With all the current “smart” technologies, trade show booths are also becoming smarter. Kevin van Burk, project manager at Eldee, sees developments happening in other areas as well. He has compiled a top 3 list of trends in the field of trade show booths that marketers should take note of.
LED Walls
“Whereas previously you were limited to a fixed screen size, now with LED walls, you can make screens infinitely large. This offers the opportunity to cover entire walls with your commercial or demonstration without any visible seams. Imagine the impact that can have! However, the impact depends on the content displayed on the screen. We can provide advice on the type of content, but it’s essential to work with an expert advertising agency that can also produce the content. The visuals must be of high quality, and your message must come across clearly. An example of a company that did this effectively is Haarslev Industries A/S. This organization provides food processing machinery and had two booths at VIV Europe 2018. In one of the booths, there was nothing but an enormous LED wall with a video. Haarslev employees were not present in that booth, so visitors could comfortably watch the video without any barriers. On the other side, the company’s second booth had Haarslev employees. They could see visitors from the first booth and could identify those who seemed interested in Haarslev’s products. Employees approached these interested visitors, which made a significant impact on them. They are still talking about Haarslev’s booth!”
Coziness
“While it has little to do with technology, a noticeable trend is that trade show booths are becoming cozier and more intimate. This is because the reason for participating in trade shows is changing. A few years ago, companies were more anxious about not being visible. Imagine if a competitor was at the trade show, and you weren’t there. The primary purpose of a trade show booth was to attract new customers. Now, as the economy improves, the reason is shifting, and companies are participating in trade shows more often to keep their existing customers satisfied. The booth is less about showcasing (new) products and more about networking and creating a cozy atmosphere. Companies want to offer their customers snacks and drinks and have space to strengthen relationships. We see more influences from hospitality interiors, the urban environment, and a ‘homey’ feeling. Often, companies are a bit more flexible with their brand identity. Different colors, for example, are used. Suppliers are responding to this by offering more options to add atmosphere to booths. We see less white and more anthracite and copper colors, as well as steel, wood tones, and green decorations. So you really get a bit of that living room atmosphere.”
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality (VR) is on the rise. By showing visitors a virtual reality, you expand your possibilities, as you are no longer limited to the surface of your booth. A good example is the ship designer and builder CIG Maritime Technology. This client offered visitors to their booth the opportunity to take a look inside a ship. The visitor could disable the hull, allowing them to look right through the ship and see how it was constructed. This offers much more experience than a ship blueprint, and visitors are unlikely to forget it. Moreover, a visitor with a VR headset attracts new visitors to your booth, as it piques others’ curiosity.”
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