At EXHIBITORLIVEin San Antonio, Classic Exhibits will be in Booth #339, a 20 x 20 island.
Coincidence or Conspiracy?
You’re thinking, “Booth #339? Hmmm… Why do I know that
number?”
Harold Mintz, Conspiracy Theorist
Number 339 just happens to be the most highly researched and
studied number in our Arabic Numbering System. What you may not know is that
Classic Exhibits and “339” have a long and somewhat mysterious relationship.
Some think it’s a coincidence. Perhaps even a conspiracy!!
You be the judge…
1). It takes exactly 339 steps to walk to Classic’s Booth #339 from the Henry B. Gonzolez convention hall main entrance. Coincidence or Conspiracy?
2). Last year Classic Exhibits rented 339 booths that were 10×20 or larger. And in 2024, Classic Distributors earned exactly $33,900 in Rental Rebates. Coincidence or Conspiracy?
3). When the show opens in San Antonio next month, Classic Exhibits will be celebrating 33 years and 9 months in business. Coincidence or Conspiracy?
4). Section 33, Paragraph 9 of The Exhibitor Handbook clearly states, “…Creativity, Trustworthiness and Experience are the CLASSIC ingredients to offering Clients a superior booth and show experience.” Coincidence or Conspiracy?
5). Last year, Classic Exhibits created 3 displays that were 39 ft. tall for the Guinness Book of World Records. Coincidence or Conspiracy?
6). There are 33 barbecue restaurants in San Antonio — 9 of them offer “Classic Pulled Pork.” Coincidence or Conspiracy?
7.) Since its inception in 1945 Baskin Robbins has created 339 flavors of ice cream. The most popular flavor ever… CLASSIC COOKIES AND CREAM. Coincidence or Conspiracy?
8.) 339 in Roman Numerals is CCCXXXIX – Classic Classic Classic Xhibits Xhibits Xhibits Incredible Xhibits. Coincidence or Conspiracy?
Visit Us at EXHIBITORLIVE
We urge you to visit us at booth #339 in San Antonio. Where you’ll learn the many reasons why Classic is the exhibit industry’s leading private-label designer and builder.
BTW… Take a guess how many reasons there are? Go ahead. Guess!
For over 30 years, Classic Exhibits has been designing and building creative custom solutions for our Distributor Partners and their clients. As North America’s largest private-label exhibit manufacturer, we have the unmatched capability, capacity, and creativity to create 3D projects ranging from 10 x 10 inline displays to 60 x 80 double-deck islands.
This week, you can download Rent or Buyunbranded literature. Just add your company branding, then email it to your clients or post it on social media. As you know, Rent or Buy is a hot topic with exhibitors.
This or That
Along the same lines as “Rent or Buy,” we created a “This or That” list… but with an exhibit industry twist. The Classic Exhibits team got the ball rolling. Add your choices to the list and bring those zingers to EXHIBITORLIVE. There just might be prizes for the best “This or That” submissions.
Clever or Funny will Always Get Bonus Points:
Single padding or Double padding?
You plug-in the lights (Indianapolis) or They plug-in
the lights (Chicago)
Las Vegas or Orlando?
Free cookies or Free giveaways?
Soft seating or Barstools?
Resort fee or No resort fee? (OK, that’s an easy
one)
Early am flight or Red eye flight?
$38K Inline or $38K Island?
Host hotel or Off premises?
Bucket
of parts or Tool-less assembly?
Airport
coffee or Airline coffee?
Altoids
or Breath strips?
Heels
or Flats?
Logo
shirt or Personal attire?
Cases
or Crates?
Client
setup or Hired labor?
An
Early Night or An All Nighter?
Dance
on the Floor or Dance on the Bar?
Spy
on the competition or Drinks with competition?
15
minutes w/ one serious prospect or 15 minutes with 4 potential prospects?
Sit-down
breakfast or Coffee on the go?
EAC
labor or GSC labor?
Uber
or Lyft?
Shake
hands or Bump fists?
Material
handling or Drayage?
