Industry Veteran Forms New Company: My Experiential Concierge

Jason Weddle, a 20-year experiential marketing veteran, former CEO at Hamilton, EDPA Executive Committee Board Member, and Founder of My Experiential Concierge, is excited to announce the launch of his new business in the experiential marketing industry.

“I saw an essential need and a void in our incredible industry, so for me, it was an opportunity to provide clarity and help both producers and brand clients drive better results,” said Jason Weddle, President of My Experiential Concierge.

The cost of selecting a new partner can be exorbitant, especially if you select the wrong one. With so much ‘noise’ in the marketplace, a lack of knowledge, understanding, and experience can be costly. Additionally, operating a producing company in this industry can be difficult, and margins are often tight, even under the best circumstances. Whether you need a consultant on retainer and are available 24/7, or you simply have a project, we have the capacity to amaze clients in a highly personalized way.

Uniquely positioned to work on behalf of brands and experiential producers, we are driven by a passion for helping businesses connect with their audiences (internal and external) in meaningful, highly personalized ways that deliver real results.

Jason added: “For the brands, this company represents an unbiased approach for exhibit and event managers, CMOs, procurement, and other marketing and sales leaders. We will allow them to save time, reduce costs, focus on what really matters, and maximize results. For the experiential producers, this company represents a confidential way to obtain experienced, knowledgeable, and proven approaches to increasing your bottom line, streamlining your operation, enhancing client satisfaction, culture, employee engagement, and more.”

For more information on how My Experiential Concierge can help you with your marketing or operational needs, contact us at 6494 W. Joliet Rd. LaPorte, IN 46350. Telephone 219.304.2291, myexpconcierge.com

Exhibit Concepts Wins Eddie Award for Best End-to-End Customer Experience

At Exhibit Concepts, we pride ourselves on creating experiences that inspire, connect, and leave a lasting impression. This commitment was recognized nationally when we received the prestigious Eddie Award for Best End-to-End Customer Experience at the December 2024 Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) Access Conference. 

A Strategy Rooted in Message-Driven Communication 

The Eddie Award celebrates organizations that develop robust strategies tailored to their audience, optimizing the customer experience at every touchpoint. At Exhibit Concepts, our award-winning approach to message-driven communication and interpretive planning ensures that every interaction resonates with clarity and purpose.  This focus transforms spaces beyond functionality into environments that tell a brand’s story, guide the visitor's journey, and create emotional connections. 

“We are honored to receive this award from the experiential design community. The creativity and innovation across our industry inspire us, and we’re proud to contribute to its success. At Exhibit Concepts, we are committed to understanding our clients’ visions and bringing them to life—whether through dynamic trade show booths, compelling company tours, or branded interior spaces. This recognition reflects the dedication of our team and the strong partnerships we build with our clients to deliver impactful, lasting experiences,” said Ellen Campbell-Kaminski, President and CEO of Exhibit Concepts 

Focusing on the Visitor Journey 

Our recognition from EDPA stems from our focus on the visitor journey. Every project is intentionally planned to optimize how visitors engage with the space, ensuring that every detail aligns with the client’s message. From wayfinding and interactive installations to storytelling walls and branded elements, we ensure that environments are cohesive and impactful. Our process starts with a deep understanding of the visitor's personas and our client’s detailed objectives. We start with the end in mind, what they want their visitors to do, and then design the experience with that goal in mind. 

An Ever-Evolving Legacy 

From trade show exhibits to museum galleries to corporate interiors and immersive classrooms, Exhibit Concepts continues to evolve to meet the needs of clients and audiences. Winning the Eddie Award for Best End-to-End Customer Experience is a testament to our strategic vision, deep understanding of our target audience, and dedication to delivering exceptional experiences that resonate long after the first interaction. 

As we celebrate this milestone, we remain focused on pushing boundaries and continuing to redefine what’s possible in the world of experiential design.   

Are you ready to create meaningful, intentional branding experiences? Discover how our award-winning approach can help you, contact us today! Visit us at exhibitconcepts.com.  Watch our award-winning video here: https://vimeo.com/1012396208/a0620478a9?share=copy 
 

EDPA Future Leaders Blog - “Five Minutes with: Amanda Lembke”

Amanda Lembke, Creative Director, Star Exhibits

Connect with Amanda: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-lembke/

We had the pleasure of interviewing Amanda, a dynamic professional with a journey that began at Bemidji State University. Amanda is the 2023 recipient of EDPA’s Designer of the Year award.  Here's what she shared:

Q: How did you get started in the exhibit design industry?

A: "When I was a student at Bemidji State, the EDPA and Bemidji State didn't quite have the affiliation they have today. However, I did attend ExhibitorLIVE for a handful of years throughout my years as a student. That's where I found my first job; I was attending ExhibitorLIVE and I graduated and joined a company from there.

Q: What was your first role in the industry?

A: "My first job was technically with Laarhoven Design, who eventually turned into beMatrix. And then after completing grad school, I went and I worked for Freeman in Chicago. I learned a lot about the industry in general while working for Freeman, and it gave me a unique perspective to this industry.”

Q: And what's your current role?

A: "Now I work for a custom exhibit house and it's really exciting and different every day.”

Q: Finally, what keeps you passionate about the industry?

A: "The people, and the energy of this awesome industry. Being at EDPA events or other industry events especially brings this out; you may have some of your closest friends from this industry and you only see them once or twice a year, but they just really impact and understand your life in a way the rest of the people in your life don't understand."

EDPA Future Leaders Blog - “Five Minutes with: Ben Solberg”

In a conversation with Ben Solberg, we learned about his journey into the trade show industry and how his role has evolved over time.

Q: How did you find your way into the trade show industry, Ben? 

A: "I went to Bemidji State University and studied prototype engineering technologies. The department that I was in was very closely tied to the exhibit design major; same department at BSU. So just throughout my college years, through networking and meeting people, I ended up going to ExhibitorLIVE and talking to people there who worked in the industry. Then I got a job out of college from those conversations and moved to Boston right after graduating to start work." 

Q: Were you always set on entering this industry when you started school? 

A: "I didn't know that I was going to go into the trade show industry at first. I just kind of happened to be drawn to the major, and thought it sounded cool to study. I've always liked working with my hands and figuring things out and I grew up doing woodworking, so I kind of fell into it. Throughout college, just through meeting people and being very closely tied with exhibit design, it seemed a natural fit.” 

Q: What was your first experience with a trade show like? 

A: "I think the first trade show I went to was probably a print trade show in Chicago at McCormick Place. It was a week-long trip where we went to Chicago as a student group and were able to attend the trade show and then also visit some of the area companies." 

Q: After moving to Boston, what was your initial role in the industry? 

A: "When I first started in the industry, I had the title of CAD Detailer/Associate Project Manager, starting at Hill & Partners. They didn't have anybody in my role working there, they outsourced it all, so they weren't really sure where my role was going to go. Over the years, it drifted more towards CAD, detailing and production management. Then after COVID, I began to also get really involved in the graphic production side of things, too." 

Q: How was it developing your role and department within the company? 

A: "It was kind of fun along the way, just being able to create my own role and explore things that I was interested in." 

Q: Can you compare what you do now to when you first started? 

A: "When I first started, like I said, I was more on the CAD detailing side of it, sitting behind my desk, creating drawings all day, every day. Now I'm more involved with supporting the production of graphics and overseeing the production of custom exhibits and custom elements, moving closer towards assisting with production and managing production rather than just specifically CAD detailing." 

Q: Any advice for students aspiring to enter the industry? 

A: "Get into the industry however you can and from where you land, find what you're interested in, what you're good at and what you like to do.”

