Sunday, May 1, 2016

Lights, Camera, NAB


https://www.atomos.com/
The National Association of Broadcasters is the voice for the nation's radio and television broadcasters. As the premier trade association for broadcasters, NAB advances the interests of our members in federal government, industry and public affairs; improves the quality and profitability of broadcasting; encourages content and technology innovation; and spotlights the important and unique ways stations serve their communities. There was so much to see in 4 days, and I couldn't highlight everything I saw even if I tried. NAB took up all of the LVCC North, Central and South Halls. 

Cannon's 8K theatre demo. Simply amazing. The clarity is ridiculous!
Not sure how long this will be in our personal homes
especially since the 4K is still working its way into more homes near you.

There were several companies that really caught my eyes on the show floor. When it comes to experience and branding, I think the few that I have highlighted here are the best of the best. Avid Everywhere was the anchor exhibit at the entrance of the upstairs South Hall. They were always busy. I thought they did a great job bringing on panel guests each day and broadcasting them for all to see. Their guests included the Executive Producers of The Voice, that drew an impressive amount of crowd daily. They also had greeters who did a good job observing any attendees that stopped by, and made sure they scanned every one's badges.
My only complaint for the Avid exhibit is the crowd that it drew. They kept blocking the entrance
and the aisle traffic flow. It was very hard to maneuver around the booth, much less to see who I would need to talk to once I got inside the exhibit. I think maybe they should plan the traffic and sales flow a little better.

GoPro does a good job with creating the GoPro experience. They're always drawing a crowd with the prized drawings and give away. I love the large screens and the exhibit feels like a GoPro camera.

Sony had the same large presence as they did during CES 2016. I loved the big screen at the front entrance of the exhibit, it definitely drew a crowd of passersby and gave you the movie experience. Sony introduced quite a few 4K cameras, click on their Hot and New Product line up and learn more about them.

JVC Kenwood had a large presence in the Central Hall, but I felt that it lacked excitement and energy. I never saw a lot of people in the exhibit. I liked the lighting they had in the exhibit, and how they created a studio experience was nice, but it lacked that umph. To find out more about their products, click here JVC Kenwood.

I never heard of Vimond until NAB 2016. Their booth caught my eye. Looked like a young, stylish, innovative company. Whoever designed their exhibit spoke to the brand properly. I liked how they had little seated vignettes for meetings and demos, very intimate. Vimond's slogan is "We are passionate about everything we do. News. Sports. Live. Capture the Moment and Share it with your Viewers." Find out more about Vimond's Online Video Platform.
Red must be the hot color. I saw quite a few RED exhibits, you can't miss them. In a sea of blue exhibits RED definitely stood out. Check out the 3 exhibits featured here: DELUXE, RIEDEL and KILLERTRACKS.
DELUXE had a fun busy exhibit. Deluxe MediaCloud has received a big industry honor—a Game Changer Award from IABM in the category of Services. They offer clients powerful solutions and streamlined processes to reach and engage new audiences and open additional sources of revenue. Even though they were in an awkward spot on the show floor, they drew a crowd every day.
RIEDEL is one of the world's leading manufacturers of cutting edge products for high-bandwidth signal distribution, communications, and data transport. I thought they had an interesting looking exhibit, definitely very European. The fact that they are a German based company, makes sense. The booth is a little cold, but it will catch your eye.

Killer Tracks is a company that produces and licenses production music for use in film, television, advertising and interactive media. They had a lot going on in the booth. The hanging banner above looked like a flying saucer, and the booth looked equally busy with people. I liked that they had listening stations, it was fun to demo.

Ooyala is a venture-backed, privately held company that provides online video technology products and services. Their slogan is "The Intelligent Cloud-Based Platform for your Video Business."  They were located outside with the Food Trucks. I think that was a gamble for them. The exhibit was very nice, looked like a home and you definitely get the privacy when holding a meeting.  However, I think they missed out on the interior trade show floor traffic. Maybe that was the intention, but they looked a 'bit lonely outside.


