Say Cheese
Polaroid Corp. knows its target audience enjoys being behind the camera. But at the 2019 International Consumer Electronics Show, it enabled them to get in front of it – as well as on top of it – for an in-booth photo op with a larger-than-life version of its OneStep+ instant camera. The supersized prop attracted plenty of attention from passersby, as well as a never-ending queue of attendees waiting to pose for a professional photographer wielding, you guessed it, a Polaroid. The activation not only urged attendees into the booth but also generated hundreds of images that extended the company's CES presence to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If a picture's worth a thousand words, you can bet these images were worth tens of thousands of valuable social-media impressions. Doppelgangers in Düsseldorf
To show off its multilayer printing capabilities at EuroShop in Düsseldorf, Germany, EFI Electronics for Imaging GmbH covered the floor of its stand with graphics printed using the company's technology. But because the graphics were so realistic, EFI was worried attendees might mistake the 2-D printed images for actual, 3-D materials. So the company added the text "These are not tiles" and "This is not wood" to the underfoot imagery, prompting attendees to take a closer look and consider how EFI's capabilities could fulfill their own graphic needs. Having a Ball
Adding bits of movement to an exhibit is a surefire way to attract attention, a strategy cotton-candy maker Fun Sweets LLC took to heart at the Sweets and Snacks Expo. In one corner of its island booth, Fun Sweets featured its tubs of cotton candy atop two display stands. But the real draw to the arrangement was the pair of branded beach balls that seemed to levitate by magic. The trick was pulled off by a fan hidden inside each box that provided a cushion of air. Like any good puzzle, the kinetic feature caused passersby to stop and try to suss out how it was done. Noticing the obscured fans, visitors had fun batting the balls from their cradles of air. Plus, the magical element served as a great icebreaker, leading to conversations about how the company's sweet treats elevate amusement at various occasions.
Flexing its Muscle
Wanting to show how its flexible piping installs faster and cheaper than copper tubing, Easyflex Inc. turned to a tried-and-true tactic: a side-by-side comparison. At the American Institute of Architects' Conference on Architecture, the majority of the company's in-line was taken up by two mirrored bathrooms that had recently been plumbed but lacked drywall. Each bathroom was identical except that one was plumbed with copper piping and the other was done with Easyflex products. Staffers explained that both projects had been done by the same plumber under identical conditions, and then led attendees to a chart that showed that although both projects required the same amount of materials, the Easyflex build had been completed in half the time, at less than half the cost, and using a fraction of the tools. The easy-to-see comparison surely provided the company with a steady stream of valuable leads. Raining Supreme
At the American Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) show, Kala Pharmaceuticals Inc. complemented the rollout of its Inveltys corticosteroid eye drops with a gorgeous waterfall of sorts. Along one side of its booth, the company had Access TCA Inc. fabricate a 10.5-foot-tall programmable water-wall display. By adjusting the rate at which particular streams of droplets were released, Kala was able to program the hydro curtain to create company and brand logos as well as key messaging in a brilliant artistic synergy of subject and medium. Booth Therapy
Nuance Communications Inc., a provider of artificial-intelligence services, had health-care professionals literally cuddling with booth staffers at the Association of Clinical Documentation Integrity Specialists conference. The love fest was the result of bringing in a pack of professional snugglers, i.e., a canine crew from Be an Angel Therapy Dog Ministry. Revolving teams of three dogs greeted passersby with puppy-dog eyes and wagging tails that served as invisible leashes, drawing attendees into the "cuddle lounge" where scattered ottomans allowed visitors to rest and hang out with the friendly canines – a proven stress remedy. And since burnout is on the rise among health-care providers, Nuance's tactic was just what the doctor ordered. In addition to taking the edge off, the dogs fostered a positive emotional connection between event attendees and Nuance and prompted many visitors to stick around for demos and meetings with sales reps. In other words, it was a paws-itively fantastic idea. Color Coordinated
When you've got a wide range of small products, it can be difficult to display them all while maintaining a clean, uncluttered exhibit. Flashbay Inc., a CA-based maker of customized promotional products and electronics such as USB drives and power banks, faced just such a challenge at EXHIBITORLIVE. So to display a variety of its gadgets and gizmos, the company created a tessellation of candy-colored squares on its back wall. Each square featured one item of a matching hue mounted within it, be it a pair of headphones, a fidget spinner, or a branded pen. Meanwhile, three wooden tables housed additional wares. The sleek design enabled Flashbay to showcase all its offerings without sacrificing style.