Future Workforce Committee update

Michael McMahon
President/CEO, Hill & Partners and EDPA Future Workforce Chair

The EDPA and its members are in full swing with another highly active fall Tradeshow and Event Season. Of course, as if that demand isn’t enough, we continue to engage in activities centered on our Future Workforce initiative.

EDPA’s Future Workforce Committee has spent most of 2023 executing grassroot efforts to engage new audiences, while we continue to gain greater insight and understanding around all things Future Workforce. Statistics continue to support the significant challenges that all industries will face going forward when seeking to repopulate their ranks. Course correction for our industry and its many privately owned small businesses, has been challenging as we compete with national and global workforce shortages. Here are just a few of the challenges that all businesses face.

• Demographic Shifts – retiring baby boomers.

• Industry Growth – healthcare and Tech strain the talent pool.

• Skills Mismatch – tomorrows workforce will have unique skill demand.

• Labor and Trades – two people are joining trade ranks for every five retiring.

• Evolving Workplace Expectations – remote hours and flexibility expectations
  
  

If you are reading this blog, you are probably a member of one of the largest industries that most have never heard of, which is something the EDPA has been working to change for quite some time.

• The Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA), supported by the EDPA, has been working for years alongside industry associations to bring our industry opportunity message to our elected officials.

• In recent years, EDPA has invited a larger sample of member disciplines, with a focus on Design and Future Leaders to highlight, expand and enhance activity for our young professionals

• Future Workforce has emerged as a refocused effort beyond Workforce Development activities of the past with the intention to meet the more comprehensive workforce challenge that we will all face going forward.
  
  

The Future Workforce Committee and its focused subcommittee structure has successfully added a new and complimentary dimension to EDPA.  Our member companies deserve ongoing information, resources, and support when it comes to attracting new talent to our face-to-face industry. More importantly, these people centered entities require a unique breed of engagement professionals across a variety of disciplines.

2023 has provided the Future Workforce initiative with insights through action, as we have taken steps to engage members, inspire volunteers and reach outside of our industry to advocate and learn.

• EDPA member survey and follow up calls to member companies already individually engaged in workforce efforts

• Job fair visits

• School counselors zoom exchanges

• In-person job fairs

• American School Councilors Association (ASCA) exhibit featuring a 20x20 exhibit

• Skills USA engagement and annual meeting discovery visit

• Exploration of universities with event planning programs to expand our university affiliations

• Future Workforce content creation

• Banner stands & engagement materials

• Development of a partnership playbook

• Advocacy materials

• Occupational materials and industry member spotlights

• Occupational compensation range materials
  
  

“My favorite committee success this year came through talking with 22 member companies who’ve been in the trenches building relationships with students and faculty for years.  From there, identifying the key factors for successful relationships between EDPA and educational institutions, and turning that information into a tool for EDPA members.”  Katina Rigall Zipay, Chair Academic Partnership Development

As we assume that tomorrow’s workforce will continue to rely on research, data, and firsthand experience to consider opportunities for work and career, the EDPA will be engaged in an ongoing and long-term initiative to compete for talent today, tomorrow, and well into the future.

This Future Workforce initiative will continue to require a higher level of engagement by business owners and industry leaders within our industry to expand our reach as we refine our ability to tell our story.

“Sharing your time and knowledge is what our association is all about.  Thankfully, we have a great group of volunteers helping create assets for efforts. However, our committee is looking for additional skill sets to help in Future Workforce content creation, top of the list being currently video production/editing skills”.  Gina Porcaro Chair Content Creation & Management

We are looking for our membership to collectively go on record with a “Count Me In” attitude toward this challenge. The EDPA is inviting member companies to consider new ways to engage, communicate and ultimately train their Future Workforce, and we need your people and your financial support as we address this challenge together.

"I believe one of biggest successes was ASCA.  We were able to bring together over 14 different EDPA companies to unite as one to tell our story and debut us to an entire population of professionals that had no idea we existed. We were also able to learn so much about what we don’t know when it comes to reaching the new workforce – their expectations, career paths and hopes and dreams – They know as little about us as we know about them and we aim to change that.”  Matthew Little, Chair Future Workforce Professional Labor and Trades

What will be changing for all businesses going forward?

Continually Evolving Workforce Training Perspective - tools and processes, online learning, microlearning, personalization, gamification, VR, data-driven insights, just in time learning, soft skills emphasis, collaborative learning within a continuous learning culture.

More Deliberate Local and National Advocacy Efforts - Communicating our industry opportunity to those outside our association and industry will be the key to repopulating our ranks, in conjunction with a targeted effort to engage with influencers, councilors, faculty and like-minded associations.

Additional Financial Resources - The EDPA will continue to enhance Future Workforce initiatives at the Chapter and National levels, while we also engage and learn from our international partners. Even as we continue to deliver significant volunteer efforts toward the initiative, a clear and established source of financial support will assure measurable results and a higher level of productive Future Workforce initiative activity.

As a leading Association in the face-to-face engagement space, we see no alternative to fully leaning into this comprehensive approach to our Future Workforce challenge. As valued members of this association, and the recipients of high praise among our peer organizations, we have a unique opportunity to lead in both dialogue and solution, with the support of our member companies and the industry ambassadors they employ.

We will leave you with just a few more reasons why this work is so very important, and why we are asking you to match our level of commitment with both financial support and your ongoing industry ambassadorship.

We are competing to turn the tides by:

1. Attracting Talent: New talent will overlook the exhibit industry if they're not aware opportunities it offers. They will opt for industries that are more well-known or perceived as more glamorous or exciting. Many similar industries are facing a workforce challenges. The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) reports that 80% of construction firms are having difficulty finding qualified workers, leading to labor shortages in the industry. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) estimates that by 2028, there could be 2.4 million unfilled manufacturing jobs in the United States due to the skills gap.

2. Retaining Talent: The exhibit industry often requires long hours and extensive travel. This can lead to burnout and make it difficult for employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance. The Work Institute's 2020 Retention Report found that voluntary turnover costs U.S. employers approximately $630 billion annually. Developing a pipeline of skilled and qualified talent is crucial for smooth transitions.  The Gallup State of the Global Workplace report revealed that organizations with engaged employees outperform those without by 202% in terms of productivity. 

3. Passing the Baton: Like many industries, ours is facing the challenge of an aging workforce. As older workers retire, there's a need to attract younger talent to fill these roles. The exhibit industry is no exception.  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that by 2024, nearly a quarter of the workforce is projected to be aged 55 or over, which could lead to a significant number of retirements and a shortage of experienced workers.

4. Growing our Industry: Without a steady influx of new talent, our industry may struggle to grow and innovate. This could impact its competitiveness and long-term success.  A larger pool of qualified employees can lead to more innovation and growth in the industry as a whole. This can create new opportunities and improve the overall health of the industry. A robust workforce can help the industry withstand economic downturns, changes in market demand, or other challenges. The more skilled workers there are, the more resilient the industry can be.

Join our EDPA Workforce efforts.  Reach out and tell us to “Count Me In”.  We need your people and your financial support as we address this challenge together.

Make This Earth Day Meaningful

Jason Popp
President & CEO, Moss 

This month, on April 22nd, we celebrate Earth Day.  Proposed by Senator Gaylord Nelson, from my great home state of Wisconsin, the original purpose was to draw the general public’s attention to environmental issues… think “elementary school anti-litter campaigns” and the like.  My, how far we’ve regressed as a society.  

Now, in 2023, Earth Day has become an exhortation, not a celebration.  We’re faced with serious environmental threats – climate change of course, but also global species decline, water availability issues, and the seemingly unending stream of waste to our limited landfills.  It can feel overwhelming at times. 

But the good news is we can change.  We have the capabilities to fix these problems. 

Our industry, the global events industry, can certainly be wasteful.  But it can be resourceful beyond imagination.  Look at how we responded during the global pandemic which, in a matter of days, choked off our livelihoods.  Our associations, businesses, and individuals sprang into action, innovated, and generated support and interest in our vital industry.  We can – and must – do the same here. 

