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Big Wins for Pico:

Winter Olympics 2014

FORMULA 1TM SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX 2013-2017

IN THIS ISSUE... 1// BAE Systems at Australian International Airshow 2// Affordable Art Fair 3// Auto Shanghai 2013 4// Cathay Pacific at the 2013 Hong Kong Sevens 5// McLaren’s New Showroom Opening at Moda Mall 6// Super Efforts Brings Lenovo to Philippines Supermall 7// HSBC Women’s Champions 8// BaselWorld 2013 9// Al Basta Market 10// International Furniture Fair Singapore 11// CNPC at International Petroleum Technology Conference 12// AiMa at the 2013 China North International Bicycle and E-bike Exhibition 13// Mobile M+: Inflation! 14// Savour 2013 15// Taipei Robot Pavilion 16// Singapore Universities Open House 17// Insights 18// Pico Wins New Five-Year Contracts for FORMULA 1TM SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX 19// Pico Wins Sochi Winter Olympics 2014 Contract 20// Pico Awarded ERB Manpower Developer Accreditation 21// Pico Singapore Takes Home Double Honours at the Marketing Magazine’s Annual Agency of the Year Awards 2013 22// Pico Announces 2013 Interim Results

IMagEMaKER // SUMMER 20132

Pico Wins Sochi Winter Olympics 2014 ContractPico announced that the Group has won a contract from the Organising Committee of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter

Games 2014 in the city of Sochi, Russia, to provide temporary infrastructure at the Olympic competition venues.

The newly-built 2014 Olympic site comprises 11 venues and is divided into two clusters: ‘Coastal’ and ‘Mountain’. Pico will provide a wide range

of temporary infrastructure - including awnings, tents and fencing - as well as taking on a project management role, overseeing all work related to

overlays installation at the Coastal Cluster.

Previously, the Group completed a contract which provided temporary venue overlays at game venues in the Coastal Cluster for the Olympic test

events held in Sochi in the winter of late 2012 and early 2013.

Mr. Lawrence Chia, Chairman of the Group, said, “We are delighted to have been once again chosen as a service provider by the organising

committee for this major international event. Having been engaged in Olympics projects since the Sydney Olympics of 2000, Pico’s capable and

sophisticated team has become a trusted partner for a series of world-class events across the globe.”

Pico announces 2013 Interim ResultsPico announced its 2013 interim results for the 6 months ended 30 April 2013.

During the period, Pico recorded a turnover of HK$1,629 million (1H2012:

HK$1,807 million). Profit attributable to owners of the company increased

by 0.7% to HK$93.5 million due to improvements in our gross margin,

which has increased by about 3.3 percentage points from 26.2% to 29.5%.

Basic earnings per share is HK7.70 cents compared to HK7.66 cents in the

previous corresponding period. The Group has maintained a very healthy

financial position, as is reflected by the Group’s net cash position, with a

cash-on-hand balance of HK$1,045 million.

The Board of Directors recommended an interim dividend of HK4.5 cents

per ordinary share, compared with HK4.0 cents in the previous period.

Mr. Lawrence Chia, Chairman of Pico, said, “Despite there being no

mega-events like the Olympics, World Expo or World Cup occurring in

2013, we have been able to deliver a good set of results in the first half of

the financial year. Due to our persistence in delivering quality services and

creating the best returns to our clients, we have been able to win new and

repeat contracts for events.”

Looking ahead, the Group’s business in Asia will continue to be a key

growth driver for the remainder of the financial year. In the second half of

Pico Wins new Five-Year Contracts for FORMUla 1TM SIngaPORE gRand PRIx

Pico announced the Group has won new contracts for FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX.

Under the new contracts, Pico has been appointed by Singapore GP Pte Ltd, the race promoter for FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX to create

hospitality suites at Turn 1 to 3, team hospitality suites and garage fit-outs for the annual event from 2013 to 2017. In addition, Pico will also be

constructing the Turn 1, Turn 2, Turn 3, Stamford and Connaught Grandstands for the 2013 to 2015 races, with an option to extend for an additional

two years.

Beginning with the inaugural 2008 FORMULA 1 night race in Singapore, Pico was granted a five-year contract, which ended in September 2012, to

provide hospitality suites and VIP lounges for sponsors and teams.

