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.
Recorded Version of the Exhibit Design Search Webinar
Twice a year, we conduct an Exhibit Design Search webinar. The title always changes, but it’s always a Tips, Tricks and Techniques session on how to use EDS more effectively. Typically, I don’t record it because, well, I forget. I’d love to give you a better excuse, but I can’t. This time I remembered.
Does Your Mirror Lie?: Word on the Street — June 16th thru June 20th
We ALL do it. Every morning we look in the mirror. If we are honest, we ask ourselves, “Does what I see in the mirror match what my colleagues, family, and friends see in me?”
Before you think I am going on some sort of Freudian rant, I am not. But, as business professionals, we face this question every day.
| July 28-31
The 2014 Red Diamond Congress (RDC), the third annual meeting of the Exhibit & Event Marketers Association, takes place July 28 – 31, 2014 at the Oak Brook Hills Resort in Oak Brook, Illinois. The RDC brings together all of the major players from the exhibit marketing industry to engage in thought leadership, best practice exchanges, and education aligned with business and marketing metrics and strategy.
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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.
The Top Trade Show Giveaways of 2010
In an article in Successful Meetings, although smartphones and iPads are shaping the meetings of tomorrow, traditional promotional products continue to impact the meetings of today according to a recent survey from the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI). More
100 Things to Watch in 2011
At the start of every New Year, the experts roll out their “trends” for the coming year. This one from JWT (J. Walter Thompson) takes a global perspective on technology, media, consumerism, and social trends in alphabetical order.You may not agree with every one or even recognize others, but frankly, that’s half the fun. Enjoy!
Word on the Street — December 27th thru December 31st
Out with the Old and In with the New
This past week was filled with a flurry of new (albeit last minute) orders and lots of quote requests for the New Year. It was a promising sign heading into 2011.
Shooting from the Hip — 16.10 (EDPA Access)
The Exhibit Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) held its annual meeting a few weeks ago – ACCESS 2010. Mel and I attended as the representatives of Classic Exhibits and ClassicMODUL. The meetings are held at a warm weather resort the week after Thanksgiving. It starts on Wednesday with a golf tournament or a fishing trip for the non-golfers (I always play golf since I can fish in ice in Michigan but can’t golf in it).
Word on the Street — December 13th thru December 17th
Are You Ready for the Most “Predictably Unpredictable” Two Weeks of the Year?
Sounds odd doesn’t it? But anyone who has been in this business long enough knows what I mean. The final two to three weeks of the year are like playing Roulette. The odds aren’t good, but if you put enough chips on the table, you may hit a ginormous winner.
Optima Graphics Wins the Golden Ham Award
Congratulations to our friends at Optima Graphics for winning the Golden Ham Award at the 2010 EDPA Access Conference in Ponte Verdra, FL. Dave Brown and Gina Porcaro are the feature actors in this one-minute spoof of a Progressive Insurance commercial.
Word on the Street — December 6th thru December 10th
Industry Predictions 2011 — Part 2
First let me say, “Hello!” With vacation and the holiday, I have been gone recently and as a result have not blogged for weeks. But I am back at the office now, and I would like to dovetail on Mel’s entry back in mid-November regarding 2011 industry predictions. So here are my thoughts . . .
‘s Between This or That — Choosing the Right Trade Show Display
Choosing the right trade show display is rarely straight-forward. Most of the time, you are selecting between two similar but slightly different displays. Sometimes it’s about the price. Other times it’s about a personal design preference. Many times, it comes down to weight and assembly.
We can’t cover every scenario, but we can review some of the more common “this or that” portable/modular choices. You gotta make a decision . . . which one will you choose?
Kevin Carty Elected to the EDPA Board of Directors
During the 2010 EDPA ACCESS meeting Kevin Carty, Vice President of Sales for Classic Exhibits Inc. was welcomed as a newest elected member to the EDPA’s Board of Directors with an initial two year term. Kevin and Classic Exhibits/ClassicMODUL are very active within the exhibit industry as members of not only EDPA but also TSEA (Trade Show Exhibitors Association) and HCEA (Healthcare Convention and Exhibitors Association) .
Shooting from the Hip — 15.10 (I am Thankful)
Things for Which I am Thankful
It has been a while since I blogged. It wasn’t that I didn’t have anything to say, but I didn’t have anything to say that mattered. Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, I will reflect a bit on those things for which I’m thankful for with a bit more nostalgia than normal. These are in no particular order except the last one.
Word on the Street — November 15th thru November 19th
As we head into the holidays, I thought I’d put on my clairvoyant hat and peer into my crystal ball. It doesn’t take a fortune teller to know that 2011 is already on your mind. You’re wondering if the exhibit industry will plod along like a Clydesdale, sprint like Quarter Horse, or remain stubborn and unpredictable like a mule.