Virtual Virtuosos

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Virtual Virtuosos
In March 2020, virtual exhibits were relatively new and exciting. But now, almost two years later, screen fatigue is real – and debilitating. These days viewers are far less likely to spend time perusing an online experience, which means an exhibit that intrigued a year ago would probably be ignored today. So whether your virtual exhibits are stand-alone projects or adjuncts of your face-to-face efforts, they must deploy a host of aha moments to captivate a been-there-Zoomed-that crowd.

To that end, here are three digital exhibits that deliver on current demands. Including everything from inventive designs to unique navigational capabilities, they provide inspirational kindling to help you evolve your online exhibits so they can prosper, rather than perish, in our new normal. By Linda Armstrong

PHOTOS: Global Experience Specialists Inc. (dba GES)

Urban Legend
Host: Crown Castle International Corp.
Experience: International Wireless Communications Expo
Creative: Global Experience Specialists Inc. (dba GES), Las Vegas, 702-515-5500, www.ges.com

When the International Wireless Communications Expo went digital, Crown Castle International Corp., a communications-infrastructure provider, needed a way to drive awareness and highlight the breadth of its offerings. Thus, marketers teamed up with creatives at Global Experience Specialists Inc. (dba GES) to devise an aesthetically excellent and highly navigable online city named Anytown.

When visitors entered the environment, they found themselves in the middle of a sprawling modern city, where soothing background music and pulsing hot spots beckoned them to click through the encounter. Content was organized via a plethora of broad product categories such as health care, financial services, fixed wireless, utilities, commercial real estate, and more.

The platform's navigational and functional capabilities further elevated the experience. Two ever-present buttons on the bottom right gave explorers two ways to home in on the content that best fit their needs. One was a map that displayed the entire city and showed all hot-spot options. The other was a list of all product categories, which featured small checkmarks to illustrate which zones each visitor had previously perused. Chat, sharing, and contact options rounded out the site.

PHOTOS: Hamilton Exhibits LLC

Double-Duty Introduction
Host: Zimmer Biomet
Experience: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting
Creative: Hamilton Exhibits LLC, Indianapolis, 800-688-9302, www.hamilton-exhibits.com

In early 2020, Zimmer Biomet's exhibit was all dressed up with nowhere to go. The medical-device manufacturer planned to debut its 110-by-110-foot beauty at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting. But just two days before the stand was to hit the road on its way to the show, the event was cancelled due to COVID-19. Instead of throwing a pity party, however, Zimmer Biomet and its exhibit partner Hamilton Exhibits LLC threw themselves into a whole new task: creating an online experience based on the in-person stand.

The immersive and interactive virtual environment allowed participants to navigate the booth according to their areas of interest and interact with displays, download marketing materials, watch videos, sign up for future medical-education webinars, and request more information. What set this concept apart, however, was the opening sequence, which comprised a virtual fly through of the booth. Along with the visual overview, the tour included narration from the company's group president. The tactic allowed Zimmer Biomet to communicate its key messages straight out of the gate while simultaneously whetting visitors' appetites for their upcoming encounter via virtual face time with the top corporate brass.

PHOTOS: Pinnacle Exhibits Inc.

A Whole New Landscape
Host: Hunter Industries Inc.
Experience: Virtual Engagement Center
Creative: Pinnacle Exhibits Inc., Hillsboro, OR, 503-844-4848, www.pinnacle-exp.com

Hunter Industries Inc., which offers a plethora of products for the professional irrigation and landscape-lighting markets, needed an online environment to keep its salespeople connected with customers amid the pandemic. However, rather than relying solely on product videos and the usual talking corporate heads, Hunter paired up with Pinnacle Exhibits Inc. and created a virtual engagement center that provided not only fun, interactive experiences but also a passport-style activity that kept attendees engaged for an average of 31 minutes.

Looking more like a corporate demo center than a traditional exhibit, the setting offered a host of zones, such as a theater, innovation center, meeting lounge, and more. While people could peruse at their leisure, a navigational tab encouraged them to visit a minimum of three different content areas to win a branded baseball cap. Along with viewing videos and presentations, attendees could complete one of three product-assembly puzzles in the encounter's innovation center. And in a brilliantly efficient move, the virtual space was designed so most of the featured content could be easily switched out, allowing staff to customize messaging to meet the needs of various audiences and industries moving forward.