With the holiday season upon us, 2018 is just around the corner and it looks to be a banner year for trade shows. Last year, attendance has increased year-over-year at the top trade shows, because trade shows continue to attract audiences with the intention to make connections and buy products.

It’s ironic that one of the biggest reasons for the gains in popularity is the ever-growing digital economy. Face-to-face meetings with potential and current customers has become much more important to solidify relationships. We have compiled a list of some of the biggest trade shows and expos in their respective industries. Simply click the link for more information about each show.

Technology
Consumer Electronics Show	Las Vegas, NV	January
ITEXPO – Office	Ft. Lauderdale, FL	Februrary
SXSW – Innovations	Austin, TX	March
ISC West – Security	Las Vegas, NV	April
RSA Conference – Security	San Francisco, CA	April
CEDIA – Home Electronics	San Diego, CA	September

Health Care
HiMSS 18 – Information Systmes	Las Vegas, NV	March
ENDO 2018 – Endocrinology	Chicago, IL	March
AACR Annual Meeting – Cancer Research	Washington, DC	April
FIME Show – Business	Orlando, FL	July
AHIMA – All Health Care Professionals	Miami, FL	September

Construction
IBS 2018 – National Home Builders	Orlando, FL	January
World of Concrete	Las Vegas, NV	January
AIA – Architects	New York, NY	June
Greenbuild International Conference – Sustainability	Chicago, IL	November
Construction Super Conference – Commercial / Legal	Las Vegas, NV	December

Museums
MSA 2018 FORWARD – Retail	Washington, DC	April
MuseumExpo – AAM Annual Meeting	Phoenix, AZ	May
Museum Connections – Retail	Paris, France	January

If you’re looking to exhibit your business at one of these or other trade shows, the ADM Two staff are experts on display design and fabrication, so give us a call at (813) 887-1960 and one of our knowledgeable staff can assist you with your tradeshow needs, no matter where your event takes place. Also, check out some of our other articles to get more information on trade show booth layout, trade show graphics, and etiquette.

Blog (Exhibit Insight), Interactive Displays, Museum Exhibit

Current Trends in Museum Exhibits

2017-12-06 Shannon Bennett

Technology has changed the way we interact with the world. Because of it, both young and old are drawn to more interactive events that are fun and challenging. These changes have affected how museums engage with their visitors and make lasting impressions for years to come. Below are a few of the current trends in museum exhibits that reflect these changes.

Fewer Gadgets, More Experiences

Technology continues to change how members and visitor engage with gallery experiences. But, having technology in the museum is not a new trend, however, the breadth of use of technology has changed to include social media, mobile applications, and augmented reality. Plus, one of the latest trends facilitated by technology is gift giving. All of these are driven by mobile phones, so visitors can continue their museum experiences beyond the front doors and bring it home with them.

Keep It Local

Our digital world has given us a global perspective, which is why museums need to develop a sense of place for visitors to personally connect with the exhibits. Their relevance and value come from the history and culture found at their location. Focusing on place is also a way for museums to distinguish themselves among others, because they are rooted in the unique nature of their community.

Engaging the Senses

In our ever-increasing virtual world, museums need to embrace the use of real-world materials and everyday objects within their exhibits. Holding and manipulating everyday objects is an important way to engage our senses and deepen our learning. Everyday objects carry stories of invention and adaptation, hold information about how the world works, and present possibilities for a deeper understanding of the concepts presented.

This engaging display can be found at Suncoast Youth Conservation Center museum exhibits.

Another way to engage the senses is through maker spaces and the crafting movement in museum exhibits. This is a level of interactivity, where members and visitors become self-directed learners. It’s also a great way to have social engagement between staff and patrons. Plus, there are a wide range of materials and tools to fit budgets, while promoting exploration through design and building.

And More Engagement

The latest trends for museums to embrace may involve revitalization of current exhibits to fit the needs of their visitors. Changes in display design and fabrication can go a long way in captivating the audience—making positive experiences.

