Trade Show TalesBlog

This, That, and The Other: Word on the Street — Jan. 23rd thru Jan. 27th

January 27th, 2012 Mel White 1 COMMENT
This and That

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

It’s Mel. This week, I’m filling in for Kevin who is at Disneyland treating his five-year old twins to the Magic Kingdom. For those on the East Coast and in the South, yes, there’s still a Disney Park on the West Coast. I know. It seems weird with Disney World a mere 3000 miles away, but five-year olds don’t know the difference . . . yet.

This week we’ll share some odds and ends . . .

EXHIBITOR 2012

It is oh so close. A mere five weeks away. We’ll be in booth #1645, a 20′ x 30′. And just like your typical customers, the exhibit design is nearly done, we’ve outlined the graphic concepts, and we’re juggling 100 balls at the same time. Next year, “we’ll be done by December,” our mantra since 2005.

  • Classic Exhibits / Eco-Systems Sustainable Reception. We’ll host a reception on Tuesday, March 6, in a Mandalay Bay Suite. The reception will be from approximate 3:30 to 7 pm, or until we exhaust our beer, wine, and snacks. Please touch base with us on Monday or Tuesday at EXHIBITOR for the room number.
  • Optima Graphics Reception. You’ll also see our friendly faces at the Optima Graphics Reception on Monday March 5 in the Mandalay Islander D-E Ballroom. Please check with our good friends at Optima for details.
  • Other Classic Exhibits Displays. Based on our latest count, there should be around four or five Classic-built displays at EXHIBITOR. Ask us about them at the show, and we’ll give you an unofficial tour.
  • New Product Showcase. This year we submitted the MOD-211 iPad Counter Insert into the EXHIBITOR New Product Showcase. The MOD-211 is available on most Classic Counters, Pedestals, and Workstations. It’s an easy and secure way to transform any counter top into a iPad station. You’ll see several examples in our booth.
  • FREE Pass. For a free pass to the show hall compliments of Classic Exhibits and ClassicMODUL, click HERE.

Upcoming Promotion

We’ve teamed up with Marlys Arnold, the Image Specialist, to offer her book Build a Better Trade Show Image to your customers. Starting in mid-February, we’ll include an “Our Gift to You” promotional postcard with most inline and island hybrid displays, such as Sacagawea, Magellan, Perfect 10, Visionary Designs, and SEGUE. The postcard will have a unique code where they can download the 280+ page e-book on how to launch, improve, finesse, or fix their trade show marketing program. It’s an excellent book, valued at $27, which every trade show expert or novice should own.

To see the download page, please go to www.imagespecialist.com/classicexhibits. Marlys will be at EXHIBITOR 2012, including several sessions in the Classic Exhibits booth and (probably) at the Classic Reception. We encourage you to meet Marlys and pick her brain on training programs available to you and to your customers.

ClassicMODUL Aluminum Extrusions

We hesitate to use this term . . . but the ClassicMODUL website is now “sexy.” Well, as sexy as engineered aluminum extrusion can get. We’ve made a number of significant changes to the website, including easier navigation, an extrusion depot site legend, and a very cool page flipping tool to browse the MODUL 6.0 Index. In the next week or so, we’ll also be adding extrusion photos in addition to the renderings.

When do you order from ClassicMODUL (and not Classic Exhibits)? Whenever you are ordering cut or full-length extrusions on projects you are project managing yourself. ClassicMODUL provides CAD services and can detail the extrusions you’ll need. They can guide you toward the most cost-effective solutions based on your design. Plus . . . there are ClassicMODUL extrusion depots in Portland, OR, Cheshire, CT, and Birmingham, AL.

