LET THERE BE LIGHT

Smart lighting products have a wide range of uses – from home security and creating ambience, to enhancing your TV viewing and making gaming immersive – we shine a spotlight on some of the smartest options available

Smart home technology is one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing sectors of the consumer electronics market. According to tech analyst Futuresource Consulting, a whopping 137 million smart home devices were shipped globally last year – up from 100 million back in 2018.

There are plenty of reasons that consumers are increasingly choosing to purchase smart home products. These include convenience, security and the ability to remotely control their tech. Another benefi t of a smart home is saving money, as many options can help customers to cut down on their expensive energy bills – a great sell, especially as we move into the colder and darker months.

BENEFITS Smart lighting, which, like smart speakers and security products, is the ideal gateway for consumers to enter the world of the smart home, is a category that’s on the up. It’s increase in popularity has recently seen an boost in sales – largely down to the fact that, in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, we’ve all been spending a lot more time around the home and have had plenty of time to take stock and make improvements to our home environments.

Research company MarketsandMarkets have estimated that the smart lighting market will grow from $13.4 billion in 2020 to reach $30.6 billion by 2025, so it’s a great time for retailers to take stock of some top gadgets.

The major factors driving the growth of the market includes the advent of integrated lighting systems, new smart city projects in developing economies, increasing adoption and decreasing cost of LEDs, the integration of lighting with smart devices, and growing awareness about energy savings among the worlds consumers and governments. Philips, with its Hue brand, is one of the leading players in the smart lighting market. The company says that smart lighting offers numerous benefi ts, including the ability to control lights automatically from home, as well as remotely via smart devices.

Offering consumers greater control over their indoor and outdoor lighting, smart LED bulbs contain software which connects them to a mobile app, smart home voice assistant (like Google Assistant or Alexa), or another smart accessory, meaning lights can be automated or controlled remotely.

With a smart lighting ecosystem, everything can be done with a smart phone, tablet or just with a voice command. This eliminates the need for traditional wall switches, ideal for anyone looking for a sleek and minimal aesthetic in their interior design. Something we should all be more weary of is our environmental impact. There are also eco-friendly advantages to adopting smart lighting, as smart LED bulbs last longer and generate less heat than traditional bulbs. Consumers want smart home products to be really simple to use and brilliantly easy to set up – TCP’s smart lighting range of products, including bulbs and LED downlights, allow you to create the perfect lighting scene in any room with your voice (compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant), or by simply accessing the iOS or Android app from anywhere in the world. As the system works using a wi-fi network, there’s no need for a hub, no complicated setup, and no subscription, so its all-round hassle-free.

IMMERSIVE While smart lighting is brilliantly functional, it can also be used for fun stuff. Give every room of the house a different mood, or craft an immersive gaming experience. How’s that for light entertainment?

The Philips Hue Play Light Bar can be stood upright, laid fl at on surface, or mounted to a wall or TV. A super-versatile smart light, the Play Light Bar can help create a vibrant ambience in a room. A staggering 16 million colours and 50,000 shades ranging from cool to warm white, there

Security is one of the main benefi ts of smart lighting and it’s certainly a great USP for retailers to promote

are countless combinations to experience. The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box lets you sync your smart lights to the content of your TV screen, which can help to create an immersive media experience.

Working with all of Philips Hue White and colour ambience bulbs and fi xtures, such as the Play Light Bar, simply connect the box to an HMDI media device, for example a gaming console or set-top box, and enjoy. As you delve into streaming services such as Netfl ix and Amazon Prime, the lights will dim, brighten and change colour perfectly in sync with the content on the TV screen.

For truly fl exible smart lighting in the home, such as under kitchen cabinets, behind entertainment centres or running along a bar, the two-metre Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus base is a great option.

This indoor strip lighting lets you shape and bend it to fi t into a space – users can attach a Lightstrip extension for larger surfaces, or

cut the strip down to size, so to fi t a smaller area. This means you can create bright cove lighting, or ambient ‘navigation’ light in your hallway or guiding you up the stairs.