Blog (Exhibit Insight), Design, Displays

ADM Two Hosts Ultimate Mixer Tampa Bay

2017-11-07 Shannon Bennett

We had the idea to host an event, but wanted to really make it something interesting and unique – not your average mixer or networking event. After a lot of brainstorming and some reflection, we remembered something that used to be pretty big (and exciting) in the Tampa Bay Area – The Ultimate Mixer. The Ultimate Mixer is a collection of all the area’s creative and marketing organizations in one room – truly the ultimate mixer!! So we decided to get everyone together again for the first time in many years for another Ultimate Mixer.

Because we are a display designer and fabricator, we had to bring our “A Game” when it came to the presentation of the space. Just a few of the accouterments that we put together to transform our warehouse from rugged workspace into elegant night club:

We printed each organization’s name on our favorite display tables – they are standing tables that have a taller profile and with the logos printed on the front rather than table throws or cloths, we were able to keep a uniformity of appearance for this row of tables that was super streamlined and pleasing to look at. Organizations included Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS Tampa Bay), American Advertising Federation (AAF Tampa Bay), American Institute of Architects (AIA Tampa Bay), Ad 2 Tampa Bay, Legal Marketing Association Tampa, and Public Relations Society of America (PRSA Tampa Bay).

We partitioned the space with super long, dark curtains with up-lighting for a dramatic effect.
We had floor stickers with marketing and architectural facts to cater to the many organizations that had a presence.

We sectioned off some areas using carpeting and couches to create mini-spaces within the larger spaces, almost like living rooms.
We had games! There were two places to play Giant Jenga and there was a corn hole section.

Our bars and much of our furniture were sleek white or gray, which was beautiful and elegant in combination with the multi-colored accent lights and the various colors of up-lighting.
We provided a step & repeat for photos so our guests could feel special for the evening.

We brought a natural feel to the environment with some greenery – large green shrubs on either side of the step and repeat, which always adds a warm feel to any space.
Large printed wall graphics added a beautiful backdrop to the entire space, making it feel lively and fun.
Printed signs hanging from the ceiling added geometry to the overhead space.
The DJ Booth was on a glowing stage with a large screen behind – adding to the club-like atmosphere and giving this side of the room a focal point.

The choices we made for the interior design of this event were both a way of welcoming our guests and helping them feel at home, as well as a showcase of our abilities. We don’t just design great trade show booths – we can transform any space into an inviting, beautiful space for events, conferences and meetings.

ADM Two staff are experts on event space design and fabrication, so give us a call at (813) 887-1960 and one of our knowledgeable staff can assist you with your design, no matter where your event takes place. Also, check out some of our other articles to get more information on trade show booth layout, trade show graphics, and etiquette.

Blog (Exhibit Insight), Custom Corporate Environment, Displays, Interactive Displays

How Cutting-Edge Interactive Displays are Improving Human Resources

2017-09-21 Shannon Bennett

Anyone who’s been to a trade show in recent years knows booths and exhibits have never been more interactive and high-tech.

Now it appears all kinds of companies are developing a taste for using similar whiz-bang interactive displays in offices and other workplaces for human resources-related purposes. Indeed, when St. Petersburg, Florida-based national electrical contractor Power Design, several years ago, was looking for a better way to teach employees about all aspects of what the company does and why, it turned to local exhibit designer and builder ADM Two Exhibits and Displays.

Though mostly known in years past for its museum and trade show exhibits, the firm is fast finding a new (and growing) niche in creating interactive exhibits used to educate company employees about all manner of goods and services. The female-founded and led company has recently fashioned everything from high-tech “membership experience rooms” for credit unions, to “employment engagement” areas for health care outfits aimed at helping keep staff up on changing HR-related issues.

“Interacting with HR used to mean you were in trouble,” joked Shannon Bennett, vice president of sales and marketing at ADM Two. “But these days, employees are coming to realize that HR is really about helping employees be as good at, and happy with, their jobs as possible. And interactive display technologies are fast becoming one of the best ways for HR to do this.”

