ESPN – Display Cases

The Displayers have designed and will be constructing Memorabilia Display cases to fit within ESPN’s beautiful and modern offices set within an Armory. The design will allow for a very transparent display to blend into the environment.  Custom metalwork will mount and support a combination of acrylic and glass panels that will partially covered in vinyl graphics.

Stay tuned for more and photos!

The Javits Center Information

The Javits Center is host to many leading conventions, trade shows, consumer shows and special events. There is no better world stage than the Javits Center on which to produce, exhibit or attend an event.

Whatever brings you here, we are committed to making your experience truly rewarding. And as a destination city, nothing quite compares to New York City as the finance, entertainment, publishing and fashion capital of  the world.

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Directions to The Javits Center

By Car 
By Truck

Getting to the Javits Center couldn’t be easier. To get here, just follow these simple directions.

By Car

While there is no parking at the javits Center are many parking garages throughout the Javits Center vicinity. See parking for locations and phone numbers of convenient parking near us. We are located on 11th Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets.

From the North (Westchester, Connecticut, Massachusetts)
95 South (via the Cross-Bronx Expressway) to the George Washington Bridge. At approach to bridge, bear right to lower level. Exit at the last exit in New York–Parkway South–9A. Follow Parkway South (Henry Hudson Parkway/West Side Highway) to 42nd Street. Turn left. Go one block to 11th Avenue and turn right.

Saw Mill River Parkway/Henry Hudson Parkway/Route 9A: Follow 9A South to 42nd Street. Turn Left. Go one block to 11th Avenue and turn right.

New York State Thruway/Major Deegan Expressway/Route 87: Major Deegan Expressway to George Washington Bridge exit. Stay in right lane towards lower level. Exit at the last exit in New York–Parkway South–9A. Follow Parkway South (Henry Hudson Parkway/West Side Highway) to 42nd Street. Turn left. Go one block to 11th Avenue and turn right.

From the South (New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, etc.)
95 North to the New Jersey Turnpike. Exit at the Lincoln Tunnel. When exiting the tunnel, bear left. Follow signs for uptown or northbound to 42nd Street. Turn left onto 42nd Street until you reach 11th Avenue and turn left.

George Washington Bridge to Parkway South– 9A. At 42nd Street, turn left. Go one block to 11th Avenue and turn right.

From Queens and Long Island
Queens-Midtown Tunnel: Take Southbound or Downtown exit to 34th Street and turn right. Go west and turn right on 11th Avenue.

Queensboro/59th Street Bridge: Take 60/61st Street Exit. Go to 5th Avenue alongside Central Park to 59th Street. Turn right onto 59th Street to 7th Avenue and turn left. Go two blocks to 57th Street and turn right. Follow 57th Street to 11th Avenue and turn left. The Center is between 34th and 38th streets.

From Staten Island
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge eastbound to the Gowanus Expressway, to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. Exit westbound to the West Side Highway/12th Avenue. At 34th Street, turn right. Go one block to 11th Avenue and take a left.

By Truck

Trucks higher than 12 ft. 6 in. will not clear tunnels. They must use a bridge.  Also remember that no trucks are allowed on parkways.

 

From North
95 South (via the Cross Bronx-Expressway): Exit at Amsterdam Avenue and cross the University Avenue Bridge to 181st Street. Turn left onto Broadway. (see Street Directions below)

87 South (via the Major Deegan Expressway): Exit at 155th Street/Macombs Dam Bridge. Continue west on 155th Street to Broadway where you turn left. (see Street Directions below)

Triborough Bridge: To Manhattan. Exit at 125th Street. Go west to Broadway and turn left. (see Street Directions below)

Street Directions: Continue on Broadway to the intersection of Broadway, West 65th Street and Columbus Avenue. Bear right onto Columbus. This becomes 9th Avenue at 59th Street. Stay on 9th Avenue to 34th Street. Follow westbound signs to 11th Avenue.

12’ 6” and under:
From Long Island–Route 495 (Long Island Expressway): To Queens Midtown Tunnel. Take southbound or downtown exit to 34th Street and turn right. Follow westbound signs to 11th Avenue.