Ms. Jean Chia, Managing Director of Pico Singapore, said, “Winning this second batch of contracts means that we have won the continuous trust and

support of our valued clients. For Pico, this is the greatest recognition of our diligence and high-quality service. We are working hard to prepare to deliver

our world-class service for the forthcoming race in September this year, which I have no doubt will be a great success.”

the financial year, the Group will deliver a number of high-profile projects

including the Singapore National Day Parade, Art Basel in Hong Kong, the

Mobile Asia Expo in Shanghai and the Asian Attractions Expo in Singapore;

along with ongoing contracts for existing clients and new clients like Amway,

Audi, BMW, Huawei, Nokia, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Samsung and Yara.

The Group has expanded its Beijing and Shanghai operations into two

new purpose-built facilities. These are office, operation and production

complexes of 17,000 sq. m. and 41,000 sq. m. respectively. When they

come on stream in the second half of this financial year, these premises

will double our existing capacity and enhance our ability to capture business

opportunities in the PRC.

The Group will also continue to pursue business in emerging markets like

the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. In the Middle East, our regional

headquarters in Dubai will continue to stay on top of the business progress

in the Arabian Gulf and North African markets.

While we are aware of the need to maintain a well-connected international

network of operations, we have been careful in managing our operations

in the weaker economies by maintaining expense control while staying on

the lookout for mega international events which rotate into these countries

such as the World Expo 2015 to be held in Milan.

Pico Singapore Takes Home double Honours at the Marketing Magazine’s annual agency of the Year awards 2013

Pico was announced the Bronze and Local Hero winner for Event Marketing

Agency Of The Year at the 6th Annual Agency of the Year Awards 2013,

held at Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore.

The only home grown company within the category to win the highly

coveted awards, winners of the Agency of the Year Awards 2013 were

determined from a combination of a nation-wide survey on marketers’

agency preferences, and a thorough evaluation of agency performances

during a specified time-period (1 January 2012 – 31 December 2012).

Through both processes, the Agency of the Year Awards was completely

client-driven. Marketing’s research partner Lighthouse Research helped

survey and consult marketers in Singapore as to which agencies they would

most likely short-list and engage across the major marketing services disciplines.

These questions were asked in the larger context of Lighthouse Research’s

Marketing Spend Benchmarking Survey.

Thereafter, based on the survey results, the short-listed finalists in each

category are invited to support their nomination by submitting an entry to

the Agency of the Year 2013 judging panel, which consisted of twenty-one

senior marketing professionals from major advertisers in Singapore.

Entries were judged with equal weight going to business performance, staff

development and management, contributions to the industry and community

at large and, of course, work carried out over the previous year.

For a full list of winners, please visit http://aotyawards.com/SG/?page_id=971

– Singapore

Mclaren’s new Showroom Opening at Moda MallAl Ghassan Motors have been the sole distributors of luxury cars such as

Lamborghini and Bugatti in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain since 1992. The

company engaged Pico to organise, design and deliver the official opening

event for their new showroom, uniquely built for displaying McLaren cars,

at the most upscale mall in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Our team’s task was to create a stunning launch for the new McLaren

Showroom, complete with VIP guests (including F1 Drivers Jenson Button

and Sergio Perez) and ensure that the event was set up in line with the

image and prestige of the McLaren brand.

The atmosphere for the event was one of power and exclusivity, with

the McLaren formula 1 car and other McLaren cars placed outdoors on

elevated platforms, while inside, branded walls, display panels and special

lighting and sound effects completed the environment.

All did not go precisely to plan, however: being an outdoor event in the

Middle East, the last thing to be expected was a rainstorm two hours

prior to the event. However, rain it did! The Pico team reacted swiftly

and placed protective covers on the equipment and staging area so as to

minimise the chance of the rain damaging equipment or ruining the setup.

Despite the storm and the short lead time, Pico delivered this project

on time and to the highest-quality standards, reinforcing the status of

McLaren as one of the most exclusive brands in the world.

“Excellent work and thank you for the support in making the launch a big

success!” - Gemma Renton, Group Marketing Manager, Al Gassan Motors

– Manama, Bahrain

IMagEMaKER // SUMMER 20134

Pico a driving Force at auto Shanghai 2013

April 2013 brought the 15th annual Shanghai International Auto

Show to the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. Pico serviced

no less than eight clients at the show, further reinforcing our position

as the go-to exhibition company in China, including a number of

headline projects.

