CAPITAL WATCH ISSUE 1 2018

owned mall in Romford. Walking across a walkway in the main entrance in the centre results in rewards for subscribing customers which can be swapped to make small purchases or in-store discounts. The customer’s choice of reward also provides valuable data to the retailer in itself. The technology also reinforces the link between the brand, the digital world and the physical place. A project with Adidas Boost saw messages from loved ones pop up on a screen as marathon runners passed over their walkways. Pavegen have also worked with Google to promote Pixel 2, creating a footfall-powered “selfie tunnel” which gave pedestrian users a selfie at the end in return for all-important data. And if you’re taking a flight from Abu Dhabi Airport any time soon, you might experience a Pavegen walkway that gamifies the usually tedious experience of walking between two terminals by generating electricity from footfall and using it to keep digital planes in the air. It’s this type of data that will help brands and retail locations get to know their shoppers better so that they can personalise the service they offer. It might also offer a way to ascribe value to physical stores and help measure their contribution to the final purchase; similar systems could be at the centre of how we monetise shops in the future. So what are the next steps for Pavegen? They want to build their market share and help create sustainable cities, using their product as a key piece of infrastructure to enable brands and retail locations to get to know their customers better. With major Pavegen installations being delivered over the coming months in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Thailand, UK and the US, it seems their grand plans are become a reality. Meanwhile, it’s back to the peonies for me – armed with a new set of branded gardening gloves. It’s this type of data that will help brands and retail locations get to know their shoppers better so that they can personalise the service they offer Laurence Kemball-Cook Pavegen Founder and CEO CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD 32 #TRENDING