EDITOR’S COLUMN
AGENDA
BY JEFF WOOTEN
Note: Due to COVID-19 concerns, all events listed below are subject to change. Please check each show’s Web site for any cancellations or reschedules.
OCTOBER 2020 OCTOBER 5-26:
PRINTING United, the largest printing event in North America, has transitioned from an in-person event in Atlanta to a comprehensive digital platform. The show company has announced that it will be presenting four powerpacked weeks of hosted global programming and new product unveilings on its Web site. (printingunited.com)
I Can Get It for You Retail Checking out our retail round-up spotlight.
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Sign Builder Illustrated
NOVEMBER 3-6:
uncertainty surrounding the virus over the coming months. We thought now would be an interesting time to check out this market. On page 24, you’ll find our Spotlight section, “Retail Round-Up,” which focuses on some of the latest projects, products, and projections for retail signage amongst the sign community. This section starts out interviewing a business that is combating COVID-19 through in-store poster and decal designs and gives a good overview of how the pandemic is influencing layouts, messages, and opportunities. This is followed by brief recaps of some of the latest news and product announcements related to retail signage. At the end of each entry, you’ll find links directing you to more information on our Web site. (Note: Our focus on retail doesn’t just stop there, as we also have an article on page 34, “Magnetizing Sign Opportunities,” that checks out the pull behind the different styles of magnets for point-of-purchase applications.) As retail continues to open back up to some type of “normalcy” and sign makers and graphics providers figure out how to sell back into these markets, we hope this special spotlight section helps you ring up even more business here.
JEFF WOOTEN Editor, jwooten@sbpub.com
September 2020
Engage – National Networking Conference, hosted by the Mid South Sign Association, will take place at the Hilton Knoxville, World’s Fair Park in Knoxville, Tennessee. (midsouthsign.org)
NOVEMBER 11-13:
Digital Signage Expo 2020, the world’s only international event dedication to digital signage and interactive display solutions, has been rescheduled to now take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center-South Hall 3 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (digitalsignageexpo.net)
MARCH 2021 MARCH 23-25:
LabelExpo/Brand Print Americas 2021 is now rescheduled to commence at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois . (brandprint-americas.com)
APRIL 2021 APRIL 7-9:
Photo: Indiesigns.
I
f you’re a sign shop that frequently works with retail-oriented clients, then the previous months have most likely been like a rollercoaster ride for you. When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit our shores earlier this year, the retail market pretty much shut down as stay-athome orders spread across the country. The thought of going out shopping at a brick-and-mortar practically shriveled up during the early days and weeks of the pandemic, forcing many then-active sign makers catering to this sector to refocus their efforts and output toward healthcare, emergency, and other deemed-essential industries in an effort to make up for any lost or reduced profits. Fortunately it appears that this market is making tracks upward again. According to a press release from Analyticom (analyticom.com), their Money Anxiety Index, which measures the level of consumers’ anxieties based on actual financial behavior, actually decreased 10.9 index points in July to 108 from 119.6 in June, pushing retail sales up 1.2 percent (slightly above pre-pandemic levels actually). And while retail is going to remain hotand-cold in terms of when and where consumers decide to spend dollars nowadays, the sign market should be on a little firmer ground when it comes to working with these clients. Sale and promotional signage are intermixing with health and safety precautions, as retail businesses try to get back up to speed with their customers. And hopefully this sector will remain a little more stable despite the still-
NOVEMBER 2020
ISA International Sign Expo makes its return and is scheduled to occur in Las Vegas, Nevada. (signexpo.org)
signshop.com
