Classic Exhibits

Your Classic Exhibits Shared Success Newsletter | July 2022

July 11th, 2022 Mel White COMMENTS

Take a breath
Enjoy the summer
Fall is coming
We’ve got your back
Send us your overflow

Deep Breaths by Jen LaBruzza

A gentle poetic reminder that although it’s feeling Easy Like Sunday Morning right now, the Manic Mondays of Fall will be upon us before we can say, “20 x 40 island.”

And in case you missed our EXHIBITORLIVE memo, Classic Exhibits is North America’s Largest Private-Label Exhibit Builder. That means you don’t have to say, “No.” Just tap into our custom, modular, portable, and rental capabilities when your production schedule is maxed out.

So, as we pause and catch our breath, remember the Early Bird gets the BEST spot in the production schedule. It’s time to contact those Lazy Daisy clients and get those creative juices flowing. Reach out to our Sales Team, Designers, or Project Managers for assistance and let’s start filling up our dance cards.

Rental Winter Turns into Rental Fall by Jim Shelman

Sales: Q1 and Q2 Rental orders broke all previous sales numbers for Classic Rental Solutions. Early numbers show more of the same for the second half of the year.

To support our growth, we’ve added office and production staff. Josh Christensen joined CRS as a detailer, and he also manages our rental inventory. Kristofer Viaes and Victoria Writer are Project Coordinators. All three have already proven to be invaluable.

As you know, CRS’s inventory is both large and expansive, but our most popular components continue to be SuperNova Lightboxes and Gravitee Modular Walls.

Gravitee Modular Walls have become our rental backbone. Backwalls, towers, conference rooms, storage rooms, kiosks, and counters using Gravitee and SuperNova are being utilized in every possible configuration. It’s hard to imagine how we ever managed without the versatility of these options, along with ClassicMODUL, to create any design imaginable.

Trends: We’re seeing an increase in extended rentals for multiple shows, along with repeat orders with replacement graphics and minor design tweaks. Repeat rentals with no changes (except cleaning graphics) are more common. Yes, graphics can be cleaned and look like new again.

People's Choice Award at EXHIBITORLIVE — Exhibitor Magazine People’s Choice Award

Award: Classic won Exhibitor Magazine’s People’s Choice Award for the Technolutions Slate Rental 20’ x 60’ Design with our Distributor Partner Jill Kinduell, Owner of Total Graphic Source.

We look forward to working with many of you on your upcoming rental projects, and we sincerely thank you for your business!

Fast and Furious Webinar Recordings

Fast and Furious Webinar Series by Classic Exhibits

Over the past two months, we’ve hosted five Fast and Furious webinars. And more are coming! Expect a webinar on Interactive Games for trade shows (see the new gallery in EDS) and an Exhibit Design Search tutorial, titled “EDS and Coffee are for Closers!” 😉 If you missed any of the Fast and Furious webinars, we uploaded the recordings to YouTube.

EXHIBITORLIVE and WIE Videos

Women in Exhibitions Breakfast at Exhibitorlive.

Finally, if you missed EXHIBITORLIVE or if you attended and want to see if made the final cut, see the two videos below. Kudos to our own Glenna Martin for documenting the show and creating both videos.

The 4^th Annual Women In Exhibitions Breakfast was a huge success! Over 100 women gathered on June 22 in the Connection Zone at EXHIBITORLIVE. All who attended enjoyed a delicious breakfast and shared their personal experiences during a special presentation.

Guest speaker MaryCay Durrant provided insight into how women are uniquely positioned to take on leadership roles in ways that fulfill our desires for meaning, connection, health, and prosperity. Women In Exhibitions is proud to provide quality content and networking opportunities for the women in our industry, and this event was no exception.