From Staten Island and Brooklyn:
From the Verrazanno Narrows Bridge, take the Gowanus Expressway to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. Follow westbound signs to 11th Avenue.

Over 12’ 6”:
Manhattan Bridge: Follow westbound signs to 11th Avenue.

New Jersey Approach:
See directions from George Washington Bridge.

Public Transportation

Please keep in mind that the public transportation fare is $2.25. The subways accept MetroCards. Buses accept MetroCards and exact change fares. With MetroCards you can transfer from subway to bus and bus to subway for one fare. MetroCards are available at local stores.

Buses

M34:
Runs east/west on 34th Street. Stops on 11th Avenue outside the Javits Center and at Penn Station.
M42:
Runs east/west on 42nd street. The closest stop to the Javits Center is 42nd Street and 11th Avenue.

Port Authority
New Jersey Transit and other buses arrive at the Port Authority terminal at 42nd Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. The M42 bus will bring you from there to the Javits Center.

Trains/Subway
The following trains stop at 34th Street/Penn Station:

  • Amtrak
  • New Jersey Transit
  • The Long Island Rail Road
  • 8th Avenue Subway:
  • 7th Avenue Subway:
  • 6th Avenue Subway:

The following trains stop at 42nd Street/Times Square (Broadway):

  • 8th Avenue:
  • 7th Avenue:
  • 6th Avenue:

The following trains stop at Grand Central Station at 42nd Street at Lexington

  • Lexington Avenue Subway:
  • Metro North Railroad

For further information, call MTA Travel info: 718.330.1234

Ferry Service

The NY Waterway operates a ferry from Weehawken, NJ. In just 8 minutes the ferry takes you across the Hudson River to 39th Street and 12th Avenue, just one block from the Javits Center. Just park at the convenient lot adjacent to the ferry terminal in Weehawken and take a ferry which leaves every 10 – 15 minutes during peak hours.

Call 1-800-53-FERRY for schedule and information

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2013 Calendar

American International Toy Fair ▪ February 10, 2013 – February 13, 2013 – www2.toyassociation.org

THE VOICE Casting ▪ February 16, 2013 – February 17, 2013 – http://www.nbcthevoice.com/

MMA World Expo ▪ February 16, 2013 – February 17, 2013 – http://www.mmaworldexpo.com/

CURVENY ▪ February 24, 2013 – February 26, 2013 – http://www.curvexpo.com

JA New York Winter Show ▪ February 24, 2013 – February 26, 2013 – http://www.nationaljeweler.com

Fashion Coterie ▪ February 24, 2013 – February 26, 2013 – http://www.enkshows.com/coterie/

Sole Commerce ▪ February 24, 2013 – February 26, 2013 – http://www.enkshows.com/coterie/

MODA Manhattan ▪ February 24, 2013 – February 26, 2013 – http://www.modamanhattan.com

The Accessories Show  ▪ February 24, 2013 – February 26, 2013 – http://www.accessoriestheshow.com

FAME ▪ February 24, 2013 – February 26, 2013 – http://www.fameshows.com

New York Wine Show ▪ March 1, 2013 – March 3, 2013 – http://www.wine-expos.com

International Restaurant & Food Service Show of New York ▪ March 3, 2013 – March 5, 2013 – http://www.internationalrestaurantny.com/

American Diabetes Association Diabetes Expo ▪ March 8, 2013 – March 9, 2013 – http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/expo/2013/new-york-expo-2013

Coffee Fest New York ▪ March 8, 2013 – March 11, 2013  http://www.coffeefest.com/

New York City First Robotics Competition ▪ March 8, 2013 – March 10, 2013 – http://www.nycfirst.org

20th Original GLBT Expo ▪ March 9, 2013 – March 10, 2013 – http://www.originalglbtexpo.com/

Children’s Club ▪ March 10, 2013 – March 12, 2013 – http://www.enkshows.com/

World Floral Exposition Expo ▪ March 13, 2013 – March 15, 2013 – http://www.hppexhibitions.com/floriculture/2013/nyc/