FLEXIBLE The Hue Bridge device (sold separately) can be linked to a smart lighting setup, allowing you to add greater functionality and up to 50 smart lights throughout your home.

The two-metre Philips Lightstrip Outdoor for use outside the home can easily be bent or shaped to suit the user’s needs. It can be placed on the ground to add light to a dark pathway, or, thanks to the clips and screws which are included, it can be applied to any surface, so the sky’s the limit.

The Philips Lightstrip Outdoor is also fully weatherproof and can withstand all of the soggy puddles and jets of water thrown at them. Handy in the Great British weather, the lights keep shining, even when the rain comes lashing down...

SECURITY Giving them protection for their home and added peace of mind, many customers are turning to lighting. Providing a gentle glow without the glare of fl oodlights, smart lights act as a burglar-deterent it is a great USP for retailers to promote to their customers.

Consumers want their smart home products to be simple to use and easy to set-up

Arlo’s intelligent, 100% wire-free security light can work by itself, or can be effectively integrated into an interactive ecosystem with the brand’s security camera systems.

Users of the brand’s ecosystem can set the Arlo cameras to start recording when their Arlo security light detects motion and turns on. The light is weather-resistant too and its IP65 certifi cation means it will work indoors or outdoors, in the rain, sun or cold.

By adopting the Arlo app, the rechargeable security light, which has a choice of millions of colours, can be managed and automated from anywhere. Control with Alexa and Google Assistant for a hands-free approach.

RING SMART LIGHTING Ring is a home security and smart home brand known for products that incorporate outdoor, motion-detecting cameras, such as the popular Ring Video Doorbell.

With Ring Smart Lighting, customers can always come home to a well lit house. The system lets you add smart lighting around the property and control it via the Ring app. Users can turn lights on or off while they’re away, or link the light to a Video Doorbell and other cameras, so they come on when motion is dedicated. For environmentallyconscious consumers, there are new, solarpowered options available too.

The smart lighting market certainly has a bright future ahead of it, so it’s a great time to offer your customers lots of illuminating kit to smarten up their homes for winter.

To learn more about stocking smart lighting products, get in touch with your Account Manager, or take a look at the new Exertis online store: store.exertis.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL GAME ON WITH ROCCAT Get the most of your PC gaming setup with ROCCAT’s industry-leading gaming peripherals

Combining a passion for gaming with forward-thinking innovation, ROCCAT’s top keyboards and gaming mice can help your customers top the leaderboard

Combining quality German innovation with a genuine passion for gaming, ROCCAT has a forward-thinking, detail-driven portfolio of products, adaptable to gaming trends of tomorrow. Founded in Hamburg in 2007, ROCCAT has a talented squad of visionaries, gamers and industry experts, all of whom have built up experience from the gaming community they themselves are a part of.

Recently, it has been estimated that over 32 million people in the UK play videogames. With many of the top streamers, esports stars and hardcore gamers choosing PC as their preferred platform, there is no doubt that more and more home gamers will be looking to upgrade their gaming kit for a setup that’s both fast and precise as well as brilliantly visually appealing.

Precision and high performance from the outset

The ROCCAT AIMO has been crafted to be intelligent, organic and evolving. Displaying state-of-the-art illumination without the need for confi guration, the functionality of the system grows based on the number of AIMO-enabled devices which are brought into the eco-system, reacting organically to usage, learning to best compliment the user’s gameplay and adapting to gaming style, all straight out of the box.

RAPID RESPONSES Delivering precision and high performance from the fi rst key stroke to the millionth, the award-winning ROCCAT Vulcan 120 AIMO mechanical gaming keyboard is built for speed. Designed for PC gaming and connecting via USB 2.0 or higher, the Vulcan 120 features ROCCAT-developed Titan Switches which promise users a key stroke that’s swift and precise, whilst still guaranteeing a tactile experience.

Any annoying electrical contact bouncing is kept to a minimum and an overhaul of the fi rmware means that input is recognised up to 20% faster that other gaming keyboards,

giving gamers a big advantage over the competition. Similarly, the key caps of the Vulcan 120 are 50% lighter than standard, which helps to produce a rapid response.

