Insider Insight: Wide-Format Surprises in 2017

We asked seven of Big Picture's Editorial Advisory Board members to respond to the current state of the wide-format industry and reveal what we should expect in 2018.

Big Picture: What was the biggest surprise of 2017? If it was a challenge, how did you overcome it? If it was beneficial to your shop, explain.

Scott Crosby, VP Sales and Marketing, Holland & Crosby: The biggest surprise of 2017 was the continued growth in the world of . Despite the talk of the death of brick-and-mortar retail, the demand for in-store signage and displays continues to grow. Successful retailers have discovered that it’s not one or the other – brick-and-mortar vs. e-commerce – but rather both channels working together that delivers the best results. This has led to greater demand for new and innovative P-O-P that creates an experience for the consumer. The benefit to our business is an increase in demand for all aspects of our service offering.

Kirk Green, President/CEO, Ferrari Color: Growth of online purchases. Our solution: strengthening our online presence with new designs and direction, consistent and meaningful social interaction, and support from our partner company, signs.com.

Jared Smith, CEO, bluemedia: Diversification and investment was 2017 in summary for us. Moving into the tech space with building projection, animation, LED, lighting, and interactive displays was a huge investment and has positioned us well moving forward. We also ramped up our involvement in the fabrication and electrical signage spaces as our client mix was demanding a lot more than print and install.

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