Resources are available for you to act.   

First, start with your association, EDPA.  It provides exceptional leadership here through its motivated members and active sustainability committee.  Second, familiarize yourself with the Net Zero Carbon Events Initiative (www.netzerocarbonevents.org), it has helpful resources on what the events industry must do on the road to net zero.  Next, ensure your company, and its leadership, acts as much as it talks.  But the best place to start is with yourself and your own decisions and actions.  As the author Robert Swan said, “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it”.  Make it a meaningful Earth Day this year. 

Member Blog - Sustainability

Al Mercuro

Member of EDPA Sustainability Committee 

Senior Account Director at Apprupo and Genesis Exhibits-Tech Enhanced Experiential Marketing Solutions and Exhibits with Sustainability

It may seem a little strange to say it now coming out of a pandemic, but this might be the ideal time to reinvent how we exhibit at events with an eye towards sustainability.

In recent years there has been a movement toward minimizing waste in the event industry, from minimizing printed materials to laying down carpet tiles that can be re-used. Nancy Zavada founder and president of MeetGreen, was thinking outside the box when she found a way to donate graphic murals from the IMEX America show, which often get trashed after one show, to a senior citizen home for use in their common areas.

But one hurdle that hasn’t been overcome is the problem of what is known as “Build & Burn.” That’s when a custom exhibit is built for a particular event and when the show is over it literally gets tossed into a landfill. I hope it’s obvious that this practice is inherently wasteful, but while it has largely fallen out of favor in the U.S., Build & Burn is still commonplace in Europe and Asia.

A few years ago, for example, one of my financial clients needed me to design and build three 20-foot inline exhibits, one for the US, one for Europe, and one for Asia. She accepted our proposal for two of the three but said she found a much lower price for the exhibit in Asia. I warned her about the Build & Burn issue and asked her whether the exhibit will be designed and constructed for long-term, multiple-event use. Well, three months later she called me to say the vendor disposed of the exhibit after the first show.

“Even though there are increased efforts internationally to use sustainable or recycled materials in the construction of trade show exhibits, Build & Burn is still the predominant method of booth construction in many parts of the world,” says Tom Beard, Regional Sales Manager of Classic Exhibits. “It has a major impact on the environment due to the amount of materials sent to a landfill.”

There are some legitimate reasons why companies choose Build & Burn exhibits. Some shows may only happen once every three or four years and exhibitors won’t want to pay to have their exhibits shipped back and stored, especially if they’ll need new design and graphics to match the company’s future marketing messages.

However, there are eco-friendly alternatives to Build & Burn. One alternative is what some call “Euro-Booths.” They’re modular designs based on a common white-wall structure, each with the same counter. Exhibitors rent the booth and just bring their graphics. The booths are reusable and since they’re usually stored on-site or near the venue, they also cut down on shipping costs “Rentals are the most eco-friendly way to exhibit internationally,” says Beard of Classic Exhibits.

Some vendors, however, want a unique look that will differentiate them from their competitors. To fill that niche, some vendors are now offering custom rental solution that looks more like a custom-built exhibit with the sustainability benefits of a reusable exhibit.

As companies increasingly emphasize sustainability throughout their businesses, they’ll want to work with event partners that can support those goals through re-usable alternatives, that often also save money, rather than wasteful Build & Burn exhibits.

“From what I’ve heard, the tide is turning from Build & Burns based on awareness of the wastefulness of it in some areas and the associated shipping/labor/disposal costs,” says Candy Adams, The Booth Mom, expert Exhibit Management Trainer and well known Tradeshow Speaker, “Another cost factor is the availability of more aluminum extrusion systems/SEG (silicone edged graphic) fabrics; it’s getting to the point of being cheaper to rent the extrusion, and print it in Asia and ship it to shows, rather than building a one-time-use exhibit onsite and then trashing it.”

As we get closer toward the day when live events resume back to pre-covid levels, let’s hope that sustainability becomes an important part of the conversation. The Pandemic Pause could provide an important opportunity to rethink the events business and move past Build & Burn exhibiting. Glenda Brungardt, Global Tradeshow/Event Manager at tech giant HP said it best. “Bottom line for me: Build & Burn may be a simple solution for a specific show. But as an event planner it is my job to look at the bigger picture and what impact my choices in the construction of a booth have not only on the environment but also on the brand I represent.”

If you are interested in learning more about EDPA’s Sustainability Committee initiatives visit - https://www.edpa.com/net-zero-carbon-events

My Path to Leadership with EDPA

Katina Zipay - Creative Director, Classic Exhibits Inc.

In December of 2020, EDPA began honoring young professionals who exhibit strong leadership skills with the “Future Leaders Award.” I was thrilled to be in that inaugural class of Future Leaders with nine other remarkable people. Following a year of extreme uncertainty, this award declared that we, and our entire industry, have much to look forward to.

I have not pursued leadership roles. My goal is to work in a medium that maximizes my innate abilities, involves continuous growth, and allows me to help people in a way that I am uniquely suited to help. Too idealistic? I don’t believe so! Once I focused on that goal, I found my way. And as I gain expertise and connect with like-minded people along my way, leadership opportunities follow.

Design is my passion. Early in my career, I made a wish list of skills to master: graphic design, lighting design, themed environments, and educational spaces. When I discovered the M.A. in Exhibition Design at FIT, and the class list matched my wish list, it was an easy decision to attend FIT. Formal education is not the right path for everyone, but it was a worthwhile investment for me as it jumpstarted my career and introduced me to EDPA. That formative choice continues to provide me with opportunities to be a guest lecturer for FIT classes, to mentor students, and to teach a course as part of the new EDPA+FIT Design Certificate Program.

Sometimes leadership opportunities happen within my full-time job. I started as an Exhibit Designer at my current company, Classic Exhibits, and have progressed to manage a team of designers as Creative Director.  More often, leadership opportunities happen outside those bounds. The following are a few examples.

In 2015, I was asked to take on the role of Director for Women In Exhibitions. Although I had no experience leading such a group, I saw incredible value in the group members who generously share solutions to challenges they face in our industry. I agreed to lead with the goal to make that support network accessible to as many women as possible, year-round. In the last seven years, I've created a mentorship program, reorganized the annual meetings into well-attended events with valuable content, secured sponsorships, and formed an advisory committee. In 2020, the need for connection and advocacy for our industry increased dramatically. I reacted quickly to organize and moderate an ongoing series of well-attended WIE Zoom meetings featuring experts who address important industry developments. 

I joined a local non-profit board called Court Support for Families in 2019 and currently serve as President. Our services empower those who cannot afford a lawyer to seek justice in family court, learn important parenting skills, and serve court papers to evasive parties. Having experienced difficult family circumstances and overwhelm with the court system, it is cathartic to help other families navigate the process with clarity. Under my presidency, we have rebranded, redesigned the Court Support logo, and are creating automated forms with instruction packets to help families file necessary court documents easily and effectively.

Recently, I was elected to the EDPA Board of Directors. So far, I’ve become active in the Future Leaders, Future Workforce, and University Affiliations committees which hold enormous potential for connecting young people to fulfilling careers. I’m excited to facilitate those connections and to continue exploring many other options for leadership on the Board.

There is no singular path to becoming an effective leader. My best advice: if you want to expand your leadership skills, look for ways to help. Opportunities abound! 

Join EDPA’s Future Leaders Group on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12529351/

Building our Future Workforce - during RECOVERY!

Michael McMahon - President/CEO, Hill & Partners and EDPA Future Workforce Chair

Just a few short years ago, the EDPA established our Future Workforce initiative, with the intent to gain insights about the growing demand to fill both existing, and entirely new, positions within the experiential space.

