On his first day at GES, Tony Petrucci, VP and Head of Creative + Design, sat down for dinner with Chris Mohn, GES Executive Creative Director, and Peter Eelman, Chief Experience Officer at The Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT). That evening, a nearly two-decade partnership grew stronger.
True Allies Boost Show Success
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Over the last 18 years, GES has helped AMT produce the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) at McCormick Place in Chicago. During that time, both companies have viewed the relationship with a team-oriented approach, which keeps goals aligned, encourages collaboration, and fosters trust.
“Peter always knows what he wants to get out of the next show and meets in person with the GES core design group annually, giving everyone a chance to get info firsthand while asking specific questions,” says Mohn.
This level of partnership and respect allows the two groups to communicate freely, inspiring GES to request that the entire AMT team join Peter during the in-person meeting. They noticed that while they benefited from hearing directly from the source, their counterparts at AMT weren’t always hearing directly from the source.
Bob Ryley, Senior VP of Exhibition Sales shares, “Thanks to the synergy we have with AMT, we felt comfortable approaching Peter about this gap in the process. He was open to the idea because he trusts that we prioritize IMTS’ best interests.”
Group Efforts Make Lasting Impacts
For the 2024 show, Peter envisioned having the IMTS logo as the focal point. “During one of our earliest meetings, he said, ‘I want to walk through the logo,’” says Petrucci.
With this in mind, GES gathered the entire design team for a 1-day ideas exchange. “This show is huge; there was no way one person could be responsible for everything. It takes a lot of teamwork and trust — internally and externally,” adds Mohn
Ultimately, GES presented three unique design concepts. Among those was the idea of “deconstructivism”. Developed by GES Art Director Jesse Henderson, the concept took the sum of the logo parts to create a look and feel that ultimately brought everything back together in one place — much like the IMTS community.
“I love pushing the envelope, and that’s what I was doing with the idea of focusing on the show logo,” claims Edelman. “When GES came to the table with “deconstructivism” and applied it to different areas on the show floor, I knew they’d nailed it. After all this time, they haven’t gotten complacent; they continue to make the show look good.”
Delivered With Precision
During the design process, Henderson and the GES team presented a comprehensive set of renderings. The goal was to ensure there was a piece of IMTS logo and some sort of marketing everywhere you looked, and immediately, you knew you were at the show.
Eelman shares, “Whether it was the impact units, the hanging or outdoor specialty features, everything looked exactly like the renderings — well-lit and expertly executed. You know you aced it when attendees are constantly stopping to take photos and selfies.”
It’s All About the Team
Interested in how partnering with GES can take your show to the next level? Speak to your business development manager today to get started.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christy Ricketts