This was all possible due to our generous sponsors:

Diamond – EXHIBITOR Media Group, Classic Exhibits Inc.
Platinum – Hill & Partners
Gold – Brumark, Centerpoint Marketing, CORT Events, Design Factory Las Vegas, Hamilton, Impact XM, NuVista, Pinnacle, Taylor
Silver – Access TCA, ASTOUND, beMatrix, ProGlobalEvents, Condit, Czarnowski, Deckel & Moneypenny, ExhibitForce, Genesis Exhibits, MSM, Steelhead, Xzibits, EDPA Las Vegas Chapter

Tags: Classic Exhibits, ExhibitorLIVE, Rental Displays, Rental Exhibits, women in exhibitions
Posted in Classic Exhibits Inc., EXHIBITORLIVE, Shared Knowledge Newsletter, Women in Exhibitions | No Comments »

What “Budget Portable Displays” Really Means

July 8th, 2022 Mel White COMMENTS

Budget vs. Portable

Too often, the terms “budget” and “portable” are used interchangeably for 10 and 20 ft. trade show displays. However, budget and portable have wildly different meanings depending on the manufacturer, distributor, or exhibitor. Budget can mean cheap, both in price and construction. Or it can mean value and quality.

Likewise, portables can mean tool-less and lightweight. But not always. Some portable displays require basic tools and pack in roto-molded rolling cases, which are convenient but not necessarily lightweight. These two terms are the trade show equivalent of egg-lingo – ex. cage-free, free-range, pasture-raised, and organic—where the exact meaning isn’t always obvious. .

Untangling the Budget Portable Ball of Twine

At Classic Exhibits, “Budget Portables” isn’t meant to be tricky or confusing. It’s actually very straightforward.

Budget. Price is a relative term, meaning our budget portables are less expensive than our other portables. These portables range in price from $3800 to $6100 and always include durable roto-molded cases with wheels, die-cut foam packaging for long-term convenience, numbered components for fast assembly, and detailed set-instructions.

Tool-less Assembly. Tool-less means no tools are required to assemble the booth. None. Some systems claim to be tool-less, except for the base plate or a literature tray or counter. Tool-less should mean tool-less.

SEG Dye-sublimated Graphics. SEG means Silicone Edge Graphics. SEG graphics have a silicone bead or welting sewn to the perimeter of the graphic. This bead fits into a channel on the aluminum frame. It should fit perfectly, which is why SEG is popular. No guesswork. Dye-sublimated is a printing process where images are transferred or sublimated into the fabric. It’s more expensive, but the colors are brighter and the end-product is more durable. Many vendors save money by directly printing on the fabric. It looks OK… for now. Long-term… not so much.

Engineered Aluminum Frames. Most budget portables are built with 1.25 in. round tubes. They’re lightweight, generally easy-to-assemble, and inexpensive. In short, they are graphic billboards. Our budget portables are structural, using aluminum extrusion. Unlike tubes, they are strong enough to hold accessories like monitors, tablets, literature trays, floating graphics, and workstations.

Lifetime Warranty on Workmanship and Made in the USA. Commitment and location matter. Lose a part? No problem. It’s replaceable, usually within a few days. Expanding or re-configuring your design? Again, no problem. The modular construction makes that simple.

SYK-2005 Symphony Trade Show Display — SYK-2005 Symphony Portable Display

Buying a budget portable via the Internet is like placing $3000 on 26 Black at the roulette table. You might win… but there’s a much greater likelihood of losing. Don’t gamble. Work with a professional trade show consultant. They know the pros and cons of most portable displays and can advise you on the best choice for your budget and your marketing goals.

Symphony Portable Displays

For too long, portable displays have sacrificed elegant design for visual simplicity. Not anymore.

With Symphony, you can create the perfect 10, 20 or 30 ft. display by selecting from stylish backwall shapes and distinctive counters and workstations. The mix and match flexibility encourages unlimited design possibilities. Need a different look for your next show? Symphony’s modular SEG frames are double-sided and re-configurable.

Personalize your Symphony Display with attractive counters, workstations, floating graphics, iPad clamshells, and monitor mounts. The lightweight aluminum frames are engineered for SEG dye-sublimated fabric graphics for a seamless, wrinkle-free look. Add floating graphics for additional visual layering and branding.

Tags: budget displays, Classic Exhibits, portable displays, Symphony Portable Displays, Trade Shows
Posted in Classic Exhibits Inc., Portable Trade Show Displays, Symphony Portable Displays | No Comments »

Promotional Product Trends with Rama Beerfas from Lev Promotions

May 18th, 2022 Mel White COMMENTS

Rama Beerfas of Lev Promotions shares 20 promotional product trends for 2022 in this Fast and Furious Webinar, sponsored by Classic Exhibits.

