[EVENT RECAP & Q+A] Interview with Red Peg’s Martin Codd – Building innovative, multi-purpose exhibits

It’s apparent that we are no longer in a time when interested customers are guided through the sales cycle solely by a company salesman. The internet has become one of the main sources of information that customers have embraced, finding answers, researching competitors, and brainstorming new solutions all on their own. From a vendor standpoint, this makes it imperative to understand clients’ needs, and to be able to merge what is expected and what is possible. Simply put, the focus now is on service, and our industry is no stranger to this.

I reached out to one of our more recent clients, Red Peg Marketing, to discuss their recent projects completed with Mountain Productions. Red Peg is a full service marketing agency with services ranging from talent management to digital and social marketing to brand strategy. With high end clients such as GEICO, Bacardi and Cadillac, Red Peg is a collective team of experienced marketers that rely on creative solutions to deliver results. Mountain Productions worked on a customized exhibit structure for Red Peg’s Texas on Tour project, and provided technical consultation and guidance with their GEICO truss roof exhibit. I touched base with Red Peg’s Martin Codd, Production specialist who worked closely with Mountain staging expert Tim Evans on both projects.

How was your experience working on the Texas on Tour project? The customized structure had its share of revisions and adjustments throughout the planning and design phase until it was just right the event’s needs.

Martin: There is always a balance between form and function when designing and developing large footprint environments. The time spent during the upfront is critically important to avoid having to make adjustments on the back end. The client was thrilled with the truss structure, and the consumer results in terms of ROI exceeded expectations, so all the hard work paid off in the end. The guidance that Mountain gave us was invaluable in creating a turnkey exhibit that accommodated the interactive elements.

Mountain supervisors Eddie K. and JP S. were active with the project, and were on site for several builds. How was it working with them directly?

Martin: Eddie and JP are the epitome of professionalism. I can’t sing their praises enough, they were insightful, collaborative and hands on in ensuring that our teams were adequately trained and versed in the equipment.

I understand that Mountain Productions was called upon to inspect the GEICO roof and offer suggestions on improvements, tweaks, etc. How was working with Eddie and the Mountain Productions’ team on the Geico roof inspection?

Martin: The Mountain team provided great guidance and a cost effective solution to developing the truss structure. As experiential marketing specialists, there has been a significant uptick in developing unique structures, vehicles or environments that can differentiate a brand or product. GEICO is one of the leading sponsors of motorsports across the country, and is constantly looking to develop assets that can be multi-purposed for different programs. The truss structure will be on the NASCAR circuit this year, including the GEICO 400; you will also see it at Daytona Bike Week, and perhaps even Sturgis.

With the Texas on Tour structure coming back to Mountain in March for a thorough inspection, do you plan on changing anything or adding any additional structures to the tour?

Martin: Yes, we plan on adding a canopy extension to the front of the structure to provide additional shading and protection for the entrance kiosk. We are also adding two green screen photo-marketing environments, and an energy charging station so that consumers can charge their handsets while they watch an acoustic act on the entertainment stage.

Any additional comments about the Texas on Tour or GEICO projects?

Martin: We are both in the forefront of the event industry, and it is important to be innovative and embrace new technology. Tim and the Mountain team have been invaluable partners in helping us produce these one-of-a-kind multi-purpose environments that represent the next evolutionary step. We look forward to a long and productive partnership with Mountain.

 For more information on Red Peg Marketing’s recent work, check out their portfolio here.