AAPEX: Joe’s Garage

Challenge

Finding that spark (plug) for engaging new audiences

The Automotive Aftermarket Product Expo (AAPEX), co-owned by the Auto Care Association and MEMA, and managed by W.T. Glasgow Inc., is a show where professionals from the automotive aftermarket industry come to experience:

• New product demos
• Hands-on training
• Top-notch education sessions
• Unique networking
• New industry trends and insights
• Buying and selling face to face

Over the last few years, the AAPEX team received several requests to include more content for the automotive repair community and better connect retailers, distributors and national service chains to shop owners, mechanics and technicians. In response, they had an idea to create a hands-on repair shop on the show floor that they named Joe’s Garage.

The AAPEX team wanted to make year two bigger and better and have attendees feel like they were truly in a garage, and they relied on Freeman, and their three-decade-long partnership, to help turn Joe’s Garage into the hot spot on the trade show floor where everybody wanted to be.

“We realized the first-year layout could be improved, and Freeman made creative suggestions that immensely upgraded the design and flow of Joe’s Garage.”

– Bill Glasgow Jr. President of W.T. Glasgow Inc.

Solution

A tune-up for Joe’s Garage

Our team strategically coordinated with automotive experts, industry consultants, and even the Venetian venue team, to ensure Joe’s Garage transformed into a fully functional and experiential garage.

Here’s a snapshot of all the moving parts:

• Freeman designers took inspiration from real neighborhood garage photos to fully incorporate an authentic repair shop look and feel (photos were strategically taken by the Auto Care Association and Freeman during a local garage tour)
• Industry consultants and automotive experts advised us on proper tools and environment protocols to implement (ensuring safety measures were accurate)
• Designated sponsored bays were created to promote diverse, hands-on learning demos for attendees (showcasing the newest technologies in the Automotive aftermarket industry)
• A state-of-the-art exhaust system was permanently built into the Venetian Expo Hall (after months of careful planning), which allowed running cars to safely exhibit inside

“It was a first to permanently build an exhaust system into our venue. The entire process was a slam dunk, because everyone came together to make it happen.”

– Milton Dunn
Director of Event Services, Sands Expo and Convention Center

Result

Running performance diagnostics

Nurtured, long-term partnerships and pushing boundaries led to these successful, show diagnostic results:

• Sponsorship engagement successfully grew over 70%
• Attendance increased from a key target audience in the automotive aftermarket repair community
• Survey results revealed Joe’s Garage as a top deciding factor for attending AAPEX

The elevated design and implementation of Joe’s Garage also helped AAPEX secure a finalist spot for “The Stickiest Show Floor” in 2021 with Trade Show Executive and a finalist spot for “Most Innovative Design” at the TSNN Awards.