Pictures and graphics are one of the most important elements that a company uses to create brand awareness and communicate its message. Ever wonder where those images come from? The general term for these images is stock photos and the evolution of digital photography has caused a revolution within the stock photo industry. In our business of selling trade show displays and designing graphics for these displays we are constantly challenged with how to develop a graphical message that is suitable for trade show graphics. Trade show graphics are considered large format printing and it has its own set of challenges, especially when it comes to finding high resolution photos that when printed look presentable. Many of you have probably taken an old 35 mm picture and blown it up to a poster size graphic only to see the quality deteriorate that it only looks good when your fifteen feet away. Imagine taking that same picture and making it 7 feet tall by 10 feet wide. Yikes!

If you’re the likes of Nike or McDonalds it’s no big deal to arrange professional photographers to take high resolution digital photos for any type of ad campaign, brochure or billboard. If you’re the average small business in America then you have a bit of a challenge finding images that won’t break the bank account.

So how does one get high resolution images for displays? Before the turn of the century, that is the year 2000, the world of stock photography was dominated by a few industry giants like Getty Images and Corbis and still today these two companies can supply you with just about anything. There are two types of images in the stock photography world. Custom images for trade show displays would cost you anywhere from $975.00 – $1350.00 per year for one display. The other type of image is called Royalty Free which means you can use it for most things and only have to pay a flat fee. There are lots of variations in Royalty Free so make sure you understand the conditions of using the photograph. Royalty Free images are usually priced in the range of $180.00 – $350.00. Sounds pretty good until you realize that you may need 10 photos to achieve the design you want.

What if there was a way to reduce that pricing to $10.00 per image? Almost sounds too good to be true, but it isn’t. Digital cameras and the Internet have completely revolutionized the way high resolution images are being bought and sold and this new segment is called Microstock. Microstock photo websites are where individuals can buy and sell their high quality images. The average consumer can easily purchase a professional level digital camera and with a little training can create all kinds of unique images to sell, especially when you use your photography skills along with the power of some photo editing software like PhotoShop. The two best known Microstock photo websites are iStockPhoto and ShutterStock. Both of these sites offer hundreds of thousands of high quality photos for large format printing purposes. These images are still Royalty Free, but Extended licenses are available when you print large quantities of brochures or other marketing materials.

If you purchased Royalty Free photos from one of the major industry websites then the photos in the design could easily range from $1980.00 – $3850.00. If you purchased Rights Managed photos you would spend $10,750.00 – $14,850.00.

This cost savings has gotten the attention of the big guys to the extent that iStockPhoto was recently purchased by Getty Images for $50 million dollars.

So if you need high quality high resolution photos for Trade Show Banners, Exhibits or Booths or any other large format printing job make sure to check out all your options including the Microstock world.

Pop up displays are the most popular type of portable trade show displays for smaller booths at exhibits. Here are a few features to look for in a pop up display.

Hubs and Struts:

These form the structure of your pop up display. Strength here dictates the amount of force needed to cause a bend or break. Pay particular attention to where the hubs and struts meet. You can tell most of what you want to know just by looking at the construction and knowing a little about the composition.

Channel Bars:

As simple as these may seem, the channel bars are an important part of pop-up displays. They represent the most pieces so they can be the biggest part of the setup process. They also create some of the structural integrity of the unit.

Hanger Bars:

These are the stiffeners that make up the top of each panel and are responsible for vertically positioning the panel on the display. Done right they create a specific position for each panel so matching panels line up correctly. There are a lot of different hanging strategies and these are a favorite method of manufacturers differentiating their products from one another: Pins, Magnets, Molded Locators. Truthfully, they all work well. Pin based hangers are visible to the viewer but it is negligible.