During that time, most member companies were facing significant projected retirement activity across some very specific positions within their organizations. Skilled Labor, Tradespeople, Carpenters, Detailers, Project Managers, and Estimators were populating the top of the list. Even demand for Design talent was outpacing a long-running successful mentoring and placement initiative between the EDPA University Affiliation Program and the amazing contributions made by curriculum programs at BSU and FIT. 

The baby boomer exodus, coupled with a very low replacement rate, fueled the challenge for member companies from small to large. In 2019, member consensus suggested that a lack of industry recognition played a significant role in the shortage of incoming talent who might otherwise seek a career within our industry. Demand was up, while trained and experienced human capital was beginning to thin at an accelerated rate. All in all, it appeared to be the single most significant challenge facing our growing and prosperous cycle of activity at that time. 

Money was cheap, demand was high, and the only obstacle to growth seemed to be acquiring assets and access to a predictable and dependable talent pool.

Today, many of our member company leaders, all of which have shared a pre COVID period of high performance, are experiencing challenges across all phases of business. Recovery from our recent industry shutdown has required many professionals to return to a more “hands-on” general practice in their day-to-day activities. Of course, the skill to fight fires and make things happen is a logical necessity. However, with evidence of growing demand, it is now time to invest in our teams. Unfortunately, the present-day workforce challenge is across all industries, all states, and on most continents.  The race that we are all facing, is to find answers to a unique new challenge.  How do we attract, and or create, talented and skilled professionals from an unprecedented shortage of working people?

Here's a quick list of some of the tools EDPA member companies are utilizing to build back, retain existing talent and begin to actively attract their teams going forward.  

• Adjust compensation structures

• Expand the usage of online job posting services

• Robust benefit packages

• Flexible work schedules

• Cross-training and position advancement programs

• WFH positions 

• Enhance position training

• Build Local vocational school relationships and intern programs

• Invest in third party leadership training

• Expand partnerships and vendor relationships

• Access State-Funded Small Business Training Programs and Support Services

• Grant Funding & Small Business Loans

• Continued Disaster Loan Expansion Opportunities

Over the coming months in 2022, we hope to explore some success stories shared by member business owners who are taking on these present-day talent challenges. We at the EDPA believe that our member companies will continue to lead the way through shared learning, advocacy, and insight that will ultimately support a rising tide for all.   

Please reach out to the EDPA directly (info@edpa.com) if you would like to offer a fresh perspective toward our future workforce challenge, or better yet, become a member of the Future Workforce Committee by contacting mmcmahon@hillpartners.com. 

How EDPA Has Helped Me Become a Future Leader

Antonia Nuzzolo - Director of Technology, Eagle Management Group

While it is a charming idea that strong leaders were destined at birth for their roles, the truth is the path to leadership requires learning, determination, practice, and support. In the trade show industry, many future leaders, myself included, have received this support and development through the EDPA. In this blog post, I will briefly share my path of leadership development through the EDPA in hopes to inspire our next class of future leaders. 

The EDPA has chapters (broken up geographically) as well as committees (whose group focuses on a specific goal, such as promoting sustainability.) Each of these groups has leadership opportunities, both formal or informal roles, for those looking to level up their involvement. My exposure to these groups began when I joined the SoCal EDPA Chapter as the Vice President and later took on the President role. In this position, I organized the team of board members to delegate and ensure the completion of various responsibilities, helped to present in meetings, navigated a temporary chapter marriage between SoCal and NorCal during the pandemic to unite our mission, and more. The skills I honed in this position improved my contributions in my actual job; I was more confident in capturing attention during presentations, identifying and empathizing with stakeholders of projects, and guiding teams to the completion of tasks (such as testing a software piece in record time.) What I have learned through my involvement with the EDPA has always been useful to me in my career.

Over the next months, I built a website for the Texas chapter, entered the Sustainability Committee, and notably joined the Future Leaders Committee. The FL Committee focuses on supporting and recognizing young industry professionals who prove or wish to develop themselves as leaders so joining was a no-brainer! I was honored to be inducted into the FL Class of 2021 and took on a role with the group as Head of Class Communications/Community/Awards. I am very excited about the work we’re doing in our FL group; our upcoming year holds talks with key industry professionals, special networking sessions, circulation of valuable resources, and more. 

As you can see, the EDPA has really paved the path of leadership for young professionals like myself. It provides opportunities to lead that no 25-year-old could easily find in a job. Getting involved in the EDPA gives you a taste of the C-Suite so that you will be ready for such a role in the future. To those looking to get engaged, I highly recommend joining the Future Leaders LinkedIn group to learn about and attend our events. It’s a great first step towards growing yourself as a future leader. To those looking to recognize a future leader, look out for Future Leader Award nominations. An investment in our industry’s youth is an investment in our industry’s future.

Join EDPA’s Future Leaders Group on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12529351/

Sustainability: PVC and Acrylic Recycling

Jason Weddle – CEO, Hamilton
As our industry continues to ramp up, and we settle into new trends and directions the industry and our clients take us, we have an opportunity to make a significant and lasting impact. This impact goes beyond us, and while it may not affect us immediately, the long-term impact will be tremendous for the perpetuation of the industry. Sustainability has been an aspiration but often felt more like a dream, desired by the industry for the past several years. 

In fact, at EDPA ACCESS a few years ago, I recall sitting in a session led by Tom Bowman where he spoke about sustainability and BHAGs (big, hairy, audacious goals). Tom challenged us to think about the changes we could make, and today, many of those BHAGs are possible. The most recent development is the ability to recycle PVC and acrylics. 

• Recycling plastics has been around for many years, but recyclers were limited to accepting plastic bags, plastic bottles/cups, and containers. While this benefitted residential households and offices, the technology to recycle PVC products or acrylics used in the tradeshow industry had not effectively been developed – until recently. 

• The current EDPA Sustainability Committee first started discussing this topic in 2019, but like many other initiatives, sustainability was put on the back burner due to the demands of the pandemic on our businesses and lives. Many in our industry recognized the sustainability issue for years prior to COVID-19, but the recycling technology had not advanced enough to give EDPA member companies a cost-effective way to recycle PVC – until now! 

• Return Polymers recycles PVC and acrylic products to manufacturer products like composite wood decking. They will send a truck to your facility, at no charge to you, and pick up old PVC products. Additionally, if the market allows, they will pay you a small price per pound for the material. Overall, a much better solution to a previously costly proposition. 

• Many exhibitors will soon be re-branding their existing exhibits, which will increase the amount of PVC we all have to dispose of. Return Polymers will be a great partner and solution for this looming issue. However, it will require us as a collective group to collaborate and work together. Depending on your location, Return Polymers will only accept a full truckload of PVC. This presents an opportunity to collaborate with other EDPA member companies near you, so the load can be shared, and Return Polymers is able to assist.

• PVC is a great choice as a printed substrate for the event industry and is widely used for signage and wall system infills. Previously, when your clients changed messaging, introduced new products or services, or bought a new exhibit, you had to print new graphics and send the old PVC and acrylics to a landfill. Not only was this an additional cost, to deal with storage and disposal as well as the associated labor costs, but the environmental impact was substantial as well. It can take hundreds of years for PVC to decompose in a landfill, and when it does, PVC will give off many toxic materials. 

Often, when things seem too good to be true, they are. However, because we’ve experienced it ourselves with great success, I can assure you this isn’t too good to be true. Connect with the team at Return Polymers and let’s become a more conscious, responsible, and sustainable industry. As an association and industry, we have an opportunity and responsibility to do something for ourselves and our future.

