Germanos
Turnkey signage and merchandising solutions for the leading technology retailer in the Balkans.
Germanos is a multinational retailer of electronics and telephony that reached, at its peak, more than 1000 stores in 7 countries. We were there from the early stages of the network and at every major milestone, developing and deploying the merchandising materials, shopfitting systems and retail signage that always kept Germanos ahead of its competition. 4 decades of operations, 4 retail identities. And we have been involved in every single one.
The evolution of Germanos
Our relationship with Germanos started in the 80’s when the chain’s pioneering founder, Panos Germanos, owned a small battery shop in Athens. In the coming decades, the network grew immensely and Germanos became one of the strongest retail brands in the country. We believe we helped.
How it all began
The small battery shop in central Athens where it all began. To this day, Germanos has retail presence in that very street.
The first retail identity
Essentially the first retail identity of the Germanos franchise, the famous “battery” logo was introduced in the mid-90’s. Based on this identity, we developed and deployed the new signage and shopfitting system across the rapidly expanding network in South East Europe.
Product stands & furniture
The Germanos stores were among the first points of sale of mobile phones in Greece. So our merchandising stands were adapted to this new product category.
A new identity
The battery logo was replaced with the “power on” logo in 2002 to mark the chain’s shift from batteries to electronics. Once again, we were selected to develop the new visual identity products and signs and roll them out to the entire Romanian network as well as stores in Greece and Poland.
A new retail environment
In 2011, Germanos wanted to refresh the retail space of its 400-store network and create a warmer environment and a more welcoming customer experience. So we were once again appointed to manufacture and apply the new retail concept. Working at a pace of 24 stores per week, our teams upgraded the retail space of Germanos stores nationwide by installing a a complete array of shopfitting and interior signage products.
Our solutions
To upgrade the store’s look and feel by recycling the existing infrastructure, we installed a bespoke product panel system over the existing fixtures. With the addition of linear LED lighting, LCD display stands, freestanding product gondolas and category signage, we modernized the Germanos network but avoided the premiums of a full-scale refit.
Wall retail fixtures
To increase the visibility of products and draw the shoppers’ attention, we added ACM frames with reverse LED illumination as a second layer over the product panels. Over the frames, a green and orange LED strip was used to differentiate the product zones.
Romania
When the re-imaging project was successfully completed in Greece, Kouros was selected to adapt the concept for the retail network in Romania and develop the prototype stores.
Exterior signage
In recent years, we have successfully developed and implemented 3 countrywide signage programmes, helping Germanos refresh and upgrade the network’s store facades.
Greece
The Germanos sign used until 2017 consisted of illuminated channel letters and a thermoformed logo, installed either over of a front-lit, gradient backdrop or on metal rails.
Romania
Artius was selected as the sole supplier the countrywide exterior rebranding programme of Germanos in Romania. With the use of wide-angle LED lighting, we managed to minimize the channel letters’ depth by more than 50% to 8cm and the sign’s total depth by 35%. The result was a sign that cost less, was easier to handle and install and whose production required less materials to complete.
New logo, new sign
With the introduction of the brand’s new logo, we were tasked to design and develop the new exterior signage. Working together with an award-winning design agency, we developed a retrofitting solution that used the existing sign as the base layer for the new signage elements in order to economize on material costs and speed up the installation process. The illuminated logos are manufactured using LED’s embedded in solid, light-optimized acrylics and filtered graphics, resulting in bright, uniform lighting and minimal letter depth.
The next generation of interactive stores
In 2016, we were once again selected by the Germanos retail team to develop the merchandising hardware for the new generation of stores and roll it out nationwide. We manufactured the signage, shopfitting and merchandising and completed the interior rebranding project of the Greek network within twelve months.
More wood, more light, more screens
The new concept brings together the disciplines of both home and retail design, adding wooden furniture, decorative elements, warmer lighting and color-neutral illuminated panels in the retail space.
Customer engagement
To increase customer activation, our product displays are now more interactive with the use of digital signage and by adding support for live digital devices such as smart gadgets, phones and video game consoles.
Bespoke signage
Our standard range of merchandising materials for the new concept includes more than 200 items. But whenever Germanos needs a bespoke solution, we develop a bespoke solution. From interior signage to illuminated wall fixtures and from complex facade cladding to store-entrance video walls.