How Ripcurl mastered asset management with SignManager

Ripcurl needed a solution for managing thousands of visual assets across its retail network. SignManager’s intelligent asset management system was the key, according to Reilly McHugh of SignManager.

The power of in-store branding

When customers enter a retail store, mere seconds determine whether they stay engaged or lose interest. Ripcurl understands this dynamic well – it knows a sale can be won or lost in an instant based on the in-store experience. Complementing its surfing apparel and diverse product range, Ripcurl’s powerful in-store imagery plays a vital role in enhancing the customer experience, influencing purchase behaviour, and strengthening brand equity.

The challenge of managing brand assets at scale

Maintaining this cohesive branded experience across Australia and New Zealand posed a significant challenge for Ripcurl and Ozmosis. Managing thousands of visual assets, while ensuring content aligned with seasonal trends and prominently showcased flagship products and sponsored athletes, was an overwhelming task. The teams had to rely on spreadsheets, with various stakeholders holding ownership of their intellectual property, leading to a lack of unified control and visibility over what existed and where.

Not only was this process messy, time-consuming and inefficient, but Ripcurl lacked a visual overview of its assets across stores. Coordinating between various stakeholders – brand teams needing the right imagery and media, production managers requiring precise specifications, store managers relying on timely contractor scheduling, and procurement teams allocating budgets accurately – was difficult to organise, time intensive and prone to errors. The lack of unified communication and control frequently resulted in misalignments, delays and inefficiencies when executing branded asset rollouts network-wide. 

SignManager’s intelligent asset management solution

To streamline brand consistency across its retail network, Ripcurl turned to SignManager, Australia’s leading signage and brand management consultancy. SignManager created a custom, self-serve dashboard and asset database through its purpose-built brand management system Signifi, serving as a centralised hub of comprehensive asset information.

During a network-wide retail audit, SignManager dispatched contractors to record all in-store assets using its mobile app SignSpot. This process captured detailed data, including photos and comprehensive information, on thousands of bespoke displays, visual merchandising collateral, and imagery – all accessible through the dashboard.

Ripcurl could now holistically manage all displays, imagery, and print media, accounting for each store’s custom assets. This centralised system provided a single point of control, empowering Ripcurl to take charge of future rollouts with clear visibility into existing assets and locations.

The system offered advanced reporting capabilities, allowing Ripcurl to filter asset data and identify outdated assets requiring updates. With asset locations and details captured and mapped, SignManager helped remove old assets and install new branded elements. The new data captured during the installation of updated branded assets continuously enriched and updated the asset database, providing Ripcurl with real-time tracking and a transparent overview of its entire asset inventory across all locations – a level of visibility and control it had never experienced before.

Maintaining brand consistency at scale

In the competitive retail landscape, maintaining brand consistency across multiple locations is crucial for preserving a strong reputation. Every misaligned asset or outdated display risks undermining the brand equity Ripcurl has built over the last 50 years. The logistical complexity of coordinating these efforts across numerous locations transformed what was inherently a creative endeavour into a significant operational challenge. 

The impact of SignManager’s system

Today, Signifi is an integral part of Ripcurl’s in-store image management and branding process. The retailer now has a clear, up-to-date register of assets with key data and imagery for each, adding significant value to its branding efforts and enabling it to take control of its brand internationally. 

SignManager delivered time savings, consistency, and significant efficiency improvements, moving Ripcurl from chaos to streamlined management, and allowing its brand team to focus back on its core responsibilities. The custom, self-serve portal enabled Ripcurl to seamlessly select and update visual assets across its international network of retail stores with just a few clicks, streamlining the process of deploying branded content consistently across all locations at the click of a mouse. 

Intelligent solutions for retail branding

If your organisation faces similar challenges in managing in-store assets across a large retail network, SignManager can provide a more intelligent approach, creating a significant advantage for your business. SignManager has been developing best practice models for over 25 years, delivering knowledge and systems to implement more effective solutions for your brand.

• Contact SignManager today for a free consultation and see how it can help streamline your process and enhance your national retail network. signmanager.com.au | info@signmanager.com.au

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