AAPA2019CommunicationsAwardsPortofNewOrleansPortNOLACruiseBooth–Miscellaneous

Summary:ThePortofNewOrleans’10-by-20-footcruiseexhibitionboothbalancesacombinationofNewOrleans’uniquenesswithamoderninterpretationthathighlightsthedynamicPortNOLAbrandandcompetitiveadvantage—withhighvisibilityonasmallbudget.

1. Whatare/weretheentry’sspecificcommunicationschallengesoropportunities?WewantedanewcruiseboothtounveilatSeatradeCruiseGlobal2019,thelargestcruiseindustrygatheringintheworld.Eventhoughouroldcruiseboothreflectedourtagline“2Vacationsin1,”itdidnotseemtohaveafocusortheme.ItfeaturedseveralimagesofNewOrleanstourismattractionsandhadaTVmonitorofftotheside.Ithadalsobeeninusesince2013,wasfallingapartandshowingwearintheimagesandedges.

Theoldboothwasalsoconcavewiththetwoendstakingupalotofusefulfloorspace.Therewasnostoragesowehadtostorepromoitemsunderneathabanquettablecoveredwithatablecloth.ThattablethenbecameabarrierseparatingPortstafffromthepublic.Comparedtootherbooths,oursdidnothaveanopenfloorplanorspaceformingling,andseemedclosedoffanduninviting.

WewantedthenewboothtoreflectboththehistoricNewOrleanscharmandPortNOLA’smodernanddynamicnewdirection.EachyearatourSeatradebooth,PortNOLAhostsaNewOrleanspartywithMardiGrasbeads,famous“Hurricane”cocktailsandaliveband,soweneededbothopenspaceandcounterspace.Asastateagency,wehadarelativelylowbudgetof$30,000,yetwewantedsomethingtostandoutinthecrowdintheexhibitionhallwherebudgetsseemtobeashighasthefloor-to-ceilingboothsallaroundus.

2. Howdoesthecommunicationusedinthisentrycomplementtheorganization’soverallmission?ThePortofNewOrleansmissionis:Todriveregionaleconomicprosperitybymaximizingtheflowofinternationaltradeandcommerceasamoderngatewayandanin-demandcruiseport.

ThenewcruiseboothwouldpromotethePortofNewOrleansasanin-demandcruisehomeportthatwouldencourageourexistingcruiselinepartnerstocontinuetodeploynewerandlargershipstoNewOrleans,andattractnewcruise

linestohomeportinNewOrleans.ThePortNOLAcruiseindustrycontributestotheregionaltourismandhospitalitysector.MorecruisebusinessmeansmorejobsandrevenuesforLouisianafamiliesandbusinesses.3.Whatwerethecommunicationsplanningandprogrammingcomponentsusedforthisentry?GoalsandObjectives:ThegoalofthisexhibitdesignistoleveragethePortofNewOrleanscitylocationasadestinationaswellasaviablecruiseterminaltoindustryprofessionalsatinternationaltradeshows.The10’x20’tradeshowboothmustprovideattendeesamulti-sensoryglimpseintotheNewOrleansexperience,balancingacontemporaryattitudewiththetraditionalNewOrleanshistory;includehigh-endbrandeddetailsandplentyofstorage;andaccommodateabandforaspecialevent.Primaryaudiences:Cruiseindustryleaders,travelagents,mediaandinfluencersSecondaryaudiences:Cruisepassengers4.Whatactionsweretakenandwhatcommunicationoutputswereemployedinthisentry?TwomainCommunicationsstaffmembersmovedthisprojectforward.WeengagedaNewOrleans-basedaward-winningexhibitionboothdesignteam,SynergyDesignGroup,inDecemberandstartedthecreativeprocessinJanuaryforaboothdeliverybyApril8tothe2019SeatradeeventinMiami.WesourcedourownPortNOLAstockimageryaswellasiStockimagestocompilejustfourimagesthatrepresentedNewOrleansasafamilyfriendly,diverse,uniqueandworldlydestinationinitself.Ourexistingcruisevideowasincorporatedtofurtherconveyourconvenience,customerserviceandproximitytoNewOrleans’famousattractionsandamenities.2Vacationsin1:WehighlightedthisadvantageonthecrispandseamlessSEGbackwallusingimageryoftheactivitiesvisitorsenjoywhilewaitingtodepartfromoruponarrivaltotheCrescentCity.Thebandofimagesincorporatesamonitorwithrotatingcontentfortheattendee.TheNewOrleansExperience:Twocustom3Dlightedrepresentationsofdistinctivegaslamppostsbookenddigitallyprintedironworkfencingonthe20-footbackwall,referencingiconicFrenchQuarterarchitectureandsignage.CustomcobblestonegraphicflooringfurthertiesintheconceptoftransportingshowgueststoNewOrleans.Additionally,thebooth’sdesignaccommodatesabrassband,increasingthememorabilityandimpactofthePort’senvironment.ModernTwist:Oneofthechallengesofthisdesignisfindingasynergisticbalancebetweenclassicandmodern.Therefore,weincorporatedhalo-lit3dlogosinthePort’sgreenandblue.Thecontemporarysignagestandsoutagainsttheornatearchitecturaldetailsandenhancestheclean,whiteSEGdisplayandwhitelaminatecounter.5.Whatwerethecommunicationsoutcomesfromthisentryandwhatevaluationmethodswereusedtoassessthem?Thenewexhibitdesignmeetsourgoals,deliversacohesiveandexcitingmarketingmessageandtransportsattendeestothisgreatcity,increasingbrandawarenessforthePortofNewOrleans.SeatradeCruiseGlobalisthelargestcruiseindustrygatheringintheworld.The2019eventwasthelargestinits35-yearhistory.Over13,000professionalscametogethertoinnovate,uncovernewtrendsandsecureprofitablepartnerships.Feedbackattheshowincluded:

• Itconveyedtousthatthenewexhibitdesignhighlighted“2Vacationsin1”marketingmessageinacompellingyetcleanandmodernway.

• ItimmersesattendeesinthesightsandsoundsofNewOrleansandtransportsthemthere.• Theboothincorporatesrecognizabledetailstostandoutatonethelargesteventsinthecruiseindustry.

OLDBOOTH: