To promote its new exhibits department during EXHIBITOR, Hargrove created an “Image Obsession” campaign showcasing its unique approach to exhibit design: That it can be fresh, creative and skillfully designed while staying within budget.
Hargrove last attended the EXHIBITOR show in 2006 and has experienced tremendous
growth since, expanding its in-house fabrication capabilities, graphics infrastructure and events expertise. After a six-year hiatus, Hargrove once again chose to exhibit during the tradeshow to demonstrate the seamless integration of the firm’s new design and fabrication abilities as well as the leading-edge technology offered by AVI-SPI.
“We start out with basic questions about the company and what they are trying to do. It’s just a starting point,” said David Solsbery, executive design director, Hargrove. “We’ll bring up their company website and see which elements we might be able to use.”
A Pinterest board is also used to help identify trends so that clients can choose images to be incorporated into the exhibit design. The Hargrove-directed Pinterest boards were created to track current design trends, providing design inspiration for custom and rental exhibit programs. A variety of Hargrove team members have populated the boards, including designers and stylists as well as marketing and sales staff. A mood board is then created to help design an “experience” rather than simply creating a tradeshow booth to exhibit goods and services.
“The worlds of fashion, art, retail, architecture and interior design are interconnected and can serve as inspiration for exhibit and event design,” said Solsbery. “Our launch of these Pinterest boards is a powerful way to not only stay in touch with the world around us, but also ensure each project we touch is fresh and relevant.”
Hargrove launched its Image Obsession campaign prior to the show, sending direct mail and creating image-obsessed Pinterest boards, inviting show attendees to view the boards prior to and during EXHIBITOR2013. At the show, Hargrove brought image obsession to life by utilizing new design styles and trends, integrating high-tech and low-tech visuals and working tools, such as built-in touch screens, and highlighted the skills of its in-house exhibits team, designers and special event experts, offering personalized consulting sessions throughout the show.
“It’s about experiential marketing. Your exhibit is useless if you can’t engage the consumer,” said Solsbery. “You need to think about other ways to address exhibit design, how to create an experience.”
One of the largest tradeshow, event and exhibit companies in the U.S., woman-owned company Hargrove produces some of the most complex projects on the world stage, while consistently providing a personalized approach. Over the past six years, Hargrove has experienced tremendous growth as a company and has expanded its in-house fabrication capabilities, graphics infrastructure and events expertise, bringing on individuals from the technology, museum and exhibit industries.