For more information about promotional products, tchotchkes, or giveaways, contact Rama at rama@levpromotions.com or www.levpromotions.com. If you are attending EXHIBITORLIVE, schedule an appointment with her at www.levpromotions.com/exlive2022.

For an overview of Promotional Products: 0.00 to 6:39. To see specific products, along with benefits and features: 6:40 to the end.

20 Promotional Product Trends in 20 Minutes (or so)

20 Trending Products

Custom Designed Canister of Mini Gourmet Cookies
Apple Paper Appeel Mid Size Notebook
24 Page 7.25″x8.5″ Note Paper MousePad
Key Tag with ReturnMe Lost & Found Service
Sustainabalm
Smashlight 180
Bag Tag Survival Multi-Tool
QR Code Key Chain Custom Shape
Classic Series Post-it® Custom Printed Flag & Pen
Plantable Seed Card – Vertical or Horizontal
Phone Loops – Petite Loop Cell Phone Strap Holder
Professional 6″ Engineer Pocket Scale Ruler
MicroHalt Toothbrush Cover, Full Color Digital
SoberStick
Post-it® Extreme Notes w/Custom Printing
Cooling Stick
Soothing Stick
Hydra Stick
Retro Lunch Box
Whatever’s the Perfect Promotional Product for You!

Tags: Classic Exhibits, giveaways, lev promotions, promotional products, tchotchkes
Posted in Classic Exhibits Inc., Promotional Products | No Comments »

My Experience with Tive Tracking Technology

May 12th, 2022 Kevin Carty 1 COMMENT

Dear Classic Distributor Partners and Friends,

Back in November/December 2021, I was approached by Dave Brown, an old friend and colleague, regarding his new employer — Tive, Inc. Dave wanted some help to introduce Tive’s Real Time Visibility technology to the Live Events and Trade Show Industry.

I listened and the gears started spinning. Tive provides a software platform and tracking device(s) that can be placed in or on any exhibit asset to monitor the individual asset or the entire shipment’s progress in real time. But if I leave it at that, it’s just a cool gadget, but, it’s much much more. Let me explain.

Testing the TIVE Trackers

First, I tested it myself. A Classic Distributor Partner asked me to supervise a 30 x 30 built for their client at ISC WEST in Las Vegas. The client is a security device company, with cameras, doorbells, and keypads for businesses and homes. And much much more. Lots of high-end electronics.

ISW West is the client’s largest event each year. It’s important to them. Supply chain and trucking issues along with the time sensitive requirement of a trade show meant this would be the ideal test for delivery issues, both on the road and in the convention hall.

TIVE Freight Tracking Technology — TIVE Solo

The shipment was five crates that included the exhibit and the client’s valuable electronics. Before the crates left our facility in Portland, OR, I placed a Tive Tracker in each crate. Five total. Then I loaded the shipment information into the TIVE Tracking Technology software.

Destination… Las Vegas

My flight to Vegas was in three days. The show would be held at the Venetian Expo Center (i.e., The Sands Expo). After the shipment left our dock, I went home and about three hours later, I opened the Tive software because I was curious. My son was on the couch with me and wanted to see what I was doing. When I opened it, there were the five crates on the map, pinging their location. My son asked me to zoom in a little to see their exact location. At which point he says, “Ha! Ha! Dad, the driver is taking a pee.” Funny BUT he was right! We could tell from our many road trips that he was at a rest stop near Canyonville, Oregon. The rest stop is literally the only thing there. But I digress…

Tive’s Real Time Visibility Technology allows for GEO fencing and tracking light, shock, and temperatures along the way. Plus, the ability to set the levels of sensitivity for each. It then alerts you (for example) if there is a light alert, like the crate was opened, or shock alerts, if the crate fell over or off the truck. Thankfully none of those happened.

You can also set a destination in the software, so it alerts you when the shipment is within a preset distance from the destination. On the day I was set to fly, while waiting to board my flight in the morning, a Tive text alert DINGED! The crates were in the marshalling yard, and I felt relieved knowing I would be hitting the ground running once I landed in Vegas.

