FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AIRVISION Re-Brands and Re-Designs LIGHT FAIR INTERNATIONAL Tradeshow
AIRVISION’S Innovative Branding, Marketing and Trade Show Re-Design Transforms LFI Tradeshow

HOW DO YOU REVITALIZE AND REPOSITION A LONG-RUNNING TRADESHOW?
The answer according to the experts at AIRVISION is: With a fully integrated marketing and event staging design plan combined with a strong commitment from trade show management to create change.

The LIGHTFAIR INTERNATIONAL (LFI) trade show covers a broad range of lighting trends, products and design, through its LFI trade show and conference. The show enables vendors to showcase, innovate and drive new lighting trends while offering unique opportunities to educate and inspire the design industry.

Two years ago the Lightfair International Board began to evaluate their current strategic position and decided that they wanted to evolve the trade show to help increase show attendance in the face of increasing competition.

At that point, LFI interviewed several outside agencies and consultants to drive the repositioning. They selected AIRVISION, founded by Arthur Rubinfeld, former Starbucks EVP of Real Estate and Store Design, as a full-service, turn-key retail design and store development consulting group. AIRVISION ideates, creates and executes growth strategies for companies looking for strategic business growth planning, physical site design and multiple retail site development.

LFI turned to AIRVISION as its strategic, marketing and design partner for the repositioning of the tradeshow. AIRVISION did this by refreshing, refocusing and setting the stage for its long term growth. AIRVISION developed and executed a complete transformation and repositioning of the LFI tradeshow by developing a new and innovative branding, marketing, advertising, show design, event staging and communication platform.

AIRVISION’s work to enhance the LFI trade show and conference will be unveiled during the 16th annual LFI show and conference, to be held April 10-14, 2005 at the Jacob Javitz Center in New York, NY.

“We’re excited about working with LFI and they’ve given us great scope to redesign their brand image and the experience attendees will have of the overall trade show,” said Arthur Rubinfeld, founder of AIRVISION. “For years LFI has set the standard for innovative, engaging trade shows and I’m convinced that through our collaboration, we can raise the bar even higher while broadening the show’s appeal throughout the lighting industry.”

At core of the rebranding AIRVISION developed a new brand logo and tagline, “The Future Illuminated.” The new brand logo and tagline needed to set the stage for the all elements of the transformation and deliver on the following strategic objectives

• Deliver the marketing promise of the new brand positioning and reintroduce the LFI brand in a exciting and memorable manner

• Assure the rebranding is design centric

• Signal a brand shift in the approach of the show and that it appeals to a wider breadth of audience

• Will have the flexibility to evolve over the next 20 years to support the evolution of the LFI tradeshow

The new rebranding was leveraged in all marketing and design aspects including advertising, direct mail, and sales collateral. (Note: See attached files for examples of these new materials).

In addition, the LFI Board asked AIRVISION to develop an innovative and strategic show floor design direction to reflect the repositioned LFI brand. Specifically:

• Leverage the new brand mark in communication

• Improve the show experience for attendees and exhibitors

• Create a big “buzz” about the show

• Offer a strong networking environment

Adding to the challenge for the 2005 show was a limited budget and limited design flexibility due to 75 % of the booth space already pre-sold. However, AIRVISION started the design process with a clean slate focusing on the 2006 show. Once that core design strategy was completed they implemented as much of that design as possible into the 2005 show. This created a consistent design evolution between 2005 and 2006 shows.

These core strategies guided the design process:

• Create valuable Real Estate

• Create a powerful sense of arrival

• Create more activities and uses on the floor

• Improve signage communication through a strong brand expression and effective way finding

How this translated into actual design element execution:

• Expand the existing circulation path into a compelling “Avenue”

• Use a wider avenue

• More and upgraded lounges than prior shows

• Link the pavilions, product innovator showcase, art installations and other on-floor activities through the “Avenue”

• A “Psychic center” created in center of the show floor.

About AIRVISION

Founded by Arthur Rubinfeld in 2002, Seattle-based AIRVISION is known for providing visionary work in integrated brand positioning, marketing and retail design. AIRVISION specializes in the development and execution of growth strategies and operational plans for consumer-oriented companies worldwide. AIRVISION clients include some of the most recognized brands in the world including: adidas, AmericasMart, City University, Gateway, Media Play, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Oakley, Omaha Steaks, Sam Goody, Shared Media Licensing, SunCoast Entertainment and Washington Mutual. For more information about AIRVISION, visit www.airvision.net.

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Media Inquiries:
Megan McKenzie
McKenzie Worldwide
meganm@mckenzieworldwide.com
503.625.3680