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The ABC’s of Classic’s Hybrid Display Systems

September 18th, 2011 Mel White COMMENTS

Perfect 10 Hybrid Display

New distributors and account executives often ask, “What’s the difference between a Sacagawea Hybrid and a Perfect 10 Hybrid? Or a Magellan and a Visionary Design?” Can it be confusing? Absolutely! Classic Exhibits has six distinct hybrid lines:  Sacagawea, Magellan, Perfect 10/20, Visionary Designs, SEGUE, and Euro LT. Or to look at it another way, it’s more than any other systems manufacturer. Learn why there are so many and how they are truly different.

History

Over the past six years, we have significantly expanded our design offerings. In some cases, these new designs were prompted by internal market research; others were necessitated by outside market forces, such as distributor requests or more recently, The Great Recession. In the beginning, there were two Classic hybrid lines: Visionary Designs and Euro LT Modular.

About four years ago, we developed the Perfect 10/20. We did so to tap into an unmet price point, look, and functionality: namely, a $5000 to $9000 10 ft. custom portable hybrid that assembled without tools. There were no other products that combined custom hybrid design in that price range. It was a no brainer to attack this segment and an easy decision to market it as a distinct product line. It did very, very well, until . . . .

At the start of the recession, customers were looking for displays with lower prices and fewer bells and whistles. We introduced the Magellan Miracle and MOR. These are built entirely from one cost-effective extrusion – the ClassicMODUL Z 45. Magellan Displays look much different than either Visionary Designs or Perfect 10 kits and to bury them within those product lines didn’t make sense. Yes, they are still basically aluminum extrusion and tension fabric, but they were unique. Since then, we have expanded the line with more elaborate designs at higher prices, but the system continues to rely on the Z 45 for its frame.

That brings us to the Sacagawea. Go back two years. The Recession has gotten even worse. We are being asked for an even more cost-effective line – less expensive than the Perfect 10 and the Magellan. So, we went back to the drawing board and used the VK-1001 as our inspiration. The VK-1001 was our first hybrid in 2003. We took that basic idea, a square frame with wings, and re-designed it with smaller extrusions, portable assembly, and about 50 kit variations. Within the first month, sales exploded for Sacagawea and sales have grown every since. It continues to sell well even as our other hybrid lines have seen significant increases as well.

SEGUE VK-1900 Hybrid Display

Finally, there’s the SEGUE Hybrids. In the beginning, the SEGUE designs were added to the Visionary Designs line. There were only a few kits, and it didn’t make sense to create yet another hybrid line. However, over the past year, the SEGUE line has expanded as customers asked for silicone edge graphic solutions. We found ourselves having to guide distributors to the SEG designs within Visionary Designs, which was inefficient and confusing. Distributors were requesting more and more SEG solutions and wanted one SEG gallery with inlines, lightboxes, and hanging wall solutions. So, we removed them from Visionary Designs and gave them their own gallery to make it easier for everyone.

What Makes Them Different?

It’s actually very logical. It’s based on design, price, and function. But let’s make this even easier, let’s focus on price as the driver for Sacagawea, Magellan, Perfect 10, and Visionary Designs. We’ll explain Euro LT and SEGUE a little later.

Hybrid Display prices are based on six basic factors:

  1. Size of the extrusion (larger extrusions cost more)
  2. Whether the extrusion is straight or curved (curves cost more)
  3. Size and number of graphics
  4. Type and number of accessories
  5. What options are included in the base price
  6. Assembly (knob, locking hex key, or slide clip)

Let’s start from the least expensive to the most expensive lines. Note that as the complexity of the system and size of the graphics increases, so does the price.

Sacagawea VK-1222 Portable Hybrid

Sacagawea Portable Hybrids:

  • Smaller extrusions, such as the S 40
  • Mostly straight metal
  • Typically one tension fabric graphic
  • Common accessories
  • Three laminates, nine sintra/acrylic, silver aluminum
  • Quick assist knobs and locking hex key assembly
  • Example:  VK-1231

Magellan Portable Hybrids:

  • One primary extrusion, the Z 45
  • Curved and straight metal
  • One or two larger tension fabric graphics
  • Common or unique accessories
  • Three laminates, nine Sintra/acrylic, silver aluminum
  • Quick assist knobs and locking hex key assembly
  • Example:  VK-1065

