What is the go-to "sales promotion tool" at shopping malls?

This may be sudden, but let me ask you a question (lol)

Just like me, you probably visit shopping malls such as AEON, Sun Street, LaLaport or Cenova at least a few times a year (right?). Especially around the New Year holidays, there are more chances to go shopping with the family.
So (it doesn't matter which shopping mall it is), when you go to a shopping mall, what is the sales promotion tool you see the most there?

Take a moment to think about it…….

Did you figure it out?
The answer is the "LED panel sign."

Some people may not get it right away and think, "…LED sign? What's that?" So, to explain: they're "the menu signs placed at the front of each tenant in the food court."
Yes, those brightly lit ones that make the food in the photos look delicious (lol)

They're used not only in food courts but by many tenants throughout malls, to the point that they feel like something you simply take for granted. That said, there are solid reasons and benefits behind why LED signs are used so heavily by shopping mall tenants. And there are situations where those benefits can work for your business too.

So, in this article I'd like to introduce LED panel signs.
They're great for store-based businesses like restaurants, retail shops and salons, of course, but they can also be used by companies doing BtoB business, such as trading companies and manufacturers. Please take a look.

Ways to use LED panel signs ①: For store-based businesses

We'll explain exactly what an LED panel sign is later. First, let's look at the business situations where LED panels really show their power.
Let's start with the easy-to-picture uses in "store-based businesses."

1. Display them in your storefront window to grab the attention of passersby

In shopping malls, LED panels are so common that many people don't even notice them. (In fact, even when I say, "You know, the ones used for food court menu boards!" people sometimes reply, "Hmm, were there really any of those?"…) But the reason they go unnoticed isn't just that they're everywhere; it's also that shopping mall interiors are extremely brightly lit, so an LED panel's brightness alone doesn't stand out.
In reality, LED panel signs shine quite brightly. So when displayed in a storefront window, they have far more presence than an ordinary poster.
If your shop or office is located along a street, displaying an LED panel sign can make a stronger impression of your products and services on people walking by.

2. Present menus and prices clearly to encourage people to come in

For store-based businesses such as restaurants and salons, you want to capture customers who happen to be passing by. That said, for prospective customers, walking into a shop for the first time always feels like a bit of a hurdle, doesn't it?
That's when clearly displaying your menu, prices and service features at the storefront can lower the barrier for first-time visitors. In food courts, almost every shop uses eye-catching LED panel signs, no doubt to draw in as many customers as possible while competing with all the other restaurants lined up around them.
When setting them up at the storefront, they're often used as A-frame signs (the stepladder-shaped type) or by placing a standard LED panel on an easel.

3. Highlight your top recommended products in-store to boost purchase rates

In supermarkets and retail stores, placing LED panels not only at the entrance but also in front of your top recommended products can be expected to boost purchase rates.
As with storefront displays, they're often used as A-frame signs or placed on an easel. If there's no power outlet outside, or the location is too windy to install them outdoors, they can also be set up near the entrance inside the store.

Ways to use LED panel signs ②: For BtoB businesses such as manufacturing

So far we've introduced uses for store-based businesses, but let's also look at situations where you can make use of them if you run a BtoB business such as manufacturing or construction.

1. Beat your rivals at trade shows with visibility and impact!

One opportunity to showcase your own products and services is "exhibiting at a trade show." Or, if you are looking to hire, you might exhibit at a job-hunting or career-change seminar.
When you set up a booth at a trade show or seminar, the most important thing is, of course, "standing out!"
You have gone to the trouble of exhibiting at a venue where many prospective customers and job seekers gather, so if nobody notices you are there, your exhibition fees are as good as thrown down the drain... What's more, at a venue like that, visitors can compare the decor of your booth with the others at a single glance.
A well-known major corporation might get away with not decorating at all, and its simplicity may even be well received, but for small and medium-sized companies like ours, a lack of visibility and appeal can be fatal.
That is why we recommend using LED panels as a cost-effective way to make an impression.

