Some planners, buyers and visiting reps may take media department receptionists for granted, but that’s now almost impossible to do at UM’s West 33rd Street offices, where the agency unveiled a new, state-of-the-art commerce lab dedicated to beloved UM receptionist Marva Sealy.

The lab is named Marva’s and dedicated to Sealy, who has been the agency’s receptionist since 1999, and it offers the UM staff, clients, reps and even some trade reporters an opportunity to have a hands-on experience with the rapidly evolving technologies — and interfaces — influencing consumers’ retail path-to-purchase.

“We showcase the power of commerce media across all touchpoints through a never-before-done, immersive experience,” boasts UM U.S. CEO W. Joe DeMiero, describing the installation as a “real-world convenience store” laboratory.

“We can observe how people shop, identify emerging trends in behaviors, and test new approaches in real-time, with the goal of supercharging our clients’ and our own commerce efforts now and in the future,” he adds.

Read more in MediaPost.