product design

Illustration: Ian Naylor

ccording to legendary Forbes columnist Jerry Flint, “Competition is a painful thing, but it produces great results.” And that is exactly why EXHIBITOR launched its Product Design Awards in 2009. As a voice for our industry, we not only hope to provide the tools and techniques readers need to improve their exhibit- and event-marketing programs, but we also strive to continually improve our industry — pushing its boundaries, stretching its limits, and yes, imbibing a little friendly competition to foster success. Thus, we give you the winners of EXHIBITOR Magazine’s Third Annual Product Design Awards. The only design competition that solely honors exhibit- and event-related products, the Product Design Awards foster friendly competition between industry suppliers — and ultimately raise the bar for product design in the exhibit and event industry. According to this year’s judges (three highly acclaimed industrial designers, namely Brian Heidsiek, principal of Sandbox Innovation Studio in Seattle; Stephen Hooper, president and CEO of San Jose, CA-based Elemental8 Inc.; and Kyle Swen, vice president of design and partner at Astro Studios in San Francisco), our six winners didn’t only ratchet up the level of competition; they produced “versatile designs,” “innovative technology,” and “flexible structures that offer myriad possibilities for marketing professionals.” Judges’ accolades and our six awards, however, weren’t given out easily. In fact, this friendly competition was fierce. Winners had to withstand the scrutiny of our picky judging panel, which canvassed the show floor at EXHIBITOR2011 to peruse the various entries. Here, the trio analyzed the products in terms of their functionality, industry benefits, and usefulness to exhibit and event professionals — along with their overall design aesthetic. After some last-minute analysis and comparisons, judges finally settled on the six winners featured on the following pages. Pairing functionality with visual appeal, versatility with sophistication, our winners prove that a little competition never hurt anyone. In fact, in this case, we hope that a little competition will not only spur our industry onward and upward, but will also provide our readers with cutting-edge tools to improve their own exhibit- and event-marketing programs.