Many standard keyboards will fail to pick up simultaneous signals input in them – also known as ghosting. Using an advanced anti-ghosting technology, the Vulcan 120 ensures that each key stroke is registered and that every tactical manoeuvre will be translated from keyboard to game.

Featuring an ergonomic design, the Vulcan 120 AIMO, with low-profi le and detachable palm rest, is designed for long game play. Considered down to the very last detail, this gaming keyboard uses mixer-style media keys for function as well as comfort. Built to last, the Vulcan 120 AIMO is reinforced with an anodised aluminium plate, to help protect against long term wear and tear.

The Vulcan 120 gaming keyboard offers the best possible platform for AIMO lighting. Each switch is individually confi gurable with the long-life LEDs capable of displaying a

massive 16.8 million colours in a mix of lighting confi gurations. Transparent switch housing helps to ensure the multicoloured LEDs shine brightly and evenly from each key for the full effect.

THE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT CLICK To promise the best gaming experience possible, the Kain collection of RGB gaming mice have been meticulously redesigned. In the quest for the perfect click, the mechanics have been carefully remastered and ROCCAT created the Titan Click. With an optimised switch location, delivered through the split-button design, gamers can truly feel the difference in distinction, motion and precision over their old mice.

Following meticulous planning and testing, the shape of the Kain was designed so as to refi ne the standard and not distract or limit the gamer. With ROCCAT’s latest innovation in surface material technology, the Kain 100, 120 and 200 are covered in a hybrid anti-wear coating that keeps the mouse gripped fi rmly in the user’s hand, no matter how frantic the game, and promise a pristine condition for future sessions.

ROCCAT has built a forward-thinking detail-driven portfolio of products, all of which adaptable to the gaming trends of tomorrow

The Kain 100 AIMO is also equipped with rubberised side panels for maximum durability and an extra comfortable grip.

Expertly considered down to the fi rmware, the Kain 100 AIMO, Kain 120 AIMO and Kain 200 AIMO feature an algorithm which helps improve signal processing. This means that each click is registered up to 16ms faster than alternative mice on the market, giving gamers the edge over competitors – if they click at the same time as the other team, their action is registered fi rst.

While the Kain 100 and 120 connect to the PC via USB, the Kain 200 AIMO is a wired/ wireless combo mouse, for extra fl exibility. Featuring the ROCCAT Owl-Eye optical sensor (which was created in collaboration with PixArt), the Kain 200’s movements are replicated with 1:1 accuracy on the screen. Optimised for a low-power consumption, gamers can play for up to 50 hours (or 35 hours with illuminations active) before needing to recharge the mouse.

The Kain collection features ROCCAT AIMO IMO technology, integrating into an existing or ng or new lighting eco-system. It’s now simpler simpler than ever to take a PC gaming setup to the etup to the next level and create vivid aesthetics, all thetics, all without excessive confi guration. tion.

By stocking ROCCAT’s award-winning ward-winning keyboards and class-topping mice, retailers opping mice, retailers can beat out the competition, and put their mpetition, and put their customers at the top of the leaderboard. top of the leaderboard.

THE LEISURE PRINCIPLE The home entertainment market has enjoyed a boost!

Locked-down consumers looking for things to do to help keep them sane. Now restrictions are beginning to ease, it’s a great opportunity to sell your customers some top tech to help them enjoy their leisure time, whether they’re keen to get outdoors, or relax at home

During lockdown, UK consumers spent less money on all leisure activities except one: in-home entertainment. This was certainly great news for retailers in the sector.

According to a survey by Deloitte (late April 2020), UK leisure spending fell by 7% in the fi rst three months of this year, compared to 2019, as new social distancing measures encouraged consumers to stay indoors and seek entertainment at home. As a result, inhome leisure saw spending increase by 1% compared with Q1 of last year. Consumers surveyed by Deloitte also said they intended to keep this up and increase their spending over the next three months as well.

