Designers of commercial Christmas displays predict that the current mood of the country (fearful, budget-minded and nostalgic for simpler times) will be reflected in the designs of holiday installations for the upcoming 2009 season.

Although suppliers of commercial decor almost uniformly expect that their businesses, like the general economy, will be slower this year, they also note that their clients, malls, stores, hotels, restaurants, municipalities and attractions, may feel that they must spend on Christmas decor in order to attract shoppers and visitors in such a tough market.

"The commercial market may not be as affected as the retail market," says Stephanie Wright, product manager, GKI/Bethlehem Lighting. "People have to decorate in order to bring out the warm feelings of the season and bring in customers."

Kent Fritzel, chief creative officer, American Christmas, says that by the fall 2009, the next holiday shopping season, Americans who have been depriving themselves since last fall may actually be receptive to the emotional pull of Christmas. "Holidays are a time people expect to feel happy. This Christmas particularly, people are going to want to feel good and they may be ready to spend a little again."

 

And some designers say their 2009 sales are looking better than they had expected. "I think people are somewhat guarded, but I'm surprised and thankful by sales sofar," is how one described his company's 2009 prospects. Suppliers observe that the nation's economic worries may be leading clients to be somewhat more conservative in their aesthetic choices and more likely to gravitate toward classic themes.

 

"When there is uncertainty about the future, traditional decor resonates," says Ken Stolls of Trimco Display, LLC. He cites as an example the success of one of his company's 2008 projects, Macy's "Believe" promotion, which was based on the New York Sun's famous 1897 editorial, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." Children across the country were invited to drop off their letters at any Macy's store. For each letter received, Macy's donated $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Trimco installed the decor and signage for letter-writing locations in all the company's stores. "Believe Meters," desks and chairs for young letter writers and an official R.H. Macy Santa Mail letterbox were among the components
of the installations.

J. Stuart Hurt, showroom manager at Corman and Associates, also connects his clients' current preferences to the economic tenor of the times. In 2008, says Hurt, his commercial customers were seeking displays that conveyed the warmth and emotional appeal of the Christmas holiday. "They wanted to get people in the Christmas spirit," says Hurt, who recalls that the directive of one of the company's clients was "Take what you would do in a home and make it fit."

Hurt notes that traditional looks are also a practical choice for clients with tight budgets. "More generic, less thematic displays appeal to a wider variety of customers, they can be used for a number of years and clients can embellish and update them later if they want."

 

Less But More
Suppliers say that a smart way to keep holiday display budgets lean is to use larger, more attention-getting decor pieces. "If you use bigger things, you don't have to use as many of them," explains Jack Dorner, creative director at Center Stage Productions. He notes that a commercial venue can achieve a great look with three or four major pieces at key locations. "They should be impactful things, visible from a distance," suggests Dorner. "People will remember them."

 

Fritzel of American Christmas agrees. "Instead of 50 ambient pieces, it's better to concentrate on one big memorable piece," says Fritzel, who notes that his clients are being more deliberate in their choices of components and in the execution of holiday programs. He contrasts the 2008 and 2009 decor programs of one of the company's clients: "Last year's decor was lush and full, with lots of ornamentation. This year, our discussion is very different. It's about quality right now, not quantity."

 

Kevin Long, co-owner, CDI Enterprises, says his clients have become more interested in customized programs. "They want unique displays, no cookie cutter looks." Peter Barthelmess, president, Barcana, Inc., also sees a stepped-up interest in "something new." "They want something that will be interesting enough to draw shoppers." Also attractive to recession-era commercial-decorclients, says Barthelmess, are products that will last for a number of seasons, such as fiberglass pieces and LED lights, and pieces that are easy to install -- a factor clients consider when choosing among trees, says Barthelmess. "All ours are easy to install," he notes.

At Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland's, Kevin Maurer, sales executive in the company's commercial decordivision, reports that adaptability has become a strong selling point in recent seasons. For example, says Maurer, malls now want Santa displays that can be set up not just in center court or some other designated location; they want sets that will fit in a variety of locations in the event that center court, for example, is leased to kiosks or temporary retailers. "They don't know where Santa is going to be," says Maurer, who also sees more demand for overhead decor, which is inherently adaptable.

 

Bright Lights

LEDs continue to garner an increasing share of the commercial holiday lighting market, but the recession has affected this category, both negatively and positively. Suppiers say some smaller clients are postponing switching from incandescent lighting because of the initial outlay for LEDs.

"A lot of people are very interested, but then they hear the price, and they're not comfortable spending that much this year," says Hurt of Corman and Associates. On the other hand, larger commercial clients can afford to take a longer view and the spikes in the price of oil over the past few years and the general focus on cost-cutting has made many of them eager to make the switch from incandescent to LEDs, says Leonard Schulz, co-owner, CDI Enterprises. He reports that more than 90 percent of his commercial clients have switched to LEDs. "The product is phenomenal now, and people love the look."
LeeRoy Chaffin, vice president of sales and marketing, Dekra-Lite Industries, Inc., notes that both the visual industry and its corporate clients appreciate the practical advantages and the design potential of LEDs. Says Chaffin: "The cool white light stands out and draws people in. We recommend clients not turn them off during the day because LEDs are so bright that they can still be seen."

 

He notes that all-day lighting is a practical option with LEDs because they use so little electricity. Maurer says he sold more LEDs in 2008 than in any year previously. "Everybody wants to go green," he says. "They want to change over right away."