Scenic Cubes vs. Traditional Scenic Sets: Cost, Branding & Sustainability Explained

Event planners know the stage is the heart of any corporate meeting, convention, or trade show. But creating a scenic backdrop often comes with challenges: high shipping costs, complicated setups, limited branding options, and waste from single-use builds.

That’s why many planners are rethinking their approach and turning to Modern Event Rental’s 2×2 scenic cubes—a modular solution that outperforms traditional scenic sets in cost, flexibility, and sustainability.

Traditional Scenic Sets: The Challenges

For decades, corporate events relied on pipe and drape, scenic flats, or bulky stage backdrops. While these methods can look polished, they bring significant drawbacks:

• High Drayage and Shipping Costs: Traditional scenic elements are heavy and oversized, leading to expensive freight and handling charges at major convention centers.
• Labor-Intensive Assembly: Crews often need tools, hardware, and long hours to set up.
• Limited Branding Options: Pipe and drape may look clean, but it offers little opportunity for sponsor recognition or corporate identity.
• Wasteful and Single-Use: Many scenic flats are discarded after a single event, making them costly and environmentally unfriendly.

Scenic Cubes: A Smarter Alternative

Modern Event Rental’s 2×2 scenic cubes solve these issues by combining visual impact with practical efficiency.

1. Compact Shipping = Lower Drayage Costs

Each cube ships flat, minimizing freight size. At large convention centers, this can mean thousands in drayage savings compared to bulky scenic sets.

2. Tool-Free Assembly

Panels snap into place with no tools required, reducing labor costs and setup time. Scenic walls that used to take hours can now be built in minutes.

3. Flexible Heights and Layouts

Scenic cubes can be stacked up to 12 feet high and configured into walls, towers, or branded stage backdrops. This flexibility makes them ideal for everything from small corporate meetings to massive general sessions.

4. Brand-Ready Design

Unlike pipe and drape, scenic cubes offer clean acrylic surfaces that can be wrapped with logos, graphics, or sponsor branding. For added effect, LED illumination can turn them into glowing scenic features.

5. Sustainable and Reusable

Built with durable aluminum frames and acrylic panels, scenic cubes are designed for repeat use, reducing waste and offering a more eco-conscious choice for planners and brands.

Safety and Compliance

Planners often ask: Are scenic cubes safe for large events?
Yes. Scenic cubes are:

• Constructed with lightweight yet durable aluminum frames.
• Stable with internal connectors and optional weighted bases.
• Built with non-flammable acrylic panels that meet venue safety standards.

Scenic Cubes in Action

• Trade Shows: Branded sponsor towers and backdrops that stand out on the show floor.
• Conferences: Scenic walls for general sessions and keynote stages.
• Corporate Meetings: Flexible backdrops for ballrooms and breakout spaces.
• Product Launches: Brandable cubes that create dramatic reveal walls.

Why Modern Event Rental

At Modern Event Rental, we don’t just rent scenic sets—we design and fabricate scenic cubes in-house, making them exclusive to us. With headquarters in Chicago and nationwide delivery, we’re equipped to handle events of all sizes across the U.S.

When you partner with us, you get:

• Unique scenic designs not found anywhere else
• Nationwide delivery, setup, and strike
• Cost savings on drayage and labor
• Branding opportunities that elevate your stage presence

Conclusion

Traditional scenic sets served their purpose, but in today’s cost-sensitive, brand-focused, and eco-conscious event industry, scenic cubes are the future. They’re compact, tool-free, flexible, and reusable—making them the smarter choice for trade shows, conventions, corporate meetings, and product launches nationwide.

📞 Call 800-275-6015 or 📧 email rentals@moderneventrental.com today to bring scenic cubes to your next event.