20th Original GLBT Expo ▪ March 9, 2013 – March 10, 2013

Children’s Club ▪ March 10, 2013 – March 12, 2013

World Floral Exposition Expo ▪ March 13, 2013 – March 15, 2013

ADVANCE Job Fair for Healthcare Professionals ▪ March 14, 2013 – March 14, 2013

International Vision Expo ▪ March 15, 2013 – March 17, 2013

New York International Automobile Show ▪ March 29, 2013 – April 7, 2013

American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Annual Meeting ▪ April 13, 2013 – April 15,

Amazon Web Services User Summit ▪ April 18, 2013 – April 18

Interphex ▪ April 23, 2013 – April 25, 2013

Buildings New York ▪ April 24, 2013 – April 25, 2013

College Fair (NACAC) ▪ April 28, 2013 – April 28

Advanced Energy ▪ April 30, 2013 – May 1

SUPPLYSIDE MARKETPLACE 2013 ▪ April 30, 2013 – May 2, 2013

Moda Manhattan ▪ May 5, 2013 – May 7

Accessories The Show ▪ May 5, 2013 – May 7

FAME ▪ May 5, 2013 – May 7

ASIS New York City Chapter Trade Show ▪ May 8, 2013 – May 9

Robin Hood Dinner Dance ▪ May 13, 2013 – May 13, 2013

International Contemporary Furniture Fair ▪ May 18, 2013 – May 21

Love Fellowship Tabernacle Services ▪ May 18, 2013 – May 19

National Stationery Show ▪ May 19, 2013 – May 22

Supply Side ▪ May 19, 2013 – May 22

Surtex ▪ May 19, 2013 – May 22

BookExpo America ▪ May 30, 2013 – June 1

Cloud Computing Expo ▪ June 10, 2013 – June 13,

International Franchise Expo ▪ June 20, 2013 – June 22

International Fancy Food Confection Show ▪ June 30, 2013 – July 2

Texworld USA ▪ July 16, 2013 – July 18

Home Textiles Sourcing Expo ▪ July 16, 2013 – July 18

International Apparel Sourcing Show ▪ July 16, 2013 – July 18

MRKET ▪ July 21, 2013 – July 23

Vanguard ▪ July 21, 2013 – July 23

JA Summer Show ▪ July 28, 2013 – July 30

Fashion 2 Go ▪ August 4, 2013 – August 6

Accessorie Circuit Intermezzo Collections ▪ August 4, 2013 – August 6

CURVENY ▪ August 4, 2013 – August 6

Accessories The Show ▪ August 4, 2013 – August 6

Moda Manhattan ▪ August 4, 2013 – August 6

FAME ▪ August 4, 2013 – August 6

IT Roadmap Conference and Expo ▪ August 7, 2013 – August 7

NY International Gift Fair ▪ August 17, 2013 – August 21

Value + Variety Expo ▪ September 8, 2013 – September 10

2013 Holiday Buying Show for Bars Restaurants and Retail ▪ September 9, 2013 – September 10

MODA Manhattan ▪ September 22, 2013 – September 24

AccessoriesTheShow ▪ September 22, 2013 – September 24

FAME ▪ September 22, 2013 – September 24

Meet the Breeds ▪ September 28, 2013 – September 29

Children’s Club ▪ October 6, 2013 – October 8

Audio Engineering Society ▪ October 18, 2013 – October 20

New York Business Expo and Conference ▪ October 25, 2013 – October 25

I Can Do It! ▪ October 26, 2013 – October 27

JA Special Delivery ▪ October 27, 2013 – October 29

ADVANCE Job Fair for Health Professionals ▪ October 30,

Chartered Financial Analyst Exam ▪ December 7, 2013

The 2013 CHEM SHOW ▪ December 10, 2013 – December 12

How To Commandeer a Tradeshow

Don’t have $35,000 for trade-show real estate? No problem! These guerrilla marketing tips will get you noticed anyway.

