Game On
Dotmaya Private Ltd. was eager for visitors to the all-digital 2020 International Consumer Electronics Show to learn more about Maya, its artificial-intelligence-powered virtual assistant. So the company devised a gamified demo in which screen-based attendees "steered" a Maya avatar through a go-kart-like course and learned about the AI program's features and capabilities along the way. Participants that spotted and clicked on a gold-hued Maya hiding in the digital scenery were entered in a daily drawing for a Google Stadia video game controller. What's more, at the close of CES one lucky visitor received the grand prize: a Nintendo Switch Lite and the Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit mixed-reality game. The real-world giveaways no doubt left a lasting impression on virtual attendees. Off the Wall
Flat is forgettable, and boxy is boring. That's precisely why Vaddio LLC boosted the impact of its in-booth graphics at Integrated Systems Europe by adding a little dimension – and a trio of unexpected materials. Rather than simply printing its logo on tension fabric and calling it a day, Vaddio attached an angular assemblage of wood, metal, and moss to a massive wall positioned behind its reception desk. Meanwhile, a piece of clear acrylic held internally illuminated letters comprising the Vaddio logo. The layered, multidimensional approach made the display undeniably more dynamic than traditional silicone-edge graphics, effectively branding the space and beckoning attendees into the booth. Band of Brothers
If you're exhibiting at a trade show in Chicago and your company name has "brothers" in it, it'd be foolish not to seize the opportunity to leverage a little pop-culture cache by way of "The Blues Brothers." And the marketing team at The Gilman Brothers Co., a provider of foamboard and other print-ready substrates, aren't fools, which is why they went all in on "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues at RetailX (now known as the Retail Innovation Conference & Expo). Gilman hired a pair of Blues Brothers lookalikes to circle McCormick Place in their Bluesmobile replica and hawk the company's presence from the vehicle's signature rooftop megaphone. The classic cinema pair also posed for photos in the exhibit, and a few lucky attendees received chauffeured rides through downtown Chicago – which steered clear of any shopping malls. String Theory
It's tough enough to get attendees to stop by your booth once, much less multiple times. To accomplish that feat, Sysmex American Inc., a manufacturer of diagnostic equipment for the health-care industry, decided to string visitors along – so to speak – at the American Association of Clinical Chemistry's Clinical Lab Expo. Sysmex hired London-based pin-and-string artist Debbie Smyth to create a custom mural over the course of the three-day show. Visible from the aisle yet placed deep in the exhibit to draw visitors in, the 6-foot-tall, 17-foot-long plywood "canvas" attracted scads of attention. Attendees swung in to chat with the artist and popped by several times to monitor her progress as she hammered 1.5 pounds of pins and strung nearly 2,000 yards of black and blue string into a depiction of a cancer patient's journey from first consult to a happy recovery. The touching piece of art also painted a picture about how to generate return traffic. Trade Secrets
From stolen waste-pickup containers to outdoor refuse bins that have their contents strewn about by unknown critters, the subject of garbage is filled with mystery and intrigue – if one takes a certain point of view. That's why Rehrig Pacific Co., a maker of trackable and animal-resistant trash receptacles, adopted a booth theme for WasteExpo that was a mashup of James Bond and "Minority Report." Printed graphics designed to look like high-tech digital screens relayed information about cases of missing garbage bins and other phenomena; official-looking signage discouraged photos and note taking; and before attendees could get access to the Secret Weapons Lab (aka the exhibit's conference room), they had to sign a tongue-in-cheek nondisclosure agreement. Agent 007 couldn't have done it any better himself. Campfire Stories
Salesforce Inc. used Trailhead – its camping-themed series of online customer relationship management (CRM) tutorials – as the inspiration for the brand's exhibit at the National Retail Federation's Big Show in New York. And its on-theme booth theater, designed by Philadelphia-based exhibit house Sparks Marketing Corp., was a lure in itself. The presentation space consisted of 15 faux stumps for attendee seating scattered on a tan carpet inlay bordered by imitation stones and foliage, giving the impression of being nestled in an idyllic forest glen. A large monitor designed to look like a piece of white canvas stretched between two trees, and a wooden speaker's podium rounded out the campy experience. Selfie Sticker
Visitors to ConExpo-Con/Agg love sharing photos of themselves posing next to all the massive machinery. Unfortunately, not every well-meaning amateur photog captures a brand's equipment in ideal light. Metso Outotec Corp., a Finnish machinery company, ensured its polished rock crushers looked regal by placing circular floor graphics in strategic locations relative to the wares. Featuring white boot prints along with the company's hashtag and "Selfie Spot" verbiage, the decals situated attendees with Metso's equipment looking its best behind them. Visitors took improved selfies, and the #MetsoCONEXPO on the graphics increased the odds of them tagging their pics correctly.