Looks like the Drone section has grown. I'm seeing about 10-15% of the exhibitors were about Drones. I had a chance to speak with AUTEL ROBOTICS and YUNEEC. Both featured the Camera Drones. It's always fun to watch the Drones demonstrations. Autel Robotics focus on transforming complex technology into simple solutions, creating easy-to-use aerial devices for photography/filming and imaging. From Fire and Rescue to the Coast Guard and Law Enforcement, YUNEEC believes a view from above will help first responders overcome obstacles, and make us safer.
Other than GoPRO, I think ATOMOS wins 1 of the best booth experiences at NAB 2016. They had Rock Climbers, Pretty Models, a Walk Through Dome where you can experience a live studio photo or video shoot featuring a gorgeous model and Harley, and when you're done, you can take pictures or videos with VIMEO who is a partner exhibitor in their space.

SPOTLIGHT ON ENTREPRENEUR
I had the pleasure of speaking with Matthias Krebs, 1 of 3 Founders of Skye. AEROTAIN's Skye, a Switzerland company, is the Bentley of aerial platforms, offering new horizons in aerial entertainment. Lifted by helium and powered by electrical motors which are merely used for movements, Skye is like an eye in the sky: It can perform any translation while having any orientation. Thanks to this patented technology, astonishing movements such as a rolling football can be flown. After 3 years in the market, Matthias believes that this is the answer to filming live events....forget about the Goodyear Blimp!!


Thanks for reading and subscribing to Tradeshowlife!!  Please SHARE if you like my blog,
and don't forget to contact me if you need assistance with your trade show planning.

See you on the trade show floor!
LJ


Written by:  Li Jackson
Produced by: Terence Barclay

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Pizza & Beer? Yes Please


If you haven't heard of Liquid Ice Energy Drink, you are in for a surprise. This New York based energy drink company is privately owned and been around for over a decade. They launched their Orange flavor at NCB, and it's now definitely my favorite energy drink. Make sure you check them out and ask for it by name!
The Nightclub & Bar Show Conference Program is where you’ll find best in bar and nightclub management techniques along with new and innovative ideas to jump start your business. Its the nation’s largest and most comprehensive educational program that brings together thousands of hospitality professionals all under one roof. The Nightclub & Bar Show addresses ALL areas that affect your bottom line, not to mention how fun the show is. Not only do you get to taste some of the best up and coming beverages, but you also get to network and attend all the hottest night club parties on the Las Vegas Strip.
 
Dale Energy Drink Dále is a lot more than an energy drink. It's a reflection of our ENERGY, our FLAVORS, our CULTURE and the PRIDE of our ROOTS.



Premiere Jalapeno Wines is a family owned Boise Idaho based wine company. I was skeptical at first,
but when I tried it, I was pretty impressed with the taste. It definitely had the spicy kick to it, and actually a nice surprise to my taste bud. Check them out at Jalapeno Wines.
NCB Show is the best trade show to go to for anyone who owns a bar or is in the nightclub and bar business. Love these SECCO wine bottles and packaging...and how about Rock 'N Roll in your energy drink? They claim to be the 1st energy drink ever to be approved in the Jersey school system. No sugar, no caffeine, no sodium, no artificial flavors, no nothing....I'm sure the kids will love it?
  

LUDLOWS COCKTAIL CO reinvented the Jello Shot. Typically made with artificially colored and flavored Jello and the cheapest booze possible, they decided to make one worthy for adults. Crafted with real juices and high quality spirits, Ludlows Jelly Shots are portable cocktails with a 30-proof punch.

Momenti spirited ice creams and sorbets are made with organic and natural ingredients, and infused with top-shelf liquors. We pride ourselves on our obsession with procuring the finest ingredients and hand-craft our spirited ice creams in small batches, ensuring the best flavor possible. Pictured here is Chef Pearson himself. I can assure you, this ice cream is amazingly delicious!

 
Pictured on the left is Ron White, Founder of Number Juan Tequila.
On the right is part of the team of Unique Energy Drink. They claim to be the Prada of energy drinks.
Flavor is pretty nice and it has a unique blend of Exotic Red Reishi Mushroom Extract, Green Tea, and B-Complex Vitamins.

 


Top 3 Best Booth Experiences at NCB Show: Miller Coors, Ciroc and Liquid Ice Energy Drink. They all had the right elements. It's important to stay true to your brand, and all 3 did that. What you see on TV and at the trade show level was very consistent to their image. There were plenty of samplings going on, and engagement between booth staff and attendees were continuous and fun. They made sure everyone had a taste of the latest and greatest flavor. Miller Coors actually took names for potential distribution leads. All had a fun environment especially Liquid Ice with their DJ.
           