Cases:

Amongst the portable trade show displays, Rotomolded pop up display cases are best. Blow molded use a different plastic that isn’t quite as durable. Having one case instead of two means you only have one thing to manage. Having two cases instead of one means each of the filled cases weigh a lot less, but you probably can’t wrap a removable graphic on them. Don’t overlook the added value of wrapping your booth case in a graphic and using it as a podium. That is one more efficiency that makes “pop ups” so pop-ular!

Lights:

Lighting will enhance the visibility of your message. This is a frequently overlooked accessory. Research has proven that people’s attention is drawn to the brightest object in their field of view. The marketing translation for this is that your prospects will see your competition before they see you if they have lights and you don’t. Attachments for lights is an issue for ease of installation.

A great Pop Up Graphic Design is last but not the least in the checklist towards an awesome Pop-Up Display.

Mukesh Ambani, the CMD of Reliance Industries Ltd., received the Penn Engineering Dean’s Medal here in Mumbai, India, on Friday, 8th January 2010. In a ceremony at the Trident Hotel he was honoured with the Dean’s Medal by Eduardo Glandt, Dean of Penn Engineering. The University of Pennsylvania has conferred this award on Mukesh Ambani for his visionary leadership in the application of engineering and technology for the betterment of society and mankind. The award is a testimony to this global visionary; who runs India’s biggest corporate house, Reliance Industries Ltd.

The keynote address for the event was made by Dean Glandt who introduced Mukesh Ambani warmly, in a well attended gathering in the Regal Room of the Trident Hotel. Amidst the attendees were industrialists, celebrities and the Indian media including Kumaramangalam Birla, Anand Mahindra and Sachin Tendulkar. In his speech Mr. Ambani announced the newest project of the Reliance Foundation – a university in India, to be headed by Mrs. Nita Ambani. He also expressed with much passion the requirement for a global paradigm shift to include a focus on real engineering instead of financial engineering in light of the recent economic crisis.

Mr. Mukesh Ambani has come a long way having started his corporate journey in 1981 when he joined his father, late Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani, the founding chairman of Reliance. He initiated Reliance’s vertical integration journey from textiles into polyester fibres and further into petrochemicals, petroleum refining and eventually oil and gas exploration and production. He then led the creation of 51 new, world-class manufacturing facilities encompassing diverse technologies that increased Reliance’s manufacturing capacities manifold.

The Jamnagar Refinery in Gujarat which is now the world’s largest grassroots petroleum refinery was the brainchild of Mukesh Ambani. Dhirubhai’s dream project Reliance Infocomm, which is now one of the largest telecommunications companies in India and has emerged as Reliance Communications Limited was also set up by Mukesh Ambani. He is currently steering Reliance’s development of a pan-India retail network, a transformational initiative connecting, rural and urban India.

In a recent study by the Harvard Business Review, Mukesh Ambani has been recognized as the fifth best CEO of the world in a review, which surveyed a total of 1,999 CEOs of large public traded companies across the globe. In the course of his career he has been conferred as many as 5 awards by NDTV, a leading news channel in India. He has also featured in the survey of ‘Top 50 Most Respected Business Leaders of the World’ conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2002 as well as 2004. At the global level Mukesh Ambani has been felicitated twice by the United States India Business Council. He is also the only Indian CEO to be invited thus far to become a Council Member of World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in July 2007.

The news channel TV5 made direct allegations upon RIL and its Chairman, Mukesh Ambani being involved in the helicopter crash that took place on September 2. The report stated that RIL was involved in the helicopter crash that resulted in the death of YS Rajasekharan Reddy. The report was based on the claims of a less known website named “The exile”.

Following the report, violence gripped Andhra Pradesh wherein RIL properties and personnel were attacked. The Andhra police have filed a sou moto case against the Telugu news channel for inciting violence.

According to the article on TOI ,

The TV report referred to an article written by one Mark Ames, a California-born American journalist and writer, on a website, exiledonline.com titled ‘Enemy of Larry Summers Ex-Boss Dies in Mysterious Helicopter Crash.’ Summers is currently director of the White House’s National Economic Council for President Barack Obama. According to Ames, Summers worked for Mukesh Ambani, head of Reliance Industries Limited, right until he took the White House job.