When I landed, there was another DING! The freight was at the Venetian Expo.

Nope… Watch This!

At the exhibit hall all but one of the crates was in the booth space. The I&D Lead said to me, “I will walk over to the freight desk and see if we can find out where it is…or if it’s still in the yard or something.” I said, “Nope… watch this!” I opened my laptop, navigated to my Tive login, and saw that it was on the far side of the hall in a corner behind some other crates. Easy peasy, and the forklift driver was dispatched to fetch it.

Admittedly, Classic does mostly one-way shipments unlike our Distributor Partners who handle turnkey storage, service, and shipping for clients. However, I experienced the backend advantage to Tive as well. Since I was supervising the I&D, I travelled with a rolling toolbox that was placed in one of the crates. After setup, I took it to a UPS store in the hotel and shipped it back to my Office. Well, a week later it dawned on me that my tool case was still not back so I tracked it on UPS. LOST!

“Crap!” I thought. But then I remembered I put all the trackers from the crates in my toolbox. So I opened my Tive login again and wouldn’t ya’ know it they were pinging bright in the UPS warehouse on Swan Island in Portland. I called our UPS rep and convinced him to get someone to go look in the NW corner of the building for a small black hard-shell tool case. They found it and delivered the case the next day.

Contact Dave Brown at TIVE

So why the long infomercial on a non-Classic product? I believe Tive has a strong future in our industry. While Classic may not be their biggest customer with our one-way shipments (rentals aside), our Distributor Partners are perfect candidates for this valuable technology. Think about it. Doesn’t it make sense with all the out and back shipments you handle for your storage clients and their expensive assets? I urge you to connect with Dave Brown (dave.brown@tive.com) to explore this sophisticated but relatively inexpensive freight tracking security blanket.

I am confident you will feel the same as me after your trial run.

Be well and have a great week.

— Kevin Carty

Tags: Classic Exhibits, Freight Tracking Technology, Kevin Carty, Tive
Posted in Dave Brown, Kevin Carty, TIVE | 1 Comment »

Trade Show Design Support: Your Design Staff Will Thank You!

March 28th, 2022 Mel White COMMENTS

Trade show design

Trade Show Exhibit Design isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a specialized craft learned over years of training and projects. Some designers transition into 3D exhibit design after starting as graphic designers. Others begin in industrial design. Still others simply love the trade show industry and are naturally creative. They become successful exhibit designers by working with other industry professionals.

For others, studying exhibition design starts by attending a college or university. Both Bemidji State University in Minnesota and the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC offer either undergraduate or graduate degrees in Experience and Exhibition Design.

Trade Show Design Requests

Trade Show Design requests come to us in a multitude of ways. Sometimes they’re simple napkin sketches. Other times they’re 3D CAD drawings complete with measurements, material specifications, and building recommendations. All are welcome… but the more details and directions a client or distributor provides, the more likely we’re able to hit a bulls-eye on the first pass.

However, hitting the bulls-eye can be elusive when clients are unfamiliar with trade shows, don’t have well-defined goals, and are unsure of or unwilling to share their budget. The exhibit designer might as well be blindfolded, holding a plastic bat, and trying to crack open a pinata. When a designer has to guess, it almost always means multiple iterations. Iterations equals more time and more times adds to the cost.

exhibition booth design

15 Important Exhibit Design Questions

Every designer wants happy clients who enjoy the process and are excited about the final product. That requires gathering information before any design starts. And while every project is unique and every designer different, there are questions common to any exhibit design project. The 15 Questions listed below may not be fit to every situation, but they’re an excellent tool to start the process.

Design Questions 1-5

1. Does your company have branding guidelines/logo or graphic files/website address?

2. What size is the exhibit? Do you plan to reconfigure the exhibit for other shows? If so, what sizes?

3. What is the budget? Still undecided about an exact budget? The next best option is a workable budget range. No exhibitor wants to be surprised with a beautiful booth outside their budget or underwhelmed by a booth designed for a lower budget.

4. Purchase or rent? Or a combination of both? This assists the designer in choosing materials and designing to a specific budget.

5. What physical properties does the exhibit need to have? For example, workstations, counters, slatwall, semi-private or private conference area, monitors, storage, etc?