These characters are cool to take pictures with,
but I wasn't sure how they connect to the brand.
PIZZA EXPO 2016
International Pizza Expo® The Largest Pizza Show in the World. THE Trade Show for the Pizza Industry. Attendees include pizzeria or pizza-concept restaurant owners, operators and managers, as well as distributors and food brokers.
La Nova specializes in pizza and wings. Best sauces hands down. I had samples of their wings and could not stop eating. So delicious!! 


Of course PEPSICO sampling new flavors.
Alive & Kickin' Pizza Crust
Tyson Foods







SPOTLIGHT ON ENTREPRENEUR


TO GO SPA - Instant relief for tired, dry, and aging eyes. A Must Have!!
One of THE busiest booths on the show floor. I think they could use my help
with the display though. :) Pictured below, Mom (CoFounder & Son).

Thanks for reading and subscribing to Tradeshowlife!!  Please SHARE if you like my blog,
and don't forget to contact me if you need assistance with your trade show planning.

See you on the trade show floor!
LJ


Written by:  Li Jackson
Produced by: Terence Barclay


Friday, March 11, 2016

The Fashion Edition Tradeshow

True Religion exhibit and spokesmodel at PROJECTLV
with Nashville Singer/Songwriter Juliexy.
Twice annually, 65,000+ industry insiders meet in
Las Vegas to shop can’t-miss markets, each tailored to a unique look or trend. This comprehensive marketplace covers the top
men’s, women’schildren’s apparel, accessories, footwear, and resources. For more information on the shows please visit: MAGIC along with AGENDA, LIBERTY, CAPSULE and MARKET.

Top 3 Best Large Booth Experience: I look at cohesiveness of the brand from the design of the booth to the images used to represent the brand, the trained sales people to customer experience within the booth. When I go into a booth, it should be pretty easy for me to understand the story of the brand and feel the culture of the brand. The experience within the booth should make me want to be a part of the brand and wear the brand. Make sense?

          
At the Dolce Vita booth, we love the décor, the chocolate skulls and the "come into my home"
type of experience when you walk into the booth. Very warm and inviting. It was as if I was getting
a tour of someone's home, where each room I can try on shoes or bags.
French Connection UK ambassador Trent Thomas @trillmixx on the left at PROJECT show.
Pictured on the left, Calvin Klein featuring their social media campaign of I _________ in #MyCalvins
Top 3 Best Smaller Booth (<400sqft) Experience:
Since 1999 I don't think Steve Madden's booth has changed much. Other than space size, it has definitely stayed true to the brand, simple and all about the shoes. Steve is still making good shoes at affordable prices 26 yrs later and rumored to have a net worth of $120 Million.

Congratulations!!! VANS celebrating their 50 Years Anniversary.

Spotlight on Entrepreneurs and their Innovations:

Designed in Nashville and handmade in Tuscany, Peter Nappi premium leather footwear
and goods are a distinctive blend of Italian heritage and American personality.
Check out interview with Simone & Vanessa, CoFounders/Designers of Pop Shoes.
Here is Tom with C'Kel, brand birthed in New York City. This brand is for the cyclers in you.

New lifestyle brand at Agenda LV.
Driftwood Fashion Original designs by Kathrin Niemann (of Pica Pica) come together with plant dyed fabrics by Kristen Cooper (of Tinctub Natural Dye Studio). The two woman team conceptualizes and creates all Driftwood clothing independently. Special attention is put toward producing low-impact, earth-friendly garments that tell a story about material, process, and nature.

What-To-Wear and What-Not-To-Wear:

The best part about being at MAGIC is seeing all the newest fashion to come and current fashion worn by some of the prettiest p


Party Pics:
Agenda LV Opening Night Party at Drai's featuring Pusha T. 
Thanks to PhatKaps, and Civil Regime for having us at their table.

Thanks for reading and subscribing to Tradeshowlife!!  Please SHARE if you like my blog,
and don't forget to contact me if you need assistance with your trade show planning.

See you on the trade show floor!
LJ


Written by:  Li Jackson
Produced by: Terence Barclay