Let there be light

What would we do without light? We need light to see things. Without light, how can we tell how something looks? Depending on how it is lighted, we may find an object attractive, or else not too appealing. Thus, when we want to showcase something — a skill, a talent, a product — we say we must “show it off in the best light.”

Storeowners know this. But with so many stores vying for attention in a mall, which one will be the first to catch the shopper’s eye? Most likely, the one that stands out in the best light.

It used to be that storeowners thought bright, almost glaring light, was the best kind of luminescence to attract buyers — the better to display their wares and keep the customers entranced and get them to spend more hours inside the store. “But you also get very tired with a constant bright light,” says Khoo Peng Beng of the Arc Studio in Singapore. “Static light is not natural. If you go out in the natural world, you’ll find that lighting is dynamic, from the soft light of early morning, progressing to glaring light at midday, to dark in the evening.”

Natural light is not constant. It changes throughout the day. So why not also interior lighting? “Lighting affects how space is experienced. It can communicate mood, atmosphere, movement. It can provide depth, dimension, drama,” Khoo says. “Philips AmbiScene is able to do all these.”

At the Philips AmbiScene event held recently at Suntec Singapore, International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Chandrasekhar V, senior director, BU Luminaires, Philips Lighting ASEAN, remarked, “Philips AmbiScene is a flexible lighting concept designed to help retailers create inspiring and meaningful shopping experiences.” First launched in Europe in October 2006, it had its launch in the Asia-Pacific market in Hong Kong in November 2007.

“Shopping is no longer just about buying products,” Matthew Cobham, Philips LiDAC manager ASEAN, remarks. “It is about experience.”

Extensive research has been done to find out what motivates shoppers — what end users really want. Many shop out of necessity, to buy basic needs; or out of a sense of responsibility, a sense of duty, to provide for their loved ones. Others shop for recognition:

“Shopping for specific brands that express oneself and communicate with the surrounding world.” Then there’s shopping as a social activity, “a way to express the shoppers’ personality and identity.” Shopping can also be a journey of discovery. “People shop for pleasure, power, control, as well  as a sense of belonging,” Cobham explains.

AmbiScene can change shop lighting in different ways (direction, timing, contrast, color, tones), at the flick of a switch, changing settings to meet different shopping motivations at different times. It can also be tailored to support seasonal events such as a summer sale or the launch of a new collection. “AmbiScene can create exciting environments and trigger interactivity between people, the shops, and the products on sale,” Cobham observes.

“With flexible lighting, AmbiScene can make the individual the focus of attention by bringing elements of personalization into the store, making the individual feel recognized and treated in a special way. AmbiScene can also create just the right ambiance that makes shopping a convenient and stress-free experience.”

LED (light emitting diode) lighting is the revolutionary technology that is suited for flexible lighting. It offers a more cost-efficient alternative to the traditional light bulb in that it is twice as bright and longer-lasting. It is energy-saving and emits less heat. It is better at placing light in a single direction, a feature that can be used to best advantage in store displays. LED strip lights can be installed under counters or show windows. It emits no ultraviolet rays, so it does not damage the product.

“Anybody can offer LED technology,” Chandrasekhar remarks. “We are able to differen-tiate ourselves in that we provide a complete, flexible solution. We are able to not only work with the retailers in terms of giving them a basic understanding of the consumer needs but we are also able to offer them a complete range of solutions, both conventional, LEDs, and in what formats they want, for a full store or adaptation to a small store.

“We are able to work with architects and designers to help them work with their retailers, providing them technological information, at the same time offering retailers a complete range of after-sale service and support which Philips globally is able to provide,” he adds.

Roberto S. Claudio, chairman and CEO of Toby’s in the Philippines, can see the application of Philips AmbiScene flexible lighting in his spor-ting goods stores, particularly in the “interactive corners” where the appropriate atmosphere enhances the sporting experience. While it may require a substantial initial outlay, savings in energy consumption will prove to be more advantageous in the long run.

Kamiseta, the popular fashion boutique, has always succeeded in differentiating itself, not only with trendy clothes but also with the cozy interior design of their stores. “We have 62 stores nationwide,” says Gonzalo A. Roque III, president of Kamiseta. With the speed with which collections and trends change, Philips AmbiScene flexible lighting can provide an even greater competitive edge.

“You will see a lot of global brands coming in using this kind of technology, using architectu-rally new designs, coming up with different material concepts and lighting concepts to enhance the store to attract more customers.” Chandrasekhar observes. “As a result, you also see a lot of Asian retailers having to compete with global retailers, and you see them integrating these new technologies in their stores. We’ve had our latest success in the Philippines in the last two years and it’s a very clear indication that lighting by itself is being very seriously looked at in terms of creating the overall ambience in the store, creating different effects.

Now with the advancement of dynamic lighting, I’m sure it will go further.”

“It can be used in lighting store facades,” Cobham noted, “not just in changing colors through lighting because the technology is there to do it, but emphasizing the architecture and respecting it and applying what is appropriate.

Sometimes we just use it to calibrate and re-fix what is already there,” he adds. “AmbiScene gives us the flexibility. For this to work, the key is for us to be involved in the project as early as possible, so that we can actually help apply the technology as appropriately as possible.”

“We see the application of dynamic lighting not only in retail stores but also in other areas such as residential condominiums, landscapes, parks, the whole environment, in fact in all places where there is human interaction,” Khoo remarks.

“In the Philippines, it can be used to light up monuments and old churches, to highlight their historical beauty,” Shiang Ning Wee, general manager, lighting division of Philips in the Philippines, interjects. Flexible lighting can change with the seasons. “It can also be adapted, depending on the cultural necessities of the region such as the celebration of festivals or fiestas.”

Soon to be launched in Asia as well is the same concept that can be used in homes. “Living Colors allows you to create your own colors in your home,” Chandrasekhar remarks. It is like painting your walls with light. Based on consumer insight, 16 million colors had been programmed and by scrolling around the color wheel, you can create your colors in different shades and tones from warm to cool, to suite your changing moods.

“The idea that light can change and animate an otherwise static scenery has really captured our imagination,” Khoo says. “We’ve humanized lighting.”