After moving to Moscow in 1993, Ames started a magazine titled The Exile. In June 2008, he fled the Russian capital to Panama after being pursued by the authorities and continues to run The Exile online. The said article appeared on the website on December 31, 2009, and was flashed by the TV channel on Thursday evening.

In the article, Ames states that even as the Ambani brothers were feuding, the Andhra Pradesh government sought its due share of the hydrocarbon asset. He said YSR also attacked their mother, Kokilaben, who brokered the deal dividing up the business empire between her feuding sons. According to Ames, after saying that the gas dispute cannot be left to the mother and seeking the Centre’s intervention, YSR died in a mysterious helicopter crash.”

RIL released a statement wherein it condemned, rebutted and rejected the allegations. RIL also expressed its shock and outrage stating that the news was “false, malicious, motivated and libelous”. The statement further read, “It is the dirty handiwork of our business rivals in cohoots with TV5. However, we cannot and will not let this criminal attempt by TV5 to besmirch our reputation. We will file a criminal complaint against the channel. We also demand that the central and state governments initiate an immediate investigation into these despicable acts and bring the culprits to justice.”

Read More>> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Congmen-attack-Reliance-outlets-across-Andhra/articleshow/5422034.cms

A news report on TV5 scandalously linked RIL to the helicopter crash of the former Chief Minister YS Rajasekharan Reddy. YSR, as the Chief Minister was fondly referred to by his supporters, was killed in a helicopter crash on September 2, 2009. The report accused RIL citing the minister’s interference in RIL’s gas interests from the KG basin.

RIL released a statement wherein it condemned, rebutted and rejected the allegations. RIL also expressed its shock and outrage stating that the news was “false, malicious, motivated and libelous”. The statement further read, “It is the dirty handiwork of our business rivals in cohoots with TV5. However, we cannot and will not let this criminal attempt by TV5 to besmirch our reputation. We will file a criminal complaint against the channel. We also demand that the central and state governments initiate an immediate investigation into these despicable acts and bring the culprits to justice.”

Moneycontrol quoted, “RIL said it would file a criminal complaint against the channel and demanded the central and state government to order an investigation against the acts of violence against its properties.”

Read More>> http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/current-affairs/ysr-report-case-against-tv5-for-inciting-violence_434547.html

Following the accusations by a Telugu news channel, the RIL properties and personnel have come under the wrath of the irate Congress workers. While the Andhra Pradesh police have already registered a sou moto case against the news channel for instigating violence, RIL too has filed a criminal complaint against the channel.

An article on Rediff quoted, “Mukesh-led Reliance Industries on Friday denied the allegations and called them ‘malicious’ and ‘motivated’ and said that it was the ‘dirty handiwork of our business rivals in cahoots with TV5.”

The damage to the Retail properties of Reliance Industries followed the allegations that claimed Mukesh Ambani to be the perpetrator of the recent death of YS Rajasekhara Reddy. The former chief minister was killed in a helicopter crash on September 2, 2009 in the Nallamalai Hills of Andhra Pradesh.

Today a RIL spokesperson said, “We are shocked and outraged at the false, malicious, motivated and libelous news on TV5 channel. We condemn, rebut and reject the allegation with the contempt it deserves. It is the dirty handiwork of our business rivals in cohoots with TV5. This is also evident from the well coordinated attacks on RIL’s personnel and establishments in Andhra Pradesh within minutes of the telecast by TV5.”

Read More>> http://business.rediff.com/report/2010/jan/08/reliance-junks-tv-reports-on-ysr-reddys-death.htm

An RIL spokesperson released a press statement today citing the allegations by the Telugu news channel as “baseless and malicious”. RIL released the statement following the accusation of TV5 that instigated violence in Andhra Pradesh against RIL’s personnel and establishments.