Fast-growing Power Design’s task for ADM Two: help them find a better way to keep their 8,000 employees current on all manner of innovations in electrical contracting work, as well as bring new hires quickly up to speed.

The result is Power Design’s new Best Practices in Action Training Center. Occupying the better part of several large rooms, the interactive display training center uses everything from large computerized touch-screens, to mock-ups of various electrical wiring scenarios, to instruct employees on all aspects of the company’s design and work. With umpteen interactive quizzes, and videos of real and augmented-reality depictions of technical tasks, the center takes participants from concept to completion of every type of project the company handles.

Case Study: Brain Harmony Portable Display

2017-06-21 Shannon Bennett

When it comes to solving portable display needs, people often assume that smaller projects are always easier, but such is not the case. In many cases, as in the case with the Brain Harmony display, we wanted to create something with a big impact, but that could be transported via a personal vehicle and set up by one person.

Making a big impact is actually much easier with a large booth and budget for customization. In that case, we can pull out all the stops, using whatever materials we want and putting together unique pieces and visuals that really allow a brand to stand strong in the trade show. Not only did the display need to be portable, it needed to have easy to change graphics that could be switched out in the field, on the spot.

We decided to use the Xpressions portable multi-graphic panel pop-up system. This portable display allows the graphics to stay attached to the frame for storage, plus the hardware is super lightweight, an essential for a one person setup. If you look at the final display though, it’s quite impactful and beautiful! We used large, exceptional photographs for effect, keeping the supporting graphics and text simple for a tasteful presentation. The photographs were already a part of the Brain Harmony media library, so they were not shot specifically for this project. For that reason, we had to do some manipulation to a few of the photos to maintain consistency in the layout, but the result is a seamless graphic piece that really stands out!

Brain Harmony’s mission is to provide the most powerful and proven therapy to help children and adults with learning and performance difficulties. From sensory processing, attention & regulation, autism spectrum and all types of neurological dysfunction, Brain Harmony is focused on accelerated outcomes, support to the families, access to care and helping our friends to become their greatest selves. They see clients in a clinic setting as well as at home through a unique video coaching program. Further focused on getting more families access to care, Brain Harmony educates and coaches other health care and academic professionals. We truly enjoyed working with them on this project and think the final portable display was a great visual for their mission.

ADM Two staff are experts on portable display design and fabrication, so give us a call at (813) 887-1960 and one of our knowledgeable staff can assist you with your display, no matter where your event takes place. Also, check out some of our other articles to get more information on trade show booth layout, trade show graphics, and etiquette.

ADM Two Case Study, Blog (Exhibit Insight), Trade Show

Case Study: Endo-Therapeutics

2017-06-07 Shannon Bennett

The Endo-Therapeutics trade show booth is an exercise in trade show simplicity. They needed something portable, easy for the staff to assemble, and with some more depth and texture to properly show off their products, which debut often. The solution we came up with addressed these needs, while also creating a bold impression with large graphics and the brand’s colors.

We used a snap together aluminum frame with pillowcase tension fabric for the main visual and standoff rigid interchangeable graphic panels. This creates some depth and texture. The logo colors are sophisticated yet bright, so they look really great on the large panels, while the podium, table and chairs create a sense of structure in the space. A trade show booth should portray the brand’s personality, and this one certainly demonstrates the innovative character of Endo-Therapeutics.

Endo-Therapeutics’ primary business is contract manufacturing of instruments for endoscopy. At its inception, the company was a manufacturer of reusable medical devices. The company has since grown to become one of the largest domestic producer of single-use disposable biopsy forceps and polypectomy snares. Endo-Therapeutics supports the healthcare industry by supplying millions of endoscopic medical devices each year. Today Endo-Therapeutics sells directly to endoscopy surgery centers in the United States and also distributes products internationally as well.