At first glance, it may look like a typical trade show banner stand, but the Varia.Lux from PosterGarden is anything but expected. Like classic banner stands, the Varia.Lux features a sturdy base, a lightweight pole, and full-color retractable graphics — but that’s where the similarities end. That’s because this multiple-configuration display can be used as not only a 3-by-8-foot banner stand, but also as a compact 40-by-36-inch tabletop display. An optional bracket allows you to create yet another configuration: a double-sided Varia.Lux. The lightweight aluminum base, along with magnetic end-cap covers, can be customized with printed, wraparound graphics of your choice. Hailed by judges as “functional,” “interchangeable,” and “versatile,” the Varia.Lux system also features an oval bumper on the pole, which lets users adjust the pitch of the graphic panel for optimal appearance and stability. What’s more, the ultra-strong, one-piece extrusion with chromium-molybdenum (aka “chromoloy”) steel end-cap construction helps protect the graphic mechanism and graphics during transport, assuring users that their display will arrive at the trade show fully functional. Contact: PosterGarden, Portland, OR, 800-707-0204, www.postergarden.com The 3D Full Color Relief Display, offered by 3D Photoworks LLC of Chatham, NY, converts any 2D photograph into a 3-D bas-relief sculpture that blends artisan craftsmanship and contemporary high-resolution digital printing. Available in sizes up to 48-by-96-by-1.75 inches, 3D Full Color Relief Displays lend themselves to many situations, including themed environments, trade show exhibits, retail displays, interior décor, signage, and more. The displays stand out among a sea of flat competitor graphics, and they give height and visibility to display areas that you want prioritized. According to manufacturers, there is no other 3-D full-color photographic relief product on the market that can match the quality and detail of the technology. The process brings your product and messages forward, separating them from background clutter, focusing the viewer’s attention on where you intend it with relief up to 1.75 inches. Judges touted the product as “sculptural” and noted that it would “surely generate more attention for exhibitors’ messages and add value to an existing photograph.” Contact: 3D Photoworks LLC, Chatham, NY, 631-242-2277, www.3Dphotoworks.com Lauded by judges as a “mechanically successful product with amazing load capabilities,” the TK6 Truss System from South San Francisco, CA-based 253 Inc. requires no tools for setup. You simply insert its Knob Connectors into both sides of the various truss sections; the lineup pins automatically engage, creating perfect alignment and a highly functional truss assembly. In fact, according to the manufacturer, the TK6 may offer the fastest-assembling truss sections available to today’s exhibit builder. Its Pin and Knob Connectors make it possible to assemble two sections of truss in less than 20 seconds. The TK6 Cube is the nucleus of the system, providing six connection surfaces for use when building complex structures. Most predesigned exhibits using this system can be assembled from only eight basic truss elements. When assembled, TK6 trusses are extremely stout, will carry surprising loads, and can span distances more than 18 feet. Also, the Pin and Knob Connector set has been tested to 2,100 pounds sheer load. The TK6 system is designed to support many types of graphic panels, displays, and accessories. Contact: 253 Inc., South San Francisco, CA, 650-280-1472, www.trusskits.com What do you do with a banner-stand shipping case once the show starts? With Skyline Exhibit’s Arrive Portable Display and Workstation, exhibitors no longer need to find a place to hide the cases or wait for them to be returned at the end of the show. The Arrive case can transport up to three banner stands, and once your stands are unloaded, it converts to a workstation — a must-have for the majority of exhibitors. Nicknamed “The Transformer” by judges for its ability to quickly convert from a case to a workstation, Arrive comes complete with a countertop, a built-in storage tray, wire management, and a fabric graphic that wraps around the front of the structure. The Arrive also eliminates the need to purchase a separate case and table, adding value, cost savings, and convenience. Furthermore, the entire package is within UPS and FedEx shipping guidelines, which keeps operating costs down. Plus, the workstation sets up in less than three minutes without the use of tools. Contact: Skyline Exhibits, Eagan, MN, 651-234-6000, www.skyline.com Hoping to create a new type of banner stand that was Greener and more cost-effective than traditional offerings currently on the market, BrandStand Inc. recently developed the Brandcusi. Requiring no tools for setup, the double-sided, 7-foot-tall fabric-covered stand is the perfect messaging medium for retail displays, exhibits, events, and more. In terms of its earth-friendly components, the 7-foot-wide base of the unit is made of eco-friendly MDF wheat board, the fabric comprises recycled PET bottles, and the ink used in the process is water based. Plus, the frame is made out of cold-drawn aluminum, which increases the Brandcusi’s strength, reduces its weight, and gives it better flexibility tolerance for fitting. By adding optional Plexi shelves, it becomes a merchandising unit, and by including a light in the base and using the company’s Photo Fabric material, it becomes a light box for myriad retail-related uses that no doubt generates added visibility. Judges hailed this product for its “design quality and consistency across all elements, from the shelving and framing to the fabric carrying case.” Contact: BrandStand Inc., Nokomis, FL, 941-244-9310, www.brandstand.us With the Expand MediaScreen 3 retractable banner stand from Expand International of America Inc., users can exchange graphics in mere seconds — sans tools — by releasing two spring-loaded levers. A patented knob on the aluminum base can also be used to quickly adjust the angle of the graphic and ensure it is perfectly vertical. Recognized by judges for its “clean, low profile” and “easily changed graphics,” the 33.5-inch-wide product comes with a telescopic pole, allowing users to adjust the height from 63 inches to roughly 88.5 inches. The Expand MediaScreen 3 ships in a protective, hard-plastic case, and it can be customized with colored accent kits. Contact: Expand International of America Inc., Stratford, CT, 203-870-2030, www.expandmedia.com

Want to get in on the friendly competition? Then enter your new exhibit- or event-related product in EXHIBITOR’s 2012 Product Design Awards. New products launched between March 1, 2010, and March 1, 2012, are eligible. Products must be three-dimensional in nature (services, books, and standalone software are ineligible), and line extensions (such as new sizes or colors of an existing product) are not eligible. Entries must be displayed in an exhibit at EXHIBITOR2012 and available for immediate sale. Additional entry information is available online at www.ExhibitorOnline.com/awards/pda.