Design Questions 6-10

6. What type of display has the client used in the past? What did they like or not like about the previous booth?

7. Are there any materials or construction methods you prefer? Many experienced exhibitors have a strong attraction or aversion to specific materials.

8. Are there any unusual dimensional restrictions? Some trade shows or events have unusual restrictions for the height of the booth or setbacks from the aisle.

9. Do you show product(s)? What are the dimensions and specifications? Will they require display cases, counters, shelves, hooks, etc.?

10. Do you want a portable, modular, or custom trade show booth? Or some combination. This will guide the use of materials, and casing options.

Design Questions 11-15

11. Who will assemble the display: show labor or your own team?

12. Do you have any images of design elements you like? Even if these “inspiration images” are not trade show related, they are very helpful. For example, architectural elements, finishes, colors, natural elements, retail environments, etc.

13. Design due date? Typically, designs are completed within a week. However, every project and every client has their own timeline.

14. Show opening date? Creating the design and then building it depends on the time frame. Designers can make material selections which will go a long way toward meeting a three-week vs. a three-month window.

15. Are there any descriptive words you use to describe your company? What do you want visitors to your booth to “feel” about your company? From “opulent” to “bad-ass,” we have heard some interesting descriptors, and this gives the designer the insight to craft a personalized, experiential space.

vendor booth display ideas

Are You Looking for Vendor Booth Display Ideas? We Can Help!

For any Exhibit Design Department, the busy season can be chaotic and stressful because good design takes time. But if you are a Classic Distributor, we have helpful solutions that will save you time and close your sales faster.

Exhibit Design Search (EDS). With over 1500 designs, Exhibit Design Search is the most comprehensive display site in the world. There are 32 galleries ranging from Islands to Inlines and Counters to Charging Tables. It contains purchase and rental solutions along with green/sustainable designs, hanging signs, tablet stands, hand sanitizer solutions, and so much more.

EDS is a great place to start gathering ideas about features, capabilities and prices. Since every design can be customized, it offers the added benefit of mixing and matching designs.. Do you like the shelving from one design, the workstation from another, and the backlighting from a third? No problem. We’re happy to assist you with creating the perfect exhibit to meet the client’s trade show objectives.

Photo Galleries: There are four photo galleries in Exhibit Design Search

These galleries are an outstanding place to see photos of actual design builds. The Past Five Days gallery is linked to kits in Exhibit Design Search making it easy to compare the rendering to the build.

Exhibition Booth Design Support

At Classic Exhibits, we support Distributor Partners with design requests in several ways.

Use us as your design staff if you don’t have in-house designers.
Use us as your overflow design staff when your internal designers are beyond their capacity.
Have us on phone calls with your clients. We are happy to be introduced as YOUR designer. Hearing what the client wants first-hand ensures the best design quickly.
All those nice-looking designs in Exhibit Design Search are available to you as 3D files. At no charge.

So the next time you need to create a 20×20/10×20/10×10 design in one day, don’t stress. We can easily show you ten different Classic designs with that capability. We’ve done the legwork, and these kits are ready to sell.

Support with High-Quality Trade Show Graphics

Most Classic Distributor Partners have in-house or contract graphic designers. Here’s how we assist them with printing, file prep, and quality control.

1. When it comes to choosing the right printers, we’re pretty picky. And we have multiple options. For most tension fabric graphics (SEG or Velcro), we process them in-house using our dye-sublimation printers. We do, however, use other suppliers with a long history of quality and reliability. For direct print graphics, we print both in-house and (mostly) at local printers in the Greater Portland area.

2. Before your graphics go to the printer, they are pre-flighted by Classic Exhibits. This minimizes any mistakes and allows us to identify issues quickly and return them to you for corrections.

3. Nothing leaves our facility without being staged and photographed. That means we see and inspect every graphic and ensure that the graphic fits perfectly. Whether it’s a purchase or a rental, EVERYTHING is STAGED. We’re happy (in fact eager) to share the photos with you once they’re available. Keep in mind however, these are staging photos in our shop and not show photos, which means the lighting isn’t ideal and the backgrounds may be messy or cluttered with other projects.