Vibrant Color and Stunning Contrast Gallery
Several months ago, Glenna Martin, our Graphic Design Manager, created the first Graphic Inspiration Gallery — Graphics that Complement the Display. Glenna pulled 38 Past 5 Days photos to show effective examples of structure and graphics. If you haven’t read her notes, I urge you to review them. You may want to consider directing graphic designers to the galleries if they are unfamiliar with trade show graphics.
| Day 2 Notes
Day 2 (Innovation Day)
It was a day of epiphanies at the Red Diamond Congress about the trade show industry. Bob McClintock, COO of SMG, gave the morning keynote: A New Facility Model: Facility as Service Provider. I know. The title sounds pretty boring, but the topic and the speaker were anything but. SMG manages McCormick Place, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and 70 other venues.
| Day 1 Notes
I’m in Chicago this week for the E2MA Red Diamond Congress. For those unfamiliar with the Exhibit and Event Marketers Association and the RDC . . .
The E2MA is a community of exhibit and event marketers driven to benchmark the value of face-to face marketing. By facilitating discussions among all industry stakeholders, the E2MA’s Red Diamond Congress develops actionable ideas and solutions that can provide for industry growth and success.
20 Short and Impactful Years: Word on the Street — July 21st thru July 25th
Back in 1994, specifically in July 1994, I was working the 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. shift throwing overnight freight at a grocery store in Lake Oswego, Oregon. A co-worker/friend of mine had been telling me about this other job working for his dad’s business. One day, seeing that I was growing weary of the job, he asked me if I was interested in coming to talk to his father about an opening. I jumped at the opportunity, if for no other reason than I wanted to see the light of day rather than sleep through it.
A Humbling Lesson About 10 ft. Displays
Over the years, I’ve learned a humbling lesson. There’s safety in numbers when it comes to 10 ft. inline trade show displays. Most exhibitors choose the predictable over the bold, the safe over the dramatic. And while I understand, I also don’t understand. Yes, budget is a factor. Fear too. No one wants to make the wrong decision when purchasing a display.
‘s a Partnership that Works — Eco-Systems
Late last week, Eco-Systems took another big step — redesigning their website. For those who have gone through that ordeal, you know how arduous it can at every stage. There are no easy tasks when it comes to website redesign, organization, graphics, and coding.
Custom Table Top Display Video
Charlie Shivel, a project manager in the Customer Service Department, discusses a custom Visionary Designs table top display. This table top was designed by Trina Broten, a Classic Exhibits Designer, to fulfill the specific marketing requirements of a distributor’s client. Charlie does a terrific job of keeping it short, sweet, informal, and informative. Well done Charlie.
NEW Rental Rewards Program
At Classic Rental Solutions, our mission is simple. To produce the highest quality rental exhibits and experiences in the industry. No exceptions.
We stage, inspect, and photograph every order before shipping. We pack the exhibit very carefully. We include staging photos, packing photos, and setup diagrams with every shipment. And we’re available anytime, day, night, and weekends for any questions from your I & D team. We understand that a quick call might save your client an hour or two of extra labor.
Happy (Post) 4th of July!: Word on the Street — June 30th thru July 4th
July is here and it’s off with a BANG! Even in this shortened week, business is booming, and by the looks of the quotes you are sending us, the remainder of the month looks to be busy.
‘t Like Free Money?: Word on the Street — June 23rd thru June 26th
Aside from being on the Board of Directors for the Exhibit Designers and Producers Association (EDPA), I also sit on the EDPA Foundation Scholarship Committee. It’s a committee that I have been apart of for five years and feel very strongly about.
The EDPA Foundation Scholarship Fund was created in 2004 to award scholarships for families of industry members to help pursue a college/university level education. The EDPAF Scholarship Program applications are now being accepted for the 2014-2015 school year.
Recent Posts
Word on the Street — February 21st thru February 25th
Avoiding Arrogance
“Avoiding Arrogance” is an insightful blog entry by Tom Cox that appeared in Oregon Business last week. It reminds us of things NOT to do or to assume as we interact with colleagues and customers on projects. Below is the blog entry.
Word on the Street — February 14th thru February 18th
First Timer’s Experience
This past week had a running theme — First Timer’s. That is, people who were either attending and/or coordinating their first trade show, or in one case, preparing for their first retail installation. You know what this is like. It’s draining, exhilarating, and frustrating –usually at the same time.
Looking for a Deal is Easy . . .
Well, after last week’s sales calls, I decided that all anybody wants to talk about anymore is price. The price of EVERYTHING. Not just trade show exhibits, but everyone is looking for a deal. Looking for a deal is easy, because there is always someone or something cheaper. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it is equal, just cheaper.
