A Bakery with Strong Regional Roots
The history of the Bergmann Family Bakery dates back to 1908. From humble beginnings, it has grown over generations into one of the most well-known bakery businesses in Thuringia. Despite expanding to around 50 locations today, a deep connection to the region remains one of the company's most important values. Regional ingredients, local partnerships, social projects, and the support of community clubs define their daily work.
Managing Director Matthias Bergmann sums it up perfectly: “If our region is doing well, we are doing well”. This exact philosophy played a major role in the introduction of digital signage.
The Challenge: Communicating Across Multiple Locations
As the number of branches grew, communication became increasingly demanding. Previously, offers, promotions, events, or regional collaborations were mostly communicated through posters and printed materials. These had to be designed, printed, distributed, and regularly replaced. At the same time, Bergmann wanted to offer customers up-to-date content and give regional topics greater visibility.
They needed a solution that was:
- Easy to operate.
- Centrally controlled.
- Flexible enough to react to current events.
- Aligned with the company's philosophy.
Digital Communication That Works in Everyday Life
The Bergmann Family Bakery first connected with Clevertouch through their regional partner, Karl Riethmüller from B&DT in Erfurt. Together, they developed a concept that met both the needs of the branches and the company's desire for a modern, easy-to-use communication solution. B&DT supported the project from the very beginning, providing consultation as well as on-site installation of the displays.
Today, 41 Clevertouch displays and digital signage totems are already in use. The screens provide information on:
- Current offers and promotions.
- Seasonal products.
- Events.
- Social media content.
- Sponsorship activities.
- Regional partners and initiatives.
The simplicity of the system is particularly important. Content can be created centrally and published to all relevant locations within minutes. This ensures that information is always up to date and can be adjusted flexibly.
Making Regional Topics Visible
The way Bergmann uses the displays is especially exciting. Instead of using the screens exclusively for traditional advertising, regional content takes center stage. City festivals, club events, anniversaries, social projects, and local producers are given a platform right where thousands of people shop every day.
This creates genuine added value for the region:
- Local clubs gain visibility.
- Events reach a wider audience.
- Regional businesses can showcase themselves.
- Customers receive relevant information from their direct surroundings.
As a result, the displays effectively serve as a digital community noticeboard for the region.
Cleverly Combining Digital Signage and Social Media
The bakery's own marketing activities also benefit from the displays. A great example is the Bergmann Family Bakery's WhatsApp channel. Through QR codes on the Clevertouch displays, customers were invited directly to follow the channel.
And it was a success:
- Starting with around 200 subscribers.
- Growing to around 800 subscribers within a short time.
- Reaching approximately 1,500 followers today.
The connection between the physical store, digital signage, and social media creates an additional communication channel that reaches customers even after they leave the shop.
New Opportunities for Local Partners
The displays also opened up entirely new possibilities for regional collaborations. Municipalities, clubs, and businesses noticed the digital spaces and asked if they could present their own events or projects there. As a result, the screens evolved into much more than just an advertising tool. They became a platform for regional visibility and cooperation. For Bergmann, this is another stepping stone in actively shaping its role as a deeply rooted regional business.
Looking Ahead
The digitization of in-store communication is far from over for the Bergmann Family Bakery. Additional locations, new use cases, and fresh concepts are already in the planning stages. The focus is not just on the technology, but on how to better inform customers and further strengthen regional networks.
The Bergmann example impressively shows that digital signage can be far more than just on-screen advertising. When used correctly, it generates attention, strengthens customer loyalty, and connects businesses with their local communities. That is exactly where the true potential of modern digital communication lies.
Partner Spotlight: B&DT
A major factor in the project's success was B&DT from Erfurt, under the leadership of Karl Riethmüller. As a Clevertouch implementation partner, B&DT guided the project from the initial planning discussions through to installation and the successful rollout of the solution. Their experience and expertise ensured that the digital signage solution was easy to implement, simple to manage, and perfectly tailored to the Bergmann Family Bakery's long-term communication goals.
This collaboration is a powerful example of how regional businesses, technology providers, and implementation partners can work together to shape a successful digital transformation—without losing sight of their strong regional roots.