Some New Products You May Have Missed (in Your Haste to Make a Living and Have a Life)

MOD-211 iPad Counter Insert for Trade Shows

MOD-211 iPad Counter Insert

  1. LTE-1001 and LTG-1001 Tapered Pedestals:  These are less expensive versions of the always popular LTK-1001 Tapered Pedestal.
  2. MOD-211 iPad Counter Insert: I know. I’m repeating myself. But it’s a great idea and it’s only $295.
  3. VK-1850, VK-1851, VK-1852 SEGUE Table Top Displays
  4. MOD-1285 and MOD-1283 Lightboxes with Rotating Header
  5. VK-5081, VK-5082, and VK-5083 SEGUE Islands
  6. SEGUE Sunrise DS (ex. VK-2314 and VK-1910):  These are the two-sided versions of the popular SEGUE Sunrise, an affordable, no-tools assembly SEG portable display.

Some Changes to Exhibit Design Search You May Have Missed (in Your Haste to Make a Living and Have a Life)

  1. Audio Clips: Over the past three months we’ve added 30-40 second audio clips to many kits in EDS. These clips give a brief description of the features and benefits of the products, such as the Quadro S Pop Up, Xpressions, Visionary Designs, or Design Monday.
  2. eSmart Galleries: We recently changed the name of these galleries from Eco-Smart to eSmart. Not a big change, but one that was intended to send a subtle message. The eSmart Galleries are not only eco-friendly designs, but also distinctive and affordable designs whether your client is interested in a green display or not. We encourage you to include the eSmart galleries in your search whenever you’re looking for a 10 x 10, 10 x 20, or island. Go for the design . . . get Green as a bonus.
  3. Brumark and Display Supply and Lighting: These are not new, but way down at the bottom of EDS, there are four galleries for Flooring, Exhibit Supplies, and Lighting. These are the Brumark and Display Supply and Lighting Galleries. If you use these galleries, please let them know. If you would like to see changes or additions to these galleries, please let them know. They are important strategic partners of Classic Exhibits and of Exhibit Design Search.

Anywho . . . we are looking forward to seeing you at EXHIBITOR. Please stop by the booth and join us at the Reception. If you would like to meet with Kevin, Reid, Jim Shelman, or me during or after show hours, please let us know. We are filling in our appointment slots PDQ.

See you later alligator! (I am so old).

–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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Bob’s Sage Advice: Trade Shows Work

January 26th, 2012 Mel White COMMENTS

Bob Moore, Bob's Red Mill

Bob’s Red Mill Natural Products Article

If you’ve ever visited us in Portland, you know that we always treat you to lunch at Bob’ Red Mill. Bob’s Red Mill packages whole grain products, such as oatmeal, beans, bread mixes, etc., for supermarkets in North America and around the world. You may not recognize the name, but the next time you visit your local supermarket, head to the “healthy foods” section and you’ll see Bob’s Red Mill products in clear cellophane bags. They also happen to have a restaurant and company store on International Way.

We do not work with Bob’s Red Mill directly, nor would we, even though they’re just 100 yards down the road from our facility. They work with a Classic Exhibits trade show distributor based in Salem, OR.

Recently, there was a short article in Oregon Business where Bob Moore, the founder of the company, shared his advice about staying independent. The article is insightful, and you’ll love his quote about trade shows at the bottom.

“You can’t grow outside your territory unless you go to trade shows.” Sweet.

Enjoy.

–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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Meet Katina Rigall, Designer: Word on the Street — Jan. 16th thru Jan. 20th

January 22nd, 2012 Mel White 2 COMMENTS

Katina Rigall

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Our Newest Design Addition — Katina Rigall

We are excited to welcome Katina Rigall to Classic Exhibits. Katina has an extensive custom design background, along with a solid knowledge of portable, modular, and hybrid displays. She is going through our training program this week, otherwise known as “15 Years of Facts Crammed into 7 Brutal Days.”  Rather than give you a high-highfalutin, PR-spin of Katina, we thought we’d let her introduce herself.

Katina Rigall, Designer

“I was born and raised in Portland, OR and studied Interior Design and Art History at Oregon State University as an undergraduate. The summer before I graduated and my last semester of college, I worked as a designer for cruise ship interiors. Imagine the themed spaces from the kid’s play areas to the night clubs. This gave me my first taste of experience design and I loved it!”