A standard trade show booth is often 180 cm wide, and hanging three LED panels fits that space perfectly.
Also, because exhibition halls are usually large spaces with high ceilings lit by mercury lamps, they are not as bright as shopping malls. So rather than putting up an ordinary poster, using an LED panel whose surface itself emits light makes your booth stand out.
And because the background glows, the staff standing in front of it look as though they are bathed in a halo of light, creating a vivid impression.

Recently, you often see booths using the back wall as a screen and projecting video onto it, but personally I recommend LED panels by far.
The reason is that projectors do not provide enough brightness, so people passing by the booth cannot see the video clearly. In that case, I think it is more effective to place an LCD monitor on a table and show the video with an explanation to the people who actually come to your booth.

2. Display them in your office or lobby to promote your technology

Manufacturing companies often have a space at the office entrance introducing their products and technologies. For products, nothing beats displaying the real thing, but when it comes to introducing your technologies, using LED panel signs can strengthen your appeal.
LED panel signs have a simple structure, so the panels themselves are lightweight and can be installed easily, whether suspended from the ceiling by wires or mounted on a wall.

How do LED panel signs work, and what are their features?

So far we have introduced ways to use LED panels; now let's briefly touch on how LED panels work and what features they have.

How LED panel signs work

Put simply, LED panel signs work almost the same way as the panels and frames used for paper posters. The big difference is that with an LED panel sign, the panel section where the poster is attached glows white. Because of this, the poster is not printed on paper but on a special light-transmitting film. Perhaps it's easiest to think of it as something like the OHP film used in elementary and junior high school classes long ago. Depending on your generation, you might not know what that is (laugh).
The film itself can be printed with an inkjet printer. However, since the sheet sizes are large formats such as A2 to A1, printing it in-house may be a little difficult.

Five features and benefits

If we had to sum up the features and benefits in one phrase, it would be "An easy, simple, cost-effective sales promotion tool!" That big advantage is surely why they are used so widely in shopping malls, as mentioned at the beginning.
Now let us introduce the specific features.

1. Bright the moment you switch it on! ... Just plug the AC adapter into a power outlet and it's ready to use! There is no difficult work or setup, so anyone can set it up and use it anywhere.
2. Light and thin enough to go anywhere ... An LED panel weighs only about 5.6 kg in A1 size. It is also just 23 mm thick, so it can be installed anywhere, from show windows to walls.
3. Quick and easy poster changes ... Simply slide out the film and replace it to change what is displayed. You can tailor your message to the season or to each campaign.
4. Stands out even at night, with no worries about insects ... Insects are drawn to the ultraviolet rays emitted by light, but the light from LED panel signs emits no ultraviolet rays. So there is no need to worry about insects gathering around it.
5. Energy-saving and highly durable, too! ... The electricity cost for one LED panel is about 65 yen a month. That works out to just 840 yen a year, so running costs are almost negligible. The panel also boasts excellent durability with a service life of about 40,000 hours.

About panel and film printing prices

Let us explain the cost of introducing these LED panels.
The only initial cost is the LED panel itself.
In addition to the standard poster type, there are A-frame stand types and stand types. As a rough guide, the poster type costs about 30,000 yen and the A-frame stand type about 45,000 yen. Prices vary depending on size and shape, so if you are interested, please feel free to get in touch.
Film printing for the panel surface costs about 5,000 yen per sheet for A1 size. If you ask us to create the artwork, a separate design fee applies.

To you, who have read all the way to the end...

What did you think?
If you want to make your storefront or office exterior more eye-catching, or make your trade show booth stand out easily, we think this is a simple and highly effective method.
Finally, if this article has caught your interest, please contact us using the sample request form included in the enclosed brochure.
We will bring you samples suited to how you plan to use them, and we will also waive the film printing and production fees (5,000 yen + 20,000 yen) as a free service! Please feel free to get in touch.

For inquiries, please click here, or feel free to call us at 0120-413-756.