I developed displays and graphics for several brand product lines of Eastman Kodak Company for their expansive presence at mega trade shows, PMA (US) and Photokina (Europe).
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Above: O’Connell personnel posing with the first Windpower booth setup (image provided).
1) O’Connell Electric—WindPower Show
“We
just booked a 10-by-20 floor space at AWEA’s WindPower (the world’s
largest wind trade show) and we need you to ‘pull something together’
for us —we have three months”. Well, “something” turned out to be
everything and seeing as how we had nothing, things were about to get
interesting.
Above: My initial concept rendering for the WindPower booth design. We later dropped the flat screen TV and vertical truss unit.
I
quickly set up a meeting with senior management and the division
manager to help me understand the primary reasons for exhibiting,
establish quantifiable goals, identify services to be promoted, confirm
key target audiences, and establish a budget. From that initial meeting I
developed a comprehensive proposal and cost package that outlined
options and comparisons from which I made recommendations.
Above: My matching schematic for the initial WindPower booth design floor plan.
For WindPower I was responsible for show messaging and branding, designing, producing and procuring everything for the trade show floor, print materials and giveaways, apparel, pre and post show communications and more—brainstorming and strategy—concept through production.
Above:
Corporate brand identity applications for white backgrounds (brochures
and business cards) and black (display panels and shirts). I developed a
simplified identity for the show that focused on the name “O’Connell”
for bold simplicity and quick identification.
My
approach was simple, continue with the straightforward messaging, bold
corporate branding, and story-telling brand imagery which won senior
management’s approval.
Above: Initial front and side panel artwork for one of the three 7-1/2-foot square
freestanding displays. Each display promotes one of O’Connell’s primary
service offerings related to wind farm development.
Throughout
the two-month production schedule I directed six creative professionals
who contracted with me to help expedite the development and production
of all necessary show content.
Above: Final imagery for the Substations & Switchyards display.
In
addition to writing copy for the show brochure,
coordinating photo shoots between Buffalo and Albany, and managing all
imagery (selection and production processing for the displays and print
materials) I was managing several production vendors and working with my
web developer to advance-launch the Services section of O’Connell’s new
website by opening day of the show.
Above:
After further confirming guidelines and consulting with show officials I
developed a series of schematics like the one above for O’Connell
personnel to reference as setup options once they were on the trade show
floor.
O’Connell
has faired extremely well exhibiting at WindPower. During our debrief
meeting after the last show show the division manager put it into perspective
this way “The first year we were striving to introduce ourselves to the big
players and developers within our target markets, now
they are seeking us out”.
Above: Booth setup the fifth year at Windpower (image provided).
2) O’Connell Electric—Trade Show Presence Upgrade
O’Connell also approached me regarding their trade show footprint for 10-by-10 spaces and smaller.
O’Connell: “Hey, Keith, our Technical Services Division has a trade show coming up in Buffalo. Can you make us a couple prints for our company trade show booth from all those great photographs you’ve been taking for us?”
Me: “That shouldn’t be a problem. Can I see your booth”
O’Connell: “Sure, we have it set up in the upper conference room”
Above:
My approved concept rendering for a simple, classy, functional space
that can be easily customized for any division of the company and to
custom space limitations.
Upon
seeing what the company had been displaying at shows (third photo down)
I decided to go out on a limb and draft a proposal for upgrading the
company’s trade show presence. My proposal was received well by senior
management and I gained approval to move forward.
My
final approved concept is comprised of five main independent
structures—a seven-foot centralized truss unit with header and 32-inch
flat screen TV, two six-foot vertical banner stands, and two truss
counter units with graphics. These pieces can be oriented to work in
nearly any small footprint. The industrial/construction look and feel of
truss systems is what initially drew me in. Their customizability and
expandability is what ultimately sold me as a solution.
Where
O’Connell’s presentation at trade shows and special venues previously
fell short of those of other companies who exhibit at the same events
their new booth presence has set the bar to new heights.
Above:
Concept rendering for O’Connell’s Solar Division trade booth depicting
division specific banner stand imagery and backdrop fabric for the
center truss structure. The flat screen TV ran a custom slideshow I
developed.
The
new booth design and elements have been successfully adapted by several
divisions within the company for use across a variety of venues. I
regularly update slide shows and satisfy requests for new banner stand
images.
Above:
O’Connell logo adaptation for the Solar Division’s trade show presence.
This mark was used in the new solar brochure I developed for the show as well as on the show business cards. It was
embroidered onto shirts worn by show attendees, made into a new header
sign for the center truss display, and used in the solar slideshow I
developed.
Above:
10-by-10 trade show booth schematic in which I’ve incorporated one of
the three 7-1/2-foot square freestanding displays I developed for the
WindPower shows.
Above:
As new banner stand images are requested I provide options as both 2D
photos and 3D renderings. When necessary I incorporate them into a 3D
rendering of the full booth setup as seen above.
Above:
Section heading graphics for the Solar/Renewable Energy slide show. I
designed all imagery, messaging, and graphics to be consistent
throughout all show materials and tie directly back to O’Connell’s
corporate website.
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