On the trail

Anything is possible with a trailer, promotional unit, or pop-up pod. From the practical to the creative, containers and trailers offer versatility and functionality

Anything is truly possible with a trailer or promotional unit. Trailers and promotional units can be used in a variety of ways – as ticket booths, production offices, temporary showrooms, merchandise units, and hospitality lounges. The options are endless, and an increasing number of events professionals are turning to container units and promotional trailers as an alternative to marquees and temporary structures.

Rob Statham, head of UK and Europe at Spacecube, concurs. “People use marquees for projects but spend so much money making it not look like a marquee,” he explains. “The reason people talk to us is that they are turned on by our ability to create a bespoke space without going down the bespoke route, and that’s because our product works in so many different configurations.”

Spacecube is a modular building system that can go two or three stories high “with no crazy costs”, says Statham.

“It’s like taking a building block and creating so many interesting spaces,” he continues.

Spacecube recently worked with its European partner FUGU to create and deliver a modular structure for Porsche AG. It was located 2,300 metres high in the French Alps. The car marque required an “innovative and premium” structure to exhibit its latest model, the Taycan Gran Turismo.

For this activation, Spacecube’s modular building system was used to create Winterland, an interactive experience and exhibition space, with a connected entertainment area and reception.

Statham comments: “In the past, Porsche has used a geodesic dome, but they were keen to change the look. The brief was to create a high-end exhibition space and a premium activation space.”

Four fully-glazed units were used to create the space, which measured 60 square metres. A two-day build was required but the logistics took even longer. The units were taken on a truck to site where they were pre-built. Then, due to the exhibition space’s location – at the top of a mountain – the units were dropped into place by helicopter.

Impressive Space

In 2022, Spacecube worked with Sky Sports for the first time and created an activation stand at Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The two-storey structure with a first-floor viewing area was located on an awkward corner pitch, so Statham and his team had to be clever with the build. It was imperative that the stand did not block the view of ticketholders in grandstand seating.

“Our structures are modular and enabled Sky to maximise ground space,” adds Statham, who confirms that the company now has new 6m x 6m clearspan sections that sit between two units, creating the ability to make an impressive atrium space.

Justin Isles, director of The Events Structure, said that his company will soon have new units to showcase too. This is

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positive news, especially as Isles says that enquiry levels are up on 2022.

Isles explains: “There is a large degree of optimism about 2023 with our clients. Enquiry levels are up but conversely actual confirmed projects are slightly down. We believe this currently reflects a degree of economic worry.”

The Events Structure recently provided Wunderman Thompson with a fleet of brand activation trailers for vaping brand Vuse and worked with Creation Group at various Live Nation Festivals. The exhibition trailer and roadshow truck specialist provided Creation Group with an Impact Premium Container set up with a bespoke interior fit-out and branding for Go Puff at Wireless Festival. The activation space featured a 360-degree photo booth to push social content.

Also, The Events Structure worked with Evolution Sport and supplied a Momentum Roadshow Truck for a pan-European roadshow for Peroni in tandem with its Formula One programme. The truck travelled from Ireland to as far as Hungary.

Practical Solutions

Indeed, promotional units, containers, and exhibition trailers can be used creatively. But they are also functional spaces, offering organisers practical solutions that fulfil event day operations and back-of-house requirements.

Cube International recently launched Cube Sight and Sound – a new event, stadium, and venue retail solution, which incorporated a large format video screen situated above a retail, merchandise, or F&B unit.

Furthermore, Cube Modular, a division of Cube International, has also launched a pop-up sustainable ticket office solution for events. The aluminium frame and air-cell pods feature two customer-facing ticketing windows and can be folded down and stacked for efficient transport.

The pods made their debut at the Formula One Grand Prix at Silverstone. Eventgoers could hire event radios from the pods. Altogether nine ticketing pods were dotted around the circuit, one at each entrance, branded to advertise event radio hire.

“The clever design of these pods makes them very attractive to event organisers looking for a sustainable popup solution,” explains James Lauchlan, sales manager at Cube Modular. “They can be put up virtually anywhere and used as ticket offices, information booths, security cabins, or any other type of customer contact point.”

Challenging Project

One of Cube’s most challenging projects yet involved installing a pop-up TV compound and ancillary buildings at Monte Carlo’s harbour for Formula E’s 2022 Monaco E-Prix. Cube had already worked with Formula E, the increasingly popular electric car series with sustainability values at its core, to deliver the entire race accommodation infrastructure at London’s Excel the previous summer. In Monaco, Formula E was able to place its TV compound in the ideal location on the harbour front, despite limited space available and difficult access via the historic steep, narrow winding streets.

A two-storey configuration was needed to create a large enough complex to accommodate the quayside TV centre, which Cube designed utilising 31 of its Continest foldable units, joined together for an open plan broadcast facility. Cube was also able to supply an additional 34 units for diverse purposes, including two-storey storage units, commentary boxes, editing and production suites, green studios, and crew welfare units, all using the same foldable portable buildings.

In total, 65 of Cube’s foldable buildings were collapsed, stacked, and transported together with ancillary air-con units, staging and walkways on just nine lorries, resulting in greatly reduced transport emissions. Cube’s solution saved Formula E organisers more than 24 lorry loads each way.

Once on site, the units were unloaded, erected, and lifted into position using just a forklift. This build could not have been achieved using traditional fixed framed buildings since the site could not have accommodated the additional 24 lorries, nor the crane needed to unload alternative cabins and lift them into position. Cube’s team of six crew worked 13-hour days to complete the installation, including the build of all the walkways and staircases, and the fitting of air conditioning in every unit. Furthermore, the whole installation was built ahead of schedule and completed in just four days.

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