“After graduating, I worked with an established interior remodeling firm for over three years, where I learned how to plan and execute detailed kitchen designs while collaborating with experts from various trades. As much as I enjoyed these projects, I felt I needed to expand my design skills to work in a more creative niche. I returned to school at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC to get my Master’s degree in Exhibition Design.”

“I love art and its ability to impact the viewer, and I consider my medium to be large 3-dimensional experiences that utilize colors, shapes, lighting, and graphics to encompass viewers at an event. My projects at their best are large scale sculptures in addition to thoroughly functional branded experiences that inform people about products and services in a memorable way. After working in Exhibit Design for a custom house on the East Coast for over four years, I am very happy to be returning to my hometown to work with Classic Exhibits where I can continue to do what I love.”

We are very excited to have Katina back in the Pacific Northwest where she was born and raised. We believe she will greatly impact and expand the Classic Exhibits Design Department. She brings great talent and personality to the job, and her custom experience is sure to bring new ideas and designs to the Classic Line of products.

As a member of the EDPA Scholarship Committee, I often meet students from FIT and see their great work while attending the program. It is especially exciting  that Katina is a graduate of the FIT program.

Please take a moment to welcome Katina to the Classic Family as you work with her on new design projects.

Have a great week!

–Kevin Carty

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

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100 Global Trends in 2012

January 12th, 2012 Mel White COMMENTS

100 Things to Watch in 2012

JTW Intelligence released their seventh annual year-end forecast of key trends that will shape or significantly impact consumer behavior in the near future. Continued economic uncertainty is at the center of or driving several of these trends; another theme is the rising idea of shared responsibility. As always, new technology is a key factor as well.

To view the full slideshow, click on the image.

2012 Trends

For the shorter executive summary, click here.

–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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2011 “State of the Company” Letter from Kevin Carty

January 11th, 2012 Mel White COMMENTS

Kevin Carty, VP of Sales

Happy New Year! Hope you had a great Holiday Season.

Classic Exhibits Inc. and its divisions continued to rebound in 2011, after showing solid increases in 2010. Across the board, volume grew from 22 to 33 percent, depending on the division. Most refreshing, we saw no single trends, meaning our sales came from kits and custom, rentals and extrusions, and trade shows and retail. Nearly every week we were surprised by interesting projects that challenged and stimulated us.

New Systems Released

SEGUE Sunrise Trade Show Display

SEGUE Sunrise Portable Hybrid

Most new kits were based on MODUL TSP extrusions, which use silicone edge graphics. SEGUE Sunrise is a good example. Released in early January 2011, the Sunrise was one of those product releases you dream about. While it wasn’t the first SEG backwall on the market, it was the first to get it right from assembly to packaging. The Sunrise assembles without tools on both the single and double-sided versions and packs in die-cut foam packaging. Much like the Sacagawea and the Perfect 10, the Sunrise addresses a specific price point while not sacrificing design or value.

We introduced several iPad solutions as well. These have done well. If you haven’t seen them, I would encourage you to add them to your arsenal:  the MOD-211 iPad Counter Insert and the MOD-1276 Kiosk.

Design Monday Anniversary

In February 2011, we celebrated the 6th Anniversary of Design Monday. Kudos to Mel White, Mike Swartout, and the Classic Design Department for creating a marketing broadcast that transformed Classic and made a difference to our distributors. Other manufacturers shared their designs, but Classic made it a weekly feature. You can imagine the discipline it takes to create three new designs each week, but it’s that discipline that sets Classic apart. It forces us to never be complacent about innovation.

Exhibit Design Search/Website Changes

ClassicMODUL Aluminum Extrusions for Trade Shows

NEW ClassicMODUL Website

If you were watching closely, you saw lots of tweaks to Exhibit Design Search. We upgraded the UI, reorganized the galleries, finessed the Design Descriptions, and added 30 second audio clips. All that in addition to daily photos in P5D, new kits, articles, FAQ’s, and bi-monthly specials.