Infiniti had a big presence at Auto Shanghai, launching the Asian

premiere of the Q50 at their 1,588 sq. m. two-storey booth. The booth,

one of the first to roll out Infiniti’s new branding strategy and product

names, was the largest in the company’s global auto show profile and

was built by Pico. Extending our three-year partnership with the brand,

the futuristic and environmentally-friendly design gained high praise

from the company’s Japanese headquarters.

SAIC Motor Corporation is the largest of China’s ‘big four’ auto companies.

Based in Shanghai, this show was highly significant for the company.

Fully designed and executed by Pico, SAIC’s 1,960 sq. m. booth show-

cased the company’s successes as well as its RW Roewe and MG brand

concepts and no less than 21 of its latest products.

A new joint venture between BYD Auto and Daimler AG was launched

at AutoShanghai: the electric car brand Denza. Pico project-managed

the new brand’s booth and press conference, highlighting their high-

quality, eco-friendly electric cars and promoting their philosophy of

alternative fuel vehicles. Completing the unusual project in record time,

Denza executives were “deeply impressed” with Pico’s work.

Pico also extended our cooperation with Nissan and Venucia at China’s

Grade A auto shows for a fifth year, and fabricated two of the most

outstanding booths at Auto Shanghai.

Nissan rolled out their brand new global exhibition kit for the first time

in Asia with their 2,321 sq. m. double-deck booth. Launching their

new concept car, the Friend-ME, along with several other new models,

Nissan successfully created a theatre-style scenario with giant LEDs, an

‘innovation wall’ and multi-level podiums, giving the audience a stunning

360 degree experience. A unique structure called ‘Halo’, which demanded

extreme engineering and execution skills to complete, helped the Nissan

booth steal the show. Pico’s delivery of their booth helped Nissan win

the Best Creative Award at Auto Shanghai.

Right next to Nissan was the booth of rising auto star Venucia. Their 900 sq. m.

double-deck booth hosted the global launch of Venucia’s Viwa concept car.

Our quality and high level of service once more gained high praise from Nissan

and Venucia and have taken these already- strong partnerships to the next level.

Our design, fabrication and project management teams were also kept

busy with various projects for Cadillac, Peugeot, Toyota, Giti Tire, GKN

and AUNDE ISRI Business Consulting. All in all, Auto Shanghai 2013

was our most successful...until next year, of course!

– Shanghai, China

The World Watches BaselWorld 2013

BaselWorld, held every spring in the city of Basel, Switzerland, is the world’s

pre-eminent watch and jewellery show. Dating back to 1917, BaselWorld

2013 played host to some 1,460 companies from the watch, jewellery and

precious stone industries and related sectors, spread over 141,000 sq. m. of

exhibition space.

Pico played a major role in making eight high-profile brands part of the

action at BaselWorld 2013. One of the most exciting brand was Charriol

Genève, whose 160 sq. m. booth was exclusively designed and delivered by

Pico. As the launch for Charriol’s new ‘retail brand bible’, the booth marked

the birth of the company’s new Pico-designed global retail strategy, for its

monobrand stores, shops-in-shops, corners and retail assets such as table

top displays, window displays and glorifiers.

Designed and manufactured with sustainable materials, the booth needed to

reflect the new style of Charriol, while providing a platform to showcase the

new retail assets to Charriol’s distributors and retail channels for global uptake

and roll-outs. We provided innovative and immersive digital media displays,

including all CGI and real-life on-screen content. The front of the booth

housed 15 pillar product displays, comprising transparent touch screen niches,

all synchronised using state-of-the-art dataton/Watchout computer technology.

The front entrance featured a fog screen, while internal magic mirrors ran

real-life narratives by Coralie Charriol, Charriol’s Creative Director.

For The Dreyfuss Group’s double-deck 180 sq. m. booth, we created a warm

and friendly workplace, all fully air conditioned, with high end and quality

materials. This beautiful showcase for The Dreyfuss Group’s product portfolio,

saw the ground floor reserved for product displays and the upper level for

face to face discussions, hospitality and private meetings

For Cuervo y Sobrinos, the ‘Swiss brand with a Latin Soul’, the brief was

quite unusual: a 163 sq. m. Cuban Garden, and Oasis of tranquillity, with

a Mojito bar as the centrepiece. Wanting to create ‘an oasis where you can

sit back, drink a Mojito and get a true taste of the culture of Cuba’, this

relaxed atmosphere allowed the client to quietly introduce its new range of

timepieces honouring the unique world of classic car aficionados.

