Siemens Medical's Tradeshow Exhibit @ RSNA '09, in Chicago
A recent conversation I had with a prospective client reminded me of one of those bizarre practices within the trade show exhibiting industry. My prospect is in design for a 20×20 rental exhibit – custom designed, but with 100% rental components. After going through most of the details of what we include within our contract price, he asked a very pointed question:
Tim: Ok, I know from experience that sometimes I’ll see a rendering, and it looks really bold and slick, and then the thing gets to the show, and the booth is just – the beams looked like 6×6’s on the render, and you get to the expo and they’re 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 – and it looks and IS flimsy and… …it’s just been awful. What are THESE made out of? How big are they?
Me: Hmm. Great question. I’m glad you asked it, because they happen to be 6×6 extruded aluminum. It’s light, but it’s also sturdy. And we won’t design it if we aren’t going to build it.
What baffles me, with this exhibitor’s very astute query, is how exhibitors can ever put up with anything less than what a design implies? If a company promises one thing and then delivers something wholly different – why wouldn’t you throw them out with the trash and find a new exhibitor? Does this sort of thing happen in other industries without consequence?
Tags: McCormick Place, Rental Exhibit, RSNA
Does marriage count?
[insert Tiger Woods joke re:marriage bait & switch...]
The advantage of vendors is that your vote is more powerful… Throw the bums out is always my answer. Between Marriage and Gov’t, these sound like the two biggest albatrosses that most of us can actually identify with.
If I went to a shrink and complained about the things in life that are unfair, he’d tell me “focus on the things you can control.” In this case, I can’t change spouses (inexpensively), and I can’t change governments (inexpensively).
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