For Exhibitors

Thank you for exhibiting at DAC! The resources on this page will help you to maximize your company's investment. Please visit often for the latest information.

DAC 2021 Exhibitor Town Hall Meeting – Save the Date – Tuesday, August 10

Join members of the DAC Industry Liaison Committee (ILC) and your fellow exhibitors for a video chat session to discuss the upcoming 58th DAC this December at Moscone West in San Francisco.
 
Tuesday, August 10 at 1:00 pm EDT/10:00 am PDT

Topics will include:

• Current health and safety guidelines for exhibit planning
• Update on co-located events
• Conference program update
• Update on hybrid conference opportunities
• Sponsorship and advertising opportunities
• Press and media relations
• Review of the Exhibitor Manual
• General Q&A

Watch for your Zoom invitation and plan to attend. If you did not receive the Zoom link, email exhibits@2021dac.com.

Exhibitor Update Newsletters

Periodic Exhibitor Update Newsletters are published by Show Management as a service to exhibitors participating in upcoming Shows. The goal is to share new and important information regarding the Show and aid exhibitors in maximizing the effectiveness of their exhibit. Exhibitors are encouraged to thoroughly read all Exhibitor Update Newsletters. An archive of these newsletters can be found on this site.

• July 20, 2021
• February 26, 2021
• February 16, 2021

ONLINE EXHIBITOR MANUAL

The exhibitor manual can be accessed at this link. 

Note: If you have not previously logged in to Freeman Online, you will need to set up a username and password.

The Exhibitor Manual is your resource for the successful implementation of your DAC Exhibits plan. Included are the rules and regulations, shipping and handling instructions, rental display options, labor services, and order forms for every service available to exhibitors during DAC 2021. Please direct any questions to ExhibitorSupport@freeman.com, or call 800.508.5054.

A few items to note:
- Material Handling information and order forms are forthcoming
- Target Move-In floor plans will be available in September
- Lead Retrieval ordering, as well as Exhibitor Registration, will open in September
- The Booth Suite Layout Form will be available in September

Be sure to review the Exhibitor Manual in detail well before DAC 2021 as there are numerous discounts and deadlines. Order through Freeman online by November 4, 2021 for the best prices. If you need assistance with Freeman Online, please contact them at 888.508.5054.
 

Housing – Convention Management Resources
+1 800-421-2499, +1 415-979-2287

Book through the Official Housing site.

Alert! CMR (Convention Management Resources) is the official hotel management company for SEMICON West & DAC Housing. No other hotel management company or travel agency is authorized to place reservations on behalf of SEMICON West & DAC. These companies have not entered agreements with the San Francisco hotels and are not able to guarantee rates and accommodations during the dates of the conference. Should you be contacted by any other agency other than CMR, please contact SEMICON West & DAC Housing at +1 800-421-2499 (U.S. and Canada), +1 415-979-2287 (International).

Unofficial Vendors

SET YOUR SHOW BUDGET

• Booth space, service costs, travel, etc.
• If you need help assessing general contractor costs, please feel free to ask the DAC exhibits team or the ILC Chair, Rob van Blommestein. 

SCHEDULE PLANNING MEETINGS WITH YOUR TEAM

• Define what is showcased and why it is important to your market (products, services, etc.)
• Who is the audience? Who are you trying to reach?
• Assign goals to event - select something measurable (leads, visits, meetings).
• What is needed to support company goals and specific DAC goals?
• How many people will you need at the show to maintain the booth during the show hours?

Exhibitor Timeline (subject to change)

February 2021

• February 1: Booth Payment due -remaining 60% due
• February 1: Penalty Deadline to reduce / cancel space after today 100%
• Date TBD: Convention Center & Hotel meeting space request forms due

August 2021

• Date TBD: Advertising artwork due for Exhibit Guide
• Date TBD: Program Listing due for Meeting Rooms if wanted posted on website and in Final Program

September 2021

• September 7: Conference Registration & Booth Staff  Registration open

October 2021

• Date TBD: Secondary Listing in Exhibits Guide for partner companies within your DAC exhibit space
• October 15: Rooming list deadline
• October 27: Early bird deadline for Lead Retrieval orders

