TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Month's SBI Trivia Question Stumper:
How many outdoor signage "Spectaculars" are there currently in the United States?
For the answer, scroll to the bottom of the newsletter.
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Industry News
[[HOT TOPIC]] The Benefit of Tradeshows: Your Opinion
Yes, it's that time of year again.
With the enormously successful SGIA show wrapping up in Las Vegas last month, it will only be a few weeks before we're on the Jersey Shore for the USSC (United States Sign Council) annual Sign World USA show in Atlantic City at the end of November. And before you know it, you'll be back basking in the neon glow of Sin City once again for the ISA (International Sign Association) Expo in Las Vegas this April.
`Tis the season to improve your sign business. This is networking weather.
In addition to the major trade association shows mentioned above, there are dozens of smaller-scale conferences, workshops, and conventions on the schedule of any and every enterprising sign shop owner, manufacturer, and distributor. It would seem everyone benefits from the promotional, educational, purchasing, and networking opportunities provided at all of these events. But is that truly the case?
Does the two-man sign shop get the same ROI from a trade show as the multi-million-dollar corporate equipment manufacturer? Who benefits more-exhibitors or attendees? After all, both pay to play. Do certain shows cater more to certain areas of the sign industry?
Typically, the Hot Topic provides words of wisdom from industry experts on a subject like this. But, to examine this topic, SBI Update is trying something new this month: we want you-our readers-to tell us the truth as you see it. We need your opinions, your thoughts, your voice on this matter.
Did you just attend the SGIA show? Tell us what you thought. What worked? What didn't? What would benefit you the most as a shop owner, or as a corporate marketer, etc., on the floor of a major trade show?
Are you planning to attend the USSC show in November? Or the ISA show in April? Tell us what you want to see, what would benefit your company the most.
In the year-ending December edition of SBI Update, we will publish (anonymously, if so requested) the words of our readership on this topic. Let your voice be heard. Because, after all, who is more of an expert on the sign industry than the people who make it go-you!
Send your responses for publication to: cytuarte@sbpub.com.
Freakonomics Author Levitt to Keynote at 2006 LED Leadership Summit
The LED Leadership Summit today announced that Steven Levitt, Ph.D., author of the bestselling book, Freakonomics, will be a keynote speaker at the conference. The 2006 LED Leadership Summit will be held November 27 - 29 at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California. Executives from the architectural; facility design and management; and energy sector as well as executives of lighting-related industries are invited to the Summit to hear LED and business leaders discuss their visions for accelerating the adoption of light emitting diode technology in traditional lighting applications.
Levitt is the Alvin H. Baum Professor in Economics and the College at The University of Chicago where he studies a wide range of topics including the economic aspects of crime, corruption, sports, and education.
In his book Freakonomics, now in its 77th week on the New York Times Best Seller List, Levitt uses simple questions and statistical data to debunk conventional wisdom and popular myths, and he does so in a thought-provoking, entertaining, and non-statistical way. Exploring and exposing the hidden side of everyday life, he shows that economics is really just the study of incentives -- how people can get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing.
The LED Leadership Summit aims to expand and develop the LED lighting industry by going beyond technology topics to discuss the benefits of designing products and places around this energy-saving and environmentally friendly technology. At the summit a number of leaders from LED manufacturers will present their visions for the industry.
The 2006 LED Leadership Summit is being sponsored by OSRAM Opto, Toyoda Gosei, Philips Lumileds, Nichia and Cree, leading manufacturers of high- performance LEDs (light-emitting diodes).
3M Lauches First Partner Program in UK
Digital signage software vendor 3M Digital Signage has launched its first official partner program since it entered the UK market in April.
According to CRN (online British computing magzine, channelweb.co.uk), Reseller MediaZest was appointed as 3M's first UK channel partner in April. Since then, the vendor has been working with eight or nine other VARs.
