Schedule
Will it arrive on schedule?
We work back from your load-in — including the ones at two in the morning.
Who We Serve — Marketing Agencies
It’s your client’s brand on the line. Not just your freight.
A mall at ten at night. An outdoor venue on a Sunday. A street corner at a time somebody permitted three months ago.
We’ve been delivering to these locations for 35 years.
35 yrsshipping to activations, roadshows and brand events
After-hoursovernight, weekends and holidays by arrangement
1 coachwho re-briefs your new coordinator, not you
Three questions, answered before you ask
Accountability
Will it arrive at all?
One coach owns the whole tour, and will help manage the route step by step.
Condition
Will it arrive in one piece?
Palletized and plastic-wrapped on our end. We’ve moved crates, structures, mannequins — please, just no unpacked foam letters!
What makes an activation different
An activation isn’t a trade show. The address, the clock and the route all work differently.
Where it actually goes
Mall concourseParking lotPermitted sidewalkLoading dock
The address isn’t a venue
A mall concourse, a parking lot, a permitted stretch of sidewalk. Common carriers are built for docks and business hours.
One window, no second attempt
2–4 AM load-in
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
The time is the product
If the window is wrong there is no second attempt — the activation just doesn’t happen.
Mall to mall
Mall 1About ten in a rowMall 10
City after city
We shipped the Heart Truth Red Dress campaign mall to mall, about ten in a row, and moved Gallo’s roadshow between outdoor venues.
Between events
This stop→NorthStar storage→Next stop
Nowhere to store it between stops
Nobody wants a build sitting in the studio for six weeks. We store it between events and ship it to the next stop.
If any of this sounds familiar…
“Communication keeps breaking down”
Between the venue, the client, the build team and whoever’s driving.
“Three activations running at once”
Different cities, different dates, same small team.
“The person who knew how to do this shipping stuff left”
We understand, you’re a creative shop, not a logistics company.
That’s the whole reason to partner with a specialized shipping firm.
How it works
Three steps, one point of contact for the whole tour.
1
Start the conversation
The route, the dates and what’s moving. Rough outline is fine.
2
We ask the questions nobody asked you
Each site, each load-in window, the freight itself.
3
Every stop lands on time
Your client sees the activation, not the logistics.
NorthStar 360
Never miss a shipping deadline again
Share the tour calendar and we’ll reach out ahead of each event.
There is no cost for NorthStar customers.
Learn about 360Your tour calendarExample
Stop 1 · Mall concourseLoad-in Thu 10:00 PM
Coach checked in
Stop 2 · Outdoor venueLoad-in Sun 6:00 AM
Coach checked in
Stop 3 · Permitted sidewalkLoad-in Tue 2:00 AM
Coach reaching out
Stop 4 · Mall concourseLoad-in Fri 9:00 PM
Next up
Frequently asked questions
How does this actually work?
Send your coach the route, the dates and what’s moving. We come back with questions about each site, each load-in window and the freight itself. Then we pick up, palletize, deliver. Lather, rinse.. & we’ll hold the build between stops if needed and bring it home at the end of the tour.
Can you deliver at night or on weekends?
Yes. Overnight, weekend and holiday deliveries can be arranged — holidays carry an extra charge. We plan backwards from your load-in time, whether that’s Sunday afternoon or two in the morning.
Somewhere that isn’t a venue — a mall, a lot, a street?
That’s most of what activations are. Before the truck rolls, your coach confirms access, the permitted window, where the truck can stand, and whether a liftgate or extra crew is needed.
Can you store our client’s materials between events?
Yes. Short and long-term storage keeps the build out of your studio, and your coach ships it straight from storage to the next stop.
Start the conversation.
Email your Shipping Coach directly — shippingcoach@northstarexpress.com