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SuperNova Lightboxes “JUST DO IT.” Project: Word on the Street — July 15th thru July 19th

July 20th, 2013 Mel White COMMENTS
SuperNova "JUST DO IT" Project: Word on the Street -- July 15th thru July 19th

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

The first image in the slide show below says it all: “NIKE IS A BRAND.” And once again, in partnership with one of our trusted Retail/Corporate Environment partners, we were able to make that brand come to life this week.

Nike, the recognized leader in sporting apparel worldwide, is on the cusp of opening a new Call Center to support their Nike.com website on Monday. And in true Nike fashion, they went all out in the design of their new building space. Classic Exhibits was able to play a small, yet impactful, part of that space.

With SuperNova™ LED Technology in our bag of tricks, we built out the perimeter walls of the entire work space. As you can see from the images, the impact is real . . . real spectacular that is! Normally, I would list all the sizes, fabric, ClassicMODUL extrusion profiles, etc. But this time, I’ll let the photos do what photos do so well.

Nike is a Brand

◄ Back
Picture 1 of 18

Nike Call Center #1

The process, as always, went wonderfully smooth. We started about six weeks ago with the Design Team which included folks from Ivey Performance Marketing, Nike, Jim Ponomarenko (our Production Manager) and me. We reviewed the creative ideas they had, the construction drawings for the space, and then went to work designing the lightboxes to integrate into the space as it was being built.

Timing is always tricky on Corporate Environments and Retail Spaces. Meaning you have to work your part into the existing construction schedule. And again, as is often the case when working with our friends at Ivey, everything timed out perfectly. The installation was completed around noon on Friday (today as I am writing this), just in time for Monday’s grand opening. On Monday, the first 50 employees report to work at the space. Then more follow the following week.

To say we are proud is an understatement. Nike is a brand mavin, and pleasing them and doing their brand justice made us very proud indeed!

Hope you enjoy the images . . . and mentally put these in your hip pocket. Most of your clients have office and or retail spaces as well. Consider what SuperNova™ LED Lightboxes could do for their spaces. What better way to get even deeper into your client’s overall brand experience! See the video of the final installation to see the overall presentation.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Kevin
http://twitter.com/kevin_carty
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kevin-carty/3/800/32a

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SEGUE SuperNova LED Inline Lightboxes

July 18th, 2013 Mel White COMMENTS

SEGUE 10 ft. Lightbox | VK-1950

Lights, Camera, Action! For the first time, exhibitors can enjoy the visible benefits of a large lightbox in a portable one- or two-sided display. SEGUE SuperNova LED Lightboxes from Classic Exhibits use a proprietary light system that attaches to the engineered aluminum frame.

10 ft Displays:  VK-1950, VK-1951, VK-1952

20 ft Displays:  VK-2939, VK-2940, VK-2941

With SuperNova, exhibitors can choose between a 10 ft. or 20 ft. exhibit, one or two-sided graphics, in a display that packs flat in a portable roto-molded case. Even the graphics are easy. The backlit silicone edge graphics attach seamlessly into the SEG groove making assembly fast. See video below.

It’s never been easier to get backlit graphics in an inline at an affordable price. Choose between flat and curve frame options, with or without wings. And, in case you are wondering, no air pump is necessary.

Don’t see exactly the configuration you want . . . just give us a call. We’re happy to design a display for your unique marketing goals.

–Mel White
http://www.linkedin.com/in/melmwhite
mel@classicexhibits.com

**********************************************

Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom-hybrid exhibit solutions. Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100 or www.classicexhibits.com.

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Classic Exhibits has a NEW Chicago Rental Depot

July 16th, 2013 Mel White 2 COMMENTS

CLASSIC HAS A CHICAGO RENTAL DEPOT
by Jim Shelman

Yes, you read that correctly! We’re excited to announce that we have added a rental depot in Chicago. We’ve teamed up with ELITeXPO to produce rentals at their corporate headquarters in Elgin, IL (right outside of Chicago). We’ll work with you on the sales end, and they’ll handle the fulfillment. And you’ll save big time on shipping costs!

Over the past several years, our rental division has grown at a rapid rate, and with this growth, we’ve expanded our capabilities and added an enormous amount of inventory. But one question keeps coming up, “When are you going to open an East Coast rental depot?”

This is something that we’ve been mulling for quite some time. Our main concern was duplicating our Portland production process so we could offer the same quality rentals elsewhere. When the opportunity presented itself to work with ELITeXPO, a company we respect and admire, we knew it was time to act.

Founded in 1987, ELITeXPO began as a carrier of computer hardware, software, and high tech materials. Then in 1990 transitioned into trade show materials. From that point, the trade show industry has been the focus of their company. And in 2009, they launched their Tradeshow Services Division, which has been a perfect compliment to their founding core. With over 26 years of experience, Dave Mihalik (President & CEO) understands our industry and recognized this as a great fit for his company. According to Dave, “We already had all of the key components in place to duplicate Portland’s production process, and we were in the process of expanding our warehouse space, so it was perfect timing on our end. We’re excited to already have several rental projects lined up and on our production schedule.”

