Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. said it developed the world’s first digital POP sign using full-color Electronic Paper Display (EPD).
A field test using such prototype was held in conjunction with Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd’s “HANBANASAI” campaign that launched on Feb. 20, 2019.
The EPD in the prototype features Advanced Color ePaper produced by E Ink Holdings of Taiwan, which can display more than 32,000 colors and can update the content to display via simple steps on a PC or smartphone. Toppan has developed a digital POP sign using this full-color EPD, aiming to increase efficiency and to reduce waste in POP operations for in-store decoration.
POP signs for in-store decoration require cutting out of printed matter, pasting onto panels, mounting into sign cases, and physical layout of the sign cases when deploying, and signs are disposed of as waste once the event has finished or the campaign has changed.
Also, previous color EPD technology lacked bright white state reflectance and showed 4,096 colors, which was not appealing enough for digital POP applications for in-store decoration.
Since EPD does not require power to maintain the image once displayed, the digital POP does not require access to an AC power outlet or a cord to supply power to be used as in-store decoration. This lack of a power cord reduces the risk of tripping over and enables the digital POP to be easily moved around the shop floor to accommodate layout changes, much like existing paper-based POP.
In contrast to existing POP signs, which are disposed of as waste after a one-time use, this digital POP enables continued use by updating the POP content to display.
By using charged particles of cyan, magenta, yellow, and white, ACeP has a white state that is 1.5 times brighter and a color gamut multiple times larger than previous color EPD, showing more than 32,000 colors. This appealing display quality has made digital POP suited toward in-store decoration possible by EPD for the first time.