SIA Snow Show 2013: Best of Booth Awards

Visual merchandising creativity and blow-your-socks-off booths were not unusual at the 2013 SnowSports Industries America’s Snow Show in Denver, and the competition for Best of Booth (BOB) winners was incredibly fierce. Judging might be a tough job, but someone had to do it — so Merchandising Editor Robin Enright got to task as soon as the doors opened on Day 1 and didn’t quit until she found merchandising magic. SIA 2013 did not disappoint. Read on for SIA BOB details:

Best of Booth overall:Burton
This is not the first — or even second — time Burton has climbed to the top of the podium, and while we like to spread the love, we can’t overlook another job well done.

Burton brings it every show and keeps upping the ante in ways impossible to ignore. This booth was all about feel and touch, with an open plan issuing an invitation to all. From the mammoth mountain, which was an ode to Stowe in Vermont, to collaborations with brands including Filson, L.A.M.B. (Gwen Stefani’s fashion line) and Lifebeat (a non-profit utilizing music to raise HIV/AIDS awareness), individual vignettes stood out while maintaining a common thread.

New booth elements this show included artful fixtures that had space to display boards, boots and bindings, plus strong storytelling that spotlighted Burton’s top partnerships. Windows on the exterior of the booth popped the brand and creatively utilized props that slowed passing foot traffic. Booth space was split: 50-by-80 for hard goods and 50-by-50 for apparel.

All the details here screamed, “come on in and play,” and we did. Thanks, Burton!

Booth was designed by Burton’s creative team and built by Greenspace.

Multipurpose BOB: Rome
Rome’s new 30-by-40 booth not only was a happening space complete with staff outfitted in red Hawaiian shirts that matched a graphic on a popular board, but also was built from the crates the booth shipped in. Everyone knows that recycling and repurposing in booth design is kind to the environment; it also can be an enormous money and time saver. Rome’s booth was the first up, aimed to be the first out and was wishing for a best of booth award. We’re delighted to oblige with the BOB.

Rome endeavored to bring the mountain resort feel of its catalog to its exhibitor space with boot fixtures crafted from old stairways and “après every day” vignettes positioned inside open crates. Function followed form with a layout that created an easy flow to the sales experience.

And sshhh … there was even a secret. A hidden door behind the reception desk led to a speakeasy. The space provided privacy for product engagement and a respite from the busy floor. True to form, whispering was required upon entering.

Booth was designed by Department of Energy from Seattle and built by Greenspace.

Recycled and Artful BOB: iNi Cooperative
This brand might be young, but the attention paid to merchandising detail in iNi’s 30-by-30 space belied company life experience. Artist Richard Gage of Detroit was responsible for one-of-a-kind fixtures made of pipe and metal scraps, and while full of function, the fixtures easily could do double duty in an art show. Platforms above the clothing rack allowed for head forms to display hats, artwork was simple line work on cardboard shipping boxes and listen to this: Reception furniture was made from recycled airplane wings. Pretty cool, right?

The brand’s founder, 25-year-old Adam Shiffman, decided to take on eco-sensitive clothing after an eye-opening trip to China where he saw how apparel was manufactured there. This booth paid attention to the smallest of details, right down to the colorful grouping of succulents on a table resplendent with company stickers. Well done, iNi Cooperative!

Display detail BOBs:

Full Tilt
Sure, we’ve seen mannequin leg lamps before. But come on, this one at Full Tilt was outfitted with fishnet stockings and a ski boot!

Defcon
Display shelves made of cardboard are super-cool, especially when Defcon adds a bright pop of color to half of the fixture.

Meier
Skis made from Colorado’s pine beetle kill and aspen fall are completely at home in Meier’s booth.

Eira
We liked the surprise mannequin heads at Eira and took note of the photo booth graphic art that hung on a wall that used to be, well, something else entirely.

Orage
Big and simple, the wood structures at Orage’s booth brought the outdoors inside.

Please join us in congratulating SIA’s 2013 Best of Booth winners!

Think your booth might have what it takes to make it to the BOB podium next year? Send an email alert before the 2014 SIA Snow Show to merchandising editor, Robin Enright, at robin@merchandisingmattersnow.com.

SNEWS Merchandising Editor Robin Enright
is the founder of Merchandising Matters,
www.merchandisingmattersnow.com,
which provides merchandising support to brands, retailers and their agencies.
Reach her via email at merchandising@snewsnet.com
with questions, ideas and suggestions.