Pico also designed and fabricated booths for Elle, Karp Jewellery, Bentley &

Rochas and Faithtex Sarl, and sourced and provided furniture for ISA’s booth

via the Saint Honore design house.

For Elle, we created a 122 sq. m. double-storey booth, wrapped in a simple

white, clean cut and clear form which highlighted huge exterior product

shots. The design intent was to create an impressive visual effect while

projecting a stylish yet symbolic brand image.

Karp Jewellery’s 59 sq. m. booth was a lesson on how to create a spacious

feel using tasteful product selections. Choices including floor-to-ceiling

glass, metallic showcases and dimmed lighting helped to create an elegant

yet expansive feel.

Bentley & Rochas’ single-deck, 60 sq. m. booth was themed ‘Sophisticated

Watchmaker’, and the core design element was the representation of

classical design and professionalism through the use of black-and-white

imagery and decoration.

Pico activated Faithtex Sarl’s 32 sq. m. booth in an unusual and striking

way. Blauling in German means ‘beautiful blue butterfly’. Using royal blue

elements to represent the splendour of a blue butterfly and its unique floral

dance, the décor of the 32 sq. booth inspired nobility and the love of life,

while exuding beauty and grace.

Over its eight day run, an impressive 122,000 visitors enjoyed the delights

of BaselWorld this year, up 17% on 2012’s show, and the presence of over

3,600 journalists created a worldwide buzz for our clients and hundreds of

other exhibitors.

– Basel, Switzerland

Cathay Pacific at the 2013 Hong Kong Sevens

IMagEMaKER // SUMMER 20136

Cathay Pacific has been a close friend of the Hong Kong Sevens since the very beginning. In 1976, Cathay became the co-title sponsor of the first Sevens, a small but significant rugby tournament held at the Hong Kong Football Club Stadium. One of the first rugby tournaments in the world to attract commercial sponsorship, the Hong Kong Sevens has since exploded onto the world stage and is now a famous and undeniably fun sporting event, attracting press attention from all over the world.

2013 marks Cathay Pacific’s 37th year of sponsorship, Pico was invited to activate Cathay’s Always Game campaign and bring the electrifying atmosphere of the Sevens to life across Hong Kong. This year, Cathay Pacific wanted not only to catch the attention of the spectators in the stadium, but to help the crowds in Causeway Bay − Hong Kong’s premier shopping district − experience the atmosphere of the Sevens. The idea was to allow the public to ‘become’ rugby players and recreate scenes from across the game, all the way from the locker room to the pitch.

Pico activated these experiences at a 70 sq. m. popup store and a 100 sq. m. Sky Garden at Causeway Bay’s Hysan Place and at the Hong Kong Stadium itself. Cathay’s redemption counter at the stadium, in the shape of a rugby ball, became a great photo-taking spot and was made even more attractive by the presence of genuine Cathay flight attendants. It turned out that people loved the idea of having a Sevens booth in the city center, which helped create ‘Sevens mania’ and augmented the visceral experience of watching the games at the stadium.

At the stadium, Pico’s involvement focused on a series of events, booths and boxes. We designed, fabricated and decorated fixtures in Cathay’s two luxurious 25 sq. m. corporate suites at Hong Kong Stadium, at Cathay Pacific booths in the stadium and at the nearby Indian Recreation Club and at the 70 sq. m. The Wing marquee.

Our teams helped drive the excitement and continue the fun through games and photo opportunities at the booths, and by helping to bring a more refined sense of enjoyment to the VIP guests in the two Cathay Pacific suites through understated, tasteful interior decoration. By setting the stage for a great weekend, Pico helped Cathay Pacific take the ball into the end zone and deliver another memorable Sevens experience for thousands of people.

“Pico has a very professional team! I’m glad we are in good hands.” - Rozana Lee, Marketing Manager, Cathay Pacific

“Pico is really doing a great job in the set up and also helping people to enjoy the kickathon.” - Joyce Cheung, Marketing Manager, Hysan Place

– Hong Kong, China

HSBC Women’s ChampionsThe 2013 HSBC Women’s Champions Golf Tournament in Singapore marked the first time this prestigious tournament was held at the exclusive Sentosa Golf Club. Pico has enjoyed a long and successful golf partnership with HSBC and IMG in cities all across Asia. Providing suite-building services for the several previous golf tournaments, 2013 was made unique by a big move from the previous site at the Tanah Merah Country Club. This relocation required Pico’s approach to the event to be completely revamped, particularly in terms of structure fabrication, as the new site required a new layout for the suites and structures.