November 2021

• Date TBD: Housing requests (based on availability)
• Date TBD: Advance registration for exhibit booth staff
• Date TBD: Suite Layout Form due 
• November 4: Deadline to receive discounted services from Freeman
• November 5: Exhibitor Appointed Contractor Notification and Certificate of Insurance
• November 12: Lead Retrieval advance pricing (See October 27 for early bird pricing)
• November 15: Audio-Visual advance rate
• November 26: Moscone Telecommunications advance rate

December 2021

• December 5 - 9: Conference Dates
• December 6 - 8: Exhibit Dates
• December 8: Carpet removal begins at 6:00pm and return of empty crates, dismantle 6:00pm - 10:00pm
• December 9: Dismantling 8:00am - 12:30pm

RESOURCES

• Booth & Display Regulations
• Labor Jurisdictions
• What is included in my exhibit space rental? 

DESIGN YOUR BOOTH

• How do you plan to demonstrate your product or service?
• Will you have monitors to show demos or presentations?
• Will you need space to sit down with customers?
• Will you have a live presentation?

BOOTH OPTIONS

• Option 1: Rent from the general service contractor, Freeman
  • Freeman can provide many exhibit materials, from basic walls to customized booths including furniture.
  • The advantage of using DAC’s general service contractor is that you will not be subject to material handling and shipping costs for materials that they furnish.

• Option 2: Rent from an exhibit house
  • Exhibit materials are more customizable, but you will have to pay for shipping, material handling and for set-up.
• Option 3: Purchase and use your own exhibit property
  • This could be a good choice for your company if you participate in several shows of a similar size each year, as you will avoid incurring repeated rental charges.
  • Before deciding to purchase exhibit materials, you should consider potential storage, customization, and maintenance costs.
• Carpet in your booth at DAC is mandatory. Do not forget to order carpet to match the size of your booth footprint. Your exhibit staff will thank you if you also add padding—it really does make a difference when you are on your feet for many hours!
• If you bring in exhibit materials and equipment yourself, independent of a contractor, please note that storing items of any kind behind your booth is NOT an option. This includes, but is not limited to: empty boxes, cases for pop-up booths/signage, giveaway items, and/or booth crates. Please make arrangements to store these items off site for the duration of the show.

SUITE SPACE PLANNING

One of the unique aspects of exhibiting at DAC is the “Suite Package” that is included in your exhibit rental fee (200 sq. ft. or greater). Design automation tools and software are complex, highly proprietary products that require in-depth discussions to fully explore your product’s ability to meet your customer’s needs. To address this need, DAC’s Suite Package offers you a simple, cost-effective way to build a meeting room within your booth space for private customer discussions.

The Suite Package is included in your exhibit space rental and provides the following at no additional cost:

• Smart Panel Walls with locking doors
• Carpeting
• Porter service (limited)   

If you are planning to use a portion of your booth space as Suite space, you are required to submit a Booth/Suite Layout Form (available in September) to the Official DAC General Contractor, Freeman. 

Suite space planning guidelines

DAC provides Suite space on the following basis:

• Exhibit space of 100 sq. ft. – no Suite space provided.
• Exhibit space from 200 to 400 sq. ft. – at least 100 square feet of your floor space must be public booth space.
• Exhibit space greater than 400 sq. ft. – at least 25% of your floor space must be public booth space.

Be sure to review the guidelines regarding your exhibit space in the DAC Exhibition Operating Rules and Regulations and plan accordingly. 

RECOMMENDATIONS

Show Management will provide access control personnel in the exhibit halls during the set-up period, throughout the exhibit, and following the close of the exhibit until the premises are vacated. Neither the Moscone Center nor Show Management is liable for, nor carries insurance on, exhibitors' property or fixtures. Insurance and liability coverage is your responsibility. Your exhibit materials and displays are your property. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that you take every precaution to protect this material.