Perfect 10/20 Portable Hybrids:

  • Multiple smaller extrusions
  • Mostly curved metal
  • Two larger tension fabric graphics
  • Extensive accessories
  • Three laminates, nine Sintra/acrylic, seven powder coat colors
  • All knob assembly
  • Example:  VK-1506

Visionary Designs VK-2044 Hybrid

Visionary Designs Hybrids:

  • Full line of extrusions and designs
  • Curved and straight extrusions
  • Unlimited graphic options
  • Unlimited accessories
  • Wide assortment of laminates, Sintra/acrylics, powder coat colors
  • Locking hex key assembly
  • Example:  VK-2044

SEGUE and Euro LT Hybrids, unlike those listed above, are categorized by function rather than by price. For example, our least expensive hybrid kit is the SEGUE Sunrise (starting at $2833). One of our higher priced 10 ft. kits is the SEGUE VK-1901 (at $12,458).

SEGUE Hybrids:

  • Relies on Silicone Edge Graphics (SEG) and ClassicMODUL TSP Extrusions
  • Curved or straight extrusions
  • Graphic options depend on kit or design
  • Accessories depend on kit or design
  • Wide assortment of laminates, Sintra/acrylics, powder coat colors
  • Quick assist knobs and locking hex key assembly
  • Example:  VK-1900

Euro LT LTK-5014 Custom Modular Hybrid

Euro LT Custom Modular Hybrids:

  • Based on Euro LT laminate panel system
  • Extrusion complements the laminate panels
  • Graphic options depend on kit or design
  • Accessories depend on kit or design
  • Wide assortment of laminates, fabrics, Sintra/acrylics, powder coat colors
  • Euro LT clips and locking hex key assembly
  • Example:  LTK-5014

If this still doesn’t make much sense, then give me a call. I’ll be happy to walk you through the basics in a 15 minute GoToMeeting session.

–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.

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30 Second Audio Clips in Exhibit Design Search

September 2nd, 2011 Mel White COMMENTS

Audio Clips in EDS

Audio in EDS — Are You Listening?

Exhibit Design Search (EDS) has a new feature — Audio. Now, that may not seem so new, what with the explosion of video, but brief audio clips are an excellent way to communicate product benefits and features. Each audio clip reviews a product line, such as Sacagawea or a specific kit, such as the iPhone VK-1032. The audio complements the renderings and bullet point descriptions, while elaborating on the most important benefits of the product.

As with all EDS features, you’ll see it on the distributor-branded EDS websites as well. It’s an enhancement at no to cost to those distributors who have decided to add this tool to their website toolbox.

The audio clips do not require a media player. They launch in any browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome), the only exception is IE 7 and below (which isn’t supported).

To hear an example(s), click on any of the links below, then click on the triangle below the thumbnail image.

http://www.classicexhibits.com/trade-show-exhibit-design-search/perma/default/vk-1230-sacagawea/2684/

http://www.classicexhibits.com/trade-show-exhibit-design-search/perma/default/vk-1900-segue-inline/3563/

http://www.classicexhibits.com/trade-show-exhibit-design-search/perma/default/vk-5077-island-new/3699/

http://www.classicexhibits.com/trade-show-exhibit-design-search/perma/default/ltk-1118-counter/617/

All the recordings were done by professional voice talent. Yes, we were tempted to put Kevin or Reid in front of a microphone and have them give it their best shot, but in the end, common sense and good taste prevailed. There’s no need to see dogs howl or children cry unnecessarily.

Currently, there are 35 distinct audio clips, with another 15 or so in the works. Not every product has this feature, but we’re working to get that in place no later than January 2012.

Let us know what you think.  We hope you and your clients like what you hear.

–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.

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Islands and Summer Just Go Together: Word on the Street — June 13th thru June 17th

June 18th, 2011 Mel White COMMENTS
Islands and Summer

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Five Weeks of New Island Designs

It is officially summer next week . . .  although in the Pacific Northwest you would be hard pressed to know that. Until a week ago, we’ve rarely approached highs of 70 all spring. But today, as I write this, it’s 75 degrees with no clouds in the sky. About time!

As the title of the blog suggests, summer is when we dream of a tropical island vacation.  While I can’t offer you that, I can announce the release of a five new Island Designs. Beginning this week and over the next five weeks in Design Monday, we’ll showcase five fresh and exciting Island kits.

