Shopmonkey, a startup selling management software to auto repair shops, was new to the exhibit industry when they became a BlueHive client in 2021, having only exhibited at regional shows with smaller booths previously. Their hired trade show manager, who was well versed in exhibiting at national and international conferences, wanted to introduce Shopmonkey to the power of having a substantial booth presence at larger shows. Executing on this goal, however, would mean needing buy-in from Shopmonkey upper management, and a partner they could trust to manage their growing trade show program.
Our recommendation was to develop a rental exhibit that could be modified to the various booth sizes planned for Shopmonkey’s 2021 trade show year. As a five-year-old startup, it made the most financial sense for Shopmonkey to utilize our robust inventory of rental components rather than build a custom exhibit that would require upfront capital expenditure as well as ongoing storage, maintenance, and pull/prep fees. Going the rental route allowed Shopmonkey to deduct the exhibit cost immediately from their budget at each show, which also helped them to expediently work towards their bottom line.
We provided them with our unique beeONE complete rental solution, a turnkey rental exhibit program that packages booth design and production, graphics, logistics, labor, and show management services into one cost. Our beeONE product is also advantageous for the flexibility it allows if budget or show circumstances change (like drayage costs or shifts to virtual). We also bundled in the use of ExhibitForce for their owned portable exhibit assets, taking care of the refurbishments and graphic reskins, as well as for their show swag and giveaways. As a result, Shopmonkey staff could order assets by whatever quantity and date needed to consistently exhibit at smaller shows in the same way they did the larger ones we managed.
The rental booths we designed were modular to fit a range of 10x20ft to 20x30ft sizes and utilized beMatrix systems and large graphics so Shopmonkey could easily and inexpensively change their messaging and look from show to show. We worked closely with their trade show manager who provided structural booth requirements as well as those for AV and hospitality, and ideas on the brand look, as there was no brand or design guide for us to follow. We took the time to understand the brand, researching the industry and collaborating with the Shopmonkey team, to help them solidify their corporate identity.
Our unique design concepts harnessed their bright colors and fun logo to create a playful presence that spoke to their various audiences in a clever, clean, and understated manner. Even the in-booth activities suggested, like a caricature artist, played into the lightheartedness of the brand and further helped them stand out on the show floor.
Having handled 15 national shows for Shopmonkey in 2021 and supported their portable needs for their 50+ smaller regional shows, we proved ourselves as strong partners they could trust to manage all their exhibit needs.
With our help, Shopmonkey grew their exhibit footprint to include a 20x30ft booth (their most substantial) at one of the largest shows of the auto industry, and which has already been planned to increase to a 20x40ft with an upper deck for 2022. (An additional feat, as Shopmonkey’s trade show manager wanted to incorporate a double deck into their booth designs for 2021, but upper management was not convinced of the need.) Moreover, Shopmonkey’s trust in our abilities has readied them to take that next step in exhibit design for 2022 with a custom-built booth and other owned assets, including a custom-made trailer for Shopmonkey to host their own mobile events at the doors of their prospects.
I wanted to thank you all SO much for all of your hard work on this project. My team is absolutely ECSTATIC! We had compliments about being the best-looking booth at the show from several of our attendees. My C-suite is thrilled with the booth set up and execution—they loved everything from the graphics to the layout and then some. Can't thank you enough. Once again, you guys made my job easy. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Emily Corona