The photo is a tri-fold promotional display that I made for my Sunday school class, Good News Class, for a Ministry Fair today at my church, Lovers Lane United Methodist. It required searching for and finding photos on Google and on my hard drive, figuring out how to transform those photos into 8 x 10 prints, cutting a section of lime green poster board for the class name description at the top of the display, gluing the letters on that poster board, arranging the photos on the display and gluing them on, cutting pieces of black sparkle card stock to form the frames on the photos and gluing them on, typing out photo captions on my computer, cutting them out and gluing them to the bottom frame of the photos. It was a lot of work. I was pleased that I figured out how to upload the photos to the Walmart Photo website, so they would be ready for pickup in one hour. That is fast technology. I now have a lot of appreciation for those who make promotional displays and exhibit them at trade fairs. Let’s learn more about them.
According to Wikipedia, a trade fair — trade show, trade exhibition, or trade exposition — is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products and services, meet with industry partners and customers, study activities of rivals, and examine recent market trends and opportunities.
In contrast to consumer fairs, only some trade fairs are open to the public, while others can only be attended by company representatives — members of the trade, e.g. professionals and members of the press — therefore trade shows are classified as either "public" or "trade only." A few fairs are hybrids of the two; one example is the Frankfurt Book Fair, which is trade only for its first three days and open to the general public on its final two days. They are held on a continuing basis in virtually all markets and normally attract companies from around the globe. For example, in the U.S., there are currently over 10,000 trade shows held every year, and several online directories have been established to help organizers, attendees and marketers identify appropriate events.
History
Modern trade fairs follow in the tradition of trade fairs established in late medieval Europe such as the Champagne fairs, in the era of merchant capitalism. In this era, produce and craft producers visited towns for trading fairs, to sell and showcase products. From the late 18th century, industrial exhibitions in Europe and North America became more common reflecting the technological dynamism of the Industrial Revolution.
In the late 19th century, the concept of annual industrywide trade shows gained traction, spreading from European manufacturing centers to North America. By the 20th century, specialized companies came into existence simply to manage the trade-show industry, and permanent trade show grounds or convention centers were established as venues that featured a rotating calendar of trade shows.
In the 21st century, with the rapid industrialization of Asia, trade shows and exhibitions are now commonplace throughout the Asian continent, with China dominating the exhibitions industry in Asia, accounting for more than 55 per cent of all space sold in the region in 2011.
Use
Trade fairs play important roles in marketing as well as business networking in market sectors that use them. People will seek to meet people and companies at their own level in the supply chain, as well as potential suppliers and potential buyers.
Generally, there will be a central trade show floor with booths where people exhibit their goods or services, and throughout the day there will be seminars for continuing education on matters relevant to the industry, like best practices, trends and regulation. There will also be some shared meals with keynote speakers and social events in the evenings. Booths range from simple tables to elaborate constructions.
Trade fairs often involve a considerable investment in time and money by participating companies. The planning includes arranging meetings with other attendees beforehand and resources to follow up on opportunities that are created at the fair. Costs include space rental, booth design and construction of trade show displays, telecommunications, travel, accommodations and promotional literature and items to give to attendees.
In addition, costs are incurred at the show for services such as electrical, booth cleaning, internet services and drayage — also known as material handling. This local spending on logistics leads cities to promote trade shows as a means of local economic development, as well as providing opportunities for local businesses to grow and attract new businesses to come.
According to Joe Delbridge’s January 20, 2020 article “Top 10 Best Trade Show Displays of 2019” at exponetusa.com, the best trade show displays don’t necessarily need to be the flashiest or most expensive. Often the most memorable exhibits are those that make the viewer feel something unexpectedly or stand out in a certain way from the competition.
Best Showgoer Experience – 2K Games
2K Games hypes the release of its popular crime saga, Mafia 3, by recreating a 1960s era New Orleans street corner, mirroring the setting for the game. Although the visuals alone are impressive, 2K went a step further and included a live jazz band, fortune tellers and a Mardi Gras party to give fans an unforgettable experience.
Focusing your exhibit on fun will make your business memorable and will set you apart as one of the best trade show displays.