Always up for a challenge, our teams quickly got to work on creating two double-storey buildings – the Hexagon Suite for premium guests and VIPs and the World Suite for HSBC’s valued guests. Pico also built several smaller but no less impressive hospitality suites for luxury brands such as Jaguar, Marina Bay Sands, Ricoh, Rolex, and Singapore International Airlines.

The HSBC World of Sport Village was undoubtedly the teams’ largest endeavour. An impressive 1000 sq. m. in size, the village featured interactive games like a mini tennis court, rugby ball game and golf simulator for the public to explore. Each game was tied to an HSBC-sponsored sports event, the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens and the world-famous Wimbledon, for example.

– Singapore

The inaugural Hong Kong Affordable Art Fair was held in March 2013 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The globally-renown Affordable Art Fair has become a leading showcase for contemporary art in 15 cities across the world, including London, New York, Seattle, Mexico City, Amsterdam, Milan, Hamburg, Stockholm and Singapore, attracting a total combined visitor count of over one million people. The Hong Kong show attracted a notable 16,500 visitors, over 80 participating galleries and over 120 applications from as far away as Russia and Zimbabwe. Pico was appointed as the official contractor and hall manager and designed and set up the organiser requirements for the entire exhibition.

The concept for the show was simple yet unusual - providing a friendly, inspiring environment to all kinds of visitors: young professionals, seasoned collectors, students seeking inspiration, or families looking for a fun day out. Visitors were able to view and purchase thousands of original paintings, prints, sculptures and photographs under one roof. All artwork was labelled, so visitors could see exactly what fits their budget, with work being priced between $1,000 and $100,000. Thanks in part to Pico’s efforts, the Hong Kong’s first Affordable Art Fair was an enormous success, with total purchases climbing to an amazing $HK 26 million!

– Hong Kong, China

affordable art Fair 2013

Singapore Universities Open House

Singapore is known for its intelligent and highly-educated workforce. Part of this reputation is due to the output of its three top universities: the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the Singapore Management University (SMU). The key to any university’s success is its ability to attract the best and brightest students, and a crucial part of promoting a university is the ‘open house’, a day or series of days where potential students are invited onto the campus and given tours and seminars on various aspects of the school. Pico’s impressive pedigree of activating and creating an immersive and engaging audience experience made us the natural choice to put on the 2013 open houses for each of these three universities.

National University of Singapore Open House

The objective of the NUS open house was to build awareness of the university and its outstanding reputation amongst future students. Taking place on 16 March and involving the entire outdoor area and three buildings in the new University Town, Pico provided event management, banners, design and fabrication and other set-up services. This was the fifth year Pico was tasked to handle NUS open house. However, a venue change meant that both the design and execution of the event had to be reworked. A site visit involving intricate measurements and change in the displays were just two of the many challenges faced by our team in the run-up to the successful event.

Nanyang Technological University Open House

2013 marked a five year milestone that Pico was called on to activate the NTU open house. This year, the objective was for all departments of the school to showcase their courses and to effectively market NTU. Pico was responsible for design and fabrication, planning of turnkey events, facilitation of hardware and the creation of invitation cards and programme sheets. Featuring a different design concept every year, the 2013 Open House underlying theme was based on geometry. Over 4,000 sq. m. and in four different buildings, circles, stripes and all manner of irregular geometric shapes were used to accentuate and underline the university’s brand.

Singapore Management University Open House

This massive event, held at the university’s outdoor area and on Levels 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, was both an open house and a recruitment drive for tertiary students. All higher secondary schools across Singapore were invited and each of the University’s six schools gave talks to the visitors. Pico was heavily involved in this event, providing overall planning, design and execution of the open house, booth customization, traffic management and the provision of collaterals. Despite the challenge of tight timelines, long approval process and weather challenges presented by the outdoor component of the event, Pico pulled out all the stops to ensure a triumphant and successful event for SMU.

– Singapore

IMagEMaKER // SUMMER 20138

An airshow presents unique challenges and opportunities for users of exhibition

space. Exhibitors must work exceptionally hard to be ‘noticed’, given the

high level of background action and excitement. BAE Systems Australia, a

market leader in the Australian defence industry, used the space in their

108 sq. m. exhibition stand and 200 sq. m. external business unit to fly high

above their competitors at the Australian International Airshow.

