Project: Georgia Aquarium Digital Box Office Solution
Client: Georgia Aquarium
Submitted by: Allure Global Solutions



Brief overview of the project/technology: 

Georgia Aquarium deployed the Allure Global Solutions Digital Box Office (DBO) implementation at its entrance ticketing location. The overall solution includes three 55” Sunbrite outdoor LCD displays mounted above the ticketing windows in landscape format. Georgia Aquarium worked in conjunction with Allure Global to create a messaging strategy that helps inform customers of their admission and event ticket pricing while entertaining and preparing their customers for an entertaining, intriguing and educational aquarium experience. 

The Allure Global DBO solution includes interruption marketing (IM)^TM, which takes control of all three displays' real estate simultaneously to bring focused attention to Georgia Aquarium promotions and special events. The Allure Global DBO application allows Georgia Aquarium the ability to easily create, edit and schedule content and price changes. These changes can be scheduled and deployed in advance through the use of a sophisticated day parting feature, allowing for time of day and/or day of week scheduling.

Objectives of the deployment or the technology:

As the world’s largest aquarium, Georgia Aquarium features more animals than any other aquarium in more than ten million gallons of water. Due to its size and popularity, Georgia Aquarium has an ever evolving set of programs and events which need to be publicized. In addition, Georgia Aquarium has a constant flow of visitors in the box office area. These visitors need the ability to quickly and easily understand the variety of ticketing options and ever changing events. 

With this in mind, Georgia Aquarium needed a solution that could provide the following:   

1)    Pricing Optimization      

i.    Georgia Aquarium was moving to a new pricing structure that required the ability to schedule different pricing for peak and off peak times. They needed a system that could accommodate this and allow for exception scheduling for holiday periods.      

ii.    Update ticket information and pricing on demand as pricing periodically changes.     

2)    Interruptive Marketing (IM)      

i.    The ability to educate consumers on upcoming events which are constantly evolving and changing.        
ii.    The ability to promote new exhibits within the Georgia Aquarium.

Results achieved relative to the objectives:

Upon completion of the project, Georgia Aquarium accomplished all of their objectives. The Allure Global DBO provided Georgia Aquarium the ability to convert to a new pricing structure seamlessly for the 2012 calendar year. The new pricing structure required advanced scheduling features which were readily available within the Allure Global system, including peak / off peak pricing and pricing for special events. The ticket information and pricing was able to be updated on demand as needed by the Georgia Aquarium box office team. The Allure Global DBO began to immediately promote current events and upcoming attractions via the IM functionality. The IM, which takes control of all three displays' real estate simultaneously, brings focused attention to upcoming events and new exhibits. Georgia Aquarium staff has the ability to add and remove new content as needed based on the marketing calendar for promotions.

Size and geographic location(s) of the deployment: 

This solution was deployed at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, GA. The solution was deployed on three 55" outdoor LCDs. The displays are viewed by between one and two million visitors per year. We realize that the breadth of the deployment is not as large as other projects, but we selected this project due to the number of visitors and the high satisfaction with how the solution met their needs.

Steven Marsh of Allure Global Systems accepts the award from Jennifer Nye, DSA EVP - Digital Signage.

Selected judges’ comments: 

• An impressive demonstration of the difference that a quite small digital signage installation can make when it's perfectly aligned to business needs, easily manageable, and placed in an effective location. No unnecessary features or over-flashy visual effects. A win-win for the business and the consumer alike. 
• Beautiful, just beautiful.
• Signage allows for communication of pricing and upcoming events. The signage is used as three separate pricing menus, but is also leveraged as a single presentation of all three screens to create a grand moment. They have incorporated features of the aquarium into the design of the signage which works well.
  
• Interesting aggregating of the screens for a marketing message. Excellent tie in to the POS system for synchronicity of pricing.