While surgical lasers make neat incisions with minimal damage, they’re not so neat to demonstrate at trade shows. Obviously, live subjects are out of the question, and it’s hard to find an inanimate object that acts enough like real skin to effectively demo the laser’s precision-cutting benefits. So at the American Veterinary Medical Association Convention in Washington, DC, Lumenis Inc., a Santa Clara, CA-based manufacturer of medical and aesthetic lasers, solved that problem by turning to the humble tomato. Mainly water surrounded by skin, the tomato reacts like real skin when cut. So when attending veterinarians stopped by the booth for a demo, staffers picked a tomato from an in-booth bin and cut a perfect slice with the company’s laser. Who knew produce could produce such an effective demo?
The International Masonry Institute had attendees doing a double take at the 2008 American Institute of Architects Minnesota Annual Convention & Exhibition. A blurry sign posted at the edge of the 10-by-10 booth read, “Is your vision of masonry fuzzy?” When attendees put on a pair of 3-D glasses, the almost illegible sign morphed into a 3-D architectural rendering. The sign served as a visual metaphor for the new RAM Advanse 9.5 software, which allows architects to create, build, and examine virtual 3-D hybrid masonry/steel structures, all on the computer, adding a lot more clarity than even the best blueprint. Not only did the blurry graphic serve as an aisle-side traffic stopper, it gave booth staffers the perfect segue into conversations about the new software and how it can bring the big picture into focus for interested attendees.
Nancy Shenker, founder and principal of theONswitch marketing company, wanted to create an exhibit that was inexpensive and easy to transport, but one that would also demonstrate her company’s unconventional approach to marketing. So rather than enlisting the help of typical exhibit vendors, she found what she needed online and at retailers such as Target. Two inflatable couches and an inflatable chair in bright, translucent colors set the nontraditional tone and provided seating while two collapsible end tables completed the tableau for the 10-by-20-foot booth. Shenker scattered small bath rugs in the company’s colors on the floor and adorned the booth with matching Christmas lights, bowls of coordinating M&Ms, and sparkly fabric draped over the back wall. With the addition of four retractable banner stands, Shenker built a fun, brand-appropriate booth for less than $2,000. And what’s more, aside from the banner stands, the entire exhibit fit in a duffle bag small enough to check on a plane. An exhibit that’s light on your budget and on your back? Now that’s an affordable, unconventional approach.
Savvy exhibitors understand the importance of good press. Recognizing that bloggers are the new journalists, NBC Universal courted this new class of influencers at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show. Instead of simply targeting major media outlets, NBC invited influential bloggers to the Sharp/NBC Universal Multimedia Lounge, a 20-by-40-foot space adjacent to the NBC exhibit. The lounge, designed by experiential-marketing firm Jack Morton Worldwide, featured LCD televisions, a Blu-Ray movie area, and gaming stations. All told, more than 100 invited guests set up shop in NBC’s lounge, where they charged their laptops, connected to the Internet, blogged about the show, and recorded podcasts and Webcasts. As if that weren’t enough to create Web-wide buzz, Jimmy Fallon made a special appearance in the lounge, where he taped a few Webisodes to promote his NBC talk show. |
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At the 2008 Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association show, Exhibitus generated buzz — in more ways than one. The Duluth, GA-based exhibit house transformed its 10-by-10-foot booth into the game Operation. Staffers handed attendees a giant pair of tweezers and challenged them to see how many foam shapes they could retrieve from the cutout spaces in 60 seconds. Each cavity bore a caption tying the game to Exhibitus’ products and services, such as “Bone Up on Trade Show Marketing,” with an arrow pointing to the arm bone. If the tweezers hit the metal edge, a buzzer sounded and the patient’s nose lit up. Participants left the booth with branded T-shirts — and an indelible impression of the company rattling around in their head bone.
At a trade show, misplaced exhibit crates and cases are every exhibit manager’s nightmare. Terry Stalvey, business marketing analyst for Computer Sciences Corp., developed an easy and inexpensive way to remedy that problem. Stalvey spray paints her crates with green fluorescent paint, making them easy to spot, even on a hectic trade show floor. Talk about a bright idea.
When it comes to in-booth video presentations, most exhibitors take the typical route — displaying product and company information on been-there-done-that video screens. But at the 2007 GreenBuild Conference & Expo, the BC Market Outreach Network bypassed that conventional approach in favor of something a little more original. The company decided to present its information in a method befitting its role as a construction-material provider that manages and uses Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood. So it covered the back wall of its 10-by-20-foot booth with images of a dense forest and positioned oversized binocular viewers — similar to those found in national parks — in front of the graphic. Staffers from the BC Market Outreach Network invited passersby to look into the viewers, where instead of a panoramic view of the faux forest, attendees saw a video about the organization and its products. The unusual viewing method turned what could have been another boring promotional video into a far more intimate experience.
What's The Big Idea?
Do you have a clever exhibit-related tip? Did your last exhibit have an über-cool traffic builder?
Contact Janet Van Vleet jvanvleet@exhibitormagazine.com.
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