CUPRA Garage Milan, a story in pictures
CUPRA is a contemporary and unconventional brand, launched just over 3 years ago, in 2018, who is reshaping the philosophy and the approach behind car sales experience. A brand that bases its own strategy on the proposal of vehicles that go beyond rational, where design, performances and emotions come together with dynamics and innovation, offering customers a new way of interpreting dynamics and sustainability through its models.
In line with this policy, the decision to go local with representative showrooms, where the experience and emotions that the customer wants to experience are of fundamental importance. Among the first to be opened is the one in Milan, which joins the CUPRA Garages already opened in Mexico City, Hamburg and Munich, to be followed by those in Madrid, Rotterdam, Lisbon and Berlin.
The construction of the Milanese space, located in Corso Como 1, was entrusted to the general contractor Fkontract, which, for the implementation of the Digital Signage part, chose the expertise of ACS Data Systems. A design collaboration that led to the two companies being commissioned to develop CUPRA and SEAT showrooms throughout Italy, where the unique and emotional style of the architecture blends with digital communication technology.
An engaging space for a new purchase experience
The concept of the Milan flagship store aims to involve the customer's emotional sphere to create a personal and long-lasting bond with the brand. The design narrative goes beyond the product, beyond the car itself, to become the spokesperson for a lifestyle that is identified in lifestyle articles resulting from partnerships and collaborations with well-known design brands. The sales approach traditionally adopted in the automotive sector has thus been overturned to create moments of encounter and sharing between buyer and seller, between the staff themselves, or simply with those who decide to enter the showroom while driving along Corso Como.
“The aim is to offer customers a positive experience, to welcome them and put them at their ease – says Stefano Frey, owner of Fkontract – We are convinced that in the retail space it is the emotion that counts, because it is linked to the choice of stopping, entering and continuing the visit to the showroom. The buyer is looking for something new in his shopping experience and it is by following a concept linked to the senses, to emotions, that the most innovative design and planning ideas are born. Secondly, it is essential to give a clear reading of the space, allowing those who enter to orient themselves and understand briefly what is on offer. In the Milan space the latest car model is certainly the protagonist, but it is not the only objective of the project, there is a display of design articles related to the CUPRA brand, which completes the story of the brand, and the Digital Signage that is placed in this context giving vision and interactivity to the concrete experience of the car. Thanks to the collaboration with ACS, the hardware of architecture merges with the software of innovation and multimedia content that conveys images, life and emotions”.
The CUPRA garage in Milan has an area of around 350 square meters on two levels. On the upper floor is the display area, an area that accommodates two cars, from which there is full visibility of the design products linked to the brand. The space is completed by a corner with a station for formalizing the purchase, a space dedicated to video communication and a bar area where customers can be received, while the lower floor has been organized as a multidisciplinary workspace that can host events. In accordance with a different sales approach, the salesman's station has been interpreted as a welcoming lounge where the driving experience can be designed together with the customer.
“In the choice of materials, there are clear references to the brand – continues Stefano Frey – For example, we chose to use the copper in the logo as the leitmotif of the fittings. The false ceiling is made of technical materials such as steel and copper that recall the image of the CUPRA cars, while the flooring is made of materials that recall the concept of roads or car parks. For the windows and doors, we were inspired by the old garages. The furnishings, integrated into the architecture and made to measure, are complemented by reconfigurable tables, chairs, and sofas, with finishes in line with the project concept. The choice of wall colors and soft lighting, accentuated in the focal points of the exhibition space, also contribute to recreating the atmosphere that distinguishes CUPRA environments”.
The digital component of spaces
“The tendency is to create links between the physical and the digital – says Michele Kerschbaumer, Head of Digital Signage at ACS Data Systems – The online experience has grown considerably, and when people have to choose a car, in most cases they make an initial online exploration, searching into the various sites according to their tastes. CUPRA, which is a young brand and out of the box compared to the classic automotive offer, wanted to create innovative and digital salons, which become a point of contact with a new customer, passionate about cars, looking for performance and emotions. The new space, modern, contemporary and textured, has been enriched with the digital component, proposing the reverse journey: our task has been to transport the customer who physically enters the CUPRA Garage inside a virtual salon, creating the flow from offline to online".
A fundamental aspect was the consultancy offered by ACS, which - thanks to its expertise in both technology and content management - supported the client with useful suggestions for enriching the digital offer in the best possible way, simplifying its management. The partnership between Fkontract and ACS Data Systems has led to the creation of a dozen CUPRA Garages in Italy. Many more will be built next year following the concept developed for the Milan garage. “Other major car manufacturers are aiming to offer their customers a new dimension in the shopping experience based on a combination of emotion and technology”, concludes Michele Kerschbaumer.
The Digital Signage designed by ACS Data Systems included the installation of 2 x 13" Samsung touch LED displays, 2 x 98" Samsung 4k LED displays, Samsung 5.0 x 2.7m LED walls and a Bose sound system. The installation was completed by the INFINITYS solution, which guarantees easy device management and content loading.
Article published by Officelayout.
