Oscar & Associates 庆祝成立八十周年：深耕展会摄影与视频服务

CHICAGO — In 2027, Oscar & Associates (O&A) is celebrating its 80th anniversary. This renowned, historic photography and videography service is known throughout the trade show industry and works with major events such as CES®, the National Association of Home Builders International Builders’ Show and the National Restaurant Association Show. 

Trade Show Executive (TSE) sat down with David Hofflich, President at O&A, to discuss the company’s founding, growth and what’s kept clients coming back. 

ANDREW: What inspired the launch of O&A?

DAVID: O&A was founded in Chicago in 1947 by Oscar Smokla. Through four owners, the name — and the commitment to service behind it — has endured. 

Oscar saw an opportunity to bring photography directly to events and important gatherings in the Chicago area. Processing and delivering photographs on location was groundbreaking and gave clients timely access to images of their events.  

That focus on service and responsiveness has remained central to the company ever since. 

ANDREW: Could you describe O&A’s evolution into what it is today and some key milestones? 

DAVID: O&A grew alongside Chicago’s events industry. In 1949, we photographed the Chicago Symphony. In 1950, we photographed the First U.S. International Trade Fair at Navy Pier in Chicago.

In 1960, we photographed IMTS and the Republican National Convention at the International Amphitheatre. We photographed the flower show that opened McCormick Place that year, beginning a long association with the venue and the trade show community.

Our work extended to major civic and cultural events, including Pope John Paul II’s 1979 visit.

For decades, fast delivery meant bringing portable darkrooms to events and maintaining an in-house lab with a full-time processing department at our Wells Street location. Producing photographs on site required considerable equipment, coordination and technical expertise. 

The shift to digital photography, beginning in the late 1990s, transformed how we worked. Lighter equipment and no film processing gave our crews more freedom to move, capture spontaneous moments and deliver images quickly. It also helped us expand nationally as clients saw more ways to use photography to market and document their events. 

Professional judgment remained essential. Knowing where to be, anticipating a moment and telling the story of an event are skills that come from experience. Today, we combine that experience with coordinated photo and video coverage, faster delivery and organized image libraries that help clients use their content throughout the year. 

ANDREW: What has kept O&A successful for all these years?

DAVID: Our culture, experience and reliability have kept clients coming back. They need to know that we understand their event, that our crews will arrive prepared and that we will deliver what we promised.  

At a live event, you often get only one opportunity to capture an important moment. 

In some cases, we have covered a show longer than the current organizing team has been involved. That history is valuable.  

We know how the event has evolved, what has been photographed before and which moments matter to the organization. 

We also listen. Every client has different priorities, and we work to understand what matters to them. 

Our photographers, videographers and operations team all contribute to making clients feel well looked after. That consistency is how you earn the opportunity to come back. 

ANDREW: How has O&A navigated major challenges and/or shakeups in our industry?

DAVID: Over nearly eight decades, O&A has worked through major changes in technology and the way events operate.  

September 11, the Great Recession and the pandemic were especially difficult disruptions for the entire events community. Today, AI is reshaping how we work.  

Our approach is to stay close to our clients and understand what they need as circumstances change. The move from film to digital taught us how important it is to adapt, and that continues today as clients seek faster access to content, more video and experiences that create authentic value for attendees and sponsors. 

We evaluate new tools by whether they improve the work or the client experience. Technology will keep changing, and we will keep adapting while maintaining the accountability and personal service our clients depend on.

ANDREW: Could you describe O&A’s work today and its philosophy?

DAVID: Today, we provide photography and video production for trade shows, conventions, corporate

conferences and exhibitors. We also create headshot lounges and help clients organize and access their visual assets.

Our philosophy is to understand the purpose behind the assignment.

Who needs the content? Where will it be used? What does success look like for the organizer?  

Those conversations shape our coverage and delivery. We want clients to finish an event with a useful collection of images and video that supports their goals long after the doors close. 

ANDREW: Are there any lasting relationships that you would like to highlight? What are their benefits and how have they grown or changed?

DAVID: We are fortunate to have relationships that span decades. More than 80% of our business comes from repeat clients, and more than half of our clients have worked with us for at least 10 years.  

Many relationships span 20, 30 or even 50 years. Our work with CES goes back to its very first show. We have worked with the Radiological Society of North America, AHR and others for more than 30 years, and with IMEX since its first American show. 

We are proud to have remained trusted partners as those events have grown and evolved. 

Long relationships give us a deeper understanding of an event and its audience. That knowledge helps us prepare, anticipate needs and provide continuity as organizing teams change. It also means clients have a production partner who knows their history and can help them build on it. 

For many clients, our role now extends beyond the annual show to regional meetings, video production, executive portraits and asset storage throughout the year. We have become a trusted extension of their marketing and operations teams. As AI changes how content is created, we believe authentic photographs and video of the people and experiences at an event will remain especially valuable. 

ANDREW: What were some highlights from 2026?

DAVID: One highlight was the range of international assignments we supported: PPAI® in Brussels, Exhibition Services & Contractors Association in Banff and Lions Club in Hong Kong. Those assignments brought together senior leadership gatherings, educational programming and a large international convention. We appreciated the trust those organizations placed in us. 

We also launched a significantly refreshed website to better show the breadth of our capabilities. Case studies featuring CES, American Academy of Dermatology and PMMI help explain how we approach different assignments and the value our work provides to clients. 

ANDREW: How will O&A celebrate its 80th anniversary?

DAVID: Our 80th anniversary in 2027 will be an opportunity to recognize the clients, crews and colleagues who have helped build this company. We are grateful to the organizations that trust us to document their events and create content that represents so much of their hard work. 

We will certainly take a moment to raise a glass, acknowledge the milestone and thank the people who made it possible. The best way we can honor that history is to keep doing the work with the same care and commitment that earned those relationships in the first place. 

ANDREW: What should organizers know about O&A and what it provides the events industry?

DAVID: We understand the pace and complexity of live events. Organizers need a team that can plan carefully, work independently, respond to changes and coordinate professionally with their staff, exhibitors, sponsors and attendees. 

We can deploy a team of photographers, videographers and photo editors for an event like PACK EXPO or visit an association’s headquarters for executive headshots and board meeting photography.

Our headshot lounges also give organizers an attendee benefit and a sponsorship opportunity.

We welcome early and frequent conversations so we can understand the priorities, plan the right coverage and help organizers get more value from the content they commission.

ANDREW: Is there anything else you’d like to add? 

DAVID: What means the most to us is the trust people place in us. Being invited back, being recommended to another organizer or hearing that our crew made someone’s job easier are meaningful measures of success. 

Reaching 80 years is an opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to O&A and to take a moment to feel proud. We value that history, and we feel a responsibility to keep earning those relationships through the work we do every day. 

O&A provided photography for TSE’s 2026 Women to Watch spotlight. To check that out, click here.

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