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When Invista headed to the Greenbuild Conference and Expo in Boston, it didn't ship anything to the show. Instead, the manufacturer of carpet fibers and polymers crafted its entire display from locally sourced and reclaimed items to demonstrate its commitment to going Green. The booth's 14-year-old Antron carpet, made from Invista fibers, came from a Boston university that had recently replaced it. The in-booth seating was purchased in Boston and was later repurposed inside one of Invista's customer showrooms. Plus, instead of banners displaying the company name and Web site, a local artist created signs out of used chalkboards and colored chalk. And booth staffers directed booth visitors to a chalkboard featuring the company's Web address, where attendees could download information after the show.
 Incident-command system (ICS) software doesn't scream sexy or memorable. In fact, a booth hawking this kind of tool, which is typically used by fire chiefs, practically disappears at a show like the 2009 Fire-Rescue International, which features every kind of fire truck, sprinkler system, and hose coupler imaginable. That's why FieldSoft Inc., which manufactures the AIMSonScene incident-command software, used a rather peculiar tactic to attract attention. It positioned an inflatable, 8-foot-tall, green dinosaur front and center in its 10-by-20-foot booth. The itty-bitty arms of the T-Rex held a yellow sign that read "Simple enough for any ICS dinosaur." The card also urged passersby to "Challenge us to prove it." Attendees couldn't resist the throwdown, as FieldSoft estimates that roughly 100 visitors, approximately twice its goal, stopped to ogle the air-filled oddity.
 It's easy to fade into the crowd when nearly every exhibitor
sells products that are nearly identical to your own. That's why Tim Roew, president of Washington Promotional Group, takes an unconventional route at the 12 promotional-products shows at which he exhibits every year. Instead of a pop-up or modular exhibit structure, Roew drives his specially designed pickup truck/exhibit into his 20-by-20-foot island space. Complete with a hydraulic-powered, now-you-see-it-now-you-don't component that pops up and out to reveal and later conceal his bevy of promotional products, the truck features deep-red metallic paint, shiny chrome wheels, and a gleaming customized grill with the company's WPG logo built right in. Not only does his highway-ready booth stand out like a ninja at a church picnic, since he drives it to the show and simply parks it on the show floor, he also saves money on drayage, transportation, and installation-and-dismantle labor - and attendees remember "the truck guy" long after he's rolled off the trade show floor.
A picture might be worth a thousand words, but printing those pictures can cost an arm and a leg. Eastman Kodak Co. wanted attendees at the International Consumer Electronics Show to know that "For every $5 spent on ink, Kodak gives you more." But relying on a conventional, two-dimensional graphic or banner stand wasn't likely to give its cost-effective key message the kind of visual impact Kodak was looking for. So the company dreamed up this three-dimensional, internally lit display to quickly communicate the efficiency of its products, comparing them bar-chart style to the average competitor's products. The simple, straightforward strategy wasn't exactly rocket science, but it was an effective way to communicate the company's "Kodak gives you more" message in less time than it takes to upload a digital photo.
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Instead of going for glitz and glamour at the International Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigerating Exposition, Rams Sheet Metal Equipment Inc. took a nuts-and-bolts approach to booth design. Built in-house, the shop-like exhibit featured the roll-forming equipment and hand tools that Rams manufactures. A giant duct made with Rams machinery framed the shop and highlighted two of the company's key selling points - a two-year product warranty and the fact that the products are made in the United States. The booth design not only allowed Rams to display its machinery, but it also showcased products made using Rams' machines. Plus, the booth felt like a well-equipped garage - the perfect place to talk shop.
 Size does matter. Or at least it did to Honeywell Inc. at the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo. To tout its pager-sized hydrogen-sulphide gas detector, the company created a mock-up of the device big enough to fit on Paul Bunyan's belt and hung it some 20 feet above the company's booth. The bright-yellow device acted like a beacon, drawing attendees to the exhibit and creating an easy topic of discussion, as booth staffers approached attendees to tell them about the new
offering. Now that's thinking big.
Sometimes the obvious solution is the most appropriate, effective, and efficient. Instead of paying to rent boring old exhibit carpet, FiFoil Co. Inc. covered its 10-by-20-foot booth space at the 2009 International Builders' Show in Las Vegas with its foil insulation product. The foil-covered floor attracted attendees' attention, saved the company an estimated $150, and provided an underfoot display opportunity that would have otherwise been lost.
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.
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