The ClassicMODUL website changed dramatically, www.classicmodul.com. If you haven’t been there recently, we encourage you to take a tour. The extrusion galleries are much easier to navigate. We’ve added a legend showing which depots have which extrusions, and (my favorite), the MODUL 6.0 Index can be viewed via Page Flip software. It’s pretty cool. As a reminder, we encourage you to contact ClassicMODUL when you need aluminum extrusion for designs you are constructing yourself.

Distributor Events

Historically, we have always been eager to participate in Distributor Events, such as open houses and training. There was a lull in those events during the recession, but 2011 saw a resurgence. We partnered with several Distributor Open Houses and Marketing Events. We applaud those distributors who took the time and effort to organize in-house activities. A special shout out to Atlantic Exhibits for their two ExhibiTrends events. Excellent turnout and they both ran like clockwork.

Alternate Markets

Like many display shops, retail and museum jobs have always been part of the mix. But this year we really pushed that envelope. Projects included studio set work for several television networks, a flagship store for Comcast Xfinity, retail fixtures for an athletic apparel company, and my favorite, building a museum onsite at a music festival celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band Pearl Jam.

These projects and many others were learning experiences that opened doors for Classic and our distributor network. We expect the trend to continue in 2012. In fact we started off the New Year with an in store display celebrating the Rose Bowl Victory for the Oregon Ducks. This display was designed to hang in a storefront of the flagship NikeTown store in Portland. Pretty cool.

VK-5077 Trade Show Island

VK-5077 Island Exhibit

Islands are Back and Better than Ever

Islands are back and not just those with meager budgets. Well thought out, design-centric islands with realistic budgets are growing and a clear indicator of the “paced” economic recovery.

Internally at Classic, Exhibits NW and ClassicMODUL

Mel and I have always bragged about the great family atmosphere at Classic. In 2011, as we grew, we added employees to that family. And our employees did their job preparing for Classic’s employment needs in the future. At least five newborns were born.

Exhibits NW added folks to the Classic Rental Division. They have been wonderful additions who fit the culture and work ethic. I know I speak for Jim Shelman when I say how happy and thankful we are for the talents they bring to the company.

We expanded the Customer Service Department, adding two new FT positions to Set-up Instructions. We have consistently gotten high praise for our personalized set-up instructions, and Jeff and Pavel made them even better. Great job guys!

The Classic Production Department has grown as well, as business grew through out the year. They have all proven to be very talented additions who we hope will remain in the Classic Family for many years to come.

Thanks to the Staff

MOD-211 iPad Counter Insert for Trade Shows

MOD-211 iPad Counter Insert

I wanted to say a special thank you to the Classic Exhibits, Exhibits NW, and ClassicMODUL staff. As always you make Classic . . . well, Classic. I appreciate all that you do to keep our customers and their customers happy. This past year, like many before, we celebrated many double-digit anniversaries at Classic. It always chokes me up when we celebrate anniversaries once a month. Usually there are several folks who are celebrating 8, 9, 10, or even 12 years at the company. Thank you for your dedication and your hard work.

On a personal note many of have asked about my travel schedule. I have stopped traveling for the most part with the exception of industry events like EXHIBITOR, EDPA, and The Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic. Except for a rare trip here and there, I have chosen to stick closer to home. And to be honest I am really enjoying it on a personal and professional level. I like being in the office every day and having more time to run the business with Mel and our management team. And I love being able to come home to my beautiful wife and two five year olds each day.

Having said that, I know this leaves a void in visits to you. For that I apologize. We expect to add to our outside team this year, sooner rather than later, to complement the great work that Mel and Reid have been doing. I look forward to updating you on this in the coming months. And certainly look forward to seeing you all in Las Vegas at EXHIBITOR 2012.

Speaking of additions, I want to welcome to the Classic Family a new Designer. Katina Rigall starts on January 16. She is a talented and much needed addition to the Classic Exhibits Design Department. I know I speak for Mike when I say, “We can’t wait for your arrival Katina.” 🙂

I hope you have a very successful 2012 and that we continue to be a part of it. Thanks for all your support and business over the past year. We really, really appreciate it.

Thanks,

–Kevin Carty

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

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

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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