Interactive Video Wall Fosters Engagement Through Stories
NTT Ltd. is a global technology services company that applies their capabilities, technology, infrastructure and services to help accelerate organizations’ business transformation and modernization goals. The company employs more than 40,000 people, servicing 85 percent of the global Fortune 500, in a diverse and dynamic workforce.
Among other areas, the company has demonstrated expertise in helping clients create a modern workplace environment that ensures a seamless workflow and optimized applications to increase efficiency and drive meaningful innovation. In early 2019, the company turned that expertise inward to launch a new intelligent workplace in the heart of New York City at One Penn Plaza. The new workplace features an experience center to engage clients, partners and prospective clients around the NTT brand. To better communicate its value proposition, the company decided to adopt a digital storytelling approach and engaged collaboration solutions provider AVI-SPL to work together on a solution.
“We help our clients transform how employees, customers and things connect,” added Mitchell Hershkowitz, VP/GM Intelligent Workplace at NTT Ltd. in the Americas. “The evolution of our own physical space into a truly intelligent workplace empowers our employees and showcases the value of connected systems using intelligence derived from data, location services and modern collaboration tools.”
AVI-SPL’s strategic consultative process led to the installation of a nearly 12-foot-long, 7-foot-high Clarity® Matrix® MultiTouch LCD Video Wall System in a 3x3 configuration from Planar. Offering the latest touch technology, the Clarity Matrix MultiTouch enables up to 32 touch points—allowing multiple users to simultaneously interact with the video wall without affecting other users. Clarity Matrix MultiTouch provides pinpoint accuracy and is protected by Planar® ERO-LCD™ (Extended Ruggedness and Optics™) technology—a protective glass that is bonded to the front of the display for creating a highly durable surface.
“New York is a massive market for technology and there’s no better place than One Penn Plaza—it’s at the center of it all,” said Fred Frisco, business development manager, AVI-SPL Northeast Region. “The client’s intent with the experience center was to create a showpiece for their strategy. Based on the message they wanted to convey, we felt that an immersive type of application—and particularly a touch screen technology—would offer the most value.”
Interactive storytelling drives immersive experiences
Located in the front reception area of the new One Penn Plaza workplace, the Clarity Matrix MultiTouch video wall serves as a digital canvas for presenting stories through an interactive approach.
“Walking into the space, the video wall is the first thing you notice,” Frisco said. “The installation is clean, impressive and it really contributes to their branding and strategy.”
NTT Ltd. partnered with its internal creative services agency to have a range of customized stories developed focusing on NTT’s history and unique market expertise, including how its services and technology can help companies succeed in a digital world.
“The narratives relate to our customers, our partners and our people, and also tell the story of our journey as a company,” said Vincent Nocella, Vice President, IT Information Systems at NTT Ltd. in the Americas. “The experience is designed to be user-driven, empowering each person to freely explore content and follow their own narrative direction.”
Nocella’s team can easily update the Clarity Matrix MultiTouch video wall as updated content and presentation materials are developed. “We have the flexibility to adapt to a specific narrative and create a more personalized experience based on the customer or the group of customers that are visiting,” he said.
A tool for compelling stories
As the industry and business practices continue to change with the digital transformation of society, Nocella says technologies such as Clarity Matrix MultiTouch are becoming increasingly more relevant. “Back when IT started to emerge as a necessity, it was still concealed in the background, but now it has moved to the forefront,” he said. “The video wall is a great example of how technology can be used to represent a company through stories.”
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
Ehren drives Fearing’s technology by continually seeking out trends to enhance capabilities while supporting Sales, Engineering and Installation teams. Throughout his years with Fearing’s, Ehren’s talent and vision have joined forces to create a wide variety of projects and strategic solutions that exceed expectation.
Ehren loves music, family time, movies, nature, sustainability efforts and electric vehicles.
With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
Chris has been with Fearing’s for 20 years and in the industry for over 2 decades. As a Certified leader in Sales Acceleration and trained in EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems), Chris successfully utilizes his skills to lead the Fearing’s Salesforce. Chris and team are motivated and driven to develop new client partnerships while continuing to reinforce loyal long-term relationships with ongoing Service excellence.
Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
