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BREAKING RECORDSP

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EXHIBITOR2007 broke records all over the place as it packed the Mandalay BayConvention Center last month. The largest exhibit and event industry show in the country,and one of the top U.S. trade shows when it comes to attendees’ net buying influence,EXHIBITOR2007 boasted a record-breaking 310 exhibitors covering 72,000 squarefeet of space. Pre-registration alone was up 9 percent from EXHIBITOR2006 (that’sanother record!). Attendees discovered new products, cool trends, hot strategies, andcrowd-pleasing promotions at the industry’s most comprehensive learning event.

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Nice to Meet YouAttendees networked with industry con-tacts at receptions held on Sunday andMonday evenings, while daily Peer2PeerRoundtables offered an opportunity todiscuss 31 industry-related topics. DinnerWith Strangers, held every eveningfrom Sunday throughWednesday, gaveparticipants thechance to meetnew people as they dinedat MandalayBay’s top-ratedrestaurants.

Learning CurveWith 73 new ses-sions added thisyear, attendeeschose from morethan 200 educa-tional seminarscovering subjectssuch as measure-ment, corporateevents, globalexhibiting, and more.Attendees also took fieldtrips and listened to industryexperts in the AuthorsExecutive Series.

Graduation Day More than 330 Certified Trade Show Mar-keter candidates attended classes on theirway to earning the only university-affiliatedcertification in the exhibit-marketingindustry. A special dinner on Sundayevening celebrated the program’s 24newest graduatesand 17existinggraduates whoreceived gold,silver, andbronze CTSMcertificationupgrades.

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It’s Hip to be Square

The Winners Are ...

Best of Show Booth StaffThe VMC Group booth staffers earnedhigh praise. “They were engaging with-out being pushy,” said one judge. “Theyasked good qualifying questions.”

Best of Show Small ExhibitNMR Staging & Events wowed judgeswith its interactive exhibit that “provedvideo can be crafted to meet many needsof many exhibitors and event planners.”

Best of Show Large Exhibit PICO Far East Holdings Ltd. nabbed tophonors. Judges liked how the exhibit dis-played “clear messaging and a great lay-out dressed up in beautiful, trendy colors.”

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A hip congregation spot called THESQUARE offered a variety of ways toconnect with the exhibiting community,to register for the conference and theshow, to buy books, and much more.

It was all in the cards asBryan Berg, world record-holding card stacker, builtan airy, fragile sculpturethat he imploded on thefinal day of the show.

The Best of the Best wall showcasedwinners of the 2006 Sizzle Awards,

Exhibit Design Awards, All-Star Awards, and

Corporate EVENTSAwards.

Attendees got a sneak peak of “10Ideas That Changed the Trade ShowIndustry” in the Exhibitor Gallery.

Participants posed for picturesin the photo booth near theExhibitor Community PhotoWall, where they affixed theirphotos to their hometownson the giant world map.

At the bookstore, attendees pur-chased industry-related books, whilefeatured authors autographed copies.

The lounge area offered anoasis in a sea of business, a place to take a load off your feet and recoup or play a game with friends.

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Buyers’ Choice Awards EXHIBITOR2007 continued the tradition of being the top spot for new-product announce-ments. Attendees checked out 52 new products on the floor, while a panel of 10 buyersjudged the entries and picked the following seven companies as this year’s Buyers’Choice Award winners for their innovative and unique new offerings. For more informa-tion on the 2007 Buyers’ Choice Award winners, visit www.ExhibitorWebLinks.com.

Fish Software Inc. for its Immersive MediaApplication that uses RFID to customizeeach attendee’s experience. Accordingto one judge, “There are capabilities allover the place. It’s definitely innovative.”

Blue Telescope for its Starmap display sys-tem, a table kiosk that allows interactionwhile exploring a virtual map, product dis-play, or game. “You can easily customizeit to what you are doing,” said one judge.

Marketech Inc. for its You Can Make aDifference intranet-based self-trainingsoftware program. Judges appreciatedhow the software can be loaded on acompany’s intranet for easy accessibility.

Outwater Plastics Industries Inc. for itsExtrude-A-Scent eco-friendly wood-pulpmouldings that are customizable withvirtually any scent. “It’s right on trendin so many ways,” said one judge.

Athena Promo for its Razor Flash Drive.Ultra thin and the size of a credit card, thisdrive fits into a wallet and can be brandedwith logos. “It’s a giveaway that peoplewill use over and over,” said one judge.

Dimensions Displays Ltd. for its D3 Dis-play Stands that combine light screens,literature racks, and shelving into a hipdisplay. According to one judge, “It’s acool way to display graphics.”

March 9–13, 2008Mandalay Bay

Convention Center Las Vegas

Visit the URL below for more informa-tion on next year’s education andtraining conference for trade show

and corporate event marketers.

www.Exhibitor2008.com/2008Preview.asp

EXHIBITOR2008

Eco-Systems Displays for its Eco-Systems green-built portable-modular exhibit systemdeveloped with environmentally responsible materials. The judges liked the ideaand the execution, saying, “They found a need in the industry and filled it.”