VMSD Awards Best Booth Awards

VMSD awarded five Best Booth awards at this year’s GlobalShop, held March 28 to 30 in Las Vegas. The nominations were submitted by VMSD Editorial Advisory Board members who walked the show on Monday before voting on their favorites.

In the store fixturing pavilion, Fleetwood, Sparks and Amuneal were recognized. Fleetwood’s “Cargo” exhibit took “thinking outside the box” to a new level with booth walls constructed of cargo crates to illustrate the company’s new ability to sell containerized items from countries such as India, China, Mexico and the U.S. The company partnered on the booth with Portland Color, which demonstrated its graphics ability with prints on a variety of materials. “Each year they surprise us,” commented one judge.

Amuneal Manufacturing Corp. (New York) again demonstrated its metal artistry with a booth crafted of 1000 repeating metal forms with changing optics that were inspired by a custom weave gate created for one of its clients. Adam Kamens, Amuneal’s ceo, says the booth took three weeks to construct. Inside, models of items created for retailers, such as a staircase for Abercrombie & Fitch and a cart fixture for Lucky Brands, were displayed on wood cases covered in a bronze spray to give the look and feel of metal.

Sparks, a full-service custom fixture company and event marketing agency, demonstrated how to integrate the latest technology into a space. Interactive iPads were propped up on illuminated white counters, while tall walls and decorative space dividers defined the booth. The brand’s signature white and red colors were represented with modern leather seating and vases of live white calla lillies. “Our inspiration for design came from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) where we had clients exhibiting and were able to draw inspiration from the vast sea of innovative techniques, materials and cool new technologies being used at the show,” says Kristy Elisano, vp of marketing for Sparks.

In the visual merchandising pavilion, lighting company Fawoo LED Technology Inc. (Boston) took home an award for its “tree” featuring illuminated shapes created using the company’s LumiSheet product.

The serene white setting inside Judith Von Hopf’s booth also attracted attention. Melissa Hopf, vp, JVH California (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), says that less than two weeks before the show opening, the company decided to replace a more colorful presentation with a winter wonderland. “We wanted to showcase more paper,” says Hopf. The nearly all-white booth (one striking red flower stood out in the corner) included a sand castle, paper flowers, trees and garland.