How to Enroll in the No-Cost Recycling Program:
1) Contact Vycom 
Contact Mike Sherrod or Ryan Manley today to enroll in the Vycom Recycling Program. 
MIKE SHERROD – email Mike.Sherrod@AzekCo.com or call (570) 578.0029 
RYAN MANLEY  - email Ryan.Manley@ReturnPolymers.com or call (720) 653.8759 

2 ) Bins & Totes Provided 
Once enrolled, Vycom will provide you with bulk containers to store your scrap and would be recycled materials. 

NOTE: Keep in mind, recycled materials must be separated by polymer; i.e. PVC and Acrylic cannot be stored in the same bin. 

3) Schedule a Pick-Up 
When it’s time to schedule a pick-up:  Contact Vycom at Recycling@AzekCo.com, who will coordinate with you and other EDPA member companies in need of a pick-up. A pick-up date and time will be agreed upon. They will replenish your bin stock so the process can continue without interruption. 

4 ) Your Scrap & Waste is Recycled 
After collection, your scrap and waste are recycled and repurposed into high quality raw materials used in the production of beautiful, long-lasting, sustainable products. 

After the Covid Fog

Dan Cantor – Chairman, Hamilton 
dcantor@hamilton-exhibits.com

The good news is that the convention business is beginning to wake up, with events coming back on the calendar with some regularity. We expect to see a steady increase in show participation by exhibitors in the coming months once the short-term impact of the Covid Delta Variant has subsided. Some events have already restricted attendance to vaccinated persons — this trend is likely to continue.   

In addition to the ordeal of rebuilding and re-energizing our internal teams, event marketing solution providers are encountering some new challenges that are not unexpected but are worthy of mention. 

• Client company personnel — our client contacts — are changing at a rapid rate. This is not a new phenomenon, but the pace has accelerated dramatically. We will need to be in ‘education mode’ like never before, orienting these new client contacts to the nuances of the North American trade show model. (Translation: ‘We can predict but cannot control many of these costs, are here is why.’)

• Transportation providers are very challenged with labor shortages, new training needs, and accelerating operating costs, making schedules more unpredictable and shipments more expensive.

• General contractors and installation and dismantle companies are also facing labor shortages, creating both labor quality and labor quantity issues. Wait times for freight unloading are very long and unpredictable. Set-up times are longer and also harder to predict. Post-Covid, field supervision and project management roles will be more demanding.

• Other venue services which require labor with specific skills and credentials were challenged beforeCovid. We can expect this condition to worsen, at least for the short-term. Fortunately, the ‘trades’ as a career path seem to be getting more attention in the US, but it will take some time before our industry benefits from this trend.

All this means that we will need to spend a lot more time explaining to our (new) clients why they are facing higher costs. Their budgets, which are already limited and in the process of getting rebuilt for this fall and 2022, will be under more stress. This will mean that our ability to provide effective solutions will be more constrained at a time when performance measurement is getting more attention. There will be more of desire to measure outcomes without adequate investment in the tactics that create good outcomes. Not a good scenario. 

One positive outcome of these times is that our uncompetitive trade show pricing model will be ripe for adjustment. High-cost events will be under competitive pressure from new shows, operated by organizers and contractors who are more customer-focused and efficient. Pre-Covid, our shows were three times the cost of events in Europe and five times the cost of shows in Asia. The planet is smaller now and global price disparities will not be sustainable. 

The Covid fog is lifting, and our industry is coming back to life. Prosperity at all levels will be determined by how we cope with these challenges and morph them into new opportunities.

What I've Learned In The Past Year

I'm not going to repeat what you've been reading everywhere else. But, the fact is this past year, as brutal as it has been for all of us, was also a learning experience—at least it was for me.

Here's what I learned:

I'm fortunate to work in a fantastic industry, but it's time we educated the rest of the world about the power of business events. They are not in the same category as rock concerts; they are events that fuel the economy.

As human beings, we crave personal interactions, face-to-face encounters, eye contact. I've had enough screen time to last for years. But, honestly, I don't see hybrid shows lasting beyond a few seasons, until people are confident about health and safety measures.

People need to be social, and trade shows are the most efficient and cost-effective way to build relationships and partnerships.

I love to travel—and I missed it. I missed the craziness of airports, the conversations in airport lounges, the thrill of an upgrade, and the anticipation of a maybe-good meal. And at the end of the flight, I looked forward to checking into a new hotel.

I miss the show floor: everything about it. I miss shipments arriving, I miss set-up deadlines, I miss the smiles on my clients' faces when they're happy with the results of our work. And most of all, I miss walking the floor and running into old friends and catching up.

There's nothing like sharing meals with people in restaurants—unless it's introducing those same people to foods unique to the APAC region and watching their smiles replace skepticism after the first few bites.

For the first time since I moved to Japan, I have not been able to go to the US. So there were no trips to Iowa to see my parents and teach my kids to ride a tractor. 

I felt the pain of a large percentage of my customers, the exhibit houses devastated by the pandemic. I work with a lot of brave, resilient people—and we are all looking forward to working together again. By adjusting my own sleep schedule, I was fortunate to keep up with people around the world.

I came to appreciate some of Japan's cultural norms: masks are not a new concept. People in Japan don't hug or shake hands. We remove our shoes upon entering a house. There is an overall focus on cleanliness, something that kept Covid from overwhelming us.

So having learned all that, here's what I know:

Technology is evolving that will allow us to improve ROI. For example, we'll do more precise tracking, and technology will allow us to facilitate more targeted personal interactions.

Like business relationships in Japan, relationships in the trade show industry depend on trust and loyalty. Our relationships are long-term, and although we haven't worked together for over a year, we know that we're there for one another.

I like helping people navigate a new culture. That can include materials, work practices, transportation to and from the convention centers—all of the above. We always tell our customers to leave the set-up to us so they can immerse themselves in the beautiful cities in our part of the world.

The APAC region fuels a good portion of the world's economy—and trade shows heighten that impact. So in a sense, Covid has made the world seem much smaller because of our shared experience.

As I write this, the world, along with trade shows and, to some extent, travel, is beginning to open up. Globally, there will be a march forward, a transition. First going to restaurants, then domestic travel—planes, hotels, elevators.  Finally, people will begin to get confident.

I am looking forward to seeing all of you again soon and extending our promise of "peace of mind a half-world away."

Christopher Dorn
Managing Director, Idea International

THE EDPA AND ADVOCACY

By Rob Cohen, VP Display Supply & Lighting

The Covid 19 pandemic has hit everyone hard and in so many different ways.  Too many people became ill, some very seriously ill, and far too many have died.  Families have been left suffering, not even being able to grieve properly and mourn the losses of loved ones.  All of this is nothing but tragic.

On the business side, and particularly in the experiential markets, we have seen some companies close their doors for good, others shut their doors temporarily to wait and see what happens and some have found creative ways to stay afloat.  Through it all, the EDPA and the EDPA Foundation has taken the lead to advocate on behalf of our industry.  Through the dedication and leadership of Dasher Lowe and countless hours of volunteer work by our members on both the national and local levels, we have made our collective voices heard in a unified way.  We are pleased that the EACA has joined in our efforts to work together towards achieving collective benefits for our industry.

Advocacy has been embraced by members of our industry in a way that we have never imagined.  Under the passionate leadership of Chris Griffin, and with the guidance of the government affairs team at Cassidy & Associates which was retained by the EDPA, the 8 letter word, A-D-V-O-C-A-C-Y, has become our rallying point.  With the strong financial support of the EDPA Foundation committing resources at a great time of need for our members, the additional financial commitment of the EDPA Board and the numerous contributions received from our members, our industry story is strategically being told and well represented in the professional way that we all expect.

One of the first lessons of advocacy is that you must tell your own story, because others cannot tell it properly for you.  This has never been more true than during these times of Covid.  Our members have come forward to join in over 40 calls (to date) with offices of US Senators and Members of Congress to deliver their first hand stories.  We can never thank those people enough for their time and support!  What has the EDPA done in its advocacy efforts on behalf of its members and the industry at large?  