Simon Birkenhead, sales and marketing manager at 3M, told CRN: "We have worked with VARs on an informal basis and the launch of our Preferred Affiliate Programme (PAP) formalises these relationships. I'm also keen to sign up new resellers, not in huge volumes though because we want expertise rather than numbers.
"Many of the organisations that want to incorporate 3M software into a digital signage solution are not able to provide the full service offering that customers require. Therefore, we have developed a three-tier approach for PAP that allows organisations of all capabilities to benefit from a relationship with 3M."
3M's Tier 1 Certified Value-Added Reseller is the highest level of VAR status reserved for organisations that are able to offer complete digital signage solutions. Tier 2 Reseller status is available to audiovisual and IT VARs, and system integrators that want to buy 3M Digital Signage products, but are unable to meet the requirements of Tier 1 status. Tier 3 Business Affiliates are organisations that can provide an element of the digital signage solution unrelated to technology, such as creative, design or media agencies.
Sean Reel, chief executive of MediaZest, said: "We are a kind of one-stop shop to retailers for digital signage solutions. The introduction of a formal partner programme from 3M is good news because clients want an integrated so lution. Being a partner of 3M means we can prove we have got the support and backup from a large organisation such as 3M, which reassures clients."
Humans Wear Electronic Billboards
Nivea's Human Billboards Send Customers to Showroom
Skin care giant Nivea has used "human billboards" wearing high-tech, internet-enabled packs that feature an interactive video to invite consumers to their "Nivea Touches New York" exhibit in Manhattan.
According to a report by mediabuyerplanner.com, the company used Adwalker, the New York-based arm of a Dublin company, for the campaign, which successfully drew 6,600 new customers to the exhibit.
The Adwalkers walk about in public places, malls, or other venues where the client's target audience is most likely to be, wearing a high-resolution video screen bearing the client's message across their chests. They are trained to have friendly conversations with interested consumers in order to qualify them for offers and promotional messages.
Daimler-Chrysler recently used Adwalkers to promote its Dodge Nitro automobile at the Men's Health Urbanathlon at Manhattan's Pier 54, while Bank of America deployed 50 Adwalkers around Manhattan on October 11 to introduce "no-fee" stock trades.
New Appointments
Berry and Homer, an industry leader in large format digital printing, announced the recent additions of Bill Steiert and Joe Manley to the sales staff.
Steiert brings over 20 years of experience in the graphics industry, with extensive knowledge of and experience with all aspects of screen printing including banners, posters, decals, and large format graphics.
Manley
has worked with Fortune 500 companies, advertising agencies, manufacturers, exhibit builders, museum fabricators and retailers, and has comprehensive knowledge of a variety of products such as fabric and vinyl banners, Lambda photographic prints, as well as all aspects of digital graphics.
Meetings and Events
NOVEMBER
November 10 - 11: Mid South Sign Association's 2006 Fall Conference, Building a Battle Plan for Tomorrow, will take place in Savannah, Tennessee. A tour of Design Team Sign Company and three seminars will be offered. For more information, call MSSA's office 901/452-6444 or visit www.midsouthsign.org.
November 13 - 17:
"Screen Making: Basic to Professional," a Screen Printing Technical Foundation (SPTF) training workshop instructed by various industry speakers along with Denise Breard (SGIA) and Dawn Hohl (SPTF), will be beld at the SPTF's training facilities in Fairfax, Virginia. For additional details, visit www.sgia.org/sptf.
November 30 - December 2: Sign World USA®, hosted by the United States Sign Council, will take place at the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. For more details, call 215/785-1922 or browse www.ussc.org/main_signworld.html.
MARCH
March 2 - 4: Graphics of the Americas 2007 will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida. For additional information, call 305/558-4855.
