Trade Show TalesBlog

Posts Tagged ‘Classic Exhibits’

My EXHIBITORLIVE 2018 Reactions and Recap

March 10th, 2018 COMMENTS

EXHIBITORLIVE 2018 with Classic Exhibits

Hello Classic Distributor Family!

What an amazing start to 2018. EXHIBITORLIVE was visual proof that things are on the upswing in the trade show industry.

The EXHIBITORLIVE show floor, by many accounts, felt smaller footprint-wise… but boy was it TALLER than ever. Everyone seemed to go high this year, Classic included with an aluminum double-deck, one of several in our Classic Rental Solutions inventory.

The attendee mood was positive about the future of face-to-face marketing. As we know, face-to-face marketing is evolving with the blending of trade shows and events. That blending was clearly on display via digital displays, LED Walls, AR, and VR technology and much, much more.

Classic continues to be largely an enigma to corporate trade show managers. Even after 20 years at EXHIBITOR, we are an unknown entity to many end-users, which is fine. Our customer is YOU, the Classic Distributor. We participate in EXHIBITOR to  show you new products and services, to talk to YOU about how we can better serve you and your customers, and to discover more of YOU in markets where we need Classic Exhibit partners. To that end, the show was very successful.

The Classic Team did an amazing job getting the booth designed, shipped, installed, and staffed. I could not be prouder of the sweat and effort by everyone who worked on this year’s exhibit. It was Big and Beautiful!

Portable Modular Awards

On that Tuesday, we attended the 5th Annual Portable Modular Awards ceremony. We had four finalists this year, and we won what I would consider the most coveted Exhibit Design Award of the year — the 2017 People’s Choice Award. We won for the Parallon Island, a project we designed and built for our great partner The Astor Group! Not only does this award recognize an incredible design, but it’s also a wonderful example of a partnership between Classic (builder) and Astor Group (Distributorship). Thank you Lowell, Ciara, and Cheryl for entrusting the Classic Exhibits Team to bring your client’s marketing to life. To date, it’s the most beautiful exhibit we have designed and built.

Find It Top 40

As if that were not enough, Exhibitor Magazine announced a new category of awards. The Find-It Marketplace Top 40 Exhibit Builders. Classic not only made the list, but we were singled out as the Best Exhibit House in the Service and Reliability Category. Proud does not even begin to describe my feelings when I heard them call our name. We all love awards of course, but one that is based on Customer Service and Reliability means the most to me. It recognizes our dedicated Shop Crew, Project Managers, Detailers, Design, and Administrative teams for all the amazing work they do each and every day. Thank you to all the employees of Classic Exhibits for doing what you do so well.

To all of our Distributor Partners and Vendor Partners, it was great to see you and get caught up on your business and personal lives. And to our sister company, Eco-systems Sustainable Exhibits, your inline exhibit showcased your ability to GO UPSCALE GREEN with an amazing custom design. To all… Thank you for believing in Shared Success!

Have a great weekend ahead all.

Be well!

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

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CORT Furniture | Strategic Account Teams by Territory

February 13th, 2018 COMMENTS

Classic Exhibits Distributors

A year or so ago, we added two galleries to Exhibit Design SearchRental Furniture #1 and Rental Furniture #2. These galleries are a subset of CORT’s trade show rental furniture. They were created to make it easier for you and your client to select contemporary rental furniture without having to complete the typical GSC forms. Your client is your client. They should be working directly with you, not with the GSC.

As Classic Exhibits Distributors, you have access to these galleries at preferential wholesale prices, merely by mentioning that you are a Classic Distributor. CORT processes orders based on regions. The map below shows the regions and contact information. Or you can call the main number, 855-663-2678, and they’ll route you to the appropriate individual.

CORT Furniture Account Teams by Territory

Need the PDF version? Download it HERE.

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

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Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, hybrid, and custom 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.

Portable Modular Awards (PMA) Ceremony at EXHIBITORLIVE 2018

February 9th, 2018 COMMENTS

EXHIBITOR Portable Modular Awards 2018

The Fifth Annual Portable Modular Awards (PMA) Ceremony is just a few weeks away (February 27). And this year, it will be more visible to the EXHIBITORLIVE attendees. EXHIBITOR Magazine has moved the ceremony to The Connection Zone at the entrance of the show hall.

Same time, same day as before — Tuesday, February, 27 from 3:45 to 4:45 — just after the show hall closes for the day. The new location plus the inclusion of the Find It– Top 40 winners will boost attendance considerably, especially custom houses. If you are attending, I would suggest grabbing a seat once the show hall closes at 3:30. If not before.

Once again, Classic Exhibits has entries in multiple categories of the PMA. See our entries, along with all the others, on the Peoples Choice page. Please vote for your favorite. You can vote once a day (and on multiple devices if you are truly committed).