To draw in their target clients, Pico’s design team helped create an engaging

and information-rich space which captured the company’s identity and

presented key themes and messages in a variety of comprehensive and

compelling “story-like” scenarios. The space itself focused on the thrill of

BAE Systems products: fast jet sustainment, training solutions and missile

and UAV guidance and control systems, to name a few. Sensational

interactive elements helped drive the stories of these products forward,

while thoughtfully-designed lighting elements kept visitors focused.

BaE Systems at australian International airshow 2013

Care was also taken to ensure that environmental elements were

employed in the project. All internal lighting was LED, while the 6m.

lightboxes were backlit with slim LEDs. All prints used water-based inks

printed on reusable fabric skins. Walling and structural components

were spray finished using industry-leading GreenTEC Waterborne

technology; and finally, all flooring consisted of modular and reusable

tiles. Each element was carefully chosen to ensure no design protocols

were sacrificed. Working at the airshow did present some challenges, as

all major event structures were temporary. With no permanent structures

to work around, design teams often had to think laterally in order to

ensure the consistency of the design. In the end, the design and execution

of the space was a great success, with no need to strike a compromise

between concept and delivery.

– Avalon, Victoria, Australia

Savour is Singapore’s biggest gourmet food and drink festival. This annual event brings together like-minded food enthusiasts at one exclusive purpose-built

venue, where they enjoy a day of Michelin-starred dishes, master classes with experts, live demonstrations, fun workshops and culinary shopping.

One of the highlights of Savour 2013 was the spectacular 32,000 sq.m. Gourmet Village, an enormous area filled with stunning food and drink experiences.

Pico provided all the outdoor infrastructure for the Gourmet Village as well as maintenance and engineering services, setting the backdrop for a successful -

and delicious - festival.

– Singapore

Savour 2013

The 13th China North International Bicycle and E-bike Exhibition was held in late March at the Tianjin Meijiang Convention Center. Exhibitors displayed a number of new and innovative products under the theme, ‘light, fine, smart and high-end’.

Pico helped AiMa, a leader in the electric car industry, boost its brand image and profile with an impressive 1,064 sq. m. booth at the exhibition. Responsible for design, production and fabrication and project management, we used rich materials and detailed styling to highlight the quality and value of the brand. Exhibiting its wide range of both scooter and bicycle-type E-bikes, this year’s AiMa models focused on lightweight, intelligent and user-friendly elements.

The company prides itself on its commitment to environmental principles, and our teams made sure the structure of the booth was recyclable. After the show, the entire structure was reused in AiMa retail stores.

Of the over 500 exhibitors at China North, AiMa’s booth sprinted past the finish line in first place!

– Tianjin, China

Pico activates aiMa at the 2013 China north International Bicycle and E-bike Exhibition

CnPC at International Petroleum Technology Conference 2013The International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC) is an international

oil and gas conference and exhibition, held twice a year in either the Middle

East or Asia-Pacific. The conference centres on technology and relevant

issues which challenge industry professionals around the world. This year,

the sixth IPTC was held in Beijing and Pico was appointed by the conference

host, the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), to design, build

and project manage a number of key elements of the conference, including

the opening ceremony, CEO plenary session, the IPTC 2013 award

presentation and the IPTC exhibition.

Pico teams were responsible for the overall operation of each of these

project elements, beginning with the creative and design aspects and

moving through implementation, overall operation and post-processing.

As the first IPTC to be held in China, it was imperative that the event was

a success at every level. All elements had to be spectacular, well-planned

and flow smoothly so as to impress the 4,100 attendees from 65 countries

and 600 organisations.

The event drew high praise from domestic and foreign guests alike, with

all operations proceeding perfectly. Pico’s outstanding visual effects were

singled out for specific acclaim by the participants.

– Beijing, China

IMagEMaKER // SUMMER 201310

Taipei Robot PavilionThe all-new Taipei Robot Pavilion is the brainchild of the Industrial Technology Research Institute. The design intention was to create a fascinating and diverse exhibition for the world to marvel at.

The Taipei Robot Pavilion is the first of its kind and allows visitors to have interactive experiences with a variety of robots on display. These robots include an array of Gundam models, humanoid robots that who can play the violin, shoot basketballs, fight and even dance ‘Gangnam Style!’. In a more serious sense, the Pavilion’s organisers intend to pool government, industrial and university resources to promote robotics education and foster the development of the industry.