Sponsored Links
M2 Lighting Solutions, LLC -- NEW epoxy-encapsulated UL recognized LED channel letter lighting system that will stay bright even in your most challenging conditions. www.M2Lighting.com
Elliott Equipment Corporation -- Award-winning HiReach & BoomTruck aerial-workplatforms and cranes. Elliott products increase your productivity, and give you the highest ROI available. Do more with Elliott. www.elliottequip.com
This Month's Trivia Answer:
630*
*According to the OAAA (Outdoor Advertising Association of America)
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For in-depth coverage of these topics and other sign industry topics, check out
www.signshop.com
ATTENTION ADVERTISERS and SUBSCRIBERS:
Coming up in the November 2006 issue of
Sign Builder Illustrated,
feature articles on:
Digital Printing Media
Dimensional Foam
Digital Ink
Extrusions
LED Lighting
Vehicle Graphics Software
ATTENTION ADVERTISERS and SUBSCRIBERS:
Coming up in the
December 2006 USSC Sign World USA issue of
Sign Builder Illustrated,
feature articles on:
Vinyl Adhesives
Wide Format Digital Printing
Dimensional ADA Signage
LED Channel Letters and Sign Cabinets
Routers/Engravers
Service Equipment Trucks
Business Management/Estimating Software
Contact your ad sales representative to reserve your space today.
As we shape SBI Update into the premier
e-newsletter for the sign industry, we encourage our readers to send us feedback on what you like, what you'd like to see, and any other comments you might have. To do so, send an e-mail to Associate Editor Chris Ytuarte at cytuarte@sbpub.com.
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NOBODY BEATS OUR PRICING on LED Signage Solutions. ATG Electronics Manufactures High Quality LED Flex Strips, LED Modules,
LED Rope Lights, LED SMD Ribbon Flex, MR-16, Gu-10, E27 & PAR Spot Lamps. Factory Direct Pricing. We Make Doing Business Easy. Visit our Web site by clicking on our logo above.
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The MBX Vinyl Zapper from Montipower, Inc. strips vinyl lettering, graphics, and reflective tape from metal, glass, or fiberglass without damaging paint or substrate. The MBX Vinyl Zapper is fast and effective! Visit the Web site by clicking on the MBX photo above.
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SloanLED's innovative FlexiBRITE is the first completely flexible LED tubing. FlexiBRITE can create endless arrays of profiles, contours and patterns. Ideal for exterior/interior lighting applications such as sign perimeters, letters, symbols, accent lines, borders and open-face channel letters. Compatible with other SloanLED products. Click on the image above for more.
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"Exclusively to the Sign Trade.."
Letters and Logo's Waterjet cut or Channel Style. All metals. Standard and Custom Finishing. LED's, Raster Braille in Metal, Etching. Most solid cut ship in 10 days, most Channel in 15.
....at the start..consider the finish..STEEL ART COMPANY
To visit the Web site, click on the Steel Art logo above.
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Being an approved wholesale partner with Signs by Tomorrow, you can expand your product mix without the expense of additional machinery. We offer grand format roll-to-roll printing, Scotchprint printing, and production flatbed printing at wholesale prices. To visit the Web site, click on the Signs By Tomorrow logo above.
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Mutoh is pleased to introduce the ValueJet 2606 - 100, the newest edition to the ValueJet lineup, printing widths of 98" at speeds of 185 sf/hr in production mode. The ValueJet uses Mutoh's innovative, patented I(2)intelligent Interweaving printing technique, which virtually eliminates banding. To visit the Web site, click on the Mutoh logo above.
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Sign Builder Illustrated Goes DigitalWith live hyperlinks to video clips, advertiser information, and other features, SBI Digital offers the newest online technology with the familiar layout of a hardcopy issue. To view an example and, click on the cover image above.
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Sign Builder Illustrated:
The How-To Book Vol. 1Learn secrets to fabricating neon, illuminating with LED, sandblasting signs, applying paints, cutting and printing vinyl, and more in this 288-page, full-color reprinting of Sign Builder Illustrated's trademark How-To articles. To visit the How-to Book Web site, click on the image above.
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Freakonomics at LED Summit