Grant Design Collaborative Creates GlobalShop Exhibit for Muzak
24 March 2008 - Grant Design Collaborative received honors for its exhibit design for Muzak at GlobalShop 2008. The exhibit was selected as "Outstanding Booth Design" by VMSD magazine and "Best in Show Pavilion" by DDI publication. Grant was retained by Muzak to create a new 20’ x 40’ exhibit for GlobalShop 2008. Held at Chicago’s McCormick Place West on March 18-20, the annual tradeshow is the world’s largest retail design resources exhibition.

The concept behind this year's exhibit examined the interplay between sound and emotion. The innovative space design utilized multi-sensory elements to create a unique juxtaposition of music and visual representations of human and brand expression. Four distinctive emotions – pride, desire, angst and elation, were selected to highlight the powerful influence of sound on the consumer psyche. Each mood was conveyed through large portraits imaged onto clear tubes, attracting attendee interest at each of the exhibit's four dramatic entrances.

Interactivity also played a key role, with attendees co-authoring the experience by having their own expressions photographed and immediately broadcast in unison with pre-sequenced playlists along a bank of plasma screens lining the center kiosk. The goal of the exhibit experience was to vividly illustrate the powerful effects sound has on the listener's perceptions, particularly to point of retail persuasion and sales.

The unconventional concept drew large crowds into the space and provided an ideal venue to showcase the company's diverse audio architecture product offerings. According to Muzak’s Creative Director, Bob Finigan, the exhibit was "beautiful, smart and a fantastic stage for our selling team." This was the second collaboration for the two companies. Grant also partnered with Muzak on their award-winning 2005 GlobalShop exhibit.