EXSA (Exhibition Association of South Africa) member, MARKETING MERCHANTS, has once again proven why they are a market leader in the industry.

This Cape Town based company was awarded two “Platinum” and two “Gold” awards for their stands at this year’s Travel Indaba Expo held in Durban.  The stands were judged by representatives from the faculties of Marketing, Tourism and Interior Design of the Durban University of Technology and the winners were announced on 11 May. With more than 650 exhibitors on the show, receiving these awards are no small feat and considered to be a top accolade.

Of the eight different categories in which awards were given, Marketing Merchants took honours in four of these. Platinum Best Stand awards were given to Relais & Chateaux (Accommodation category), West Coast Tourism (Province category), Gold awards to Hertz (Transportation category) and Cape Town Fish Market (Allied Industry category).
 
Darryl Mink, Marketing Merchants director, says, “The feedback from our clients has been overwhelming and it’s such an honour to have achieved these coveted titles.”

Having used the same stand for the past three years, Relais & Chateaux felt they needed a change and briefed interior designers, Hot Cocoa, to come up with a new fresh idea that encapsulated the spirit of the Relais & Chateaux brand. Marketing Merchants was awarded the contract to produce the stand, take care of all the logistics and make it happen. The stand was a fantasy in white and mirror with luxurious finishes and fantastical lighting. No less important was the practical element of the stand that had to house 18 Relais & Chateaux exhibitors and showcase each of their prestigious resorts.

West Coast Tourism have been a client of Marketing Merchants for the past four years and each year they have invested more time in, and money on their stand size and design. Their Platinum award was the cherry on the top for the Regions and various exhibitors that took space on the stand.
 
Hertz too wanted a new look and put their stand design and construction out to tender. Marketing Merchants was awarded the contract based on their innovative design and understanding of the Hertz brand and requirements. Their investment in a new stand and resultant Gold award has succeeded in placing Hertz at the top of the car rental stands at Indaba 09.

CTFM is one of the few national restaurant chains exhibiting at Indaba and Marketing Merchants successfully managed to capture the interior look of their restaurants within an exhibition environment. Their Gold award proves that expos defiantly have a place in any company’s marketing strategy.

In between conceptualising award-winning stands and being accepted as a member of the highly regarded International Federation of Exhibition Suppliers (IFES), Marketing Merchants also moved premises to Paarden Eiland in January. Their new contact details: 11 Dorsetshire Street, tel: +27 21 5116316, fax: +27 21 511 6317 and www.mmexpo.co.za.

NOTES TO EDITOR:
Marketing Merchants is a Cape based Exhibition and Display Company, specialising in the supply of expo stands from conception and design, through to manufacture and installation. Marketing Merchants offers a comprehensive range of stand solutions and products. Although our head office and factory are situated in Cape Town, Marketing Merchants travels internationally and nationally to accommodate the needs and requirements of our clients.  Marketing Merchants embraces the principles of the Employment Equity Act and were recently awarded Level 4 BEE status.