Chuck and Dave in Portland

Dave and Chuck Michel (Vice President Tradeshow Services) recently spent time in Portland at our production facility to gain a full understanding of our production process and inventory management. A few weeks later, Jim Hayes (Executive Vice President/COO) flew out for more intensive training and planning, so he could implement our system with his staff at their facility. As a side note, I want to express that these are really good guys! It’s great to work with people you consider good friends. And that’s the type of relationship we have. Quite honestly, that’s the only reason we decided to move forward with this. We knew they were the right people/organization to team up with!

Chuck Michel jumped on the opportunity. “We’ve worked with Classic as a distributor for over four years, and with Jim on a ton of rental projects,” said Chuck. “We’ve always been impressed with their operation, quality, and high service level.  So when I heard that there was interest in setting up a rental depot for East Coast rentals, I was all over it.”

We’re also offering round trip delivery services and I & D supervision for local Chicago shows and events (Quoted on an individual project/event basis).

For those who may have reservations knowing that ELITeXPO is a fellow distributor, please don’t. This organization is a class act, and they have no interest in competing with you. It’s a small world in our industry, and we completely understand how important it is to honor your relationships with your clients. We’re in this for the long haul, not for short-term gain. Dave and Chuck ask that Classic distributors reach out and discuss any concerns you may have prior to any rental project. Dave added,”We could also partner with distributors to assist with shipping and logistics. And there are preview and storage opportunities in our second warehouse, which would work well if there are any concerns about coming to our main place of business. The bottom line is we want this to work for everyone!”

All Classic Rental sales will continue to be channeled through Exhibits Northwest in Portland (Exhibits Northwest is a division of Classic Exhibits, Inc.). Continue to contact me for designs and quotes at (503) 624-2905, or jshelman@exhibitsnw.com.

Classic’s Portland Rental Depot

Whether we ship from Portland or Chicago, you can count on the same high quality service. Every order gets staged and photographed before it leaves our dock. And we’ll continue to email setup diagrams and staging photos before shipping, so you can share them with your clients. And we’re always available in case you have questions.

UPDATED WHOLESALE RENTAL GALLERY

We just added a new feature to the Wholesale Rental Gallery that should help you gather pricing information for your clients. Along with the wholesale hardware and graphics rental price, we’ve added a “Retail Pricing Calculator” that shows our wholesale rental price, wholesale graphics price, and retail prices calculated at 40% and 50% margins. You simply click on the button underneath the wholesale price shown in each of the individual rental designs, and you’ll see the detailed pricing information.

We look forward to working with you! And for those who we haven’t worked with, please consider contacting us for your next rental project.

You have our full commitment to a quality experience from start to finish!

Jim Shelman
General Manger of Exhibits Northwest & Classic Rentals
jshelman@exhibits.com

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How to Build Superfans for Your Brand: Word on the Street — July 8th thru July 12th

July 14th, 2013 Mel White 1 COMMENT
How to Build SuperFans for Your Brand: Word on the Street -- July 8th thru July 12th

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

This Makes Me Laugh

A friend and fellow music lover shared an article with me last week about my favorite band — Pearl Jam. And the reason it makes me chuckle is that as a card carrying member of the Ten Club (their fan club) since 1992, I firmly believe that Eddie, Stone, Jeff, and Mike would cringe if they knew they were being written about as smart “business strategists.” Pearl Jam is the band that is soooooo anti-Big Business. Nevertheless, they have paved a path that draws comparison to the likes of brands such as Apple, Facebook, and Coca Cola. Let me explain.

Pearl Jam

One of the things I love about the band is that they are in it for their fans more than for themselves. And while that may seem cliché (or naive), I have experienced it first hand. About two years ago, I had the privilege of building a 100 x 50 Pearl Jam Museum, thanks to Evo Exhibits in Chicago. The museum was at a music festival celebrating their 20th anniversary. During that process, I and the guys from Evo were interacting with everyone — the roadies, the touring manager, the band manager, the fan club manager, and the band itself. All along the message was clear. As Ten Club Manager Tim Bierman said in the article below, “Respect for our fans is the guiding philosophy.”

Please take a moment to read this short article from The Build Network that summarizes Pearl Jam’s philosophy:  http://thebuildnetwork.com/leadership/pearl-jam-business-lessons/.

Here’s a snippet:

Pearl Jam hasn’t released a music video in 15 years. It doesn’t do endorsements, commercials, or — heaven forbid — musicals. Yet its Ten Club is widely regarded as the most loyal and rabid superfan base in the music industry. Here’s what a 23-year-old grunge band can teach us all about building customer relationships that last.

Superfans

Now think about your business and your customers. Do your customers merely buy stuff from you? Or do you have Superfans? And if you don’t have Superfans, then why? Why are your customers not brand zealots for you and your products or services?

While I am not suggesting that all Classic Exhibits customers are Superfans, I am willing to say that the lion’s share are, at a minimum, partners and friends. And that is something we are very proud of.

