May 2011

ammunition

Revving up awareness for your product is never easy, especially at an event like the International Consumer Electronics Show, where hundreds of high-tech wonders are battling for attendees' attention. And if you're unable to attract people to your company's exhibit, your product launch is likely to land with a thud. That's why Park City, UT-based Skullcandy Inc., a maker of headphones, earphones, hands-free devices, MP3 players, and other "audio-enabled lifestyle products," promoted its line of midrange headphones, dubbed 2XL, with all the flair of a NASCAR event. Complete with scantily clad models as crowd gatherers, and a slot-car race track taking center stage, the Skullcandy exhibit attracted attendees who took their turn controlling one of a half-dozen branded race cars, each painted to resemble a different model of 2XL headphones. The activity drew the company's mostly male target audience like moths to a flame, especially the tech-minded gamer types, generating buzz galore. And since crowds beget crowds, the booth was among the most heavily trafficked spaces in the Las Vegas Convention Center's South Hall. All told, the audience-appropriate activity - combined with its product-centric automobile art - helped Skullcandy launch its 2XL line into the fast lane. Spanish clothing brand Desigual wanted to make a splash at the 2010 Magic Marketplace, so it decided to break out of the siesta-inducing norm and wake people up to the sounds and succulent flavors of its home country. While most exhibits at the show were quiet by comparison, the Desigual booth was blasting with Euro-techno beats. But the piece de resistance of the company's booth promo was an appetizing offer: Passersby could grab a glass of Spanish wine and sample a slice of Spanish ham cut thin by a knife-wielding staffer right there in the booth. Also up for grabs: Spanish cheeses, Spanish bread, and bite-size pieces of Spanish pineapples. Viva España!		Everyone is looking for the next best thing in exhibiting, and quick-response codes (aka QR codes) are in the running. The small, black-and-white codes can be photographed by anyone with a smart phone and a barcode-reader app. Once photographed, the code links to online content, such as a video on YouTube or a corporate website. Kohler Co. took advantage of this technology during the 2010 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show. The company placed QR codes next to select faucet, toilet, shower, and sink displays. Once an attendee snapped a photo of the code with his or her smart phone, a product-specific page was displayed featuring product photos, dimensions, available finishes, a downloadable rough-in guide, and more. In other cases, the QR codes linked to YouTube videos of that particular product in use. By using QR codes in lieu of in-booth demos and collateral literature for some of its products, Kohler decreased the need for printed lit, as well as the amount of plumbing and running water it needed for its exhibit - and the associated labor costs - without limiting the attendee experience. Want to display an array of photos but don't have the cash for spendy monitors? Then purchase digital photo frames, load 'em with your photos, and integrate them into your exhibitry. That's what Nomadic Display did at EXHIBITOR2010. It placed four fabric structures on four corners of its exhibit and attached a 5-by-8-inch digital frame loaded with photos of its products to each. Talk about a picture-perfect solution. Digital catalogs and online pressrooms are nothing new to the exhibit-marketing industry, but Megaman, a brand of energy-saving lamps manufactured by Neonlite Electronic & Lighting (HK) Ltd., didn't just direct attendees to a URL and hope they'd remember it when they returned home. Instead, the company created little, literal leaflets to distribute at Lightfair International 2010. The crinkled, green, leaf- shaped cutouts were printed with realistic leaf graphics on both sides, while the tops bore Me- gaman's logo and the URL for its 2010 online product catalog. The online catalog lightened both Megaman's and attendees' loads, compared to traditional printed catalogs. Plus, the unique shape and size of the leaflet (about 6-by-3 inches) made it stand out from attendees' stacks of conventional business cards, while simultaneously underscoring the eco-friendly attributes of Megaman's products.
		What's The Big Idea? Do you have a clever exhibit-related tip? Did your last exhibit have an über-cool traffic builder? Contact Travis Stanton at tstanton@exhibitormagazine.com.