The Hindu quoted,

“RIL is a law-abiding corporate citizen. We mourned the untimely and tragic death of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy as much as anyone else. However, we cannot and will not let this criminal attempt by TV5 to besmirch our reputation”.

The Reliance Industries Limited spokesperson said, “We condemn, rebut and reject the allegation with the contempt it deserves. It is the dirty handiwork of our business rivals in cohoots with TV5. This is also evident from the well coordinated attacks on RIL’s personnel and establishments in Andhra Pradesh within minutes of the telecast by TV5.”

Read More >> http://beta.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/article77492.ece

A news report on the Telugu news channel TV5 alleged that Mukesh Ambani, Chairman Reliance Industries Limited, was involved in the helicopter crash of erstwhile Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy. The news report has sparked violence in the state of Andhra, where Congress workers damaged several Reliance Retail properties and went on a rampage Thursday night.

The report that was based on the claims of a little known website, The Exile, has outraged RIL. RIL got back with a statement wherein the spokesperson said, “We are shocked and outraged at the false, malicious, motivated and libelous news.” The spokesperson further stated, “It is the dirty handiwork of our business rivals in cohoots with TV5. The channel has thrown all journalistic norms to the winds to malign the reputation of RIL, which has made significant investments in Andhra Pradesh to promote the development of the state and the nation. RIL is a law abiding corporate citizen”

IBNLive quoted,

“Police chief Girish Kumar warned that stern action would be taken against those indulging in violence. Prohibitory orders against assembly of people have been imposed in the state in view of the shutdown called by loyalists of the late chief minister in some districts.”

“Kumar said investigations into the September 2 helicopter crash were continuing and appealed to people not to believe rumours.”

“YSR’s son and Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy appealed to people not to resort to violence.”

RIL shall file a criminal complaint against the channel, while the Andhra police have already filed a suo moto case against the channel for inciting violence.

Read more>> http://ibnlive.in.com/news/channel-cooks-up-story-on-ysr-death-booked/108433-3.html?from=tn

Reliance Industries Ltd., today in a statement said, “We are shocked and outraged at the false, malicious, motivated and libelous news on TV5 channel concerning the fatal mishap of Shri Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s helicopter. We condemn, rebut and reject the allegation with the contempt it deserves. It is the dirty handiwork of our business rivals in cohoots with TV5.”

Business standard quoted, “Reliance Industries (RIL) today rejected as “false” and “malicious” news report on some Telugu TV channels alleging it may have had a hand in the helicopter crash that killed former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.”

The statement followed the accusations made by TV5 that allege RIL’s involvement with the helicopter crash of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy. The accusations were made by the channel citing an unsubstantiated news report from a little known website.

Following the allegations by TV5, a couple of other Telugu news channels aired the same report. The repercussion of the allegations were seen when irate Congress workers went on a rampage of damaging retail outlets of Reliance in Andhra Pradesh.

Source: http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=82550&tp=on

In the most controversial accusations ever, RIL and Mukesh Ambani were linked to the helicopter crash that caused the demise of former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy or YSR (as fondly referred to by his followers). TV5 based its claims on the information contained in the less known website “The Exile”. The reason cited by the report was that YSR was eliminated due to his interference in RIL’s interests in the gas from the KG basin.

The Hindu quotes, “The channel has thrown all journalistic norms to the winds to malign the reputation of RIL, which has made significant investments in Andhra Pradesh to promote the development of the State and the nation”

RIL retaliated with a statement by its spokesperson which stated, “We are shocked and outraged at the false, malicious, motivated and libelous news on TV5 channel. We condemn, rebut and reject the allegation with the contempt it deserves. The channel has thrown all journalistic norms to the winds to malign the reputation of RIL, which has made significant investments in Andhra Pradesh to promote the development of the state and the nation.” The spokesperson further stated, “RIL is a law abiding corporate citizen. We will file a criminal complaint against the channel.”

Read More>> http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/businessline/blnus/14081001.htm