The Challenge
Working in a highly competitive industry, a small business owner of RE/MAX Metro, a leading real estate agency, sought to enhance its St. Petersburg, Florida, office with a digital display that could make a strong first impression and convey key information to prospective clients and agents. The firm’s downtown location was ideally situated to capture the attention of passersby, but past outdated displays failed to live up to the team’s vision. Instead, the single-owned RE/MAX Metro franchise needed reliable, affordable and premium digital window displays to capture attention, streamline content updates, reflect the quality of the brand and help set the agency apart from the competition.
The Solution
By integrating cutting-edge digital displays with a powerful content management system, Samsung and Smartify — a premium urban panel and retail media network — offered RE/MAX Metro an unbeatable solution. Smartify’s small business program enables businesses to receive Samsung’s OMN-D Series 55-inch high-brightness displays at no cost to them for the hardware or installation. This display is designed with a storefront window in mind, and its dual-sided nature enabled RE/MAX Metro to engage passersby while keeping the team and people inside the office informed. The display is built to operate around the clock without overheating and features IP5X-validated dust protection. The OMN-D Series display requires only an electric power cord and LAN cable, reducing cord clutter and increasing energy efficiency.
"We love the flexibility that Samsung's double display offers."
–Marcus Martin, President of Brokerage Services, RE/MAX Metro
The Results
With Samsung’s technology and Smartify’s content management services, RE/MAX Metro can remain agile in the fast-paced real estate industry, ensuring that every message — whether showcasing a realtor’s profile or promoting a special event — is always timely and on point. RE/MAX Metro gained a cost-effective solution in Samsung’s high-quality display, while Smartify covered the cost of hardware, installation and content management. As added benefits, RE/MAX Metro discovered a new way to earn ancillary income via ad revenue, and the partnership expanded RE/MAX Metro’s ability to reach prospective clients.
About Company
RE/MAX Metro is an established and trusted full service residential and commercial property management real estate brokerage serving the Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg area. RE/MAX Metro is supported by a trusted name for over 50 years with global exposure to over 100 countries.
Over the last 25 years, the company’s 125+ local associates and over 119,000 global associates have successfully helped clients from around the world find that perfect home, investment property or second home. With three Tampa locations, customers can trust that RE/MAX Metro agents will guide them through the home buying, selling or investing process, backed by a proven approach from start to finish.
The Challenge
Enhancing visibility and boosting culture in a competitive market
RE/MAX Metro, a prominent real estate firm owned by a small business owner and located in the bustling heart of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, is ideally situated to capture the attention of foot traffic. The team sought to maximize the benefits of the single-owned franchise’s prime location and wanted a dynamic way to attract prospective home buyers, sellers and real estate agents. They knew digital signage was the answer.
A St. Petersburg ordinance restricted businesses from placing signs on the sidewalk, so the RE/MAX Metro team used window displays for advertising, engaging the community and sharing critical information. However, the displays they installed were outdated and failed to live up to their expectations and the quality of the brand.
“They always seemed to fall short,” said Marcus Martin, President Of Brokerage Services at RE/MAX Metro. “They were never really in line with the functionality and vision that we had for having displays in the first place.” For example, the displays only advertised on one side, missing a crucial opportunity to speak to people both inside and outside the office. RE/MAX Metro also struggled to update the screen’s content, finding it more time-consuming than expected.
These limitations left RE/MAX Metro concerned about the displays’ impact on passersby and potential clients. “Presenting a strong first impression is important to us,” emphasized Martin. “It’s one of the ways we can distinguish ourselves.”
RE/MAX Metro was also navigating a workplace transformation. With a team of 125 agents working in a hybrid environment, the organization wanted to maintain a strong sense of culture despite a reduced physical presence in the office. It sought an effective way to communicate important information, recognize achievements and celebrate milestones, such as realtors’ birthdays.
With its office space becoming more fluid, RE/MAX Metro needed an equally flexible solution. Utilizing its office space as a workplace, training center, event space and client meeting hub, its signage had to be updated quickly to reflect different use cases and audiences.
“It’s important for businesses to invest in digital technology, not only because it modernizes and sets the tone for the office, but it’s also very easy to create content and upload it and ensure that it’s personalized for your business and your clients’ needs,” explained Sara Grofcsik, executive director of U.S. sales at Samsung Electronics America.
The agency understood that its displays reflect its brand. “We want to be on the cutting edge of technology because it sets the tone for our organization,” shared Martin. He knew it was time to update to premium, high-grade displays, but they can be expensive and the cost was prohibitive.