Here’s a typical scenario faced by many young companies: You want to raise awareness of your company at an upcoming industry trade show, but you don’t have much money to spend. You know that participating in the tradeshow is the most effective option, but you can afford neither the high cost of booth space nor the booth needed to fill it.  Nonetheless, it is critical for your young company to join the fray and get in front of potential customers, partners and investors. So, what can be done?

In this situation, guerilla marketing can be a great strategy. All it takes is creativity and the ability to pull a stunt or two. No problem, right? Let’s get going.

1.    Understand the geography

Before the show, visit the main venues and surrounding hotels.  Figure out where people will walk, pick up buses, catch cabs, have lunch and meet for drinks. You’re trying to find the best locations for maximum visibility.

During this initial reconnaissance, make friends.  Meet the bell captain in the hotels that are nearby but aren’t part of the official show, say hello to the head of housekeeping and talk with the bar staff at local watering holes.  These folks are integral players in the guerilla marketing game and can often make or break your campaign.

2.    Know which assets the show controls and which it doesn’t

Think about all potential “logo real estate” around the show and find out what real estate you can take over that the show is not already using. Look at hotel key cards for non-show hotels ($250 plus the cards). Ask your new friends crucial questions: would the housekeeping, bar or bell staff don a free t-shirt, hat or button with your logo?  Do any of the hotels have in-room programming and can you be included?  A fundraising mantra comes into play here: If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.

Important note: stay clear of the things that are the purview of the trade show itself. You don’t want to get yourself blacklisted from future shows. You just want to take advantage of the larger ecosystem around a show to get some visibility for your company. There is a lot of room for everyone around a big event.

3.     Play the numbers game, to increase your chances of success

Sadly, despite your research, some of the gambits you use to sneak your way into the minds of potential customers will be spotted and removed immediately.  But others will succeed, as the hotel staff will naturally assume someone else authorized you to replace the hotel’s normal coasters in the bar with your logoed ones.  All it really took was a tip to the bartender ($50) and customized coasters ($125).  Try putting large buttons on the hotel maids ($100 tip/$100 buttons) and t-shirts on the bell staff ($200 tips/$150 t-shirts). Find the popular bars and tape posters in the bathroom stalls ($150) or put logoed toiletry baskets in the bathrooms ($250) that will draw attention to your company.

Timing is everything. You want to execute your ploys in close proximity to one another and throughout the run of the show.  As part of the action phase, expect some backlash.  If someone gets mad, apologize and move on. Expect some losses.

4.    Hijack the spotlight

Most tradeshows host large evening events. Think about how you can maximize this off-site exposure opportunity. Give out hats to the local taxi cab drivers who will be transporting party goers and offer a $100 prize to any driver seen wearing one.

Another idea is to hire a college drama group to stage a mock protest or a Flash Mob near the taxi and bus lines to highlight your product (as little as $300). Avoid impeding traffic flow and stick to public streets and you likely won’t run into any problems.

Celebrity impersonators wearing your logoed item and a photographer can attract a lot of attention. Be sure to capture the contact information from those who pose with your stars, so you can send the picture to them and begin building a more meaningful relationship. This is a perfect thing in Vegas.

While your company is starting off, these tips and tricks can make the difference between being remembered and being just another face in the start-up crowd.  Later, when you’re successful and the company has progressed, you’ll have the option of spending $30,000 – $75,000 to do the trade show “properly.” You’ll likely look back on these shenanigans with a private smile.  I still do.

Inc. Magazine – December 12, 2012

NOT THE CORNER OFFICE | Don Rainey

5 Steps to Successful Signage

 

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According to graphic-design guru Milton Glaser, “To design is to communicate clearly by whatever means you can control or master.” Simple enough. So why, then, are so many exhibit graphics unappealing, cluttered, and ineffective? Turns out, the key to successful graphics isn’t just pretty pictures. You also need a basic understanding of hierarchy, color theory, fonts, and density. After all, a picture may be worth a thousand words, but that means nothing unless those words communicate your key message. With that in mind, here are five steps that will lead to exhibit graphics that work.