While they were stuck at home, people found more ways to keep themselves occupied, such as remote fi tness classes, or subscribing to more on-demand streaming services.

Any customers who improved their fi tness levels by working out at home will be keen to keep themselves in peak fi tness ahead of the festive season, but with cold nights on the way, there’s also a great opportunity to encourage customers that now is the time to upgrade their home entertainment, so they can make the most of their downtime.

Whether your customer is an active and outdoorsy type – a budding Bear Grylls as it were – or a ‘stay home and stream’ kind of person, Exertis has a wide range of top tech to cater for all their different needs.

FITNESS The Activbody Activ5 portable fi tness device (£124.95) works with a mobile app to take users through low impact, isometric-based workouts in as little as fi ve minutes per day. It makes it easy for anyone make time for

While customers were stuck at home, lots turned at-home entertainment to keep themselves occupied...

fi tness, wherever they are. With a compact and durable design that means it’s ideal for use at home, work, or on the go, it’s pretty much a ‘tiny gym in your pocket.’

Monitoring the user’s progress and acting as a little portable fi tness coach, the Activ5 Companion App (which is available on both iOS and Android) features over 100 seated and standing workouts, designed to suit any age and fi tness level, great for starting out or building up already burly biceps.

OUTDOOR AUDIO For those of us who are looking to get away for a bit of winter sun, or to just make the most of the outdoors after months cooped up inside, Kitsound has the ideal travelling companion – the new Diggit 55 Bluetooth speaker (£49.99), which has been cleverly designed for outdoor use. Unreliable weather needs a reliable speaker. The Diggit 55 boasts a tough mesh fabric and an IP66 weatherproof rating to cope with anything the outdoors throws at it.

Diggit 55 has an easy to use removable stake, so it can be stuck into the ground, providing a freestanding 360° audio experience. Thanks to its 15-hour play time, you can listen well into the evening, while glowing LED rings are handy for sitting out under the stars and enjoying your favourite albums.

If your customers are an active and outdoorsy type or more of a stay home and stream fan, Exertis has a wide range of top gadgets to cater for their different preferences

The speaker is also perfect for indoor use, so it’s an all-rounder, ideal for busy families. Just tap the middle button on top of the speaker to switch between Outdoor EQ and Indoor EQ modes, which optimises your audio, giving your listening experience that added boost. Can you Diggit? Yes, you can!

PREMIUM Up at the more premium end of the market is Danish brand Bang & Olufsen’s second generation Beosound A1, an ultra-portable, waterproof Bluetooth speaker (SRP £230), which combines serious sound with stylish looks and is available in four fi nishes: Grey Mist, Black Anthracite, Pink and Green.

With a compact design, the B&O Beosound A1 supports Amazon Alexa Voice Assistant and delivers punchy, 360° omnidirectional audio. Its multipoint feature means that two devices, such as smartphones, are able to connect and control the music together. The A1 has powerful battery life and offers up to 18 hours of playtime when enjoying at typical listening volumes. It’s waterproof and completely resistant to dust and sand, making it an essential piece of kit if you’re planning on hitting the beach or are hoping to head off and lounge by the pool.

STREAMING For customers who are planning to stay at home over the autumn and winter months and want to binge on boxsets or check out the latest blockbusters, Roku has a selection of products that lets users stream content to their TV anywhere in the house.

The Roku Premiere Streaming Player (which retails at £39.99) streams HD, 4K Ultra HD and HDR and is easy to set up, thanks to a premium HDMI cable, the simple remote and an intuitive home screen. It gives users access to live TV, news, sport, movies and their favourite TV programmes on 1000s of free and paid-for channels and services, including Netfl ix, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All4, My5, Prime Video and Now TV.

On the other hand, if you’re on holiday and fancy watching something on the TV in your hotel, Roku’s portable Streaming Stick+ offers top wireless streaming in 4K, HDR and HD.

GAMING The popularity of home gaming hit record levels during lockdown, with not an Xbox or Nintendo Switch to be found anywhere. It’s estimated that almost 33 million people in the UK play video games, so it really is a very lucrative market that retailers can make the most of.

