The fine print

At the start of every Smart Display project is a spark of design; a brand’s vision that is meticulously brought to life as a bespoke exhibition stand. But while Smart Display’s expertise lies in precision design, seamless craftsmanship and skilled joinery, there’s one element that is paramount to the exhibitor and their visitors alike.

“When it comes to an exhibition stand, the client wants it to look good,” says print technician Gary Pickles. “They may not always understand how we got there, but it’s all in the aesthetics; the consistency of brand colour or that perfect replication of their logo into a 3D, backlit structure. That’s what elevates their exhibition stand up above that of their competition.”

It’s why Smart Display has always been staunchly committed to keeping all of its print in-house. With a dedicated print studio working in conjunction with its design, production and installation departments, Smart Display maintains full control over the entire process of exhibition stand design, ensuring that every inspiring CAD drawing is perfectly realised within its very own in-house workshop.

“As soon as a design is approved by the client, the job comes down to us and we start to think about how to bring it to life,” says Gary, who works alongside print manager Owen Wilson and apprentice print technician Josh Heaton. “That could be with fabrics, Foamex graphics, cut vinyl graphics or Mactac Vinyl, depending on the size of the stand and whether we are attaching the graphics to Tecna or BeMatrix formations.”

Whichever option is best-suited to the client’s bespoke stand, all graphics are produced to have an element of longevity. In line with Smart Display’s commitment to keeping materials out of landfill, all graphics can be carefully stored, re-used and often reconfigured for use across several events.

“If graphics are looked after and stored carefully, there’s no reason that they can’t be used five or six times before some elements may be need refreshing or replacing,” says Gary. “We create an ICC profile of each colour to ensure consistency from one job to the next, so a client can always be assured that their branding and colourways will be accurately replicated.”

Despite its name however, the print department goes far beyond the production of precise graphics. In line with an evolving industry and the increasing popularity of added design features, Gary and his colleagues have found themselves tasked with creating multi-dimensional features above and beyond 2D printing.

“If I see a problem, I like to solve it,” says Gary. “And recently, we have seen a massive increase in requests from clients to have lighting features and 3D backlit elements as part of their stand design.”

With a strong background in engineering, Gary has been only too happy to bring a little light into the print department. While it’s the creativity of the designers that inspires clients with illuminated maps of the UK, fake neon features and L.E.D edge lighting, it’s the print department’s job to make it happen in a cost-effective yet aesthetically striking manner.

It’s another benefit of keeping all aspects of design and print in-house. Without the involvement of any third parties or outsourcing, Smart Display is in complete control of its designs, and bringing bespoke creations to life.

“I think one of my proudest projects has been the MSF stand for Highways UK, which was one of the first times we used edge-lit BeMatrix,” remembers Gary. “I did all the channelling out and the Foamex engineering, and it looked really good.”

The client was so happy with the realisation of its design that the exact same stand was used at the brand’s subsequent event. And the potential of L.E.D lighting has flourished ever since; from the illuminated map indicating the location of space stations around the UK for SA Catapult to the backlit dots that refreshed the design for SecureSchools at last week’s BETT show, lighting is a key focus in stand design that is only getting bigger.

Of course when it came to showcasing its design prowess with a stand of its very own, the pressure was on for every aspect of Smart Display’s workforce. Smart Display exhibited at its first-ever trade show – the B2B Marketing Expo – towards the end of last year and, in conjunction with creative director Nathan Hesslewood, Gary was tasked with quite literally putting the Smart Display name in lights.

“We wanted to pull out all the stops when it came to showcasing what we can do in terms of stand design,” says Gary. “We incorporated the edge lighting and the hanging neon tubes within the hanging banner, which I wired up to be responsive to a control in line with the changing mood on the stand. The reclaimed countertop meanwhile featured lettering set in cast acrylic pigments with animated, five volt L.E.Ds that were sound-responsive.”

It’s fair to say that the Smart Display stand was the talking point of the ExCel, with the sound-responsive lettering in particular attracting a lot of attention across the two-day event. For Gary however, the response to his responsive lighting is generally something that he doesn’t see for himself.

“I’m happier in my workshop than being out on-site,” he smiles. “I see it all at the pre-build stage here on the premises and, when I am satisfied that it is fit to be built on-site, it’s onto the next project.”

If you would like to be inspired by what Smart Display can do for your next exhibition stand, get in touch today.