VIRGIN MEGASTORES ENGAGE SHOPPERS WITH INTERACTIVE DIGITAL MARKETING FROM EPSON AND GESTURETEK

New York, NY, December 7, 2005 – Today at the StoreXpo show, Epson, a leading supplier of value-added Point of Sale (POS) solutions, announced installations of its digital marketing technology in two Virgin Megastore locations, including the largest entertainment store in the world, the Times Square, New York City Virgin Megastore, and the newly opened, Hollywood & Highland, west coast flagship Megastore. Partnering with GestureTek, the world leader in interactive gesture-based technologies, Epson delivered a dynamic, interactive floor display that enhances the creative shopping experience customers have come to expect when visiting a Virgin Megastore.

“With over 70% of all customer purchasing decisions being influenced in the store, retailers are searching for more dynamic in-store advertising solutions,” said Bud Weist, vice president of Epson sales and marketing, System Device group. “At Virgin Megastores, we delivered an innovative and customized digital marketing solution that attracts, engages and retains shoppers.”

“Customers respond warmly to interactive initiatives as long as they are relevant, fun, simple, and different,” said Dave Alder, Chief Marketing Officer for Virgin Entertainment Group, North America. “We have employed the Epson / GestureTek interactive projection solution to achieve all four.” The solution projects imagery from the iconic sleeve of Nirvana’s seminal album, Nevermind, a key seller at the Virgin Megastore chain. The image becomes animated when shoppers interact with it, creating a fullbody interactive customer experience combining movement, sight and sound. “It’s a perfect use of the technology,” noted Alder.

“Combining Epson’s expertise in imaging technologies with our GroundFX® interactive software, retailers have a compelling new avenue for in-store advertising,” said Bill Leckonby, GestureTek’s CEO. “It elevates in-store advertising to a new level, and retailers like Virgin have the potential for a very healthy return on investment.”

About Virgin Entertainment Group
Virgin Entertainment Group is the world’s leading multi-channel music and entertainment retailer, providing customers with a range of superior entertainment experiences through a family of integrated Virgin-branded businesses. The “category killer” Virgin Megastores offer the broadest selection of music and DVDs plus a cutting edge assortment of games, books, fashion and electronics. For more information, or to locate the Virgin retail outlet nearest you, go to www.virginmega.com.

About GestureTek
GestureTek (formerly known as Jestertek) is the world leader in gesture technologies employed in a wide array of applications and environments: videogame consoles; museum/trade show exhibits; location based entertainment facilities; physical rehabilitation programs; corporate boardrooms for executive presentations; military control rooms; retail kiosks; interactive floors/windows and interactive billboards. GestureTek headquarters are in Toronto, Canada, with additional offices in Ottawa, Silicon Valley, and New York. For information and/or a DVD or video, contact GestureTek at 1-800-315-1189 ext. 273.

About Epson
Epson offers an extensive array of POS printers, transaction terminals, and network projectors for the retail, hospitality, supermarket and banking markets. Founded in 1975, Epson America is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America, Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, California. For more information, please visit www.pos.epson.com/digital.

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