Microsoft’s long-awaited Xbox Series X is set to launch this November and we now know that it will be accompanied by the Series S, the smallest Xbox console to date. Though Xbox has so far only confi rmed the estimated US pricing, we now know that the Series X will set gamers back $499, while Series S will retail at $299. Both the consoles are set to be available through the All Access Scheme.

The perfect companion to a snazzy new next generation console? Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Customers with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate monthly subscription have unlimited access to hundreds of games at the high, with additional titles being added all the time. Titles from Xbox Game Studios can be accessed on the same day as they are released and there are also member discounts and deals up for grabs.

The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate allows users to play directly on a console or PC and are now able to access the games library on their Android device, via the cloud.

For those gamers who are playing on the go, the Razer Kishi for Android (£99.99) is a mobile gaming controller, ensuring a secure hold and intuitive controls. With a fl exible design, it fi ts to most phones and doesn’t come loose whilst it’s being used. The Kishi connects directly to your device’s charging port, meaning it can provide instant button response for a smooth, seamless control.

If the user’s phone starts running low whilst they’re gaming with the Kishi still attached, they can simply hook up a charging cable to the controller itself and get the device charging. With the Kishi, gamers truly have portable gaming power at their fi ngertips.

Speak to Exertis to fi nd out how you can stock these, and many more, great leisure gadgets, or browse hundreds of products on our online platform: store.exertis.co.uk

GET QLED OUTSIDE WITH SAMSUNG’S TERRACE TV With Samsung’s Terrace TV range, enjoy the same unparalleled picture quality, but in the great outdoors

Perfect for catching the new sporting season, the last of the warm weather, or for public spaces hoping to entice back visitors with safer, but still just as entertaining, outdoor venues, Samsung’s Terrace TV lets you install 4K QLED quality outside

Sleek, sophisticated and incredibly smart – Samsung’s Terrace TV offers you the chance to bring quality viewing out into the fresh air. Terrace TV is equipped with all the features you expect from Samsung, including QLED 4K quality, but is also water and dust-proof for convenience and reliability.

Already available internationally, including the US and Canada, Samsung will be bringing state-of-the-art outdoor televisions to the UK. Marketing on the range will be beginning in the coming weeks, so there will soon plenty of interest in outdoor 4K QLED viewing.

With all the good looks you anticipate from a top of the range TV, the Terrace range – which is available as 55-, 65- and 75-inch (£3999, £4999 and £6499 respectively) – has a sleek design, even with a weather-proofed exterior. This contrasts with the many more cumbersome options already on the market.

VENUE WISH UPON A SCREEN Whether showing Premier League fi xtures, family-friendly movies or livestreams of local indie bands, as we emerge from Covid-19 restrictions and fi nd the ‘new normal’, venues will be looking to entice customers back with safe outdoor spaces for visitors to enjoy the quality entertainment previously found inside.

With the new Samsung Terrace TVs, it’s easier than ever to enjoy quality viewing outside. Exertis also offers all the wireless, networking and AV accessories that custom installers will be on the lookout for in order to create the ultimate outdoor viewing TV setup.

Sleek, sophisticated and smart – Terrace offers 4K QLED quality outdoor, ideal for venues or just jazzing up the garden

Custom installation helps to guarantee a fully functional, secure setup and can offer help to give customers greater peace of mind. Terrace TVs also come with 5-year end user warranty (upon registration) to ensure a picture-perfect experience, every time.

THE PICTURE STAYS PRISTINE Many know the struggle of getting fresh air and screen time at the same time; the glare. However, with Terrace TVs, advanced antiglare and anti-refl ection means perfect clarity, even when the sun is shining, or the outside lights are twinkling. A wide viewing angle also means that even those seated on the edge of the group won’t miss out. This is perfect for venues, especially with social distancing.

From waiting with baited breath for a goal or harkening back to a bygone era with an oldHollywood classic, Samsung’s Terrace lets you enjoy 4K QLED quality in life-like detail. For a cinematic feel, Quantum Dot delivers a 100% colour volume, produces over a billion shades and ensures that nothing gets washed out, even in high brightness.

