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EXHIBITOR Show Design & New Website: Word on the Street — January 27th thru January 31st

February 3rd, 2014 COMMENTS

Kevin Carty, VP Classic Exhibits

EXHIBITOR2014

In just six short weeks, we will meet in Las Vegas for EXHIBITOR 2014. It’s our opportunity to show all that is new in our great industry from design and construction to AV, flooring, and services.

Each year at Classic, we collaborate to create the layout and foundation for our booth at the show. This year was no different. We started with representatives from Design, Production, Project Management, Rentals, and Management to discuss what all we wanted to show and do at this year’s upcoming EXHIBITOR show.

This year a unique focus was given to “Design” as a whole. Not that we don’t always have a well-design booth. We do. But this year EXHIBITOR is holding the Inaugural Design Awards of Excellence at EXHIBITOR2014, an event celebrating the very best in designs from the past year and from the show floor at EXHIBITOR 2014.

Classic is heavily involved in this inaugural event and very appreciative. We are participating with several entries in the award categories.

So this year, we knew this going into our own booth design meetings. Our clear focus is to create the most design-driven exhibit  that we have ever shown at EXHIBITOR.

Having said that, the process is always a challenge. The more people you bring into the process, the more ideas you get and the longer and more difficult the process can be. No different really that what we all experience when designing for our clients. And like our clients, we are indecisive yet full of home run ideas. Many sound great on paper, but are not practical. Sound familiar? Many of the same struggles we think are only “client driven” are actually challenges we face as well.

I can report that the booth we designed is truly the most elegant and beautiful exhibit we have ever produced for EXHIBITOR. We will highlight not only our systems, but also the custom wood work we have been building for you over the past two years.

Katina Rigall has taken on the tough task of absorbing all our crazy ideas and putting them to paper — and she has done a stellar job. Now Production and Project Management are doing their magic to make it all come to life

Back to the awards night. It will be held on Tuesday at 6:30pm in one of the event halls at Mandalay Bay. Final details will be announced next week. But suffice it to say, it is going to be a truly grand event, produced by the great folks at Exhibitor Media Group and Delphi Productions. Please make sure, when you see the details, to get a ticket for you and your staff members to attend, and enjoy a night designed to celebrate the beauty that we all create every week.

Register for EXHIBITOR — For FREE

Special Promotion Code: 4044

The Special Promotion Code gives you free access to both the Exhibit Hall and the Monday evening Welcome Reception. It’s a $100 value! Enter this code on the registration page at www.exhibitor2014.com/vip.

New Classic Exhibits Website

On a different topic . . . The New Classic Exhibits website is Live BABY. And its truly beautiful! Mel White, Tony Bennett, and Glenna Martin deserve a tremendous amount of credit for all their long hours and dedication to creating what I think is hands down the best website in our industry. Yes I said the best! Check it out and I think you will say the same thing. It combines beauty, class, and an intuitive nature all in one great website.

Some Highlights:

  • All the same tools:  EDS, P5D, Peek-a-Booth, Trade Show Tales
  • Organized, easily-accessible drop-down menus
  • Larger and brighter graphics
  • Consistent page designs
  • Information Bubbles for most product lines
  • Revised, cleaner layout for EDS
  • Advanced Search option in EDS

The next phase is the Adaptive Design layout for tablets and smartphones. Should be ready in the next 60-90 days.

Take a look and please let us know what you think. I truly believe you will appreciate all the hours and hard work that went into the process.

I look forward to this week as we kick off another great sales month together.

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

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Reuse, Recycle, Re-post | Favorite Blog Posts: Word on the Street — Jan. 20th thru Jan. 24th

January 29th, 2014 COMMENTS
Reuse, Recycle, Re-post | Some Favorite Blog Posts

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

This week, we’re re-posting a smattering of popular blogs from the past six years. Kind of like a marathon weekend of your favorite television show. Scan through the selections and sample the ones that tickle your fancy.

Next week, we’ll give you a peek into our design process for EXHIBITOR2014. EXHIBITOR is only two months away, and we are in the midst of finalizing our booth design, graphics, and theme. We are fortunate to be working with several trade show suppliers on their EXHIBITOR booths as well. Which is always fun.

