I spent last week in Las Vegas visiting with clients and at the EDPA – The Exhibit Designers and Producers Association.  It was a great meeting on several levels especially the Networking with both my peers and my own company.

I spent last week in Las Vegas visiting with clients and at the EDPA – The Exhibit Designers and Producers Association.  It was a great meeting on several levels especially the Networking with both my peers and my own company.

The education was focused on doing business internationally. This conference draws attendees from all over the world and this year the focus was China.

Being a creative I am always looking for more of the “D” Design! I love to talk about Creativity, Ideas and Innovation – but HEY that is me!

Pink Powered by Moss brought in a stage set which I just loved (if I do say so myself!) It is our not-yet-a-product, The Wave Forms that I just adore!

The most exciting thing that happened is that our CEO Charlie Corsentino was honored with the Hazel Hays award, this is like being inducted into the “Hall of Fame” of the exhibit world.  It is for those individuals that have really changed and effected the exhibition industry!  Congratulations Charlie!

You can click here for some more photos from the conference as well as a complete list of award winners.

Next year will find us in Palm Springs. Join us!  If you are in the Exhibit World you should join EDPA and come to Access to learn, network and have your voice heard.

1. The cars are the stars!

With some trade shows I attend I don’t always know what is being shown.  No guessing here! The Cars are the Stars!

2. Fabric. Fabric. And more fabric!

Talk about materials that these exhibits are built out of… Lots and lots of fabric!  Often in the form of walls or other flat surfaces fabric stretched into extrusion -(SEG) silicon edged graphics – into flat or simply curved surfaces.

3. Printed Graphics. Many fabric surfaces were printed. The trend seen here is not just the fabric printing, high quality dye- sublimation print process in wide widths and high quality imagery, but other flat panels in solid color as well.

4. Graphic Imagery. The idea and the feeling of the graphical treatments were repeated over and over again. The highlighted image in many backdrops featured super graphics that were abstracts of speed, the blur of the road, or the feeling of travel movement imagery.

5. Screens. LED screens were out in full force! Some curtains, many were LED tiled squares that were put together to create approximately 12′ x 16′ digital surfaces. While most LED screens showed traditional commercial imagery in a sameness kind of set up -Toyota broke the mold for the Prius. Toyota used sticks of truss jutting out above the Prius and covered them with the LED 12” squares.  The imagery was vibrant….Take a look at some of the photos below…

6. Signage – Clean. Fabric with elevated letters or logo’s.  This is a great look and another similar treatment seen reapeatedly.  Over and over again 3-D letters or graphics were shown as a relief over a flat, usually fabric wall or banner hanging above.  Lighting was often involved, backlit, reflection off the back wall or projected light.

7. Total Environments.  Full ceiling treatments. These massive trade show booths were truly integrated environments – they are little villages. Really impressive!

If I didn’t know better I would say that a small group of people designed many of these trade show booths. Many of the elements observed here were repeated. The graphic, the screens, the open-ness of the spaces and similarity in the branding all made me think that between Czarnowski and George P Johnson most of the designs must have come from a few Exhibit Buiders.  Does anyone know?

AND Although there were the tons of fabric walls, I don’t want to call them Tension Fabric Structures as I find this a different way of working from the classic aluminum tube frame covered in fabric –In this case the Extrusion/System and the flat stretched fabric with the silicon strip (SEG) inserted into a frame with a recessed groove was prominent. Does anybody have a name for this “new” way of working with Fabric Architecture?

We at Moss DID do some of the fabric at the show and we are proud of it!

All and all, The New York International Auto Show is QUITE impressive.  Now I have to go back and look at the cars!

Our NYC team dreamed up and designed the PowerStation booth that we cleverly used for 2 shows with a re-branding built in. The Pink Powered by Moss booth was seen in Phoenix at The Special Event show. The EXHIBITOR show saw the Power of MOSS this past week!

This giant form circled around our perimeter – a visual demonstration of the Power of fabric and design. Seen from far away this fabric structure pulled you in to discover the Power of Moss. Our own branded energy drink heightened your awareness while the Juice Bar powered your devise! Our iPads and EZ Engage allowed you to peruse our portfolio. Take a look at the photos posted here and don’t forget the cool new products – The Juice Bar – Charging Stations and The EZ Engage! In fact our EZ Engage won a coveted EXHIBITOR’s Buyer’s Choice Award! This interactive wall catches your attention through branded graphics, motion and technology! Its easy interface and realistic price point make it affordable for your clients. Available for rental and purchase this product is flexible therefore fitting your interactive digital demand!