For unparalleled ultra-brightness and the most vivid picture imaginable, Terrace TVs pair 4K QLED with over 2000 nit brightness levels. Quantum HDR 32X creates a rich, authentic colour scheme, while deep contrasts offer a dynamic viewing experience, with each frame in breathtaking detail. Exceptional contrasts mean every detail is pristine, from the darkest suspenseful corner to the brightest mountain top.

With Direct Full Array 16X, each lighting zone of the screen is controlled with precision, to deliver stunning depth and perfect contrasts. With HDR10+, brightness and contrast are auto adjusted, adapting the TV to the lighting conditions, for a perfect picture every time.

With Supreme Motion technology (Motion Rate 240), Terrace TVs show every detail in perfect clarity and complete smoothness, no matter how fast-paced the action. This is ideal for venues looking to grab the attention of sports fans and movie buffs alike.

To ensure picture-perfect viewing and a secure setup, Samsung’s Terrace TV requires expert custom installation

COME RAIN OR SHINE Delivering top outdoor entertainment all year round, Terrace TVs are certifi ed IP55 water, dust and heat protected, meaning these TVs are capable of operating in all weathers and temperatures from -30 o c to +50 o c. This is a key feature for customer confi dence, but also for venues looking to hold all-weather events outside as we head into autumn and winter.

The weather-proofi ng doesn’t stop at just the screen either. Samsung’s OneRemote, which is available with all of the brand’s QLED TVs, is the only controller needed to fl ick between TV channels or streaming services and has an IP56 water and dust-resistance rating.

MOBILE MIRROR ON THE WALL Ideal for when you can’t agree on what to watch, multi view makes it easy to continue watching the TV on one side of the screen, whilst mirroring from mobile on the other. Similarly, with Samsung’s Terrace TVs, making the big screen your second screen couldn’t be simpler with the intuitive screen mirroring. In built Apple Airplay2 lets Mac, iPhone and iPad users share their music and videos to the TV with just a couple of effortless taps (iOS 12.3 or macOS 10.14.5 or later). Samsung Galaxy users (Android OS 8.1 or higher) can even just tap their device on the TV and videos, photos, and apps are quickly mirrored on the screen.

Watch smarter, not harder. Powered by Tizen for an smart and intuitive user interface, with Samsung’s Terrace TVs, viewers can access one of the largest catalogues of 4K content, including TV channels, catch up TV apps such as iPlayer, and popular streaming services like Netfl ix, Disney+ and Now TV.

Make the most of seamless streaming and entertainment without any distracting cables via both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

With the built-in HD Base-T receiver, plug in any external devices and you’re good to go – a Media Bay also provides support for USB and protection from water and dust.

For the fi rst time, multiple voice assistants are built into a Samsung Smart TV. With Alexa, Google Assistant or Bixby (Samsung’s very own voice assistant), change the volume, the source or the channel without lifting a fi nger.

SmartThings brings together thousands of devices into one collective smart ecosystem. Samsung SmartThings enables users to do everything from turning the lights on or off and seeing what snacks are in the fridge, to having a look at who it is at the front door (handy if you’re watching the TV outside!), all from the television itself.

With design in mind, Ambient Mode+ offers a variety of personalisation options to turn the TV into a decorative feature. This is great for venues looking to display upcoming events, photos of previous occasions and even offers the ability to upload a photograph of the TV’s surroundings, so it blends in seamlessly.

To learn more about Samsung’s Terrace TVs, please call Exertis on 01256 378550 or email premiumaudio@exertis.co.uk

SAFE AND SOUNDS Bring home the cinema experience with soundbarsBring

With the nights drawing in, now is the perfect opportunity to get your customers to With the upgrade their home AV set-up to create the ultimate, immersive entertainment experience upgrade th

When Covid-19 lockdown came into force, When Covid-19 lockdown c staying in really was the new going out and staying in really was the new many consumers turned to upgraded home many consumers turned to upg entertainment to help get them through entertainment to help get them th the prolonged time indoors. the prolonged time indoors.

