It Takes a Village to Build a Dream. 2009 Qtr 1
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It Takes a Village
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To create, build and set-up an exhibit that almost equaled the length of a football field, all within about 30 weeks, took a high-performing group of people. A group that had to hit the ground running—literally and figuratively. But time constraints notwithstanding, the Whirlpool Corporate exhibit had a lot to accomplish. It needed to seamlessly integrate the recently acquired Maytag Corporation. It needed to be diverse enough to house eight major brands and hundreds of products living side by side in harmony. And it needed to bring to light the latest and greatest product innovations.
All that would take a vision as big as the exhibit itself. The idea was to create a “village.” A self-sufficient community that would showcase the way people live and the products they live by. At almost 22,000 sq. ft. and 37 feet from top to bottom, the task was daunting. But this particular vision made it possible to translate enormous into warm, personal and inviting. Attendees could comfortably meander around:
- Eight “dream” brand kitchens; each with their own unique personality and decor
- Four dining rooms that doubled as private conference areas
- Spectacularly-designed laundry rooms sprinkled throughout
- A fully functioning garage that would make even the most skeptical drool
- One expressway running through the exhibit that provided easy access to each brand area as well as an exciting way to highlight new innovations
- And last but not least, an entry way that offered the chance to tell Whirlpool’s powerful Inside Advantage™ story
In the end, it’s hard to imagine what it really takes to put a program like this in place. To be sure, there was a great deal of detailed communication. There was exceptional collaboration and respect between Whirlpool Corporation, Miller Brooks and Star. And of course, there were some frantic moments; particularly as crews worked around the clock to open on time, without a dust bunny in sight.
But, the new exhibit was unveiled with resounding success and great satisfaction. Crew workers finally got to sleep. Attendees were treated to a brand new environment. And Whirlpool basked in the excitement of “newness.”
So at this point you might ask: “What do you do for an encore?”
Truth is, you need to think of that well before the curtain closes. Before we put one idea on paper, one photograph in position and one bolt in its rightful place, we asked ourselves some critical questions. And these questions all revolved around the need to amortize expenditures while still remaining fresh, relevant and meaningful year after year. In other words, the exhibit needed to not only be extreme in size, it needed to be extreme in attitude and functionality.
By using the OCTANORM® metal extrusion system, the exhibit can be configured in any way, shape or form imaginable… from the full glory of the International Builders’ Show to an intimate 10’ x 10’ space designed to recruit new corporate employees. Think Legos®.
The structure also has amazing adaptability to accommodate new product innovations, introduce creative themes and address emerging strategies. In 2008, the environment was transformed into an exploration of the world… the industry… and the product innovations that make Whirlpool the world’s largest manufacturer of appliances.
As part of that exploration, one specific area of the exhibit focused on the omnipresent issue of sustainability. A truly gorgeous, yet authentic sustainable kitchen was profiled, generating a steady stream of engaged and attentive attendees.
In 2009, the hero is a stunning kitchen of tomorrow, featuring the recently transformed JennAir® brand. The kitchen not only shows off an inspiring collection of premiere products, it’s also adorned with a cascading waterfall and a surrounding moat to illustrate a sense of exclusivity and prestige.
When you think of all that, one can see why it takes a village.
Check out the video of the exhibit being built.