Pico played a crucial role in activating the pavilion, having taken over the design, build and project management components from another company and reworking the pavilion from the ground up. To give the pavilion a futuristic appearance, we added a whimsical ‘time-travel tunnel’ and a sci-fi-like hatch door at the entrance. In addition to preserving the spirit of the Taipei Pavilion - ‘Better City, Better Life’ - Pico teams also showed how the incredible strength and technical might of intelligent automation can make people’s lives easier.

The resulting display has a must-see site for robot fans and for curious kids of all ages!

– Taipei, Taiwan

al Basta MarketBahrain’s Al Basta Market is a joint initiative between Tamkeen, a vocational

education programme, and the country’s Southern Governorate. The

market’s purpose is to spur trade activity, boost entrepreneurship and

promote community cohesion by establishing a modern, fully-equipped

marketplace. The market allows traders and residents to sell and purchase

goods, and thus support private sector institutions, small enterprises and

farmers in the south of the country. Pico were called in by the Southern

Governorate to conceptualise the entire 1,000 sq. m. event, design and

fabricate the main structures and tents, take charge of print production

and installation of various branding areas all over the market and provide

electrical work for the different requirements of the exhibitors.

Design-wise, Pico decided on a careful mix of old and new, keeping the

classic Bahraini souq design and combining it with contemporary fixtures and

colours. Delivery of the physical elements presented a slight challenge:

working with a tight schedule and unpredictable weather conditions

meant a delay in the delivery of the main entrance and other aesthetic

elements of the market, but the team worked tirelessly to ensure everything

was ready on schedule.

Over its three-month lifespan in early 2013, the Al Basta Market has

proved to be more successful than was ever imagined. Exhibitors were

changed each week to provide opportunities for as many local entre-

preneurs to gain exposure, while the organisers were extremely pleased

with Pico’s performance.

“Working with Pico has been wonderful! They have been diligent,

professional and easy to work with. They have delivered their promise with

such a high standard given the time constraints that we were facing to set

up the market. The entire team was helpful which reflected highly on their

performance. It’s such a delight working with a cohesive team like Pico’s.”

- Sheikha Muneera Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Acting Director of Social

Programs & Social Affairs, Southern Governorate, Kingdom of Bahrain

– Manama, Bahrain

The 2013 edition of the International Furniture Fair Singapore (IFFS), Asia’s

premier design-led furniture and furnishings platform, was held in early

March. Making its debut in 1981, the IFFS is regarded by industry experts

as the most distinctive channel for regional and international companies in

the furniture industry to penetrate the global market. This show marked

the ninth year in a row that Pico played a leading role at the IFFS. We

provided design and fabrication services for several exhibitors and

five pavilions spread over six halls - the Green Pavilion, Thai Pavilion, Anji

Pavilion, Vietnam Pavilion and Mozaic Pavilion. Our biggest challenge of

the show was to help one of our clients - Kenas - build one of the largest

booths at the show, at an astounding 3,000 sq. m. Pico helped activate

a number of green elements for the clients, including the Green Pavilion,

showcasing eco-friendly furniture products and materials employed by

various designers and companies. The Pavilion itself used paper pasted

onto a wooden backdrop, minimising the use of non-recyclable materials.

Pico is proud to have contributed to our clients success at this year’s IFFS.

– Singapore

International Furniture Fair Singapore 2013

Mobile M+ is a series of ‘nomadic’ exhibitions curated by M+, a new

museum of visual culture in Hong Kong. These projects explore different

possibilities of artistically engaging the public without the presence of a

building. Mobile M+ exhibitions are envisioned and produced as projects

that would not have been possible in a single museum building.

Mobile M+: Inflation!Pico was part of the latest M+ adventure: Inflation!. Working with the

Beijing artist Cao Fei, Pico helped create The House of Treasures (2013) - an

outsize inflatable suckling pig - celebrating themes of prosperity and

abundance. Visitors were able to enter the inflatable pig and relax

on inflatable seating. Once inside, they could look up to see lifelike ribs

installed under a realistic lighting effect.

The main obstacle to be overcome during the installation was the dramatic

and unstable monsoon weather in Hong Kong. Pre-show arrangements

including earth levelling, wind load calculation and counterweight

calculations were essential. Pico’s forte is communication and through

liaisons with different parties, all these variables were precisely worked out

and all weather-related problems avoided.

