Environments / 04.29.22 / By Chase Howells

Creative Solutions for Creative People

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When I came on at FrontLine Exhibits we knew that expanding our trade show offering, but more importantly expanding beyond the trade show offering, was going to be critical. We saw that the recession of 2008-2009 really rocked businesses like ours as many marketing budgets were slashed to nothing to weather the storm. To protect our business we committed to growing what is now known as our environments category, which covers more permanent branded spaces outside of the trade show hall like retail, offices and museums. This was an area that we were forced to rely on throughout the pandemic to survive. We have taken on all sorts of projects like designing and installing a five state chain of retail spaces on the large end, and logoed grand opening scissors on the small end. Most importantly, it has allowed our team the comfort to offer clients on-brand solutions across all areas of potential in-person engagement. Our tagline, strategically applied imagination, put to work.

Why does this matter? Because instead of being solely the place you get your banner stands and off the shelf trade show items, we are a one-stop shop for all of your non-digital branded efforts, even if they’re custom. I have been a part of many cool, creative projects and I could talk your ear off about them, so instead I’ll list some capabilities and examples of our applications for them.

Capabilities

  • On-Location Signage and Graphics: reception logos, logo carpets, wall graphics, frames, wayfinding, ADA signage, sign displays, posters, info centers, hanging signs and banners
  • Outdoor Graphics: window and door graphics and tinting, building banners, fence banners, printed construction mesh, flags, tents, parking lot/garage signs and stencils, stadium signs and banners, vehicle graphics
  • Custom Displays: wood, metal, product displays
  • Audio visual: touch displays, wall monitors, digital signage, kiosks, custom software development
  • Design: 3d location design, graphic design, concepting, 2d mockups
  • Promotion development: custom engagement strategies
  • Installation of all of the above, single location or multi-store rollout, anywhere in North America

Keys to Success

Some of the most creative projects are a gamble by their nature in terms of their effectiveness, but there are a few considerations that apply to any project.

  • TIME – this is the number one most important consideration on creative projects. Custom solutions take more time to concept, develop, produce and install. Depending on the project 6 months is ideal with 3 really being the minimum these days
  • Brand – Work with us to know your brand inside and out. We have a questionnaire we can use, and also like to see brand guides, briefs for any other marketing projects going on and anything else that can show us the brand and the culture behind it.
  • Audience – We like projects that creatively express the brand while appreciating the demographics they pursue. Sometimes projects can be too out of step for customers to relate to, or they can be so customer focused the brand doesn’t have it’s own identity. The most successful will push the limits of what the audience can handle, and enhance their brand’s position in the process.
  • Budget – often unknown, unstated or ignored it is so important to know an attainable cost range for a project. Creativity knows no monetary bounds! Sometimes you can lose weeks or more of effort working on “let’s see what we can come up with and where it lands”. Use a cost range as guard rails to help get the project down the right path.

We’ve built a team here with marketing, branding and design experience to offer our clients a vendor who can partner in their marketing instead of just take their orders. Please reach out about creative ways to enhance your in-person marketing engagements! We like to take on the challenges and help develop memorable experiences for your audience, and help you reinforce your brand in unique environments.

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