•  The EDPA has been able to get people in DC to recognize 3 words strung together that it did not know before – Trade Show Industry.

• The EDPA was able to provide input on the original language in the first PPP program to improve the program for our members.

•  The EDPA has been working tirelessly on efforts to get the definition of who is eligible to apply for and receive grants under the Shuttered Venue Operators Program. This work is ongoing and a top priority at this time.

• The EDPA has worked on examining a large number of potential pieces of legislation, programs and relief packages to determine where the best opportunities lie for success and strategically followed that plan with our government affairs team.

Advocacy is and must continue to be an ongoing effort that must stay embedded in our culture.  We must remain engaged in advocacy efforts 365 days a year.  Another lesson learned is that you can’t jump in and ask elected officials for help only when you need it.  You need to always be working on building these relationships and be there when they need our support as well. 

Advocacy is more than working with the people in DC.  EDPA members need to be working with local officials on issues relevant to our industry, local venues and local economies.  At the same time, we need to be working with local and national media to keep up the awareness for our industry, and the benefits it delivers for the overall economy, as a front-page story.

Advocacy means working with other groups within our industry to raise a collective voice and the EDPA is doing that.  Exhibitions and Conferences Alliances (ECA) is an organization that was formed out of the Go Live Together movement.  ECA is working on tax incentive travel related issues and other matters that would encourage business travel as the industry recovers.  EDPA is a member of this alliance, has a seat on its governing body and supports its efforts.

While many do not see it, while advocating for pandemic relief, some members are also spending time on the ongoing issues related to tariffs on goods coming into this country from China.  Through these efforts, the EDPA is working with a number of other trade associations on 232 and 301 tariff issues including associations in the aluminum industry, the National Federation for Tariff Reform and the Americans for Free Trade.

Your EDPA is hard at working bringing attention to matters that affect our industry now and going forward. Thanks to the support of the EDPA, EDPA Foundation, EACA and a number of individual EDPA companies the advocacy efforts will continue.  If you are interested in helping with financial support of EDPA's advocacy efforts contact Dasher Lowe (dlowe@edpa.com) for more information.  Just more reasons why the EDPA needs your ongoing support and why you need the EDPA!

Life Long Learning, with my peers in the EDPA

Michael McMahon
EDPA VICE PRESIDENT
President/CEO, Hill & Partners

Sometimes, the sting of failure causes a shift in priorities, while other times we laser in for  another attempt. These are the moments that mark transition in the form of interest and pursuit, passion and path or cut and run. The COVID crisis has presented my very first near extinction event as a business owner, easily eclipsing any other challenge that I’ve experienced over the past 25 years. The ever so slow process of recovery, along with the fatigue that comes from the news of setbacks has certainly taken its toll. However, all throughout the days and weeks that have unfolded since March 11, 2020, there has been a welcomed silver lining. 

I never could have imagined, over ten years ago, that for far less than I’m paying toward my idle office printer contracts, my dues to the EDPA would play such a pivotal role in the future of my business. As an owner and executive during this crisis, I’m uniquely aware that my attitude with regard to opportunity and risk will have a major impact on the success of our company’s recovery. You’ve all heard the expression that “attitude is everything”, but never as much as now when industry demand is easily far lower than any previous all-time low.  

So, how can a leader maintain a positive attitude toward opportunity when all indicators point to speculations about demand increases being very low, and recovery period being proportionately slow. I would say that the first place to start is with other leaders you know, trust and respect. Draw on their shared strengths from stories of achievement against the odds. Think like that scene in Animal House, because that is how it feels some days. “Lets gooooooooo!” If you’re smiling or even laughing a bit, then mission accomplished. This is one of those processes that I’ve come to know well through my EDPA membership experience. The wisdom and humor that my member peers provide has had a priceless influence my decision process, and more importantly, my attitude. The truth is, and I’m speaking for all of us, we are all capable of being the champion of the day under any given situation. Doing it consistently and even on demand at times requires the ability to tap into certain internal resources. The kind of inner energy and perspective to help us show up and attract the success we intend to create. This is what I have received over my time as a member of the EDPA. 

My experience didn’t start out this way, as the original intention was to gain key business insights, mostly through content sessions provided at the annual ACCESS conference. Gradually overnight, I began to find people within the membership with whom I shared a like mindedness. Just like “Tuesdays with Morrie”, my interest in their experience and wisdom, along with a tendency to be almost too transparent, ultimately lead to the development of  some rewarding friendships. The benefits that I’ve received from these member friends during this past year alone have been far more valuable than my annual membership dues. Countless hours on the phone over the past twelve months won’t replace face to face engagement. However, having those high value relationships with people I respect and admire is something for which I am truly grateful. Even if the purpose of many a call was to require someone’s help  distracting me from what has felt like a freefall.  Perhaps one of those fellow business owners will be reading this at some point, and if they are, this is a good time to say, thank you!

Today, we are beginning the second quarter of 2021, and the outlook, compared to a few months ago is really quite good. Even as individual opinions and sentiments vary widely, the return of our industry is in our sites. Thanks to my friends and colleagues in the EDPA, we’ve made the necessary decisions to fortify our ability to function as a high value organization. The team is strong, and we will confidently take our place as one of the future success stories that will live more in demonstration than commentary. My intention is that we won’t have time to look back, and I’m rooting for every business in our industry to find their path, find their people and return to the work that we all love and enjoy. 

Today, the EDPA is so much more than it was when I joined back in the first decade of the century. Of course, many of the things that made the association unique initially, have survived the test of time. Fellowship, friendship and advocacy still ring true among members and their organizations. Our resources and initiatives have expanded and matured, while program and event activity has also grown beyond an annual association event like ACCESS. A few years back, the EDPA created Engage, a short program event, as an opportunity for members to collide and learn face to face each and every Spring. Chapter activity has experienced a renaissance in recent years, taking the best of the past, and coupling it with technology and present-day activity for professionals in a variety of regions across the US. Renewed initiatives toward advocacy, along with the demands of the past year have given life to a more deliberate and sophisticated advocacy and lobby effort on behalf of our industry. The EDPA foundation is adding to the hundreds of industry professionals who have been supported during difficult times or have received grants for education and professional development.  

One of the most significant traits of our industry as a whole, that attracted me in the first place, is the fact that so many unique and authentic people can become such critical components of the success of a designed experience. It can be shallow to say something similar to “I like people”, but that is precisely how I feel when I think of these folks. Business owners, Entrepreneurs, Administrators, Designers, Account Managers, Fabricators, Riggers, Professional Laborers, Salespeople, Marketers and any number of professionals. Together, we all identify with our connection to Brands that seek to move and inspire others to become followers, buyers and loyalists. We really are a part of the coolest industry that the average person knows nothing about. … which has always been kinda cool! 

I recall during our omnichannel experience at ACCESS 2020 in Texas this past December, when Jim Gilmore, the co-author of The Experience Economy, uttered the phrase “Tomorrow is the futures past”. We are here today with the option to imagine a very bright future for all of us, which will require everyone to start showing up tomorrow. Thank you to my fellow members and friends in the EDPA, along with The Board of Directors, who have helped me keep my head up during this ridiculously difficult time. Good luck to those of you who’ve held down the fort, with whatever you could muster, so that our friends across all phases of this work will have something to return to as we begin to recover. 

EDPA Membership

Why It's Important, Member POV

Larry Kulchawik Author- Trade Shows from One Country to the Next 

Way back in 1997, I was honored to serve as President of EDPA. The company I worked for at the time was Exhibitgroup, a division of the Greyhound Corporation. They also owned GES (Greyhound Exposition Services). I served a role in management and we were required to present our profitability quarterly. We were members of EDPA, paying $2000 a year as dues. Greyhound management often asked why we are paying to be a member. Do we really need to be a member and can’t we use $2000 more wisely? 