Here are a few suggestions to keep your exhibit and articles secure:

• Ship in locked trunks or crates and sturdy containers
• If cartons are used, be sure that they are securely taped or banded and, under no circumstances, have any markings on the outside naming the type of articles contained therein
• Ship with a qualified trucker or forwarder
• All exhibitors should take extra precaution, even during the show, if they have highly sensitive and proprietary information stored on their computers
• Securely fasten all lightweight, high-theft-risk items such as laptop computers, cameras, calculators, stereos, etc. to display boards, or lock them in showcases. Personal items of value should never be left in an unattended exhibit
• Be sure to furnish your shipping company with an accurate account and a complete bill of landing
• Do not leave your booth unattended during set-up or move-out periods
• Cover your display after setup and each night before you leave
• Do not leave exhibit materials under tables or displays
• Never leave materials in containers to be stored with empty containers
• At the close of the exhibit, be sure to pack as quickly as possible, and do not leave your space unattended during this period
• Have one of your employees remain in your space with your shipment until it is actually picked up by a Material Handling Contractor
• Use black shrink wrap

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER

Below are some important reminders and tips to help you have the best experience possible as a DAC exhibitor.

LOGISTICS

• You must arrange shipment of your property to and from the show site. Use a shipping company that has experience with trade shows—it will save you many headaches!
• You will need material handling to transfer your freight from the loading docks to your booth at move-in and back at dismantle, where your shipping company will pick it up again. 
• You might want to consider using the logistics/shipping department of DAC’s General Service Contractor. If you use them, you do not have to worry about the move-in schedule. The cost might (but not always) be higher with other carriers, you usually get a discount on your material handling costs (10%), and you can be sure that your shipment awaits in your booth when you arrive.

SETUP AND DISMANTLE 

• Check the move-in schedule and make every effort to have your shipment arrive accordingly. If you miss your move-in date and time, you will be charged a different rate per pound of materials—usually 30% higher than the reduced rate offered for on-time arrivals.
• Order labor in advance, both for set-up and dismantling. Check with your exhibit house if your booth set-up requires a forklift in the booth. If you have a hanging sign, you will need to submit a separate rigging/hanging sign labor form.

ORDERING AND DEADLINES 

• To keep your show in budget, order all services before the discount deadlines as outlined in the Exhibitor Manual (available in July).
• Lead retrieval systems ordering deadline is earlier than that of the general service contractor.
• Do not forget electrical services and associated labor. This will be ordered separately from other show services and requires you to specify your required voltage and provide a layout diagram of where you want your electrical to be placed within your exhibit. On your layout diagram, be sure to mark:
  • Where you want to have the “main drop” of power—this is the location where your electricity will be brought in from outside your booth (typically centered at the rear of your booth). Depending on the exhibit hall, the drop could come from the ceiling or the floor. 
  • Where you will need other outlets placed in order to give access as needed throughout your booth.
• If you need internet in your booth, you also must order this in advance.

• Consider your goals for the show and focus your exhibit theme and messaging accordingly.
• Put your best foot forward! Design and prepare your graphics well in advance. All signage should be professionally printed for a neat appearance.
• It is generally better to use less copy (text) and more graphics on exhibit signage. Where text is needed, carefully consider font size: be sure that a person walking down the aisle (10 to 15 feet away) can clearly read and understand your message. Don't forget to include your company logo in a prominent location.
• Pay attention to detail! If you are using table linens or fabric backdrops in your booth, ensure that these are clean, free of stains, and in good repair. Press or steam them to remove wrinkles.
• Do not forget to order a cleaning service to keep your booth looking sharp throughout the show.

REMINDERS AND TIPS 

• To avoid disappointment, use DAC Housing to book hotel rooms/blocks for your group. Reserve rooms early—they often sell out.
• Exhibit vendors and show contractors will require a credit card to keep on file. This does not, however, many that it will be charged, as you have the option to prepay service orders by check or wire transfer, as desired, prior to show start.
• Bring a set-up kit with you for installation. Include Velcro strips, scissors, packing tape (to pack up after the show), cleaning wipes, markers, pens, and paper. 
• You may also consider a small kit with some amenities for your exhibit staff to have on hand throughout the show. Personal items like tissues, hand sanitizer, breath mints, and a small first-aid kit will make your staff more comfortable and help them to be at their best. 
• Don’t forget your business cards and any needed laptop/phone chargers!