Also look at our 10’ x 10’ booth – Moss+ = Display Hardware and Light Boxes. Right across from the PowerStation, our little booth was mighty with LIGHT! Take a look at how our R&D team are developing this technology in our Radiance product line!

Come back again soon as I will be posting more info on the Exhibitor show. Enjoy the Visuals!   Also take a visit to our team member John Lindsey’s blog about Exhibitor 2011!

What is the EZ Interactive Wall? Moss EZ Interactive is an interactive display combining an EZ Fabric Wall with reactive sensors, allowing users to drive content on the integrated LCD monitor. The monitor, sensors, and computer are completely contained within the 80mm thick wall, making it one of the most compact, interactive displays available. Moss EZ Interactive is a new way to highlight products and services to attract and keep customers in your trade show booth.

Each EZ Interactive wall includes eight LED-lit sensors so users can select from eight media files that you upload into the system. When you wave a hand in front of the sensors to select the media they want to see, LED-lit sensors light up and the corresponding video or slide show will begin to play. Click below for more information and images . . .

Enjoy more pictures of EuroShop and DO plan on coming to Düsseldorf in 2014!

Make sure you check my blog http://pinkincnews.com/ where there are more visuals about EuroShop posted.

EXHIBITOR Magazine has a EuroShop microsite filed with data and photos

Stefan Buss, a self proclaimed Exhibitionist writes about EuroShop on Stef’s Exhibition Blog

And don’t forget my guest blog about EuroShop on Philips LightCommunity

Xplace writes about their experience at EuroShop from the POS side.

Lighting is not my expertise however I went out there to look! This is some of what I saw…

LED, LED. LED.  Everyone now finally has WHITE LED light!  And lots of it!

I took the tour of the Philips booth. First I must say from an exhibition experience the tour was a great way to view and learn about new product. The stand was well designed to create flow and it proved an excellent way to show the work.

Our tour guide took us through three distinct spaces – the fashion section, the food section and new product development.  These spaces were set up with demonstrations so that we could see the products in action. Featured fixtures demonstrated a full spectrum of white light that can change from to warm to cool depending on the product you want to enhance.

The AIT award winning product Pure Detail allows for details to be seen, showing off texture and color while casting shadow to give product three dimensions. All this AND  the full range of white light!  Another product that was presented is a beautiful delicate LED track light system – take a look at the photos below!

I loved looking at the comparisons of white light on product and the demonstration that allowed me to see it.

In the last bit of the tour our guide explained how Philips fits into the changing world.  They continue to look at their mission, develop product, and think ahead to not become extinct. This was a fitting end for our journey!

17 Exhibit Stands entered the competition. 10 judges gathered Sunday morning to get the list of instructions.  Several of us walked through the show together with our clipboards. Russ Fowler from Derse, Mitchell Mauk of Mauk Design, Matt Hubbard from Exhibit Works, Tom Yurkin from Freeman and me, Debra Roth from Pink Powered by Moss, traveled, viewed and judged the entries. We had questions which to answer on scoring 1-10 and the highest score won.

I wanted to explore some of the things I thought about while judging this type of event.

To begin with –

•   Do you know what this company does from looking at the products?

•   After you hear the pitch did you need to hear it to know the intension?

•   Judging/scoring points – Calibrating, re-calibrating as you see what you are looking at going forward you may need to go in and change the range of numbers for each entry.

•   I remembered from other shows I have judged that I prefer to use a larger spread – in other words give out your 8’s, 9’s and 10’s but do not be afraid to give out 1’s, 2’s and 3’s if you feel someone has really missed the mark.  This way you really affect the tally.

•   Take notes as you go – photos as well. You are looking at a lot, so you should be able to go back and see how the first impressions hold.

•   Look first and gather your thoughts. Do listen to the rep talk about the intensions of the company and the design. Speak with your colleagues after scoring.

A fun experience was had by all and CONGRATULATIONS to all the award winners!

