Hold the Phone
There was nothing stranger on the show floor at the American Institute of Architects' Conference of Architecture than Rockwool International A/S's British-style phone booth located in the back of the exhibit hall and far from the company's stand. Attendees wandering the aisles happened upon the branded sponsorship attraction and paused long enough to read the nearby sign stating, "Step inside for your chance to win!" The interior of the booth was lined with Rockwool sound-dampening insulation that muffled the show-floor din. Two digital readouts above the telephone tracked the decibel levels inside and outside the booth in real time, revealing the dramatic difference. Soon after attendees stepped inside, the phone rang, and those that answered the call listened to a 30-second recording explaining how Rockwool solves noise problems in commercial and residential buildings. The monologue ended with a call to action to grab a ticket – which was printed out below the telephone – and take it to the Rockwool booth for a chance to win a smart thermostat. Tunnel Vision
Instead of just showing or telling booth visitors about a product, many exhibitors are looking for ways to make attendees engage with their offerings in memorable ways. Epson Europe B.V. did exactly that at Integrated Systems Europe with what it dubbed the Epson Vortex. Comprising 16 of Epson's laser projectors and a multichannel audio soundtrack, the mesmerizing tunnel attracted attendees like moths to a flame. The highly Instagrammable activation not only generated booth traffic but also illustrated Epson's laser matrix mapping and underscored how seamlessly the company's products can be integrated to create innovative, immersive environs. Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
To demonstrate the myriad environments suitable for its refrigeration units, Epta S.p.A. set up a couldn't-miss projection-mapping display at EuroShop. It crafted a roughly 15-by-25-foot room of sorts, the front of which had a waist-high wall. Inside, a 12-foot-long refrigeration unit sat front and center. Throughout the show, a projection-mapping system morphed the scene from one environment and refrigeration use to another. For example, at one point the background showed an icy landscape complete with penguins and a freezer full of frozen fish. Shortly thereafter, the scene transformed into what appeared to be a restaurant and a refrigeration unit full of well-chilled buffet offerings. The ever-changing display both caught attendees' eyes and helped them immediately envision the countless ways they might put Epta's products to use in their own retail environments. Promotional Prescription
Marketing products on the trade show floor isn't easy, and promoting intangible services can be even more challenging. So imagine the difficulty Imec Inc. faced when trying to showcase the mere idea of a yet-to-be-developed technology. The research-and-development firm, which specializes in nanoelectronics, wanted to prime attendees at the 2019 International Consumer Electronics Show for a future in which its miniscule technologies would be the foundation for ingestible sensors that help users detect illnesses and analyze nutritional health. But rather than assembling the kind of data- and text-heavy posters one might find at a scientific conference, Imec intrigued passersby with a provocative promotional item. Staffers distributed faux pill bottles printed with the company's logo and the phrase "It's time to eat the sensor!" A URL on the bottle's label promised additional information for those interested in learning more about ingestible sensors. Despite the fact that Imec's bottles contained everyday mints rather than futuristic sensors, the giveaway served as an icebreaker that initiated countless conversations with staffers and a parting gift that left a good taste in recipients' mouths. Comfort Food
Too often exhibit managers take a purely utilitarian view of in-booth seating and simply use whatever is available in a rental company's inventory. That means there's plenty of couch space for those looking to differentiate themselves with nothing more than a few unique pieces of furniture. Just ask Barcel USA, the snacks division of Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV, which used seating to stand out among its competitors at the Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago. Eschewing blasé benches, Barcel gave new meaning to "comfort food" with a faux powdered-doughnut chair with a half-eaten base, a partially consumed muffin armchair, cupcake stools, and chocolate-cake benches. Visitors clamored into the booth for photo ops with the clever props, giving staffers plenty of time to share Barcel's other delicious offerings. Red-Letter Day
Hoping to lure EXHIBITOR-LIVE attendees into its space, Czarnowski Display Service Inc. opted for low-tech, curiosity-inducing bait. Throughout the exhibit, marketers crafted a series of messages that, to the naked eye, looked like red and blue letters randomly stacked atop each other. Intrigued attendees stopped to ponder the mishmash of text, and that's when staffers swooped in and offered them a pair of red-tinted secret-decoder-style glasses, which when worn blocked out the blue letters and revealed key messages in red text. For example, when viewed through the glasses, an otherwise hodgepodge of text transformed into "No people, no Czarnowski" – a directive highlighting the importance of the firm's employees and their connections with clients. The old-school yet engaging tactic emphasized the organization's creative capabilities and enticed countless attendees inside the exhibit to learn more. Auto Focus
To celebrate its 75th anniversary at Interbike Marketweek, Thule Inc. decided to take a conceptual road trip back to 1963, when the company debuted its first ski rack. Mounted to the top of a 1965 Volvo Amazon, which was displayed on the exhibit's upper deck, the original rack underscored Thule's long history of serving the outdoor-enthusiast community. Meanwhile, positioned in front of the elevated car was a 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan sporting the brand new Thule Evo system. By contrasting the past with the present, Thule told a story about its product's long history without uttering a single word.