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NRF in tweets: Highlights from the BIG show

Interactive displays were all a-Twitter this week during the National Retail Federation's annual convention.

January 16, 2014

The National Retail Federation's 103rd Annual Convention and EXPO wrapped up this week in New York City, leaving in its wake a plethora of new products, platforms and strategies designed to keep retailers at the forefront of the industry.

Interactive digital signage displays and kiosks were ubiquitous on the show floor, even if the number of display-specific companies showcasing in their own booths was a relative drop in the river that was the BIG Show. Many if not most booths had some type of digital display, either as part of their offerings or as away to attract visitors to their booth and to broadcast both their presence and their products.

And a good cross-section of that digital signage for retail ended up on Twitter as show attendees sent out their photos and thoughts into the social media stream.

Here is a sampling of some of the show highlights, as seen through tweets from the show:

The show may have started on Sunday, but the expo floor opened on Monday:

It sure is! RT @andrewbusby: Expo floor buzzing on 1st day morning #nrf14 pic.twitter.com/2P30W9txzE

— Retail's BIG Show (@RetailsBIGShow) January 13, 2014

Using facial, and even emotion, recognition was big at the show:

Intel using video to sense emotion at #NRF14 https://t.co/iq9sYrTh18

— retailgeek (@retailgeek) January 13, 2014

And NEC has another use for similar tech at #NRF14 , checkout scanners that don't need barcodes... pic.twitter.com/nR9Ih2YFLl

— DigitalSignageToday (@DigSignageToday) January 13, 2014

As were virtual dressing rooms, or variations thereof:

@Samsungtweets shows off some virtual dressing room tech at #NRF14 pic.twitter.com/RDIebp23HA

— DigitalSignageToday (@DigSignageToday) January 13, 2014

Magic! RT @SheilaSidhu Checking #IBM booth at #NRF14, found @tyrona trying on a dress in the virtual fitting room! pic.twitter.com/SR0mEE00yj

— IBM Interactive (@ibminteractive) January 15, 2014

Companies also showcased the integration of digital signage with sales associate control via mobile and tablets:

The team @DigSignageToday interviewing our CTO @daronyondem and CEO of @Magnetic3D Tom Zerega. #NRF14 pic.twitter.com/8baJaMYST5

— XOMNI (@xomni_cloud) January 13, 2014

Or letting shoppers create their own products via interactive signage:

This is awesome! @razorfishee Testing tech & designing surfboards. Create your own at @msretail booth 2703 #nrf14 pic.twitter.com/baxOX13MoI

— Fred's Bow Tie (@FredsBowTie) January 12, 2014

@tomnixnyc- leverage mobile technologies for personal, relevant & dynamic experiences on every screen in-store #NRF14 pic.twitter.com/ElZ4EFuZD7

— Scala (@ScalaInc) January 14, 2014

And while it may not have had much to do with digital signage, one of the BIG Show's biggest speakers — who apparently ran a little late for his session — may have had the one-liner of the week:

President Bush “I apologize about being late to #nrf14, it’s not like the old days, now I have to deal with traffic lights and stuff”

— retailgeek (@retailgeek) January 13, 2014

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