Trade Show Tales Blog

Trade Show Tales is your comprehensive guide to informative articles about trade show marketing, exhibit industry news, promotions, and updates on Classic Exhibits. 

For specific topics, use the Search Tool in the blog or visit the Trade Show and Event Tips in Exhibit Design Search.

What Makes Classic Exhibits Different

What Makes Classic Exhibits Different

“What makes Classic Exhibits different?” It’s my opportunity to speak about our culture of sharing and creating. Sharing our innovation and production capabilities to help your clients engage their audience on the trade show floor is a primary focus for us. It’s never about rolling up to bin A12 and pulling a complete 10×10, 10×20, or island exhibit design off the shelf and sending it off to Las Vegas or Chicago. It’s about choices.

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EXHIBITORLIVE Portable Modular Award Photos

EXHIBITORLIVE Portable Modular Award Photos

Earlier this week, EXHIBITOR sent us photos from the Portable Modular Award ceremony at EXHIBITORLIVE. Classic Exhibits won three awards: the People’s Choice Award for the Parallon island exhibit, a Find It Top 40 Exhibit Builder honoree, and #1 for Service and Reliability among the Top 40 Producers.

EXHIBITOR Magazine will feature all the winners in the June (or July?) publication. Below are photos from ceremony that feature us. Yes, just us! Hey, I told you it was a vanity post.

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Women in Exhibition (WIE) Mentorship Program and Survey

Women in Exhibition (WIE) Mentorship Program and Survey

As many of you know, I am a leader in the Women in Exhibition (WIE) group. Our group held a very successful meeting in Las Vegas in February.

In an effort to continue connecting women in our industry, we are announcing a mentorship program. There is no obligation to participate, but we’ve heard from women, in all facets of our industry, who would enjoy sharing their experience and guiding other women toward success.

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Erica Dougherty from Exhibits Northwest Shares Client Feedback

Erica Dougherty from Exhibits Northwest Shares Client Feedback

Erica Dougherty, an Account Executive at Exhibits Northwest Seattle, connects with her clients because she takes the time to get to know them and their business. That extends to feedback after a show, which is invaluable.

According to Erica, “My client, Darryl at DF/Net Research, is wonderful about sending feedback and kudos to me/us. He has allow me to share his success stories which may be beneficial to other Classic Distributors. Below are two emails from two shows, along with photos.”

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MORE Seismic Changes in Trade Show Products — April Edition

MORE Seismic Changes in Trade Show Products — April Edition

Please check your branded Exhibit Design Search today. You have four new product galleries, all with at least 80% margins. Gone are Visionary Designs, Perfect 10, Sacagawea, and SEGUE. These have been replaced with more budget-friendly systems and interactive products. As we learned from EDPA, it’s all about the”experiential” for contemporary exhibitors.

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All New EDS Changes!

All New EDS Changes!

Yes, EDS has changed… again. Now, don’t shake your head. You should be excited about these changes since they are all based on suggestions from you, our Classic Exhibits Distributors. I’m going to refer to them as “3 Modifications” since the word “change” makes some of you sweat like a cold watermelon on the 4th of July.

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Women in Exhibitions (WIE) Post-Event Review

Women in Exhibitions (WIE) Post-Event Review

To the women who participated in the Women In Exhibitions event at EXHIBITORLIVE 2018… THANK YOU! It was the most successful meeting we’ve had with 100+ women in attendance. We gathered Tuesday morning at Border Grill in Mandalay Bay for a delicious breakfast and discovered “How to Design Our Lives to Flourish” with Guest Speaker Lynette Xanders. What an energizing way to start the second day of the show!

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Reflections on EuroShop 2014

As I write this, I’m 3 hours into a 10 hour flight back to Portland after an 8 day trip to Dusseldorf for EuroShop and meetings with MODUL International. Yes, I’m tired (and sick with a head cold), but that’s a fair trade for the wonderful, educational experience of the past week.

EuroShop 2014 Update: Day 5 Video and Photos

Don’t you just love the last day of a show? The crowds have thinned, and the conversations are more casual and informative. We took a break yesterday and spent the day in Cologne, a thirty minute train ride from Dusseldorf. Today, we were back at EuroShop with more detail photos. Katina went a little camera crazy today in a last ditch effort to capture as much design information as possible.

We hope you enjoyed our EuroShop blogging as much as we enjoyed sharing it with you.

EuroShop 2014 Update: Day 3 Video and Photos

Even without cell phone service, we heard you say, “Show me more creative, elegant, and bizarre exhibits from Europe.” Well, we are delighted to be your trade show mules of images from EuroShop. We toured the remaining exhibit halls on Day 3, and then had time to revisit some of our favorites and discover many new exhibits (which we still can’t believe we missed the first time).

EuroShop 2014 Update: Day 2 Video and Photos

The EuroShop 2014 adventure continues with Mel and Katina. On Day 2, they visit the smaller tradeshow exhibition hall with the mostly 3 x 3 and 3 x 6 meter booths, and then turn their attention to mannequins, retail fixtures, supermarket displays, refrigeration, and all things esoteric to retail merchandising and marketing.

Be sure to see the photo describing the lightbox that even the “ladies” can assemble and a photo of Katina with Mary Poppins. We half expected to see Ron Burgundy in the “Ladies Lightbox” space.

EuroShop 2014 Update: Day 1 Video and Photos

Once every three years, it’s EuroShop time in Dusseldorf, Germany. Mel White and Katina Rigall are attending for Classic Exhibits and ClassicMODUL. And, despite their jet lag (or because of it), they have time to share their impressions of a very full first day. Expect another update over the coming days.

Re-Designed Classic Exhibits Website

So new, it still has that glorious new website smell — new graphics, new HTML, a flashy menu, and intuitive navigation. We invite you to tour the re-designed Classic Exhibits website. All your favorites are there: Past 5 Days, Exhibit Design Search, Peek-a-Booth, Trade Show Tips, and FAQ’s.

Classic Exhibits 2013 Annual State of the Company Letter

It’s that time of the year when Kevin Carty, VP of Classic Exhibits, reports on 2013 and offers his insights on 2014.

Highlights include:

Uptrend in Sales in 2013
More Custom Hybrid and Custom Fabrication
New Classic Exhibits Website (oh so close to launch)
Growth in Rentals
Retail / Corporate Environment Trends
New Product in 2014
Positive Outlook about 2014

Click Here or on the image below to download the full 3 page PDF.

$349 iPad Telescoping Stand with Rolling Travel Case

Spin. Twist. Bend. Swivel. Exercise? That’s so January 1.

Why buy the P90X or join a gym when the MOD-1365 Telescoping iPad Stand does it all. Turn a knob and spin. Make an adjustment and tilt to your heart’s content. Even do those squats with the adjustable telescoping feature. As a bonus (yes, there’s more!), you can take it with you. The MOD-1365 comes with a travel case with wheels. Best of all . . . It’s on sale at $349. Call today. Seriously. Call today.

Resolute This! Word on the Street — December 30th thru January 3rd

I am all about resolutions and changes for the better, especially when it comes to health and family. But why such a focus on New Years. I mean I get it, a new year . . . a new you and all that. But REALLY? After the 4th or 5th year of failing, I would suggest choosing a different date. Start on June 8.

How to Entertain Yourself During Any Meeting

Here are a few suggestions on how to entertain yourself during any meeting. Your colleagues will appreciate your efforts; perhaps not during the meeting or that month but when they look back and reflect on all the years they spent cooped up like a chicken in a factory farm they’ll have a little chuckle.