, many missed opportunities were spotted across in-store tech too. Interactive touchscreens lay idle or non-functional, or store staff lacked familiarity with the tools. “Scan QR” prompts appeared without QR codes, and engagement elements failed to deliver on their promise. These gaps were visible across both Indian and international brands.

Technology, when deployed meaningfully, has the power to attract, engage and convert. However, the disconnect between context and content remains a significant challenge. Given that digital displays and in-store technology are among the most cost-intensive components of a store project, they demand far more strategic attention.

This is where brands, retailers and the wider digital display & instore technology ecosystem—hardware providers, integrators and content creators—must collaborate more closely. The goal should be to create digital experiences that go beyond broadcast, enabling convenience, storytelling and seamless engagement without overwhelming the shopper. This is precisely the direction DDX Asia – The Digital Display Tech Show is championing, as the industry works towards more purposeful and impactful in-store digital experiences.

DDX Asia 2026, which is scheduled to be held on February 12 and 13 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, will bring together global technology providers, solution architects, media owners, and buyers from the digital display ecosystem.