According to analyst GfK, between March According to analyst GfK, between Marc 15 and 21, (right around the time Prime 1 5 and 21, (right around the time Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered the country Minister Boris Johnson ordered the country to stay at home), sales of TVs in the UK saw to stay at home), sales of TVs in the UK saw a huge 59.5% increase in volume compared a huge 59.5% increase in volume compared to the same period in 2019. to the same period in 2019.

While this might seem like good news for While this might seem like good news for tech retailers, sadly the average price of a tech retailers, sadly the average price of a TV purchase dropped, as people shopped TV purchase dropped, as people shopped for smaller, cheaper and ultimately more for smaller, cheaper and ultimately more basic sets for spare rooms and bedrooms, basic sets for spare rooms and bedrooms, looking for screen sizes of 42in or less. looking for screen sizes of 42in or less. But, with greater TV sales, comes greater But, with greater TV sales, comes greater AV potential. This this the ideal opportunity AV potential. This this the ideal opportunity for retailers to highlight the benefi ts of for retailers to highlight the benefi ts of having an improved audio system at home. having an improved audio system at hom

A PRETTY SOUND IDEA A PRETTY SOUND IDEA Bringing home a new soundbar is a really Bringing home a new soundbar is a simple way to boost your TV’s audio simple way to boost your TV’s au capabilities. Premium Danish brand Bang capabilities. Premium Danish b & Olufsen’s award-winning BeoSound & Olufsen’s award-winning B Stage (£1,250) with Dolby Atmos, offers a Stage (£1,250) with Dolby powerful ‘3D’ surround sound and looks powerful ‘3D’ surround seriously stylish. seriously stylish.

It includes 11 speaker drivers, each driven It includes 11 spea by its own amplifi er, and is compatible with by its own ampl any TV that supports HDMI ARC. Thanks to any TV that su four woofers in the 11-driver set-up, no four woofer separate subwoofer is needed, so cutting separate s down on clutter in the living room. down o

The BeoSound Stage also has integrated The streaming technologies. Chromecast and s Apple AirPlay 2 are built into the soundbar, while Bluetooth streaming offers the ease

With greater TV sales come greater AV potential: now’s the time to cash in on the benefi ts of your customer having an improved AV system at home!

and benefi ts of multi-room functionality. US audio giant Sonos has unleashed its long-awaited fi rst Dolby Atmos soundbar – the Sonos Arc (£799).

Designed to provide immersive audio for TV, fi lms, music and gaming, the Sonos Arc has a slim profi le and can be positioned on a cabinet or discreetly wall-mounted. With in-built Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, users can play music and get their questions answered, all hands-free.

There’s also the option to create an even more awesome home audio experience by wirelessly connecting a subwoofer in the form of the Sonos Sub and adding a pair of matching rear surround speakers, such as a couple of the Sonos Ones or One SLs.

If someone has bought a new TV, why wouldn’t they want great sound to go with it – particularly if they’re splashing out on subscriptions to video streaming services?

In 2019, the UK spent a record £3bn on streaming TV, fi lm and music according to a report from the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), and this fi gure is only expected to increase. More than 80 per cent of entertainment spending in the UK is now on internet-based services.

STREAMING A top soundbar could put your customers in a whole new world, so why not travel there on a magic carpet? The Disney+ streaming service arrived in the UK back in March of this year to praise from viewers and critics alike for its quality catalogue.

A soundbar is the ideal way to boost your TV’s audio capabilities

When the site launched in seven European markets (the UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain and Switzerland), on March 24, the Disney+ app was downloaded fi ve million times. It is already the third most popular streaming service in the UK, after Netfl ix and Amazon Prime.

During lockdown, ‘home cinema’ took on a whole new meaning, as some of the latest movies that were destined for theatrical release, were instead available digitally, via streaming and on-demand services, some even ahead of time. Originally slated to hit cinemas in 2021, the fi lm of Broadway hit Hamilton debuted on Disney+ in July and brought with it a surge of new subscribers.