There will also be a SUPER BIG ANNOUNCEMENT. But, I won’t spoil the fun by giving it away now. 🙂 Patience is a virtue (or so I’m told).

Enjoy . . .

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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Classic Exhibits Inc. | 2013 Annual State of the Company Letter

January 17th, 2014 COMMENTS

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:

  1. Uptrend in Sales in 2013
  2. More Custom Hybrid and Custom Fabrication
  3. New Classic Exhibits Website (oh so close to launch)
  4. Growth in Rentals
  5. Retail / Corporate Environment Trends
  6. New Product in 2014
  7. 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

January 7th, 2014 COMMENTS

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.

$349 iPad Telescoping Stand with Rolling Travel Case

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

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

January 3rd, 2014 1 COMMENT
What to Be Resolute About

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Happy New Years!

I trust you had a safe and happy New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Like most folks older than 40, mine was quiet and involved sleep. Although I actually did stay up until midnight PST and am still paying for that mistake. I find the older I get the more sleep I need, but that might also have to do with having seven year old twins.

But, I digress . . . There are some things that never change year after year with the whole “New Year’s” thing. The absurd amount of weight loss ads that hit TV and radio starting on New Year’s Eve and run for the next two weeks incessantly. The same thing for “Quitting Smoking.” And the one I love the most is the insane number of people who suddenly turn into “runners” on January 1.

In my neighborhood alone, I saw six people (the same six from last year) running on New Year’s Day. By about the 10th of January, I notice that I haven’t seen them for a couple of days.

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. It seems like a good day, and think of how much LESS pressure there is on June 8 to make a life change.

I digress once more . . . I always enjoy reading the lists of the most failed New Year’s Resolutions. Call me a sadist. But here are some that are most likely to fail.

1.  Lose Weight — Historically, this one was a challenge for me, but I found a better date. Super Bowl Sunday was my date. After I gorged myself two years ago on melted Velveeta Con Queso at a Super Bowl Sunday party, I along with 12 others started a weight loss competition the next day. One that still exists. We have all lost weight and are doing well.

2. Save More Money — Really. Right after Christmas your plan is to save more money? The real challenge for most of us is to pay off the credit cards from all the Christmas shopping. This one is doomed to fail.

3. Be Happier and Stress Less — Well, if you’re going to attempt 1 and 2 with any passion, then this one is sure to fail. Besides, why wait until Jan 1st to decide to adjust your life so that you can be happier and stress less?

4. Quit Drinking — For some of us, this is less a resolution than a necessity. You can’t achieve the first three without #4. 🙂 In all seriousness, I am leaving this one alone.

5. Fall in Love — Sweet thought, but in the end, this requires another person. You are at best 50% in control of this one ever happening. Might I suggest that if you are determined enough to achieve 3 out of previous 4 on this list, then your odds on this one increase a great deal

6. Spend More Time with Family — Again, why do we feel like January 1 is the kickoff day for this one? Shouldn’t this just be a given? But again, if your uncle resembles Cousin Eddie from the Vacation movies, I can see why this might pose a challenge.

Here are some funny ones (which I hope none apply to you):

  • I will do less laundry and use more deodorant.
  • I will avoid taking a bath whenever possible and conserve more water.
  • I will assure my lawyer that I will never again show up drunk at a custody hearing.
  • I resolve to work with neglected children — my own.
  • I will read the manual… just as soon as I can find it.
  • When I hear a funny joke I will not reply, “LOL… LOL!”
  • I will not say, “it was the dog,” when I fart. I reserve the right to change this if I get a dog.
  • I will find out why the correspondence course I purchased on “Mail Fraud” never arrived.
  • I will start buying lottery tickets at a luckier store.
  • I will always wear clean underwear, “just in case.”
  • I will eat more nice things like candy, Big Macs, popcorn and ice cream. Eat less crap like fresh fruit, vegetables, and soy nuts.
  • I will spend less money on buying useless stuff like this new DVD Rewinder from QVC.
  • I will never again take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
  • I will stop saying, “Ooh, that feels nice” whenever the security guys frisk me at airports.

Anyway, I hope you had great Holiday Season and I truly look forward to working together in 2014.

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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