1. Establish Messaging Hierarchy
Hierarchy is just a fancy way of saying “order of importance.” It can be found nearly everywhere, from your own numbered to-do list to the old
U. S. of Agriculture’s food pyramid. It’s an organizational tool that tells your brain how to prioritize informa-tion — a tool that when used correctly, can increase the effectiveness of your exhibit graphics. It directs your eye where to go, giving your brain mental cues on the amount of time to spend ingesting each bit of info. And when it comes to exhibit graphics, that direction is imperative as you have only a limited time to capture your audience’s attention.

“Hierarchy dictates what the primary, secondary, and tertiary messaging will be, and as part of the exhibit-design process, it determines where each of those elements are located within the space,” says Mark Pearlman, design director at Alameda, CA-based exhibit-design firm Group Delphi. It’s the reason you see large banners overhead featuring a company name instead of, say, its mission statement. Exhibit graphics are the physical embodiment of making small talk with an attendee — there’s a beginning, a middle, and an end to that conversation. First, you introduce yourself.

Then, you briefly discuss a new product or service, and finally, if the attendee is interested, you enter into a deeper conversation about that product. According to Pearlman, the formula for crafting the nonverbal version of that conversation through your exhibit graphics goes like this:

• Primary Level — Visible from 50 to 100 feet away, this level is the intro and contains company identification (such as a logo) and main messaging (such as a tagline). It attracts people to the space and hopefully hooks them within five to seven seconds as they walk by before something else catches their eye.
• Secondary Level — Visible from 10 to 50 feet away, this level enables people to determine what they want to explore in the space. It usually comprises large static graphics and/or dynamic video associated with a company’s products and services to keep people interested and in the exhibit.
• Tertiary Level — Visible from one foot to 10 feet away, this level is for qualified attendees who are genuinely interested in the company and its offerings. It should include graphics identifying demonstration areas, defining product displays, and promoting in-booth presentations.

2. Identify Effective Color Combinations
Once you have determined your messaging hierarchy, turn your attention to color. Your palette is likely dictated by corporate identity or an internal style guide. If that’s the case, your color options may be limited, but there are still guidelines for usage that you should follow, regardless of the hues you choose. “Contrast is key when it comes to color, especially if you’re placing text on a colored background,” says Brendan Dooley, senior graphic designer at the San Francisco office of exhibit house MC². Obviously, you want to pair light-colored text with a dark-colored background, and vice versa. But beyond that, there are certain color combinations that are more pleasing to the eye than others.

To identify optimal pairings, consult a color wheel divided into primary (red, yellow, blue) and secondary (green, orange, purple) color wedges. The color wedges opposite each other — called complementary colors — have the highest contrast, while the colors next to each other have the least contrast. For example, if your back wall is a shade of blue, and you want to overlay copy, choose a shade of orange to ensure your text is legible and your message pops.

If you don’t have an internal style guide, Dooley recommends using other marketing pieces as inspiration. “Stay consistent with the colors used in your marketing collateral, print ads, product packages, websites, business cards, brochures, and so on,” he says. “This will help clients and potential customers recognize you on and off the show floor and across multiple marketing platforms.”

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3. Select a Functional Font
With thousands of fonts at your disposal, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of Comic Sans and Papyrus. Think of fonts as a tone of voice — they have the power to change your message, just as a person’s inflection can mean the difference between sincerity and sarcasm.

So how do you choose the right font for your exhibit graphics? Start by deciding if you want to use a serif or sans serif font. “Serif fonts are great when reading the newspaper or a book, but unless they are an integral part of your brand identity, stay away from them in your exhibit graphics,”

Dooley says. “They are harder to read in a trade show environment and may be lost altogether from a distance.” The legibility issue is mostly attributed to the fonts’ serifs, which are like tiny tails that punctuate the letters. Examples of popular serif fonts include Times New Roman, Adobe Garamond, and Goudy.