Unsurprisingly though, not everyone was happy about VOD services stealing a march on cinemas. AMC, owners of the Odeon Cinemas chain, went so far as to ban screenings of all fi lms from Universal Pictures in its 1,000 outlets worldwide on reopening, after the studio released fi lms, such as Trolls World Tour, direct to VOD.

Having a decent audio set-up at home is essential for enjoying a truly immersive cinematic experience when you’re watching the latest blockbuster from the comfort of your own sofa. With autumn on its way, let’s hope we can put the diffi cult year we’ve all had behind us and settle down to enjoy some great home entertainment.

Once social distancing restrictions have been lifted, who wants a post-Covid-19 movie party? We’ll bring the popcorn!

SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE Retailers need to know their Instagram hashtags from their Facebook shares to make the most of marketing

From Myspace to Tik Tok, social media was built on the ethos of connecting people, so for retailers wanting to connect with their audience, using social platforms is a no-brainer

By building a strong social media presence, retailers can reach out and engage with their target audience and nurture the relationship all the way from brand discovery through to sales and repeat custom. From the advent of Myspace to the rise of Tik Tok, social media was designed to connect – so why shouldn’t retailers use it to link with their customers?

78% of the UK population over the age of 13 are active users of social media

According to creative research agency We Are Social, there are upwards of 3.96 billion active social media users, equating to 51% of the global population. Within the UK, a whopping 78% of the population over the age of 13 are active users or social media. Global social media use has seen a 10.5% YoY growth in the year to July 2020.

However, retailers should remember that social media is not a one-way street. Social media management company Sprout Social found that 61% of consumers believed that engagement with the audience was vital to building a strong relationship, while 44% suggested that a strong customer service via social media is also key.

Social media activity for retailers generally takes two forms, organic posting (free) and paid advertising. While organic posts are seen by your followers and spread to new audiences “organically”, paid social media means targeting your posts to a specifi ed demographic – eg. age, location, interests. Though it requires funding, it’s fantastic for driving awareness with new customers.

CONNECT, ENGAGE AND RETAIN One of the main benefi ts of marketing via Facebook is how simple it is to engage with posts and share your content, organically widening your audience. Facebook posts are shared 10 times more than Tweets are, and due to the way Instagram works, users cannot re-gram within the app (to do so requires third-party apps), so shared content there is relatively rare.

Particularly within the tech industry, Twitter offers the chance to not only connect with customers, but to network too. Built on inthe-moment thoughts and reactions, with Twitter it’s easy for retailers to monitor any mentions of brands or products, as well as keeping an eye and reacting to trending topics – great for grabbing the attention of users scrolling quickly through Twitter on their mobile or desktop.

Designed to build exposure and awareness within the professional sphere, LinkedIn is the social media platform for networking. While not necessarily offering the same exposure to the end customer as the more mainstream platforms like Instagram and Facebook, LinkedIn has the advantage of offering retailers the latest trends and news within their industry at their fi nger tips.

Great for visuals, and hugely popular with younger audiences, Instagram is the perfect platform for retailers looking to promote lots of visual content and short videos. Whilst building an aesthetically impressive, high-quality Instagram feed can be very time consuming, this social media platform is ideal for communicating with customers. The rate of engagement with brands on Instagram is 10 times higher than on Facebook, 54 times higher than Pinterest, and offering a whopping 84 times higher brand engagement than on Twitter.

A PICTURE SPEAKS A THOUSAND WORDS Through not really a social media platform in the traditional sense, YouTube offers the chance to connect with customers through videos, whether offering information on an upcoming release or exciting new products, producing satisfying unboxing videos or giving guidance on how customers can use their new tech, YouTube is ideal for building a visual presence for a brand or retailer, but more importantly offers a personal and charismatic line of communication.

Whilst the demographic adoption of social media differs platform to platform, the majority of UK consumers are active on at least one. Retailers should get to know their social strategy to attract, engage and retain their target audience and soon they will have built a digital-savvy, loyal customer base.