ADM Two staff are experts on trade show industry design and fabrication, so give us a call at (813) 887-1960 and one of our knowledgeable staff can assist you with your display, no matter where your event takes place. Also, check out some of our other articles to get more information on trade show booth layout, trade show graphics, and etiquette.

Blog (Exhibit Insight), Trade Show

Setting a Trade Show Budget

2017-05-24 Shannon Bennett

Trade shows are a major investment for any small business. The trade show budget may account for a substantial amount of your marketing budget, because there are so many things to plan for that go beyond space rental, fees and display costs.

When forecasting, a comprehensive budget is important to account for every detail. Past experience at the show will make this process much easier, whether you have a history as an attendee or as an exhibitor. This means that you have a pretty good idea of the costs involved. But, if you don’t have any historical data, planning your budget may seem like a monumental task. It’s not and here’s why.

Short Versus Long Formula

To avoid potential cost overruns and failure to make a good impression, use the following list to get your trade show budget on paper (or spreadsheet):

Booth space
Trade show display
Shipping
Staffing
Promotional items and giveaways
On-site services
Lead generation activities
Travel, food and lodging

This is not a comprehensive list, yet it does cover most of the major expenses incurred for a show. After the show, you can reconcile the accounts and tally sales directly related to the show. Voila! You have your ROI. Some sales may come later, so remember to adjust your ROI accordingly.

There is also a short formula to calculate your trade show costs. Of course, the short form is simple, just multiply the costs of your exhibit space by 3. For example, the booth space costs $10K, therefore your budget should be $30K. This is helpful for smaller shows and last minute entries. It’s a good ballpark figure, but doesn’t account for everything, and makes it more difficult to calculate your ROI. So, be vigilant in accounting for your spending and ancillary costs.

The time and effort in preparing a budget will pay off for future shows. It becomes a template you can refer to and build upon as your company grows.

ADM Two staff are experts on display design and fabrication, so give us a call at (813) 887-1960 and one of our knowledgeable staff can assist you with your trade show needs, no matter where your event takes place. Also, check out some of our other articles to get more information on trade show booth layout, trade show graphics, and etiquette.

Blog (Exhibit Insight)

Health eSystems Trade Show Booth Fabricated by ADM Two Wins Best Small Booth at RIMS

2017-05-03 Shannon Bennett

ADM Two Exhibits & Displays client, Health eSystems, won Best Small Booth at the RIMS 2017 trade show.

The design is simple and clean with large black and white photos that helped the Health eSystems branded colors stand out. They also featured some great giveaways, including an Apple Watch.

“A well-branded booth without overcomplicated structure can really stand out, and Health eSytems has proven that time and again. We love working with Health eSystems for this reason,” said Shannon Bennett, ADM Two VP of Sales & Marketing.

About ADM Two

ADM Two was founded in 1987, and since then has emerged as a respected leader in exhibit design and fabrication. Serving an expansive range of clients throughout the museum, tradeshow, corporate, and retail industries, ADM Two continues to foster the deep appreciation for innovation and craftsmanship that the organization was founded on. For more information, visit www.admtwo.com.

About Health eSystems

Health eSystems manages the cost and utilization of pharmacy and ancillary medical benefits for workers’ compensation insurance payers and ensures that injured worker patients receive the most appropriate care and treatment. Solutions include pharmacy benefit management, clinical review services ancillary benefits management. For more information, please visit www.health

Blog (Exhibit Insight), Custom Corporate Environment, Design

Corporate Design Trends: Education and Engagement

2017-04-26 Shannon Bennett

Corporate design trends are ever-changing, and in 2017, office space is nothing like it was in say, Office Space back in 1999! Organizations have long been designing their office space with more employee-centric corporate environments that cater to creativity and well-being as the Millennial generation has demanded a focus on quality of life. Now we are seeing that trend expand to include employee education, engagement, and fitness. Re-imagining office space to encourage interactivity in a museum or gallery-style fashion has companies creating impressive displays that are not just informative, but beautiful as well.

