by Chris Thompson and Luz Lobos
House of Kolor, a division of Valspar Automotive, is world-renowned for their high-end custom line of vehicle finishes that have been used on dozens of award winning motorcycles and automobiles. When HOK approached Nomadic Display in 2002, it was working with a 20X30 exhibit that only had enough room to showcase one vehicle and two motorcycles. The two-story exhibit had its meeting area on the second level with slatwall product display integrated into the bottom of the deck. This design made it impossible for HOK to reconfigure the properties to create more space or to use portions of the exhibit for smaller configurations. Plus, the expense of sending this custom piece to smaller venues was cost prohibitive.
HOK knew there had to be a better solution. When the company started planning for 2003 it took a good look at its requirements: a 30X50 exhibit that was a reconfigurable, high-impact, which still had space for a semi-private meeting room and slat wall to display their products. And while HOK had tight budget constraints to meet, it could not compromise on look or function. All of these elements were important in positioning HOK as a dominant figure in its market.
The solution was to work with Nomadic Display to create a new exhibit that met HOK’s image, functional and budget requirements. Some key factors that Nomadic Display took into consideration were HOK’s probable needs—both immediate and over the next several years; and how to utilize key components now, with the expectation of additional components to integrate in following years.
Nomadic created an environment with impact by taking cost-effective pop-up and system components and customizing them with unique finishes and graphics treatments. For instance, Nomadic customized a curved Nomadic Instand by adding a brushed aluminum cap with recessed lighting. Voila! It became an eye-catching backdrop for HOK’s Digital Paintbooth presentation.
The anchor of the design was the meeting room that featured round, curving headers that streamed over the exhibit. These headers are made from modular pieces that connect to each other the same way throughout, which means each header can easily be shortened by changing the end pieces. The kiosks that hold the headers provide options as they can be moved and used with or without the headers. This enables HOK to adjust for traffic flow based on the exhibit configuration or size of the audience. Kiosks such as these are a great addition to inline exhibits because they create space for products, signage and graphics, without limiting product positioning.
For a finish material, black laminate was selected so the parts of the exhibit would fade into the background and not compete with HOK’s bright colored products. An additional benefit of these solutions is that laminate provides the flexibility to change signage for each show—whether the graphics are applied directly to the surface or are three-dimensional and removable.
The exhibit worked well in multiple configurations as well, including a 15X25 configuration, and a section that traveled as a 10X10. The result was a re-configurable modular environment that was hip, practical, and eye-catching.
Adding On
The design proved successful so HOK’s next step was to contract Nomadic Display to create a 50X60 exhibit that integrated the current elements with new components to double the size of the exhibit. Modularity, product display, function, and image were still key agendas, but with this new exhibit also required a semi-private gallery that could be used separately as a conference room or meeting area.
Nomadic’s approach was to create a symmetrical layout—which was both synergistic and multi-functional. And because all of the components were structurally independent of one another, one semi-private area could be set up in one location while the other was set up at another. In the 50X60 configuration the second semi-private area was used as a gallery for artwork created using HOK’s Paints. The artist who had created the art was situated at a counter next to the gallery to autograph posters. Another artist—Jon Kosmoski, the founder of HOK—signed books there as well.
The two halves of the exhibit were divided by a storage area, which served as the backdrop for HOK’s on-line products and showcased motorcycles. The structure’s curved edges were softened with translucent fabric stretched inside a metal extrusion that served as the backdrop for mannequins wearing HOK garments. The addition of other materials and curves, as well as fan showcases, helped to create an ideal visual transition from the new rectilinear elements to the fluid, pre-existing elements.
A rotating Scarab, the HOK logo, contributed movement while the ribbon headers added height and visibility to a display of the HOK Web address. Because the ribbons are removable this center area can be used in 10X30 or 10X 40 inline configurations that also provide storage. Both the fan and square showcases are also multipurpose and would work in any layout.
Another addition to the exhibit was counter towers that work as software demonstrations for HOK’s new software “Digital Paintbooth.” This attraction enabled visitors to see what a vehicle would look like with a certain detailing and paint scheme—without even lifting an airbrush. Because these areas are interactive, they were designed with a counter that accommodated two monitors, a printer, and a back-lit graphic. These components work as stand-alone units as well within smaller configurations and are easy to set up. There is even an option to showcase product on the interior shelving.
The use of a configuration that creates even traffic flow and high visibility allowed HOK to fit three automotive vehicles and six motorcycles into the exhibit. This ensured that the environment was geared towards HOK’s customers and their products. The outcome was a fun, high-impact, and interactive exhibit that achieved the key objective HOK established up front—it established HOK as an industry leader.