Admittedly, our focus has been on inline designs over the past two years. We reacted to the market. Our responsibility was to create kits for a recessionary economy that appealed to more modest budgets. We think we did a pretty darn good job — Magellan, Sacagawea, and SEGUE Sunrise to name a few. But we didn’t completely ignore islands. Our rental islands have been strong, and our rental division has done a spectacular job designing affordable, yet customizable kits. But from the purchase side, we have been designed to specific distributor projects rather than to creating island kits. With the economy improving, we have spent the past six months designing five unique “kits.” We hope these kits will appeal to your clients for their late summer and fall shows.

The basic plan of attack was simple. First, we listened to you and to what your clients wanted. Namely, islands that not only could stand alone on their design merits, but could also be reconfigured into other island and inline configurations.

Trade Show Island Design from Classic Exhibits

VK-5075 Island Design

Second, we designed these kits to take advantage of large format fabric and SEG graphics, TSP profiles from ClassicMODUL (where possible), and creative accent lighting options. We also recognized that truly custom elements, such as fully assembled counters and workstations, add design heft to islands without adding significant weight.

Finally, while the designs are custom-looking from an aesthetic standpoint, they are designed for “repeatability” and “expandability.” Those two factors allow us to price them more competitively, since we believe these kits (or variations of these designs) will be purchased again and again, much like Sacagawea or Perfect 10 kits. This week, we’re presenting the VK-5075,  branded for Barnes and Noble. By using similar towers and counter units, this unit can easily be rearranged with minimal effort and money to create alternate footprints for the second, third, and fourth shows.

So enjoy! Please let us know what you think. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Be well and have a great weekend. And for all the fathers out there, relax and enjoy time with your family.

–Kevin Carty

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

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A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Word on the Street — May 2nd thru May 6th

May 6th, 2011 Mel White COMMENTS
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

This week, I was on the road visiting new and potential distributors for Classic and ClassicMODUL. Meeting with these folks reminded me of the power of photos in our business. Frankly, I take photos for granted since we take multiple shots of every display we build. I assume other manufacturers do the same thing. It makes sense. Photos document the order and serve as a convenient point of reference if there are questions once the exhibit arrives or several years later when the client wants to modify the design or reorder parts.

Photos are such a day-to-day occurrence for us that I’m always a little surprised by a distributor’s reaction during a presentation. During the meeting, we invariably head to Classic’s website, or if they have Exhibit Design Search, to their website. We review the product lines and/or changes and at some point, we click on the photos button either on the home page or on a Design Detail page. That’s when the magic happens.

Potential distributors are always stunned that there are photos of kits; in fact, that there are multiple photos of actual orders. Then, once we dive a little deeper, they are delighted “slash” shocked that there are literally thousands of photos dating back to September 2006 . . . and that they can search, filter, and sort these photos. The next shock comes when they realize that these photos are not hidden behind a password protected site and that the photos can be emailed from their address using the “Email Image” tool.

Some of you may know the history of Past Five Days (P5D), our photo database, but for those who don’t I’ll share it.

P5D History

Past Five Days Photos

Past Five Days Photos

On 09/23/06, we started an experiment when we launched Past Five Days (P5D). We decided to publish photos of exhibits, components, and accessories on Classic Exhibits. Mostly, we used the photos taken in our QC Setup Area, but occasionally we used photos from the Rental Setup area. We couldn’t publish every exhibit, which would be unrealistic, but we did want to show representative designs in as close to real time as possible. At the time, it seemed risky for two reasons.

  1. We would be showing exhibits, not as perfect renderings or as show photos, polished to perfection just minutes before the trade show opens, but as exhibits often without the final graphics and the client’s product accessories and collateral.
  2. We would be sharing new designs and innovations with anyone who happened to click on Past Five Days. Including our competitors. However, we quickly realized that the benefit of sharing far out weighed the risk of espionage.

Five years later, P5D seems obvious. Distributors and clients get to see photos in addition to renderings, even if those photos are of displays still in production. Renderings are the lifeblood of the exhibit design process. They allow us to illustrate concepts relatively quickly, in both the purchase and design phase.  But renderings are renderings. Photos are photos. We need to see both in order to make intelligent decisions about which display to purchase and which exhibit manufacturer to purchase from.

