Page 92 - DMGT552_VISUAL_MERCHANDISING

Unit 5: The Basics of Visual Merchandising

1. It could be an “Import Window” where all the items are from the same country Notes
(from clothes to handicrafts, to kitchen utensils to furniture, and so on).
2. It might be a colour promotion where all the clothing in one window is red, and the
next display setup may consist of all red household supplies and hard goods.
A room setting in which red is the dominant colour may follow that presentation.

3. Alternatively, it could be a display of lizard shoes, bags, and belts-all related because
they are made of lizard skin. Red, white and blue-striped hats, sweaters, scarves, and
stockings would be a related merchandise display.
4. The items go together and reinforce together.

Variety or Assortment Display: It is a potpourri of anything and everything. It is a collection of
unrelated items that happen to be sold in the same store. It can be work shoes, silk stockings,
teakettles, Hawaiian print shirts, nightgowns etc. It is a mélange of odds and ends, a sampling of
the merchandise contained within.

5.1.6 Exhibitions: Types of Exhibits

The other types of displays include exhibitions. Here we will discuss about the various types of
displays used in an exhibition, main being the following:
Permanent Exhibits: Many museums have permanent exhibits in which paintings, sculpture,
and other artwork are lastingly framed, hung, and encased. There is no surprise, novelty, or
excitement in an unchanging, permanent display. If the object is world-famous and many persons
come especially to see it (e.g., the “Mona Lisa,” a Michelangelo sculpture, and so on), then the
presentation and the area around the exhibit should be refreshed with a new attitude or look by
adding changing floral arrangements, trying period furniture settings, experimenting with
different lighting techniques, or using new background colours or texture.
Temporary Exhibits: A temporary exhibit is usually the presentation of an item or items that are
on loan for a limited time. The showing schedule is announced and the duration of the showing
is advertised, publicised, and anticipated by the public. The limited stay creates the necessary
impetus to have the public come and see the exhibit while the artwork is on loan.
Trade Shows: Trade shows are commercial ventures wherein a manufacturer or distributor will
show a line of merchandise, introduce a new product or an improvement on an existing one, or
exhibit for the sake of “goodwill” or company image. The company seeking goodwill (instead
of showing its merchandise) may provide, in a setting of plants and seats, an arrangement of a
very few choice objects; perhaps, the earliest prototypes of their product or “antique” versions
of the products the company is producing today. This is the “soft sell” approach, and such an
exhibit would be designed to show the historical perspective of the company and the product
rather than to place the emphasis on the current product or line. Often, trade shows are produced
in large exhibition halls in which several hundred exhibitors battle for attention in rather open
and exposed areas. The management of the exhibit hall or the organisation sponsoring the show
may set restrictions concerning the height of a booth or exhibit, the use of opaque walls,
fireproofed materials, lighting equipment, overhead signs, and sound equipment. The union
regulations that govern the setting up, lighting, trimming and the eventual dismantling of the
show can be a serious problem for the trade show designer. Following these regulations can
become costly and time-consuming.
Travelling Exhibits: A travelling exhibit is a broad, all-inclusive term for movable or portable
displays. A travelling exhibit is conceived and designed to be moved from one location to
another and to be assembled quickly, with few changes and a minimum of professional assistance.

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