Digital signage in retail has shifted from background decoration to a strategic driver of storytelling, customer engagement, and sales. Increasingly sophisticated installations, capable of responding in real time, are helping retailers transform their stores into dynamic, interactive environments that connect with customers on a deeper level.
That ambition underpins Dashing Group’s recent acquisition of Seen Technology, a leading Australian digital retail specialist. Now operating as Seen, by Dashing, the business fuses digital expertise with Dashing’s long track record in creative retail execution, offering clients an integrated path from strategy and design to production and installation.
“For us, acquiring Seen is about giving our clients more ways to inspire, engage, and convert their customers,” says Russell Kavnat, CEO of Dashing Group. “By fusing Seen’s deep digital expertise with our history in creative retail execution, we can offer truly integrated solutions – whatever the medium, whatever the challenge.”
Seen, by Dashing is best known for its customised LED displays, large-format screens, and proprietary cloud-based content management system, which allows brands to publish content instantly across their entire network of stores. Clients include Rag, Cotton On Group, Asics, Accent Group, Bonds and Myer, in Australia. Seen also supports its clients’ global digital signage requirements, with its supply and support network now spanning Asia, the US, Canada, the UK, and South Africa.
“From captivating window displays to immersive in-store content, we help retailers, QSR brands, property groups and other industries bring their spaces to life,” says Renée Petale, director of business development and strategy at Seen, by Dashing. “It’s about guiding customers and guests and creating true connections.
“We are all about creating experiences people want to share,” Petale says. “Lots of retailers are trying to find the next big thing, and we support our clients on that journey. We actively track global trends and bring back ideas that we think will resonate locally.”
From static to interactive
Today’s digital signage does more than loop promotional videos. It can adapt to context, spark interaction, and even trigger personalised product journeys.
“Digital can elevate the store experience from end to end,” says Petale. “Storytelling through digital signage and interactive displays encourages higher participation. Customers engage actively with the brand narrative rather than just passively receiving it.”
One example is “lift and learn” technology, where picking up a product triggers tailored content on a nearby screen. “We’ve deployed lift-and-learn in some stores,” says Petale. “If a customer picks up a shoe, it can trigger related content – styling inspiration, performance features, or brand storytelling. It gives that moment of interaction, gets customers excited, and ultimately increases the likelihood of purchase.”
Seen, by Dashing has also worked with RFID technology to extend the experience into fitting rooms. When a shopper picks up an item, screens along their path can display matching products or promotions, creating a personalised narrative from selection to try-on.
Interactive screens, architectural LEDs, and pathfinder displays are also in demand, Petale says. These innovations can be embedded into shelving, wrapped around store entrances, or integrated into windows to make a store stand out.
“It’s about brand presence,” she adds. “And because the content can change seasonally or by campaign, the store becomes a flexible, living environment.”
Case studies in immersive storytelling
Seen, by Dashing’s portfolio illustrates how digital signage can scale from subtle to spectacular.
One standout activation was for Nike’s Sydney CBD flagship store during the Women’s Football World Cup. The team created a three-storey LED installation, dubbed the Nike Dream Arena. It featured a two-metre-tall LED football custom-built for the campaign, a 10-metre screen running across three levels, LED windows, and even an LED tunnel leading into the store. Some of the elements of the installation remain in the store, and the custom ball made of LED screens, which is now displayed at Ultra Football in Sydney.
“It was all about football and driving sales to support the World Cup,” Petale recalls.
Other examples include digital screens in fitting room waiting areas that recommend complementary items, or shelving-mounted LED “bay headers” that can be rented to brands for promotional messaging. Seen has also experimented with digital try-ons, where screens simulate how clothing or footwear might look on a customer.
“These executions don’t just decorate a store,” Petale says. “They drive engagement, recall, and purchase.”
The new canvas: Transparent LED
The latest breakthrough in digital signage, transparent mesh LED, adheres seamlessly to storefront glazing, turning windows into dynamic displays that draw customers in while preserving natural light and unobstructed views from inside the store.
“When deployed with single-piece content on a black background, the display delivers a holographic effect,” says Petale. “We recently installed this technology across the entire front window of Janai Jewellery on Collins Street, Melbourne. The frameless design adheres directly to the glass, creating imagery that is truly captivating.”
For retailers, the appeal is obvious: Storefronts can function as both a traditional window and a full-motion digital billboard.
Retailers take notice
The convergence of creative design, hardware, and software is making digital signage accessible to a wider range of retailers. With SeenCMP’s cloud-based communication management platform, brands can push out content instantly across territories, control messaging centrally, and adapt campaigns on the fly.
Petale sees momentum building: “Retailers are increasingly embracing interactive displays, and we’re experiencing growing demand for pathfinder executions, touch screens, and other innovations.”
International trade shows are another source of inspiration. Seen’s team regularly attends exhibitions in Asia to scout emerging technologies. “We bring those ideas back to Australia and present them to our clients,” Petale says. “We want to keep Australia progressing with world trends.”
Beyond signage
For Dashing, the acquisition of Seen is not just about hardware; it’s about the future. It’s about positioning digital as an integral part of the retail environment.
The acquisition positions Dashing Group as the only Australian retail partner that combines top-tier strategic, creative, production, installation, and digital innovation under one roof. This ensures that every project not only looks extraordinary but also works hard to connect brands with their audiences meaningfully.