Start by quizzing your colleagues. Their answers just may surprise you. 😉
Download the Unbranded Rent or Buy Versions
For over 30 years, Classic Exhibits has been designing and building creative custom solutions for our Distributor Partners and their clients. As North America’s largest private-label exhibit manufacturer, we have the unmatched capability, capacity, and creativity to create 3D projects ranging from 10 x 10 inline displays to 60 x 80 double-deck islands.
I trust and hope that you had a great holiday season. We did… and we are excited for 2023!
2023 represents Classic’s 30th year
as an exhibit designer and manufacturer. Somehow, we made it to
30 despite multiple recessions, a tech crash, 9/11, and COVID. I’m probably
forgetting some other catastrophes along the way but who can keep count. We’ll
be celebrating a bit later in the year, including at EXHIBITORLIVE in
April, and we hope you will join our festivities.
But first, some thoughts on the past year or two.
2022 in Review
2022 was the exhibit industry’s rebound year. In basketball
terms, an effective rebound starts with “boxing-out” your opponent. We spent much of the year “boxing-out” a host
of challenges.
Challenges ranging from supply chain woes that were ever
present in the first two quarters of 2022 to exhibitors bound and determined to
participate in as many shows as possible. The result was controlled chaos. For
all.
By early July, the pricing and supply chain woes were
manageable. Are we back to pre-pandemic scenarios? NO… and we likely never will
be. BUT the “new” norm has settled in for the most part with more predictable costs,
quotes, and turn times.
The one challenge that still exists is finding and hiring
qualified employees. While it’s getting better, the jar lid did not loosen
until late Q3. Thankfully, that’s improving week by week(for reasons no one fully understands).
SALES: Grumbling
aside, 2022 was a record year for Classic Exhibits. But it wasn’t easy. The project
mix was staggering. We built FAR MORE large custom wood exhibits than in any previous
year. All while seeing a healthy increase in kit inlines and islands. Why? Exhibitors
were eager to return to trade shows and events. And they wanted to make as BIG of
a splash as possible.
Especially after the failure of virtual shows. Mind you, we were grateful for every
order.
Some Classic Specifics
We added nearly 30 new employees last year. And by “new” I
mean new to Classic and new to our industry. We are grateful to have
them in the family and excited to see their progress in their positions. And there
are more coming as we expand our production capability.
A few months ago, we returned to shorter, more predictable
lead times. The kits in EDS are now listed as ranges. Those ranges are there
for very practical reasons. It allows us to provide you with a shipping date
based on your PO and our current production schedule. This has been a welcome change
to many distributors, and we appreciate your comments.
What’s Coming in 2023? A Lot!
Q1 will be much like all of 2022. Lots of orders! However,
the trade show calendar should return to its pre-pandemic cadence by Q2 with
the normal ebbs and flows industry veterans expect. This should be a welcome
sign, allowing everyone to catch their breath and refine internal processes. Plus,
an exciting new product launch, but you’ll have to wait for more news about
that.
After the uptick in large custom builds in 2022, I expect
fewer over-the-top projects this year. And not for negative reasons. Simply
put, what was built in 2022 will be used in 2023. Instead, our Q1 plate filling with Symphony and Sacagawea
kits, lightboxes upon lightboxes, and LOTS of 20 x 20 to 30 x 40 modified islands using Gravitee Modular
Panels. We are also already seeing orders for additions/modifications to the
large custom booths we built last year.
Classic Exhibits will be introducing a new cloud-based ERP/CRM system in Q1. We are currently still in the testing stages and will be moving into the broader training phases through January with an expected launch in February. Once live, this will give our Distributor Partners something they have long been asking for, namely the ability to combine Rental and Purchase builds on one order with one PM. Along with that, the data metrics and analytic tools we have built into this new system will allow us to parse and share more immediate data with our internal production, customer service, and sales teams.
Classic will be purchasing new cameras for Peek-A-Booth, our online staging area cameras. The new cameras and software will come online sometime before Q2 2023. This will give you and your clients an even better, more immediate, peek into your Classic projects as they are being assembled.