Just last week, Optima shared a story from a common customer. The basics are . . . The Distributor was a Classic Distributor, but we were their #2 vendor. Time after time, their long-term #1 supplier had let them down on service, quality, and delivery. The owner hired a new sales rep who had come from another Classic Distributor. After hearing her praise for Classic and then experiencing it himself, he realized he needed to reshuffle the order of his #1 and #2 suppliers.

But what tipped the scale? Yes, his positive experience with his first couple of orders, but it was our “fans” at Optima and the new SuperFan employee that got the ball rolling.

At the end of the day, as cliché as it may sound, the way you build fans, partners, or whatever you choose to call them is it make it all about them. Cater to their wants and needs.

Back to Pearl Jam. As a fan and in this case a service provider, you hope your client appreciates what you do. Pearl Jam, the roadies, and the managers all said to the guys from Evo Exhibits and to me, “The fans are gonna love this!” That’s what mattered to them.

Lastly, as PJ brand zealot, I would be remiss if I did not mention that Pearl Jam just announced their 2013 North American tour. So do yourself a favor and see them when they come to your town. You WON’T be disappointed. I promise.

http://pearljam.com/news/0/1/21863/pearl_jam_announces_fall_2013_north_american_tour_dates

Be well and have a great weekend.

Kevin
http://twitter.com/kevin_carty
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kevin-carty/3/800/32a

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A Groovy First Year Retrospective

July 9th, 2013 Mel White COMMENTS
First Year Retrospective

Lessons Learned by Jen LaBruzza

Lesson #56 – Problems Can be Opportunities in (a really bad) Disguise

Some might say “astounding.” Others may choose “astonishing.” I choose “G-R-O-O-V-Y”!

The past year has been, well, groovy. I’m imagining a few LOL moments from those who have spent time with me. This month marks my one-year anniversary with Classic Exhibits as the Western Regional Manager.

As a former teacher, I would be remiss if I didn’t pause for a little self-reflection on my first year. To those who have allowed me into your businesses and into your lives — “Thank You!” I am grateful for every conversation and every meeting. I realize that it’s not always easy meeting with a newbie.

Which brings me to the sometimes challenging part of my job:  problem solving and wheel greasing. You may recall Reid Sherwood’s timely blog post last year, What You Should Expect From a Manufacturer’s Rep. It was published just as I was heading out on my first trip and hearing a lot of, “Now what is your role with Classic Exhibits?” It was a great insight into the expectations for Regional Managers at Classic Exhibits and ClassicMODUL.

Did you lose my manuscripts?

It also brought to light a part of our job that we sometimes dread — Problem Solver. Having worn many hats over the years in this industry, this is still the one hat that drives me the most crazy. It eats up everyone’s margin on that “oh so easy” job. But without something breaking, without trouble that shakes up the normal course of things, there is no opportunity to introduce new and better solutions.

Ernest and Ezra

In the 1920’s, when Ernest Hemingway was working hard to perfect his craft, he lost a suitcase containing all his manuscripts. The devastated Hemingway couldn’t conceive of redoing his work. He could only think of the months he’d devoted to his arduous writing . . . all for nothing, he was now convinced.  But when he lamented his loss to his friend and poet, Ezra Pound, Pound called it a stroke of luck. Pound assured Hemingway that when he rewrote the stories, he would forget the weak parts and only the best material would reappear. Instead of framing the event in disappointment, Pound cast it in the light of opportunity. Hemingway did rewrite those stories, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Last year, there have been problems, ranging from “I need an extra length of cord cover for our customer’s extrusion” to the generic “This job has problems and I need you to fix them.” Recently, one of the latter took me to the show site.

The “opportunity” involved Classic stepping up to the plate and correcting some mistakes. They weren’t huge, but measuring mistakes depends on who has the ruler. The distributor requested that we send someone to the show site to assist their client. All was well until the final phase, when things were being plugged in and tested. The last SEG graphic was not going to work, not because of size but because the client was unhappy with the standard rear projection fabric. Did I mention this was on a Sunday?

I was able to call in the cavalry, a.k.a. Dave Brown from Optima Graphics who suggested an alternative fabric. He rallied his troops and got the new graphic printed and on a flight. Did I mention that the show opened on Monday at 9:30 am? For me, it meant waking up at 4:15 am to arrive at the airport at 4:30 to ensure that the graphic was installed by 7:30. This was clearly an opportunity waiting to happen and thanks to Optima, the new rear projection fabric worked perfectly.

A sure sign of a successful person or a company is how they tackle problems. Are they creative and innovative? Do they turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones. It’s often those hidden opportunities that can cement your relationship with your client and serve to make it stronger because you have weathered it together. As the saying goes, “Problems happen. It’s how you handle them that is important.”

Now go out there and focus on turning challenges into opportunities rather than into disappointments and problems. And most importantly, let me know how I can help.

Jen LaBruzza, Western Regional Manager
Classic Exhibits/ClassicMODUL
jen@classicexhibits.com

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Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom-hybrid exhibit solutions and engineered aluminum extrusions (ClassicMODUL). Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100.

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