Many of you visit P5D at least once a week to review new projects. For those who don’t, we encourage you to take a peek once in a while. You’ll be surprised at the variety of orders flowing through our shop. Yes, there are the standards, such as Sacagawea, Magellan, and Perfect 10 kits, but you’ll also see islands, custom workstations and counters, unique Aero Hanging Sign orders, and recently, Eco-systems Sustainable projects. Plus, if you enjoy graphic design, you’ll see how others present their message . . . both successfully and occasionally, not so successfully.

Hope you all have a restful weekend.

Be well.

–Kevin Carty

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

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Bye Bye Pop Ups? Hello Hybrids!

March 9th, 2011 Mel White 1 COMMENT

ExhibiTrends 2011

Distributor Open House

I attended a Distributor Open House recently, where the distributor invited customers to see the latest trends in trade show marketing (ExhibiTrends 2011). Over 20 exhibit-related companies participated, ranging from portable manufacturers to lead-generating companies, and from flooring suppliers to graphic providers. The event was well-organized and extremely successful.  About 300 current and potential customers walked the event.

I don’t know how many of your are planning to attend EXHIBITOR, but I thought I’d pass along my observations from the Open House since I expect (and hope) they echo what we’ll see in Las Vegas in about three weeks.

I spoke with about 90 end-users that day. For the most part, these folks had portable/modular displays and were considering newer options.

End-user Feedback:

  1. Several vendors, including Classic Exhibits, showed Silicone Edge Graphics and SEG displays. Most end-users had never seen this graphic treatment, but quickly understood how it worked and the benefits. We showed  the SEGUE Sunrise and the VK-1900 . . . two very different displays at two very different price points.
  2. The SEGUE Sunrise, in particular, appealed to those customers with pop up displays who wanted something new at about the same price and the same setup time.
  3. Knob-Assembly.  Here’s where I’m going to show my ignorance. Why is Classic the only display manufacturer with knob-assisted assembly for their portable hybrid lines, such as Perfect 10, Sacagawea, and Magellan? The end-users at the event loved it!
  4. Almost every customer interaction went like this . . .
  • The Look. They loved the curves of a portable hybrid, like the Miracle, MOR, and P10. Nearly everyone said it as a more custom, more high-end look than their current displays. Oddly enough, and I supposed I shouldn’t be surprised, there was no one design the group liked best. Their preferences were evenly divided among the six displays.
  • The Feel. Most had no experience with tension fabric graphics or engineered aluminum extrusion. It only took a minute or two for them to recognize the benefits once they touched the frame, the graphics, and the knobs.
  • The Price. Obviously, prices vary on our hybrid systems. These end-users saw a $3000 Sunrise, (2) $6500 Magellans, a $7500 Perfect 10, a $2000 SEGUE lightbox, and an $11,000 SEGUE. Here’s where I was surprised — No one balked, no one flinched, no one objected to the prices! After two years of hearing, “It’s TOO MUCH!”, it was a pleasure to see sanity return to the exhibit market.

Toward the end of the event, I walked the floor to see the other exhibits. I saw one pop-up, and it was for a lighting company. Not one display manufacturer was showing a true pop up. Optima Graphics had an Xpression, but I’m not counting that as a traditional pop up. Everything else was a hybrid, a modular, or a tube structure with pillowcase graphics. I’ll be curious, and I invite you to do the same, to count how many pop up displays are shown at EXHIBITOR.

Don’t misinterpret me. I’m not predicting the demise of the pop up. Goodness knows, we sell LOTS and LOTS of Quadro EO and Quadro S kits. However, we may be witnessing a tipping point in conjunction with the end of the recession. Customers who have deferred purchases for two to three years are back in the market. They are willing to spend money, however cautiously. When they purchase, they want something different. Something with most of the benefits of a pop up display, but without the ho-hum, been-there, done-that look. If those end-users are a guide to what we can expect to see at EXHIBITOR, then expect to see lots of interest in portable and modular hybrids, especially those that do more than simply mimic the look of a pop up.

Best of luck to everyone at EXHIBITOR. Please visit us at booth #1455. We’ll show you our latest island configurations, rental designs, Eco-systems Sustainable Displays, and, of course, the best portable and modular hybrids in the industry.

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

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