Hot Seat
Created by famed Danish designer Verner Panton, the S-shaped Panton chair turned heads and broke boundaries in the 1960s as the first molded plastic chair. The curvaceous seats still captivate design enthusiasts today – and fetch hefty price tags from retailers and vintage resellers. Taylor Creative Inc. is now offering this classic piece for rent in three arresting colors: a lemony yellow, a coral orange, and a pink so vibrant it would make Elle Woods swoon. Just as striking as the hues is the fact that, since they're still made of nonporous material, the chairs can tolerate disinfecting wipes and sprays, making these stackable seats appropriate for our times while being easy on the eyes. Contact: Taylor Creative Inc., New York, 888-245-4044, www.Taylorcreativeinc.com The Best of Both
"Hybrid" is the word on everyone's lips, and marketers are eager – and/or anxious – to rise to the challenge of simultaneously engaging with in-person and online attendees. To that end, Aventri Inc. reworked its existing virtual-event platform and launched Virtual Events 2.0, which boasts enhanced features for hybrid happenings. Just a few of the many bells and whistles include a redesigned mobile app that connects attendees with exhibitors, sponsors, and each other, regardless of whether they're strolling the aisles or clicking from home; artificial-intelligence-enabled matchmaking and recommendations; video, audio, or text meetings; and a suite of metric-tracking tools. Scalable for up to 30,000 remote attendees per event, the platform also includes numerous customizable templates. Contact: Aventri Inc., Norwalk, CT, 203-403-9470, www.aventri.com Sign On
Looking for an easy, set-it-and-forget-it digital-signage solution for your next outdoor event? The high-resolution screen of the SIGN32-Portable display is readable in full sunlight and can hold a static message indefinitely without any electrical power thanks to the magic of electrophoretic ink. (In layman's terms, think of the display as a cutting-edge Etch A Sketch.) Simply connect an off-the-shelf USB-C powerbank, and the monitor can play a preloaded slideshow of content. Units can also be powered via a 12-volt USB-C adaptor. A mobile app enables marketers to update messaging on the fly and activate a display light for night viewing and low-light situations. SIGN32-Portable units are IP-65 Outdoor rated for all weather conditions and protected by sturdy aluminum enclosures with built-in table stands. Models with 42-inch screens are also available. Contact: Volanti Displays Inc., Morgan Hill, CA, 408-500-3500, www.volantidisplays.com Picture This
Digital-photo ops, with their high-tech appeal, hashtags, and social-media shareability, are all well and good, but don't discount the old-school cool of analog Polaroid pics just yet. The once-dusty brand, which has been enjoying a bit of a renaissance among Millennials and members of Gen Z, recently released the Polaroid Go, a pocket-friendly version of its classic camera that makes it easy and inexpensive for event staffers to take and immediately print snapshots for photo mosaics, activations, giveaways, etc. (Photos measure roughly 2.6-by-2 inches.) New features include a selfie mirror, rechargeable battery, double-exposure capabilities, timer, and dynamic flash. Contact: Impossible America Corp. (dba Polaroid), New York, 800-765-2764, www.us.polaroid.com Back to Basics
Many exhibit and event managers have difficulty staying on top of things and coordinating with multiple teams at the best of times – to say nothing about the added wrinkle of working from home. Thankfully, the creators of BasicOps, a collaborative task- and project-management platform, have expanded the service and made it available for free to individuals and small teams (for up to 10 projects). Even better: BasicOps seamlessly integrates with Slack, Zoom, Gmail, Google Drive, Box, DropBox, and other popular programs. Any group user can create a task or project, assign duties, and set deadlines. Chat threads are tied to specific tasks, which keeps everyone on topic and up-to-date on the status of each part of the project. A simple drag-and-drop function allows group members to share photos, PDFs, and other documents with a single click and mark when items are ready for review. Users can also view projects as boards, calendars, and/or timelines based on their preference. Contact: BasicOps Inc., San Francisco, www.basicops.com