Davidoff of Geneva’s in-store branding revolves around combining high-tech media with sleek interiors. Blending elements such as extra-large LED displays, invisible speakers, and Swiss design, the cigar company’s 2,000-square-foot flagship store in Manhattan was looking to implement a comprehensive control solution that would provide the power to automate and easily operate the store’s entire AV system — without intruding on the location’s meticulous visual presentation. By turning to RTI’s sophisticated control and automation technology, integrator Mattera Design was able to maintain the Swiss brand’s flawless appearance while creating an intuitive control experience simple enough for any staff member to use.

“In order to match Davidoff’s standards, every component we selected needed to provide near-perfect audio, video, and control capabilities while remaining essentially invisible to customers — keeping the spotlight on the premium cigar products rather than the gear,” said Joseph August Mattera, owner of Mattera Design Inc. “By choosing RTI, we were able to supply the location with dependable control and two-way driver technology to integrate virtually any electronic component, along with flexible customization options that let us create user interfaces that keep things extremely simple for staff members. Since the flagship store was also tapped to be the template for future Davidoff locations across the country, getting it right the first time became our utmost priority. We knew that we could rely on RTI to deliver on that point.”

Consisting of five zones, the Davidoff of Geneva flagship store features an invisible audio experience by pairing Stealth acoustic speakers with a Sonos audio system — providing aesthetically pleasing acoustic components to the location’s walk-in humidor, sales area, smoking lounge, restroom, and office area. With LED displays placed behind the sales counter and within the smoking room, the store broadcasts product documentaries and branding videos, which allow customers to learn more about new products and Davidoff’s rich history while shopping. The setting also features a PA system to accommodate corporate meetings or special events. Powered by RTI’s robust XP8s control processor, the solution ensures that every AV system and source component across the store is reliably automated. Ideal for light commercial installations, the high-end remote control processor offers a wide range of interface options such as two-way RS-232, routable IR, Ethernet, and relay control to seamlessly operate systems such as AV equipment, lighting, security, and HVAC systems.

To comprehensively control the entire AV experience, the Davidoff of Geneva installation features RTI’s award-winning RTiPanel app for iPad^® and Virtual Panel app for PCs. Using the intuitive control interfaces, employees can easily select music, adjust volume levels, and target specific audio zones across the store. Staff can also select branded content for the sales counter display or choose sources for the store’s smoking lounge, including cable TV news channels and live sports or streaming movies from an Apple TV^®. Customized using RTI’s Integration Designer^® software, the integrator was able to easily program the RTI interfaces to include custom icons and buttons to accommodate Davidoff’s corporate logos and branding colors. To increase control flexibility even further, the RTiDock lets staff members connect an iPod^® directly into the venue’s distributed audio system, while RTI’s two-way driver for Sonos^® wireless music players brings users even greater control and two-way feedback directly from their interfaces.

“The in-store AV system has been made extremely easy for our employees to operate,” said name, title, Davidoff of Geneva. “Any employee, regardless of technical background or training, can confidently set up the store’s content when they open in the morning without ever revisiting the system throughout the day. Our customers particularly enjoy the store’s ambiance, especially in the cigar lounge where people are impressed with how immersive we’ve made the space without exposing any speakers or equipment. This level of operational and aesthetic simplicity sets the standard for our future plans, and we’ve already ordered four more locations to be designed exactly like our flagship store.”