One year Exhibitgroup (a group of 18 exhibit companies nationally) was asked to conduct an industry survey to determine how we were competitively positioned within the industry. Upon doing a through search to find a qualified accounting company to conduct the independent survey, we located a well know, and very qualified firm, to conduct the survey. The cost to do so was nearly $400,000. 

We submitted the proposal to Greyhound and also mentioned that EDPA conducted an economic survey yearly that collected financial data from its members to come up with a combined P&L statement with operating cost averages broken down by the size of the companies. The exhibit supplier companies that provided their numbers were then given a copy of the final report. Greyhound concluded that this EDPA survey provided most all the data they were looking for, at a cost of the $2000 EDPA membership fee. What a bargain! 

Now there are (22) exhibit industry associations to choose from in the USA that focus on specific segments of trade show marketing. Membership to any one or more of these can offer help in managing your business. Successful industry associations function as a kind of club. Although many companies belong to an association, they seldom consider their structure and true purpose. A club is a voluntary group deriving mutual benefits from shared costs and shared knowledge regarding the mutual services the club provides. The gains from being a member of a successful club can be large when you seek out the true benefits. Companies who choose not to be a member, but use the data that an association provides publicly, in my opinion are considered ‘free riders’. Being an active member to any of the exhibit industry associations can deliver real value, especially during these challenging times. 

While Covid19 has kicked the exhibit industry in the teeth, it shall return. Being prepared to compete in a changed marketplace is a must for survival. Seeking out a club (association) to help you collect your thoughts for a changing world strategy, and compete in a new environment, can serve you well.

I guess I am biased when sharing my thoughts about EDPA. In any case, work with any of the exhibit industry associations that relate to your particular piece of the market. They can help you adapt and survive. 

Over EDPA’s 65 years of service they have changed their colors and focus to address the challenges of the times. From the boom years of the 1980’s, the recession years in the 90’s, and new product /service boom of 2000’s (portables, systems, fabric, ink jet printers, computer technology, AV & lighting, international, and experiential design) EDPA forged it’s way to help its members to better serve their customers. 

So today, EDPA benefits of membership still offer value rather than going it alone. Benefits offered… * Educational Sessions. * Annual Convention * New Products & Services * Connections with other Expo Associations * Power of a Joint Voice in the Industry * Sharing Knowledge. 

Join the Club and take advantage of the shared knowledge that is changing every day. Good luck on this new post covid journey. Connect with your industry associations for added guidance. 

Stay the Course with EDPA

Matthew Little
General Manager, Nuvista
President EDPA Texas Chapter

2021 is here, and we’re all hoping for a much better year for our industry. We look forward to reopening and the sense of health and safety that vaccines and GBAC regulations will provide.

Recently you received an invoice for your annual EDPA dues. Many of our members are struggling, even as we see the light at the end of the tunnel. And many of you may be tempted to skip paying dues as you examine expenses.

But if your dues were ever necessary, it is this year! And here’s why: We often describe our industry—laughingly-- as “the largest industry no one has ever heard of.” That sentiment is no longer a laughing matter. We have been remiss in promoting our industry where it can do the most good, and the inability of governments to distinguish trade shows from mass gatherings impedes our efforts to move forward. To address this lack of information about business events, EDPA is further enhancing our advocacy program in 2021 and putting our industry out in front of lawmakers.

Additionally, the engagement made possible through experiential marketing is significant. Businesses have missed the visibility and market reach that face-to-face provides. That level of engagement is not possible in a virtual format, although we have made great strides since last year. Businesses now understand to an unprecedented degree how powerful experiential marketing is and how it contributes significantly to revenue. EDPA is here to help you tell that story to your clients.

As we begin to recover, EDPA is providing the forum for our members to share best practices so that we can get back to work. What the pandemic has taught us is that although we might compete on individual projects, when it comes to righting the course of our industry, we are stronger together.

In 2021 EDPA vows that our educational offerings will be topical, relevant, and focused, covering data, safety, experiential marketing on all platforms, and other top-of-mind topics during this time of recovery.

Your membership is important. Now is the time to double down on the advances EDPA has made in the past year. We need your support and your belief in recovery. EDPA has made arrangements to lessen the impact of paying your dues, so please stay the course with us!

Live + Virtual. Two worlds collide.

Christopher (Chris) Kappes

VP Strategic Partnership Development

Live Marketing | Chicago

You’ve heard it: “never let a serious crisis go to waste.”  

This certainly applies to the COVID19 crisis…its impact on the world, our industry, our business, our families, ourselves. 

But unlike other disruptions (9/11, 2008 economic crisis), COVID19 is more difficult. It’s an invisible disease without a cure that shuts down how we live, work, recreate, and engage others. In short, it causes paralysis of “doing what we do every day.”   

During these times, isolation reminds us that human connection is essential to our well-being and can’t be replaced by Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or other technologies. These digital tools are certainly nice to have, but don’t fill the human void of separation and desire for engagement. However, this crisis is a stark, and important reminder, that the traditional design/build/service business model of the EDPA community is primarily focused on F2F shows-events, meaning we are vulnerable to postponements and cancellations for the foreseeable future. How will we respond?

Time to evolve

Our industry has always evolved to better serve the exhibiting community. For example, we’ve innovated new products/services to lower the expense to exhibit (portable-system-tension-fabric exhibits), up-leveled labor services (introduction of independent I&D companies) and optimized exhibitor performance (engagement marketing, staff training) to name a few. Looking to an uncertain future, brand-side marketers are evaluating and revising their F2F playbook to include “omnichannel” marketing, another challenge and opportunity for our community 

Omnichannel. New buzzword?

CEIR research has consistently documented that we live in an omnichannel marketing world. First documented in the 2014 Marketing Spend Study and again in the 2018 report, 68% of brand marketers that exhibit also use one or more digital channels in their marketing mix.

“Omnichannel” defines a strategy…the integration of “Live” + “Digital” to create a unified message, voice, and brand. It’s where "live" and "virtual" shows/events coalesce to deliver engaging brand stories for audiences everywhere they meet, day in and day out.

For brand-side marketers, omnichannel is about content: how to leverage it, package it, and present it for consumption in both “live” and “virtual-digital” spaces. 

The benefits are many:

·      Repackaging content is smart: converting existing show content into consumable digital content optimizes time and expense.

·      Unlimited creative opportunities:  content can be hosted on interactive microsites using demos, simulations, gamification, polling, live feeds and more. Or, entire shows/conferences can be hosted on mega-portals with capabilities that “mimic” live shows. 

·      Reaches new audiences: amplifies content to reach larger, more diverse audiences who can’t attend a physical show/event.

·      Extends shelf-life: content can live and be accessible 365/24/7.

·      Easily adaptable: content can be revised in “real-time”.

·      Protects against future interruptions: ensures the steady flow of audience engagement regardless of future interruptions.

·      Diversifies revenue: creates new opportunities to monetize. 

Is Omnichannel for you?

For the EDPA community, omnichannel is more than a buzzword. It’s a business pivot that raises a series of questions that each exhibit firm owner/operator needs to reconcile: 

·      Is there client-prospect demand for virtual-digital capabilities to suggest an investment in talent, overhead, equipment?

·      What’s the expense and potential ROI of adding this capability?

·      Can my sales people adapt to selling these services? How?

·      What’s the cost in lost sales if I don’t add this capability?

·      Given demand and expense to build my own internal capability, am I better to partner with an outside firm to deliver this?

A quick website search suggests that at most, 40% of EDPA members offer omnichannel capabilities (called Digital, Virtual, or other). The most frequently reason for doing so: 

·      Expands expertise.

·      Diversifies revenue.