Listed here:    EXHIBITOR Magazine – Euroshop Awards

The jurors:

• Dirk Bachmann-Kern, principal, Bachmann.Kern & Partner, Solingen, Germany
• Russ Fowler, senior director, corporate creative, Derse Inc., Milwaukee
• Matt Hubbard, president of Exhibit Works, a division of EWI Worldwide, Livonia, MI
• Rainer Mauer, head of architectural design, Uniplan GmbH & Co. KG, Cologne, Germany
• Mitchell Mauk, principal, Mauk Design, San Francisco
• Debra Roth, director of design and creative events, Pink Powered by Moss, New York
• Nico Ueberholz, principal, Ueberholz GmbH, Wuppertal, Germany
• Tom Yurkin, creative director, Freeman, Dallas

The winners:

Best of Show – Small Exhibit
Holtmann GmbH
Location: Hall 10, Stand A54
Design: raumHOCH
Fabrication: Holtmann GmbH + Co. KG

Best of Show – Medium Exhibit
Burkhardt Leitner Constructiv GmbH
Location: Hall 10, Stand A64
Design: Ippolito Fleitz Group
Fabrication: Burkhardt Leitner Constructiv GmbH

Best of Show – Large Exhibit
Umdasch AG
Location: Hall 12, Stand C62
Design: Syndicate Brand & Corporate Design AG
Fabrication: Zeissig GmbH & Co. KG

Honorable Mentions
Wit Design
Location: Hall 10, Stand A26
Design/Fabrication: Wit Design

LG Hausys Europe (HI-MAC)
Location: Hall 13, Stand E75
Design: Yasmine Mahmoudieh
Fabrication: Holzwerkstatt Dreyeckland

Atelier Dambock Messebau GmbH
Location: Hall 9, Stand G56
Design/Fabrication: Atelier Dambock Messebau GmbH

Aluvision
Location: Hall 9, Stand D37
Design/Fabrication: Aluvision

Read more and see more photos at the EXHIBITOR’s 2011 EuroShop Microsite

EuroShop is a huge show in Düsseldorf, Germany that focuses on Exhibit design and build, Retail display, lighting, fixtures and details ( Halls of Mannequins, Refrigeration and store security).  This show runs every 3 years for 5 days.

Euroshop opened today – The 26^th of February 2011.  My colleagues and I traveled in Hall 9 and 10 – These halls are focused on the Exhibit industry.  This will be the focus of today’s post.  The trends that I see in this European marketplace includes:

•   Extrusions, Profile or System – this aluminum “channel” has been a mainstay in European stand building, this edition of Euroshop shows many instances of the CURVE!

•   Long Sheer Curtains, Gin Fringe or String Curtain, and scrim both white and black are out in full force. Scrim and Sheers are used as a peek-a-boo look. Now you see it now you don’t!  Many ceilings were created of a mesh screen and many effects were created with Scrim.

•   Layers and Layers – the idea is: flat form cut in succession to create the idea of a full form. This concept was seen over and over again.

•   Colors: many shades of GREEN and some ORANGE, lots of WHITE with Lighting

•   Vertical Tubes or this vertical shapes creating an environment – this effect is very similar to the long sheer curtains, string curtains and scrim.

•   Light Boxes, Light Boxes and more Light Boxes – printed fabrics with Silicon edges creating flat panels

•   I only saw a little – Laser Cutting and Interactive activities, games and social media – both are big in the States!

As I come from fabric structure, décor and design I was particularly interested in a company from Russia called InfinityConst – it has a different look then “American” fabric structures and they do fit into the trend of Curved Extrusion.

Get ready! NEXT! Full environments created “like” retail lounges to show amazing LIGHTING! Tomorrow halls 10, 11, and 12 – viewing and reporting assignment!

The Pink Powered by Moss PowerStation booth was awarded with Best Overall Appearance at #TSE2011 the hashtag used if you follow twitter. The Special Event Show had a great feeling this year of optimism and a coming back to opulence with conservation, a new fit for the decade ahead.

Our booth also featured the introduction of new products – the Juice Bar Charging Station a great rental solution to Power Up at events. Our EmpowerStation allows your guest a self-guided digital tour that is a motion censored kiosk, easily customized and branded for your event.  In addition it has an easy interface for you the producer.

Satelights, Portico and the other lamp-like structures created décor interest at the front of the trade show hall. The Portico created an architectural fabric environment entry as one arrived. The Overhead shapes made one feel enclosed in imaginative column-like structural forms. Branding opportunities are also available for these structures.

Take a look at our tension fabric structures in ACTION – Powerfully Creative!!!