WPP Retail Expert Joins Computer Vision Specialist VSBLTY’s Board

A retail expert from one of the world’s largest ad companies has joined VSBLTY‘s Board of Directors, offering the latest signal of the smart signage and computer vision specialist’s expansion efforts in the the retail sector.

David Roth is a high-level executive with WPP, a London-based firm that dabbles in everything from public relations to commerce to technology, and that is widely considered the world’s biggest ad firm by revenues. Roth is the CEO of The Store, WPP’s global retail practice; and he is Chairman of WPP BAV, a consultancy focused on in-store innovation. Roth is also a documentary filmmaker and the author of multiple books and studies including “Brand Stories from Brand Champions” and “The Third Era of Digital Retailing”.

In announcing Roth’s appointment as a non-executive member of the board, VSBLTY co-founder and CEO Jay Hutton framed it as an important strategic maneuver with respect to the promotion of the company’s “Store as a Medium” strategy, which aims to help retailers use technological innovation to build meaningful relationships with customers. VSBLTY announced the launch of a “SaaM” mobile app in collaboration with Intel and The Store-WPP in January.

“David Roth, with his global retail expertise, considerably strengthens the team we are assembling to take advantage of the most important media channel to emerge in decades,” Hutton said. “SaaM represents a complete alteration and disruption in the way brands communicate directly and more effectively with their customers. And brands will pay retailers for the increasingly available data about shopping and purchase behavior that reveals predictive patterns. The addition of David to an already solid Board ensures that we will increase our management strength, reach and ability to help key brands take advantage of the most important innovation emerging throughout the retail landscape—brands influencing customers’ buying decisions right at point of sale.”

In addition to any expertise VSBLTY has on hand, much of that effort will also depend on the company’s technology, which revolves around machine learning-driven AI, computer vision, and facial recognition. The company signed a formal agreement with Grupo Modelo last year to see its technology deployed in convenience stores and bodegas in Mexico, enabling retailers to collect shoppers’ demographic data and offer tailored in-store ads through smart displays.

The other major arm of VSBLTY’s business channels these technologies into smart city and security applications, as demonstrated in deployments of face-scanning surveillance systems in the Benito Juarez borough of Mexico City.

For his part, Roth expressed excitement about helping VSBLTY on the retail side of things. “I was excited to learn how VSBLTY’s team has been leading the way in computer vision capabilities for retailers and brands,” he said. “I look forward to helping VSBLTY across its next phase of development and growth.”

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March 3, 2022 – by Alex Perala