On the other hand, sans serif fonts, such as Helvetica, Arial, and Futura, are much more legible in larger graphics because of their streamlined appearance. Sans serifs are a great choice for wayfinding signage and any directional info, and are easier to decipher from a distance, making them the perfect choice for exhibit graphics. “Futura, Helvetica, and Univers are very clean, simple, and easy to read,” Pearlman says. “But they’re also an obvious choice for many companies. I like to find a font that differentiates the booth from the other exhibitors.”

In addition to serif and sans serif, there are also script and ornamental fonts, both of which are best suited for use as graphic elements versus informational text. Script fonts often feature exaggerated flourishes and sometimes resemble handwriting, making them hard to read on a small scale. Examples include Edwardian Script and Brush Script. Ornamental fonts are, as the name suggests, ornamental and should generally be avoided in exhibit graphics. “These fonts are often filled with a unique personality that can be very helpful when designing logos or a themed event,” says Eli B’sheart, vice president of creative and innovations at EWI Worldwide, a live communications company based in Livonia, MI. “But remember that legibility is key for any communication. If attendees can’t read your message, they are unlikely to comprehend it.”

4. Determine Appropriate Density
Think of how many times you’ve walked the aisles of a show and spotted a back wall laden with paragraphs of text detailing everything from product specs, testimonials, and company history to info about the exhibitor’s in-booth giveaways. Now consider how many times you stopped to read it all. Chances are, that number is around zero. “Exhibit graphics, like the space itself, need to support the brand experience and not overwhelm attendees with competing messages,” B’sheart says. “Thus, the most important rule of thumb is ‘less is more.’” That rule, as B’sheart explains it, comprises three tenets:

• Size — Break down text into bite-size chunks. A wall of text is useless (unless it’s being used as a design element), and does a disservice to the importance of the information that needs to be conveyed. If you can’t shorten the text, use bullet points to differentiate longer lines of copy.
• Position — Keep text at eye level, between 3 and 6 feet from the floor.
• Format — The clearest way to communicate large amounts of copy may be to develop print or digital pieces that attendees can explore in greater depth. The booth staffer can also help disseminate detailed information, negating the need for copious amounts of copy on your graphics.

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5. Integrate Imagery

When it comes time to select photos, images, and supporting visual elements for exhibit graphics, balance is key. “Imagery, like messaging, should be used to support your overall brand and enhance the experience,” Dooley says. “When used together, images and text should complement each other and tell a much more engaging story.” But image selection should not be done independent of the hierarchy, color, and font decisions you’ve made.
A good example of text that supports imagery and vice versa is the iconic Absolut Vodka print campaign created by New York-based ad agency TBWA Worldwide. The campaign, which boasted more than 1,500 iterations, featured an Absolut bottle (or outline thereof) somewhere on the page, accompanied by a short phrase across the bottom of the image that always started with “Absolut” and ended with a noun that pertained to the graphic. The font chosen matched the libation’s logo, and the phrase — typically two words — paralleled the construction of the product name.

Granted, that example is the stuff of Don Draper’s dreams, but the traits that made the ads successful can be applied to exhibit graphics. The ad was easy to read and comprehend, and the brand identity was so strong that it became recognizable as an Absolut ad even in installments that didn’t feature the company’s logo.

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In addition to choosing imagery that supports your message and brand identity, think about copy placement, a consideration that comes into play long before graphics are designed and produced. “Consider how your image will work with copy in it,” Dooley says. “If custom photography is out of your budget, many of the online stock-photo websites allow you to search for imagery with ‘copy space’ as a criterion. These images will have empty or clean areas to accommodate text and logos.”

However, if text has to be placed on top of the image, follow these three dos and don’ts: First, ensure text is legible and doesn’t compete with the image for attention. Second, don’t overlay text on top of a busy image. If the image lacks an open area, use transparencies or color, such as a tinted text box, to separate the text from the image. Finally, don’t use special effects or additional artwork that conflicts with the image, your brand, or your message.

Regardless of the imagery, font, and colors you select, your graphics still need to serve one primary function: communication. Think of exhibit graphics as your first impression, and make it a good one.

 

From Exhibitonline

By Lena Valenty – November 2012