The Solution
Crafting first impressions and generating revenue with cutting-edge technology
When Martin first encountered Samsung and the Smartify Network opportunity for small businesses, he knew it was the perfect fit for RE/MAX Metro. “When we saw the Samsung and Smartify solution, all the boxes were checked,” explained Martin. “All the tech was the most modern and up-to-date technology there was, and all the problems we were having on the other displays seemed to be solved.” As for cost, the displays were free to acquire through the partnership.
“At this RE/MAX location, there are two Samsung dual-sided 55-inch displays always showcasing luxury properties, information about the top agents and also providing local ads that can be displayed at all times either in the window-facing or inside the building,” said Grofcsik.
Samsung’s dual-sided digital displays offered a unique advantage: RE/MAX Metro could now share different messages on each side, catering to external foot traffic and internal communication needs. “We love the flexibility that Samsung’s double display offers,” stated Martin.
The OMN-D Series was designed with a high-brightness display, making it the perfect fit for RE/MAX Metro’s storefront window. With Samsung’s circular polarizing technology, passersby can easily view content, even wearing polarized sunglasses. The display was built for durability with IP5X-validated dust protection and to operate 24/7 without overheating, enabling the RE/MAX Metro team to run the display as long as they want.
As a window display, a clean silhouette was also important to RE/MAX Metro, and the OMN-D display delivers by only requiring one electric power cord and one LAN cable, reducing cord clutter and increasing energy efficiency.
Furthermore, Samsung and Smartify made it effortless to adopt the state-of-the-art technology. “Smartify covered hardware and installation expenses, as well as ongoing management and maintenance,” shared Oleg Vyadro, president at Smartify.
By partnering with Smartify for a cutting-edge digital media management platform, RE/MAX Metro gained a turnkey solution.
“Smartify can customize our display and quickly update the messaging to meet our needs,” Martin explained. Regardless of who is in the office or what event is being celebrated or promoted, the displays can be easily updated to suit the team’s requirements.
RE/MAX Metro has also opened a new revenue stream. By allowing other organizations to run commercials on its new digital displays, they can generate additional income.
The Technology
OMN-D Series
This dual display has screens on both sides, allowing for different messaging to be presented on the interior and exterior of storefronts. At 3,000 nits, messages on the window-facing screen remain bright and clear even in direct sunlight in a storefront.
The Results
Elevating engagement and generating revenue from dual-sided digital displays
Samsung’s plug-and-play technology, combined with Smartify’s monitoring and content management system, enabled RE/MAX Metro to update its displays quickly. In an industry where staying current is critical, the ability to rapidly refresh content has been a game changer. Smartify has streamlined RE/MAX Metro’s advertising process, saving time while keeping the storefront engaging and fresh. On one side of the display, prospective clients passing by can see information such as featured listings or QR codes that link to live searches or luxury offerings. On the other side, internal communications keep the RE/MAX Metro team informed and aligned.
“With Samsung and Smartify, we know we’re capturing attention with relevant and impactful information and making a good first impression,” Martin said.
As RE/MAX Metro’s needs change, so does the display. With the flexibility to pause regular programming, RE/MAX Metro can spotlight information, like honoring a top agent, celebrating a client’s success or featuring a guest speaker. This capability adds a personal touch, strengthening relationships and fostering community within the team and with clients.
By updating its displays at no cost, RE/MAX Metro realized substantial savings, which it could allocate elsewhere. But the display has become more than just a marketing tool — it’s also a revenue generator.
“With RE/MAX Metro’s approval, Smartify delivers carefully curated advertisements from top national and local organizations, enabling RE/MAX Metro to earn new ancillary income without lifting a finger,” said Vyadro.
“Having a 20,000 square-foot office in a prime location comes with significant expenses, but an ancillary revenue helps offset them,” Martin added. “We earn around $5,000 a year this way.”
The ability to control the content displayed ensures that all advertising remains aligned with RE/MAX Metro’s brand values, preserving the integrity of its public image.
While RE/MAX Metro’s displays are in St. Petersburg, Florida, the organization’s reach has expanded with the partnership. Through Smartify’s network, RE/MAX Metro can tap into new markets, placing its listings in high-profile locations like Madison Avenue to attract a wider audience and boost its visibility on a national scale. “Samsung and Smartify are helping us set the stage for continued growth,” Martin concluded. “We couldn’t be happier.”
