CASE STUDY: ANNEX PRODUCTS
HOW WE HELPED THEM
Australian entrepreneurs Chris Peters and Rob Ward formed Annex Products on the heels of two successful Kickstarter campaigns: the first for an iPhone case doubling as a bottle opener (the Opena); the second for an iPhone mounting system for cyclists and runners (Quad Lock). Just five years later, the company that makes cell phone accessories for active lifestyles has grown from a promising start-up to a global brand.
Earlier this year, the company booked two big trade shows in the U.S.: Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City in July and Interbike in Las Vegas in September. “We’re an Australia-based business operating internationally,” says Ben Taylor, International Sales Manager at Annex Products. “These two key, U.S.-based trade events offered us the opportunity to get in front of important retailers and industry contacts.”
While the company had attended the trade shows before, this year they decided to invest more heavily in their marketing efforts, says Taylor: “We wanted to take our branding and booth experience to the next level.” He began researching businesses that might be up to the task and was impressed by ExpoMarketing’s digital portfolio.
Taylor reached out to find out more and was struck by the company’s responsive communication, flexible pricing options, and the quality of design options he received. ExpoMarketing’s full range of services (like on-site supervision) sealed the deal: “We wanted someone who could both design the booth and arrange the logistics to get it set up so we could get off a plane, go to the show, and not have to worry about anything.”
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With a short turnaround time, the designers at ExpoMarketing got to work creating a booth concept that would work for both trade shows. “All we had to do was remove a wall and make minor changes to the artwork for the second show,” he says. After seeing the final proofs, the team at ExpoMarketing did a video walk-through of the manufactured booth in the warehouse and Annex Products were struck by how closely it matched the digital renders.
In July, Taylor and his team arrived in Utah for Outdoor Retailer show and, just as he’d hoped, things went smoothly. Any unexpected challenges they faced — like last-minute shipments of additional stock and payment issues with on-site contractors — were quickly solved with help from ExpoMarketing staff. The Interbike show in September went just as smoothly, he says.
At both events, the exhibits were well-received by retailers and distributors in the industry, and the branding was stronger than previous years. Not only did ExpoMarketing deliver the customer experience Annex Products was hoping for, but the process was surprisingly easy from start to finish, says Taylor: “From a service perspective, they were amazing.”
SHOW LIST: 2017
Show: Outdoor Retailer City: Salt Lake City, UT
Show: Interbike City: Las Vegas, NV
HOW WE CAN HELP YOUR COMPANY
The trade show industry will present your company with a number of obstacles. We’ve seen some “interesting” issues arise and are able to anticipate the things that could make your experience less successful. Our team will help you with logistics management from show to show, print different graphics as your brand grows, and always make sure you are getting the most economical solution available.
Designing a booth that meets your expectations is only a part of our overall goal — we also help you problem solve and have a great experience working with us from your first phone call and on to each trade show you exhibit at.
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