Exhibition company launches modular ice cool bar system

Core Modular mostly provides exhibition stands across Europe, but found that the summer months and Christmas period were slow in the exhibition calendar. 

The company identified the need to develop a new product which they could exploit during these slow periods. Following wide-ranging research, they came up with an idea of a quick and simple to assemble wet bar which could fit in a flight case and be easily transported to events. 

The modular bar is unique thanks to two newly registered patents – one on the cool points and one on the chemicals in the cooler. 

These patented features mean the wet bar can be set up by anyone in just a few minutes and pours ice cold kegged beer in just 10 minutes. 

However, the journey was not plain sailing and the company faced barriers to launching the new product.

Even with research and prototype testing, Steve Clements, Managing Director of Core Modular, wasn’t confident about customer perceptions and how to market the product to the right sectors. 

innovate2succeed helped Steve and the team identify the products unique selling point and evaluate customers’ views. 

This led to a better understanding of the target sector and in turn helped the company to map out key routes to markets that could be quickly taken advantage of such as the Festival and Outdoor Show in Sandown and Showman’s Show in Newbury. 

Innovation specialists also worked with Steve to develop and optimise the company’s website and marketing strategy. Experts provided SEO support and helped them to create reports that will help inform future marketing planning. 

Speaking about the help received, Steve said: “It’s been so helpful. We are so ingrained in what we are doing, it always just made sense to us. 

“We needed to know that people who viewed the product understood what we were talking about and what we were offering. This coaching support helped us take a step back and understand how we look from the outside.”

Going forward the company is still developing its long term strategy for the wet bar. It’s considering whether to utilise agency staff to operate the bar at events or growing staff numbers to manage the increased workload. 

Steve and his team are currently in discussion with a number of local race courses and festivals and hope to secure contracts to supply them with portable bars.