The House of Treasures was a nod to Hong Kong’s food culture, as well as

a fun interactive art experience for the public.

– Hong Kong, China

First seen in the early 1990s, ‘Supermalls’ are now firmly a fixture of the

Philippines’ retail landscape. These gigantic malls with huge floor areas

and numerous anchor stores draw in equally impressive pedestrian traffic

numbers. SM City Baguio, with a floor area of over 107,000 sq. m. is the

largest mall in the region.

Lenovo engaged Pico in the design and build of the interior of their retail store

in SM City Baguio. While a relatively straightforward project on paper, Pico’s

expertise was needed at every level to ensure an on-schedule delivery due to

the strict controls placed by the mall’s property management department.

With jurisdiction over all aspects of the interior design of the mall’s stores,

the property management department was closely involved on almost

every design point for the Lenovo project, including the logo design and

carpet choices, leading to numerous changes. Pico’s long experience in

managing multiple stakeholders helped broker a solution to all points and

the end result was a sleek, modern interior design for Lenovo.

– Baguio City, Philippines

Super Efforts Brings lenovo to Philippines Supermall

IMagEMaKER // SUMMER 201312

Advertising gurus have known it for years. Dada, the Surrealists and pop artists have made careers and fortunes from it. Like music, people all over the world respond to it. What is it? Humour! And it’s a very powerful tool to bring to the event and exhibition arena.

How often do we see it being used? I would say very rarely. Imagine our lives without humour. So why do we disregard it so easily when we think of creating storylines and backdrops for events? Why don’t we use humour more in an industry where creativity is supposed to be king? We often ignore the fact that making people laugh is a creative experiential moment. People open their hearts and minds.

Probably the most common misunderstanding that people tend to have about humour in design and communications is that it’s not as meaningful as serious strategies. This has been proven wrong by the insights and universal truths offered by humour used in its various contexts.

In advertising, messaging taglines and images that create the most resonance with target audiences often contain humour. It makes the message more enjoyable and memorable. That makes it great for branding and return on investment.

An event or exhibition should be a journey along a logical path that is embellished with careful attention to emotional as well as intellectual impact. The visitor should be engaged and immersed in a logical storyline that pays careful attention to tone and tempo. We can vary or even create a disruption along that journey to create positive emotions, smiles and laughs.

Of course humour isn’t suited to all situations. Usage needs careful consideration as to how appropriate it is in context and whether humour can be part of the ‘brand’ or the event’s personality. When used correctly, however, attendees will be able to better relate to the products or message. By making delegates laugh, smile or even just display a bit of personality, humour can really create a memorable and meaningful impact.

Bruce Head is the design director for Pico International in Malaysia.

Source: CEI Asia April 2013

http://www.cei.asia/Article/338524,its-no-joke-humour-works-for-events.aspx

Insights: It’s no joke: humour works for events - Bruce Head

Please visit www.pico.com for more information.

Edited, coordinated, designed and published by Pico Group. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording without the written permission of the publisher.

The photos shown in this newsletter were taken by photographers and cameramen commissioned by Pico, courtesy of our direct and indirect clients, and were chosen to highlight Pico’s part in our clients’ projects and to place it in context. While care has been taken to select the most appropriate photos, no implication is intended that all elements in the projects shown were done by Pico.

For information, please contact us at Pico House, 4 Dai Fu Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, NT, Hong Kong SAR, or call us at 852 2665 0990, or email to corp.info@hk.pico.com.

Pico awarded ERB Manpower developer accreditationPico has been awarded as “Manpower Developer 2013-2015” organised by the Hong Kong Employees Retraining

Board (ERB) of the 4th ERB Manpower Developer Award Scheme.

The ERB launched the first “ERB Manpower Developer Award Scheme” (the Scheme) in December 2009 to

recognise organisations that demonstrate outstanding achievements in manpower training and development as

Manpower Developers (MDs). Organisations that fulfill the criteria will be acknowledged as MDs. Through

the Scheme, the ERB has created a diversified, multi-faceted, and sustainable platform that fosters strategic

partnerships with Manpower Developers (MDs) to enhance the quality of human resources in Hong Kong. The

Scheme is the first accreditation system to assess the level of maturity of manpower training and development

strategies and practices of organisations in Hong Kong.

- Hong Kong, China