EXHIBITOR Portable Modular Awards 2018

The EXHIBITORLIVE 2018 Awards Ceremony Agenda

  • Best 10 x 10
  • Best International Design
  • Best Inline Exhibit
  • Best Rental Exhibit
  • Best Reconfigurable Exhibit
  • Best Use of Graphics
  • Best Use of Technology
  • Best Fabric Exhibit
  • Best Island Exhibit (less than 600 sq. ft.)
  • Best Island Exhibit (600-1000 sq. ft.)
  • Best Island Exhibit (more than 1000 sq. ft.)
  • Best of Show Awards
  • Buyers Choice Awards
  • Find It — Top 40
  • People’s Choice Award
  • The Zeigler Award

There’s no RSVP required. The Classic Team will be sure to have boxes of Girl Scout cookies available in case you need a sugar fix after a long day on the show floor. Safe travels. See you in Las Vegas.

p.s. Still need to register? Use Code 4044 for a free pass into the show hall.

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

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Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, hybrid, and custom 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.

Three Recent Gravitee One-Step Modular Island Videos

February 6th, 2018 COMMENTS

Gravitee Trade Show Island Exhibit

Over the past several months, Kevin Schuhl, a Classic Exhibits designer, has perfected 360° “Fly-Through” videos of Gravitee One-Step Islands. It hasn’t been easy, but the results are truly remarkable.

I won’t pretend to understand the process, but I know from talking to him that it’s time-intensive. For each one, he has to create the flight path and the specific lighting. Then there’s the computer rendering, which he often launches before heading home or going to bed. After that, Kevin tweaks it multiple times to get it just right. Then it goes to Glenna Martin, our Graphic Design Manager, who adds the title slides, music, and text before uploading it to YouTube.

The results are impressive as you can see below. Each video shows a full 360º view. Sort of like having a hovercraft on the show floor. HUGE kudos to Kevin and to Glenna.

Below are three recent ones. To see them all, visit the Classic Exhibits Channel on YouTube.

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

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

Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, hybrid, and custom 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.

Reflections on Trade Shows in 2018 | Neophilia vs. Neophobia

February 3rd, 2018 COMMENTS

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Think back to your first major trade show, either as an attendee or an exhibitor. I’m guessing it was overwhelming… and wonderful! There was so much to discover, so many new people to meet, each with a history and storehouse of knowledge. You quickly realized that whether on the show floor, at a breakfast with a client, or chatting with others at the industry gala, that those three days in Vegas, Orlando, or Chicago were special. You couldn’t replicate it sitting at your desk — not on a phone call, via email, or though social media. You had to be there… and you had to be fully present.

Trade shows are a chance to learn and to change. It’s easy to forget that in our quest for the BIG SALE.

Why Is This Important?

I’m often asked, “Are trade shows are relevant?” Is there a future for industry trade shows? Do Millennials, or Gen Xer’s, or heck, even Baby Boomers, still want to attend them? Are companies willing to spend their valuable marketing dollars building a temporary structure just to attract new customers or meet with existing ones? In some ways, it seems a little old-fashion, as if video, live chat, online meeting spaces, and websites were never invented. So I understand, a little.

Here’s what I know. The trade show industry is in a bi-polar transition. There are those who want change (and significant change) vs. those who are actively or passively content with the status quo. Most would contend that change is not moving fast enough. Fewer exhibitors are truly passionate about trade show marketing, and attendees are questioning whether to attend the same shows. That said… Face-to-face marketing isn’t going anywhere soon; however, it may be unfamiliar to many of us in as little as 6-8 years. Consider the recent announcement by the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association to scrap their 55-year old National RV Show.

Consider what may happen if the worldwide economy continues to grow, along with corporate profits. How will those companies budget the F2F portion of their marketing and sales departments? On the other had, what would happen if the the global economy experiences another massive, albeit somewhat shorter, recession. Same question as before… How will they spend their limited budget? Who wins and who loses in those two situations? How will those two scenarios create change?

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Bottom Line

If you are planning to attend EXHIBITORLIVE, please come with an open mind and a desire to discuss change. How will you thrive over the next 6-8 years regardless of the global economy, and what can we all do, individually and collectively, to move the ball forward. For far too long, we’ve been stuck in a Sisyphean mindset, one that’s no longer sustainable long-term.

With this is mind, I thought I’d share a new word I learned from a Seth Godin post. Neophilia — a term popularized by cult writer Robert Anton Wilson, is a personality type characterized by a strong affinity for novelty. The term was used earlier by Christopher Booker in his book The Neophiliacs (1969), and by J. D. Salinger in his short story Hapworth 16, 1924 (1965).

Neophilia

Neophiles/Neophiliacs have the following basic characteristics:

  • The ability to adapt rapidly to extreme change.
  • A distaste or downright loathing of tradition, repetition, and routine.
  • A tendency to become bored quickly with old things.
  • A desire, bordering on obsession in some cases, to experience novelty.
  • A corresponding and related desire to create novelty by creating or achieving something and/or by stirring social or other forms of unrest.
  • A complete objection to or distrust of commitment.
  • The opposite of Neophilia is Neophobia (an aversion to novelty or change).

See you in Las Vegas in a month. If you need a FREE show hall pass, click on this LINK and enter code 4044.

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

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

Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, hybrid, and custom 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.