When we think of interactive displays, many of our clients come to mind. MOSI is a great example of an educational space that encourages engagement with a wealth of displays on various subjects. Guests are encouraged not only to engage by viewing, but often by touching or pressing buttons. The office trend of using displays mimics this engagement. In particular, our client Power Design has employed this technique beautifully to the Best Practices Gallery in their new building in St. Petersburg. The colorful, interactive gallery with sweeping ceilings is a marvel of design and artistic skill. Visitors are welcome to browse through the extensive maze of educational tools, photos, interactive pieces and content. Power Design has also incorporated a gym, a basketball court, and fitness classes into their campus to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

Best Practices Gallery at Power Design, Inc. in St. Petersburg, FL.

This trend exists because many people are seeking a deeper connection with their work and the environment that they work in. Studies have shown that engaged employees are happier and more productive, healthy employees are happier and more productive, and so on. White walls, florescent lighting and dull office furniture leave one feeling exactly the way the environment looks – dull and lifeless. So it makes perfect sense that a work environment with colorful art, brilliant textures, natural lighting, and options for fitness can inspire employees, give them motivation, and promote health and wellness.

As this corporate design trend continues, we look forward to working with more clients to create beautiful, healthy spaces that will improve employees’ workplace satisfaction and encourage deeper engagement and productivity. ADM Two staff are experts on corporate design and fabrication, so give us a call at (813) 887-1960 and one of our knowledgeable staff can assist you with your corporate design, no matter where your event takes place. Also, check out some of our other articles to get more information on trade show booth layout, trade show graphics, and etiquette.

ADM Two Case Study, Blog (Exhibit Insight), Museum Exhibit

A. Quinn Jones Museum and Cultural Center

2017-03-29 Shannon Bennett

The A. Quinn Jones Museum and Cultural Center project was absolutely fascinating, full of local Florida history. We worked closely with MAM Exhibit Design on this project, in which we divided and conquered. We did the heavy lifting of fabrication and installation of exhibits and graphics, and Marry Anna Murphy (MAM) did the design.

The project was to design a museum and cultural center in an vintage bungalow. The museum celebrates the life of A. Quinn Jones (1893 – 1997), an early black educator in Alachua County. Each of the five galleries is specific to a subject dealing with Mr. Jones: Education, Arts and Culture, Church Life, Civil Rights and A. Quinn Jones. The 1,000 square foot museum was researched and completed in just 6 months.

The above Civil Rights gallery tells the story of how Alachua County reacted to and eventually embraced the Civil Rights Movement. Newspaper headlines were reproduced for visual impact and quotes were pulled to create points of interest and draw the viewer in. We painted several of the display walls in different colors to complement the graphics, which added pops of color and helped the graphics to really stand out.

The Arts and Culture gallery displays a work from local artist, Jesse Aaron. The work was chosen for the lightly staffed museum because, up high, it’s safe from hands. Because it’s normal for a deer mount to be placed above eye line on a wall, this worked perfectly and lends a rustic and impressive visual effect to the collection.

The A. Quinn Jones gallery displays items from his long life – several plaques were in the museum’s collection. They were displayed, not for each individual accomplishment, but to showcase his lifetime of accolades.

Jones’ desk was set up with a display of items that he might have kept close at hand. Super graphic custom printed wallpaper was installed on one wall. The back wall, covering a set of windows, provides additional display space and a means to fix the vitrine in place.

This was the perfect project to complete last month, just in time for Black History Month. We had the pleasure of learning a lot about a local black historic figure, and we also had the honor of working with MAM Exhibits once again. This was a project to be proud of!

ADM Two staff are experts on museum fabrication and design, so give us a call at (813) 887-1960 and one of our knowledgeable staff can assist you with your display, no matter what the circumstances. Also, check out some of our other articles to get more information on trade show booth layout, trade show graphics, and etiquette.

Author: Shannon Bennett

The Biggest Trade Shows in 2018