Up Your Game Newsletter ~ October 2019

Trade Show Blog

Now for Something Completely Different

Those with a few grey hairs will recognize this line from Monty Python as the abrupt, often nonsensical transition from one skit to another. In this month’s newsletter, we share videos, blog posts, and a 1960’s car ad from Classic Distributor Partners. In other words, something different.

We think you’ll enjoy how cleverly they market their exhibit companies. Are you promoting your company in creative ways? Please let us know.  

(2) Empire Display Solutions Videos

At Classic Exhibits, we rarely see show photos, let alone videos of the exhibits we design and build. However, Matthew Houck of Empire Display Solutions shared two professionally edited videos from Natural Products East.

The videographer is James Morano, and Matt and Aniyah Haynes narrate. Jeff Garrett and Alex Lebedev were the PMs and Kim DiStefano the Designer.

Both show how our collaboration with Empire Display Solutions resulted in two amazing custom exhibits.

See the YouTube previews below or click on these links: Threshold (20 x 30) and PICNIK Austin (10 x 10).

Tradeshow Guy Blog Posts

One of the best bloggers in the trade show industry is Tim Patterson, aka The Tradeshow Guy. He posts, on average, about three blogs a week, including his weekly Monday Morning Coffee video and podcast. His trade show marketing advice is consistently practical, personal, and fun to read.

I’ve learned a lot from Tim over the years and often give his books to new Classic employees as an introduction to the industry. Although we don’t agree on everything, like whether “trade show” should be one or two words, we do agree that trade show marketing is a craft learned from skilled professionals. Below are some recent blog posts.

USA Exhibits and Gear – Jim Munro

This has nothing to do with trade shows, but a lot to do with marketing, creativity, and humor. Jim Munro owns USA Exhibits and Gear in Fresno, CA. Recently, he posted the following in LinkedIn about his dad.

In Jim’s words… “I wanted to share this piece of family history from the early 1960’s. My dad was a California auto dealer who specialized in sourcing and selling specialty, hi-performance cars that were popular during this period. The following is a clip from our local newspaper, The Fresno Bee, in 1963.

I know there are some Gearheads out there that will appreciate the creative descriptions. Yes, he was quite a character!”

Recent Posts

EuroShop 2026 Design Trends

Recently, Kevin Carty and Katina Rigall Zipay from Classic Exhibits attend EuroShop 2026 in Duesseldorf, Germany. While there, they posted two videos of their experience including exhibition design trends like colors, shapes, materials, and lighting

Small Booth Strategies for First-Time Fancy Food Exhibitors

Are you a first-time exhibitor at the Summer Fancy Food Show in NYC? Congratulations! The SFFS is a marathon of tasting, networking, and business deals, open only to qualified members of the food trade. Think retail buyers, distributors, chefs, and the press. Expect to see over 32,000 attendees, 2500 exhibitors, and 180,000 specialty food and beverages on display.

Booth Design Ideas That Help Biotech Brands Stand Out at BIO 2026

Are you an exhibitor or an attendee at BIO? If you’re an exhibitor, you’re probably wondering how individual biotech brands stand out at the BIO International Convention? The key is knowing your audience, creating a comprehensive strategy, and designing a stunning biotech booth design.

Trade Shows are a Journey. Send Sacagawea.

The Sacagawea Portable Hybrid Display is an American-engineered and built system designed for professional exhibitors. It’s meant to last for years, look amazing, and setup fast from the first to the fiftieth show. No compromises.

Introducing the New Classic Website!

Good websites are never fully done. They evolve… and the new Classic website makes changes much easier. So, if “stuff” moves around or we add new features, it’s because we’re antsy about the status quo at Classic Exhibits. Which shouldn’t surprise you.

What Makes a Good Trade Show Booth?

When it comes to creating a good trade show booth, you are in luck. The booth design is the fun part for most exhibitors. You get to work with an exhibit designer who has your trade show goals and budget, along with an understanding of your customers, your culture and your branding. While the question “What makes a good trade show booth?” depends on the exhibitor, there are commonalities to every good trade show exhibit. We’ll explore those similarities in this article.

More Mix & Match Rentals from Classic Rental Solutions

About a month ago, we launched Classic’s Mix & Match Rental Guide as a tool to streamline the rental decision process with a comprehensive set of towers, counters, lightboxes, and kiosks. This “smarter not harder” approach was intended to make your job easier.

Our Membership in the Xperiential Marketplace

Classic Exhibits announces our membership in Xperiential Marketplace (XM), an innovative buying and education group for the exhibit industry. XM was founded by two industry veterans, Jason Weddle and Rob Cohen with a mission to unlock savings, create stronger partnerships, and increase growth.

The Power of a Branded Trade Show Exhibit: Strategy + Examples

Marketing professionals and exhibit designers know how to create a branded trade show exhibit that attracts traffic to the booth and maximizes the attendee’s experience. It starts with understanding the brand’s identity and creating a detailed strategic plan for the trade show.