Rental Island Exhibit
Classic Rental Solutions continues to thrive and grow. Not just in sales, but in the depth of their product offerings and services. 2022 was a banner year for CRS. 2023 is already off to a stellar start with a projected record Q1. This may also be a sign of how/where client spending is headed as customers weigh the possibility of a recession and its effects on their industry.
EXHIBITORLIVE 2022 and 2023 (in Louisville)
EXHIBITORLIVE is moving! THIS year’s event will be in
Louisville. Personally, I love the change. Not because of Louisville per se,
but because OUR industry show needed a change of scenery. Based on the size of
the show, I hope the EXHIBITOR Media Group continues to look at other similar
size markets for future events. Pricing is another reason. The rates for shows
in Vegas have gone up significantly and will continue to rise. The opportunity
to “take the show on the road,” if handled well, will provide a fresh
perspective and perhaps a new and growing audience.
Join The Exhibitor Advocate
If you have not heard about The Exhibitor Advocate, please visit their website: www.exhibitoradvocacy.com, Then join their mailing list (no cost), and consider making a donation. The Exhibitor Advocate, an organization led by Jessica Sibila and supported by an outstanding Board of Directors, is long overdue. Their goal is to advocate for exhibitor rights and provide hands-on assistance, with things like surprise billings and show floor service issues.
If we’ve learned anything over the years, meaningful change in our industry will only happen when exhibitors assert their rights. The Exhibitor Advocate is the right tool at the right time to make that happen. Please encourage your clients to join as well. It’s a win-win for both you and your client.
Shared Knowledge University is Back!
Shared Knowledge University
In November, we held our first Shared Knowledge University since 2019. And it was just what the doctor ordered. We hosted 35 Distributor and Vendor Partners in Portland for two full days of training. It was incredible.
We will be hosting two SKUs in 2023! The first will be in
June. Contact Jen, Tom, or Harold if you are interested. Seats fill FAST.
Awards and Other Cool Stuff
We were happy to be recognized by the industry in 2022, starting with a Find-It Top 40 Award at EXHIBITORLIVE. We also won the People’s Choice Award for the Slate Island rental project.
Katina Rigall-Zipay, our Creative Director, won the Star Award
from FIT. This award recognized her outstanding service and commitment to the FIT
Graduate Degree Program in Exhibit Design.
Lastly, there is the EDDIE Award we received at EDPA 2022 in San Antonio. This one was special. The award has historically been given to an outstanding Online or Multi-media campaign. But we were honored to win this award for our “Classic Conversations” outreach. The idea was to create a space where Classic Distributors and vendors could share ideas, struggles, and successes during and after the pandemic. Kudos to all who have participated in these ongoing conversations.
Are you interested in joining a Classic Conversations group? Let us know. We meet quarterly for an hour via Teams or Zoom. Contact Jen, Harold, or Tom for specifics. All exhibit industry roles are welcome — sales, marketing, design, production, etc. You will not be disappointed. Spending time with others in the industry is invaluable… and a lot of fun!
To all our Distributor Partner Family — THANK YOU. 2022 was
hard, and the struggle to bring an industry back to life is ongoing. YOU ALL
helped make the adjustment easier.
I often tell my friends and family the following, “Yes, we
do some really cool stuff. And it’s stressful even in the best of
circumstances. But it’s the people we get to walk this path with each and every
day that make it special. They are the reason we come to work each and every day.”
Thank you again for your ongoing support of our Classic
Family. Here’s to a prosperous 2023. I hope to see you soon.
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.
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.
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
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.
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 4th 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
What a great week in Las Vegas at EMSlive
2022. I walked into this event not knowing what to expect, but several
friends who had attended before told me, “Just go, interact, network, and
converse and you will quickly see why this event is a part of our yearly
plans.” They were correct.
EMSlive is a blend of EXHIBITORLIVE based on the end-user attendees and EDPA ACCESS with its showcase floor. And yet totally different.
For Classic Exhibits specifically, we participated for two reasons: guilt and opportunity. We have been named to the Event Marketer FAB 50 Exhibit Builders for 5 of the past 7 years, but we hadn’t participated in their event. We owed it to them to be there. However, guilt was not the only reason (Click to read the full article).
