Exhibition booths are constantly evolving in terms of design, display and experience. Get inspired by some of the latest innovations observed at major trade shows around the world.
The notion of the “exhibit environment” is rising and the stakes are high. Booth design is a serious business and many of the major trade shows are giving much coveted awards for the best exhibition stand. The exhibition space is an integral part of modern sales and marketing strategy and eye-catching designs means not only more attention at the show but also greater visibility online, through the power of social media. Here are 10 inspiring exhibition booth examples.
Innovative Experiences
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Lexus at the L.A. Auto Show
Credits: The Lexus Hoverboard – Ride the Slide
Creative Agency / Production Company: Spinifex Group
Development: The Mill
Event Agency: George P. Johnson
Lexus took advantage of the L.A. Auto Show to premiere their brand new Hoverboard and designed an immersive experience to showcase it to their attendees. They modelled their trial skatepark set up in Barcelona as a 3D video game within which attendees were able to experience the Hoverboard on display. Participants were then able to download and share their video experience via social media, helping Lexus with the buzz around their product.
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Honda at the L.A. Auto Show
Credits: Honda Dream Machine
Creative Agency: Spinifex Group
Cannon fabrication and construction: Custom Movie Props
Event Agency (including booth Integration): George P. Johnson
Honda displayed an interactive smoke cannon, dubbed the “Honda Dream Machine”, to intrigue guests passing by their booth. Attendees were able to share their dreams via touch screens and become part of the giant LED screen with their selfie floating into the clouds, celebrating Honda’s brand slogan: “Your dreams power our dreams”.
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Lionsgate at Comic Con
Credits: Ignition Interactive
To promote its latest film “BURIED” at the Comic Con convention, Lionsgate designed a fully immersive experience by allowing attendees to relive the movie in real life. As the entire film takes place in a buried coffin, they set up a walk-in black box complete with disturbing and creepy sound and lighting effects and filmed the reaction of participants being trapped inside it. The video could later be shared via social media and created a powerful buzz around the movie.
Innovative Design
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Arper at Milan Salone Del Mobile
Credits: Arper
Identity and Branding: 2×4
Booth Design: 2×4 Madrid
Print Material: 2×4 and Wax Studios
The environment designed for this innovative furniture designer focused on the brand’s core principles: simplicity, clarity and humanism. The products were laid out in various real life situations and were displayed to provide unique photo opportunities to attendees, which resulted in a whopping 4,000 shares on Instagram.
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Promega at ESHG Glasgow
Credits: Photos Courtesy of Promega Corp.
Promega, a biotechnology company, focused on creating a booth identity totally contrasting with their brand image. The company transformed their booth by using an authentic coffee shop theme and used coffee beans to measure the reaction of visitors. Attendees were driven by the initial sentiment of surprise and drawn in by the engaging activities featured within the booth.
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Electrolux at Eurocucina
Credits: D’art Design Gruppe/ Lukas Palik
With the objective of bringing professional kitchen appliances into homes, Electrolux mixed the codes of sleek and flawless kitchens with household elements. Kitchen utensils, food and plants were part of the decoration and chefs and food influencers punctuated the event with keynotes and demonstrations to draw in the crowds.
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Gaumont at MIPTV
Credits: 2Heads Agency
To refresh their brand identity, Gaumont used an innovative design and focused on recreating the cinema experience for the attendees of MIPTV – the largest market dedicated to providers of entertainment content. They adopted the “unbooth” trend and created a designated area to provide a comfortable welcoming space to customers, away from the hubbub of the wider exhibition.
Innovative Display
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Lumenpulse at Lightfair
Credits: Steve Lerum Photography
Winner of the best booth awards at the 2016 Lightfair in San Diego, LED lighting provider Lumenpulse’s stand was recognized for its exceptional visual display and product presentation. Every inch of the booth was optimized to feature the largest number of products possible, whilst still providing a clear vision for the comfort of attendees. Products were laid out in real life situations and their technologies thoughtfully showcased as part of the booth.
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Rockshox at Interbike
Credits: Rockshox
Design: Mauk Design
Photo: Mitchell Mauk
RockShox optimized their booth space by focusing on key elements of the theme related to their product (bicycles). The four corners of the booth represented mountain slopes and each corner featured a space for meetings and storage. Showcasing a transparent mountain bike allowed them to highlight specific elements of the structure (eg. suspension forks). Motion displays demonstrating wheels riding over stoney terrain demanded attention and helped bring the booth to life.
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Hedge Gallery at the San Francisco Art & Design Show
Credits: Matthew Millman Photography
The Hedge Gallery space was all about contrast. By juxtaposing unusual materials such as steel and straw, the modern elements on display are highlighted and the tactile dimension is showcased. The rawness of the hay contrasts with the sleekness of the decor. By entering the fittingly named Straw Gallery, the participant is immediately surrounded by a quiet and calm atmosphere, especially with the acoustics of the straw walls.
More green exhibit booth ideas.
In Conclusion
Exhibition success depends on how well an exhibitor manages to attract leads to their booth. From involving attendees in immersive experiences to surprising them with dynamic displays and daring designs, every strategy to differentiate on the show floor should be admired.
Telling a story and communicating the brand’s principle and vision are common themes running through these 10 innovative ideas in exhibition booths. The real test of success is maximum attention at the exhibition and a wider reach outside of the show via the power of social media.