Customer Appreciation Reception at EXHIBITOR
Join us for a a Customer Appreciation Reception on Tuesday March 29 at the Eye Candy Lounge. The reception is sponsored by Classic Exhibits Inc., Display Supply and Lighting and Optima Graphics. To receive a complementary drink ticket, visit the Classic Exhibits (#1455), DS&L (#1361), or Optima Graphics (#1721) on the EXHIBITOR Show floor on either Monday or Tuesday. There are a limited number of tickets available — so don’t dawdle my friend. Your odds worsen with each passing hour.
Our 2011 EXHIBITOR Show Invitation
Attend EXHIBITOR 2011 for FREE as a Guest of Classic Exhibits Inc.
Simply click the link below. You will be taken to a registration form. Once you complete the form, the final price will be zero, gratis, zippo, nada.
For this most generous gift, we ask one favor. Visit us at booth #1455, a 20 x 30 island exhibit where we’ll showcase the latest products and rentals from Classic Exhibits Inc. and Eco-systems Sustainable Exhibits.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/48ct6a3
Rental Exhibits Aren’t What They Used to Be. THANK GOODNESS!
We’ve Come a Long Way in the Exhibit Rental Business
Not so long ago, the choices were limited to pop ups, panel displays, and bent and dirty aluminum extrusion from the show contractor. You could spot a rental booth from clear across the show hall. All that has changed . . . Thank goodness! More often than not, you couldn’t spot a rental if you were staring at it on the show floor. Rental exhibits are no longer cookie-cutter, off-the-shelf kits. Most manufacturers welcome modifying and customizing existing rental kits or creating new designs. They’re individually designed just like purchased exhibits.
Word on the Street — January 31st thru February 4th
When a Company Gets “Too BIG”!
Please indulge me for few minutes. I really need to rant about a project from last week.
Now, I have no intention of naming names. However, I think this story has merit for being told, if for no other reason than to highlight what I hope Classic Exhibits never becomes, i.e., a company “Too BIG.”
‘s Counting?!)
When we launched Design Monday on April 18, 2005, our objective was simple (and perhaps a little naive): to transform the image of Classic Exhibits from a medium-sized systems manufacturer to a leader in innovative portable, modular, and hybrid displays. At the time, we were designing and building some of the industry’s most creative trade show solutions. However, as we joke about it now, the industry perception of Classic Exhibits was “five guys in a garage making folding panel and pop up displays.” We hadn’t been that company for many years, but we had done a lousy job of marketing our new designs and communicating the changes at Classic Exhibits.
Word on the Street — January 24th thru January 28th
I hope you all had a great week both professionally and personally.
Is it just me, or do you too find yourself feeling overwhelmed with business-related tasks right about now? Whether it’s quotes, new orders, expansion, marketing, etc. Whatever it may be, if you are like me, you need an extra five hours each day to accomplish everything on your list.
Tightwad Tuesday Specials
Some Customers Can’t Resist a Bargain
Look for these Retail Specials every Tuesday in February and March.
Word on the Street — January 17th thru January 21st
This past week, I spent a lot of time in coffee shops working on pricing. Whenever we look at price changes, I typically check out of the office for a few days and work remotely. That way, I can concentrate exclusively on raw material prices and how those increases affect our designs.
Annual Letter from Kevin Carty, VP of Sales
Thank you very much for your continued support of Classic Exhibits, Exhibits Northwest and ClassicMODUL! The Classic Exhibits Inc. team appreciates your orders, suggestions, and support.
The NEW SEGUE Sunrise Portable Hybrid
Introducing the SEGUE Sunrise Portable Hybrid Display — the World’s Only Tool-Less Display featuring Silicone Edge Graphics (SEG). The engineered aluminum frame assembles with attached knobs in about the same time it takes to assemble a pop-up display.
The Sunrise features a durable MODUL aluminum frame and large format tension fabric graphics. Choose from three 10 x 10 and three 10 x 20 designs.
Social Media Planning: What You Should Do in Q1 2011
Depending on what your company’s involvement is in social media, there are a number of approaches you can take to moving forward during the first quarter of 2011. And that’s the KEY: MOVING FORWARD from wherever you are at this moment. With the forward motion of all things social media, if you sit still you’ll get further and further behind!
Word on the Street — January 3rd thru January 7th
Duck Duck War Eagle!
NO I am not alluding to the child’s game of “Duck Duck Goose!” I am referring to Monday’s National Championship Game between the Oregon Ducks and the Auburn Tigers.