Tom Beard Returns (Part Deux)
On March 18, 1995, Michael Jordan sent an “I’m Back!” fax to the media announcing his return to basketball.Like MJ another Chicagoan is returning. Please welcome Tom Beard back as a Regional Sales Manager for Classic Exhibits.
According to Tom, “I look forward to re-connecting with my friends and colleagues in the industry. In case you retired my contact information, I can be reached at tom@classicexhibits.com and 815-321-9258.”
Tom will be responsible for IL, WI, MN, IN and MI. Expect to see or hear from Tom in the coming weeks.
New EDS Gallery — Games & Digital Activations (CP)
There’s a new Gallery in Exhibit Design Search – Games and Digital Activations (CP). We delighted to welcome Captello as a strategic partner to EDS. The Captello gallery includes eight affordable games for trade shows or events which can be launched on any electronic device. The games include custom branding, leaderboard options, and prizes. And like our other partner galleries (CORT, DS&L, Brumark, and Taylor), you can order directly from them (not Classic). Click HERE for the Ordering Process PDF.
Business Model: 10% Referral Fee or 30% Reseller Fee
Referral Fee is when distributor refers end-customer to Captello to handle invoicing, payment, etc.
Reseller Fee is when the end-user purchases directly from the Classic Distributor and the Distributor handles the purchase and support. Resellers will have access to their own Captello account and the ability to switch to different sub-accounts to set up the end-user software on their behalf. Reseller Partners receive training and support from Captello. End-users do not have to pay an onboarding fee with this model. Reseller can profit from professional services and training in addition to license fees. White label options are also available.
EXHIBITORLIVE 2022
Las Vegas… one final time?
Conference: Mon., June 20 – Thurs., June 23
Exhibit Hall: Tues., June 21 – Thurs., June 23
To register for your FREE HALL PASS, go HERE and ENTER code #4044. Classic will be “glowing” with a 20 x 30 island in booth #1219. Visit us and you could win a $500 discount on your next order.
People’s Choice Voting
The People’s Choice Page is active with 50 finalists. However, only one design can win the People’s Choice.
You can vote once per day until June 22, 2022. The finalist with the most votes will be named this year’s People’s Choice Award winner. All winners will be announced during a ceremony at EXHIBITORLIVE 2022 in Las Vegas.
As many of you know, we have been consistent cheerleaders for the PMA since the beginning, including sponsoring the voting page (see our banner ad). Please support the PMA by voting for the next two months.
Women in Exhibitions
Breakfast
Calling all Women in Exhibitions and Events! The4th Annual Women in Exhibitions Breakfastevent will be held in the Connection Zone at EXHIBITORLIVE on June 22 from 8-10 am. Enjoy a delicious continental breakfast while you network with peers and share your experience in breakout sessions. Learn how women are uniquely suited to take on leadership roles from our special guest speaker MaryCay Durrant.
Space is limited. Purchasing tickets in advance is STRONGLY recommended.
Find It Top 40 Exhibit Producers
For the 5th straight year, Classic has been named anEXHIBITOR Find It Top 40. EXHIBITOR “received nearly 500 applications from exhibit houses in North America, all of which were subjected to an exhaustive evaluation process including more than 50 individual criteria weighted to reflect how EXHIBITOR readers and Editorial Advisory Board members value them when vetting and selecting potential partners.”
We’re honored to be named a Top 40 once again, and we’re proud and delighted for the 29 Classic Exhibits Distributors who were also honored. Well done! Pretty darn special.
Webinars
In May and June, we are sponsoring (3) “fast-paced” webinars in conjunction with Lev Promotions, Brumark, and Tim Patterson (The Tradeshow Guy).
20 Trends in 20 Minutes
20 Clever and Creative Promotional Products with Rama Beerfas, Lev Promotions
20 Step-by-Step Flooring Trends with James Zacharias, Brumark
The Fast and Furious 50
Tradeshow Stupid to Tradeshow Smart in 50 Minutes. 50 Essential Trade Show Tips for Every Newbie (or Wannabe). Tim Patterson, Tradeshowguy Exhibits
Look for the details, including dates and times,
in an ebroadcast later this week.