Best Accessibility – PharMerica
Bottlenecked foot traffic blocking access to a booth on a show floor is obviously undesirable. PharMerica circumvents this issue entirely with a sweeping 3-D design and open archways.
It keeps the layout simple with a few desks and couches, but the intriguing design provides both a large promotional platform as well as open access to the displays and exhibitors below. PharMerica is a great example of how stellar design work and planning make the best trade show displays both attractive and functional.
Best Use of Technology – Brazil
The official delegation of Brazil made a splash at the South by Southwest Conference with its interactive wall displays.
Designed by Matrix Visual, the two wall displays featured a continuous stream of social media posts via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter connectivity; all visitors had to do was post using the hashtag #BrasilAtSXS, and they could instantly see their musings displayed.
Creatively implementing technology and social media into your exhibit allows you to extend your reach beyond the showroom. Pictures and posts about your display help drive online discussion and awareness of your brand.
Best Use of Lighting – Philips
Good lighting is crucial for visibility in a display, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with your lights in the process.
This Philips display from PlexGroup makes use of colored spotlights, projections of x-ray images and digital displays to really create an eye-popping effect.
When planning displays, there’s more to consider than overhead lighting alone; consider areas where incorporating backlights, spotlights or LED boards makes sense. Just don’t do strobes; you’re not at a rave.
Best Visual Effect – Studio Dega
Something as simple as playing with angles can really make for a stunning visual effect.
Russian design firm Studio Dega created this mind-bending display by tilting back a giant rack of orange luggage and setting it on a diagonal. It’s a small adjustment, but it defies expectations enough to force showgoers to do a double-take and question their sanity!
If you have a product or service that does not lend itself well to demonstrations or displays, you can still compete with the best trade show displays by making bold and unexpected design choices.
Most Creative – Nintendo
When it comes to creativity, it’s hard to top Nintendo and its all-star lineup of video games.
After revealing the trailer for “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at E3,” it further surprised fans with a playable demo inside a fully realized display of Hyrule!
While the announcement itself got fans jumping for joy, Nintendo went above and beyond in making its display fun and memorable for fans who’ve poured hours of their blood, sweat and tears into the games they love. Making your display focused on enjoyment and rewarding loyal customers will go a long way in crafting a memorable trade show display.
Best Use of Greenery – Sempre
Showrooms are commonly dark and crowded affairs, and visitors often spend an entire day indoors. A little greenery can go a long way in drawing attention and can be refreshing to attendees after walking around the show floor all day long.
Sempre, a Belgian furniture retailer, created an all-natural hanging garden cafe to create a calming and comfortable space for visitors, a trait many of the best trade show displays share.
Even if your business has nothing to do with gardening or outdoor activities, small potted plants can bring some life to your trade show display. Plus, the showroom can generate some funky smells; spruce it up with fresh flowers.
Best Hands-On Experience – Toyota
Toyota gives showgoers an adrenaline rush with its off-road driving course! Riders were able to experience the capabilities of new Toyota vehicles — with the help of a professional driver — while overcoming obstacles such as this giant lumber seesaw and steeply inclined ramps.
If you have enough space available, try to build a demonstration area and stage scenarios where showgoers can see your product in use. The best trade show displays often let customers get hands-on with products.
Best Product Showcase – Intel
Intel displayed its line of new data measurement technologies in a futuristic tech display at the Consumer Electronic Show.
Intel’s exhibit featured products that highlighted tech developments in four separate markets: Creativity, Sports, Gaming and Health & Wellness. Showgoers could fly drones, take 360-degree videos and interact with motion-tracking displays — all powered by Intel innovations.
Putting showgoers in situations where they would use your products in their everyday lives is a fantastic way to demonstrate the value of your business in just one event.
Best “Wow!” Factor – LG
LG makes wonderful use of its high-quality screens in an awe-inspiring tunnel of displays. The colorful images of the cosmos make sense by showing off the power of LG’s 4K televisions and stands out against the monochromatic or all white displays of competitors.
That isn’t to say your booth should look like a futuristic Jackson Pollock painting; try to find strategic uses of color that make sense for your business and really pop against the dark background of a show floor. LG cracks our list of best trade show displays because of its amazing blend of technology and color, showcasing the best its products have to offer.
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