April 14, 2010 (FinancialWire) — Chicago's Block 37 recently contracted and purchased four LED video displays from Daktronics, Inc. (NASDAQ: DAKT). Bordered by State, Randolph, Dearborn and Washington Streets, Block 37 features a world-class collection of shopping, dining and entertainment unlike anywhere else in Chicago.

The new Daktronics-manufactured LED video displays are situated in the five-story atrium located inside Center Court of Block 37. The four displays are hung above each of the floor levels in a stacked arrangement, adding to the dramatic visual impact of Block 37's Center Court.Each board measures approximately 4 feet high by 25 feet wide and advertises moving videos promoting Block 37 retailers and area attractions.

"The boards are an advertising medium that distinguishes the shopping center from our competition," said Jeanne Jordan DeFrank, marketing manager for Block 37. "They allow our retailers an effective means of capturing shoppers' and commuters' attention while in the center, thus raising the potential for incremental sales."

Block 37 is creating a symbiotic relationship with neighbors, such as Broadway in Chicago, by running footage of their latest plays on the displays. In addition, calming footage of Lincoln Park Zoo animals and sea creatures from the Shedd Aquarium also intertwine among advertising for the center and Block 37's retailers, providing a proper balance for shoppers.

Based on Block 37's traffic counters strategically positioned at the entrances, DeFrank estimates approximately 20,000 people enter the shopping center on a daily basis, and as retailers continue to open, that number is forecasted to increase.

"The LED boards, like the shopping center itself, are evolving," said DeFrank. "In the future, we may look to outside advertisers, featuring brands that our retailers sell, as a potential source of revenue for the center."

For shopping centers like Block 37, signage is often the first component that meets the consumer's eye. Daktronics LED video technology helps enhance shopping center themes and provides incredible ambiance that keeps shoppers returning. By pushing the boundaries of LED technology, Daktronics video displays wrap structures of any shape and size, add dimension and dynamics to flat surfaces, and turn the normal, everyday advertising screen into impacting, motion-driven signage.

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