·      Up-levels strategic discussions. 

·      Creates point of difference vis-à-vis competitors.

·      Create new source of revenue.

·      Appeals to new generation of tradeshows/events managers.

What Digital Services are Omnichannel?

The digital suite is a “living laboratory,” turbocharged each day by organizations introducing new capabilities.At this point, digital deliverables, in order of complexity, look like this: 

Most Complex: Virtual Conference-Expos. Online simulated tradeshows-conferences, A powerful software backbone supports multi-track session agendas with live video-audio, on-demand sessions, streaming keynotes and interactive floor/expo with attendee matchmaking and networking. 

Complex: 3D Immersive Environments: Virtual exhibits and expo floors, product explorers, augmented or virtual reality. 

Simpler: Livestream-On-Demand Videos:  Live speakers, product launches, and other embedded website content.

Simplest: Event Hub: Static or interactive site with exhibit fly-throughs, product information, interactive simulations, quizzes, gamification and other.

Now What?

Former CEIR President & industry veteran, Doug Ducate, CEM, CMP shares in a recent blog that “creativity and new ideas are not just the purview of the organizers…and that suppliers of the goods and services needed to successfully produce the events possess a wealth of information on how things come together, and they should be included in the dialogue.”  

The COVID-19 disruption is forcing a conversation that had already been a whisper. Now is the time for our industry voices to corral the chatter, define the moment and reshape the event world. 

"Why attend EDPA ACCESS2019?" by Stephen Ross, VP / Executive Creative Director, Access TCA

Stephen Ross
VP / Executive Creative Director
Access TCA

Disclaimer: I am directing this to the “Ds” in EDPA. Yes, you. “D” as in designers. My tribe. The people who face the same challenges I do. Every. Single. Day.

What challenges, you ask?  Well, let’s take the usual ones like budgets. Undisclosed budgets. Insufficient budgets. Unclear budgets. (That budget includes WHAT?) Shifting budgets, usually shifting downward. Or timelines. Impossible deadlines. How about RFPs that come from procurement?  Do we respond to procurement—or do we craft our responses for marketers? How can we let procurement people know that our products are not commodities? Then there’s the challenge of the exhibit managers who want to impress their bosses by report how many scanned bodies visited the exhibit as opposed to reporting what type of experience those visitors had?

But more than these issues, what I need to learn from you, my peers, at ACCESS2019 are solutions to the new challenges we face: the expectations of our clients. And those expectations are changing dramatically.

In a podcast on MarTech Advisor, Amy Barone, Chief Strategy Officer of Splash had this to say:

The concept of experiential marketing is no longer limited to consumer events. It’s entered the business world in a big way. Attendees of business events are demanding more than a drab hotel ballroom and a rubber chicken dinner. People expect business events to be thoughtful and creative in their experience design, and when companies fall short of this expectation, they’ve missed an opportunity in the customer journey. We’re essentially seeing a “consumerization” of business events; the demands have changed…. we’re seeing the industry think about an “experience” as something more than what happens during the event. The attendee experience includes the websites they engage with, the email communications they receive, the social media posts they interact with. Innovative brands are thinking about an experience more comprehensively today, taking advantage of every touchpoint and connection opportunity.

She lists three key reasons why providing an experience is so critical. To paraphrase her words:

1.       Our clients, corporate exhibitors, know that their competitors are doing it--and they expect an experiential solution from us, not just a built environment.  

2.       Customers are increasingly being taught to expect an experience. Experiential marketing communicates innovation. Brands who ignore it run the risk of appearing behind the times.  

3.       Maybe the most important:  it works! People remember experiences. They remember the way a meaningful experience made them feel. Experiences help people identify more closely with a brand and create a deeper relationship.

Sharing best practices remains the optimal way for all of us to meet these new client expectations. My company delivers experiences to healthcare clients. I would love to hear about and adopt some of the initiatives that work well in less regulated industries. There are so many engagement techniques available to designers today, but how can we tell which will work best? Hit or miss isn’t an option. Sharing results, both positive and negative, helps us all.

Beyond the experiential challenge, let’s talk about the fact that most of us have four generations working in our design studios. Plus, in order to attract top talent, our teams include remote members. How do YOU meet the challenge that comes with diversity? I can tell you what works for me, but I’d like to know what works for you.

So please come to ACCESS2019. The agenda features a complete track for designers, and we need your voice to be heard.

"Cultivating Exhibit Designers" by Dana Esposito

Dana Esposito
VP of Creative Services Elevation3D

Although Exhibit Designers can come from many backgrounds; Industrial design, Architecture, Fine Art and other majors, we are fortunate within the EDPA, that the University Affiliations Committee (UAC) has been building strong relationships with Bemidji State University (BSU) and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), for well over ten years. Although some other colleges may offer a few exhibit design classes, BSU and FIT are currently the only two colleges within the US that offer degrees specific to exhibition design.

What is happening all year long?
With the alignment of the EDPA UAC, BSU and FIT, several programs have been fostered.  There are scholarships, mock and real projects, student tours at shows and exhibit house facilities as well as exhibit house partner facilities, the mentorship program, and several one-day classes at each college from many unique industry professionals. For students about to graduate, industry professionals are invited to each college to participate in their final project presentations. At ExhibtorLIVE in Las Vegas each year, several companies sponsor the EDAP student exhibit. The students pay for themselves to travel to the show, where they are exposed to our industry firsthand. There a couple behind-the-scenes tours given to the students by industry professionals, and students also benefit from Creative Directors and business owners stopping by their exhibit. This offers a chance to engage with the students, who will walk visitors through their portfolio. This is great experience and practice for the student, and a way for potential future networking to take seed. For the mentorship program, each Spring, students are paired with working exhibit designers and Creative Directors in our industry for a 8 – 12 month mentorship. Both mentee and the mentor share ideas, practice presentations, and inspire each other. The partnerships that are strongest and smartest, use this opportunity as an “in” to the industry and the beginning of a long networking relationship that will continue beyond the timeline of the mentorship end date. Every three years, when Euroshop happens, the EDPA UAC offers an exhibit design competition. Because this is such an important project, the professors incorporate it into the curriculum and the students work on it for weeks, with classroom critiques and constant development. Both schools follow a rigorous RFP and each student creates an exhibit solution presentation. The projects are judged by EDPA members and the prize for the winning student is paid travel to attend Euroshop in Dusseldorf Germany. Exposure to actual trade shows when they are happening: the setup, the build, the exhibits in real life with their lighting and AV running...to see and understand the scale and trials of the show floor, is immeasurable experience for a designer.
Not counting the mentorship program. Over the 2018-2019 school year, there were over 30 touch points between the colleges and industry professional initiated by EDAP UAC relationships. There are currently over 150 graduates from these two colleges working within our industry.

How can my company benefit?
How can your company reap the benefits of these partnerships? You could hire a student for an internship or as a Junior Exhibitor Designer upon graduation. You could meet with the students at ExhibitorLIVE at their exhibit and have a few of them show you their portfolio. Build relationships for potential future exhibit designer needs within your organization.

How can my company get involved?
You could hire a student for an internship. You could meet with the students at ExhibitorLIVE at their exhibit and have a few of them show you their portfolios. Perhaps there is an opportunity for an experienced individual from your company to offer a one-day class at one of the colleges? Offer a scholarship. Perhaps one of your designers could become a mentor?

There are a lot of things happening with the EDPA UAC and we value not only the members of the committee, but more importantly, we value the time and effort of all the working professional who get involved with the colleges and professors. The list of industry professionals who engage each year is well over 60 individuals. We appreciate their efforts, as each opportunity they offer some sort of engagement with the students, builds stronger and well-versed future designers. As they say, it takes a village, and the selfless professionals who participate in sharing their knowledge, ARE that village.