Dear Exhibitors:

As we approach summer and the sun is higher in the sky (good thing because we may need it to light your exhibit in Las Vegas, see below), it appears that consumer confidence is also rising. The CCI jumped 25% in the last month. Whether this is a post-war bump or just anticipation of X-MEN 2, is unclear to me. But remember,"bad news" sells, so what is typically presented in the media is more negative than reality. Whatever the reason, let's just enjoy the encouraging signs that our economy is on the way back up and soak up a little sun while we're at it.

Have a great May and don't forget to Remember Your Mom.

Sincerely,

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We're told that the economy is looking brighter, but that's certainly no reason to stop being budget conscious. Now that people are out consuming again, you've got to make your marketing dollars reach as many people as you can.

One of the easiest ways to make your dollars go far is to stop making costly mistakes. We've polled a few of our most experienced project managers to find out what they've seen as the most common (and costly) trade show blunders.

1. Stop ordering unnecessary services. Often times services such as carpet, basic electricity, or table & chairs are already provided with your booth space at no extra cost. Read through your exhibit manual to find out exactly what is supplied before you order show services.

2. Make sure you pre-order services before the discount deadline. Most of the time, the pre-order pricing schedule is at least 40% cheaper than the regular price. That's certainly incentive to stay ahead of the game.

3. Send a spare. If your exhibit has any hard-to-replace or easily broken items, send an extra one. The time you will save during the installation should anything happen to break will be well worth the extra $5 in shipping.

As we discussed in December's newsletter, the Las Vegas Convention/Visitors Authority (LVCVA) had planned to restrict the use of certain halogen lights in their facilities. This was to take effect in the summer of 2003. However, they have moved the date forward. It is now in effect.

The ban covers specific types of halogen bulbs and thus their associated fixtures. The following are the banned halogen bulbs: linear halogen bulb, uncovered MR16 bulbs, low voltage Bi-Pin, and screw in line voltage bulbs. You are most familiar with the linear halogen bulb. It is typically found in a 200W configuration on an arm light. This is the type of lighting used on approximately 99% of all popup exhibits. The other bulbs are more likely found in display cases and other exhibit applications.

What does this mean for you, the exhibitor? If you attempt to use any of the banned lights, the convention managers will require you to turn them off. They will not be allowed to function in their facilities.

What is the immediate solution to this problem? There is no good solution. It would take 8-10 of the allowed MR-16 sealed bulb fixtures to adequately light a popup photomural panel. As the MR-16 will project an elliptical pattern on the image, you will then have a series of overlapping ellipses rather than a nice "wash"