Trade Show Displays: Functional & Still Show-Stoppers
In today’s world of tighter budgets and a demand for efficiency, portable trade show displayshave to be as functional as they are show-stopping. The trade show industry is recognizing this also. Exhibitor Magazine has added “reusability” and “ease of setup” to their judging criteria but still expect to be impressed, saying, “It’s time to stop making excuses for dull design.”
You can have make a profound impression and still make a functional display. Here is one example from a 2010 event in Germany that may spark some creative and innovative ideas of your own:
Locking systems manufacturer Emka Beschlagteile GmbH & Co. KG gave a German designer some strict demands for a portable display that was, among other requirements, larger than 30 feet, setup in 25 minutes and able to travel by rail, truck or container. What the display company, Ueberholz GmbH, came up with was as stunning as it was simple.
They made a box.
The award-winning design was encased by a box-like shell that was, in essence, a shipping container. The shell then opened from the sides and top to reveal a beautifully-planned display area with all of the elements that good portable trade show displays possess.
It had a reception area, plenty of lighting, clean lines that highlighted the company (rather than the display) and plenty of space for the attendants to comfortably mingle. The design met all of the demanding requirements without sacrificing effect.
Of course, your next portable trade show displays probably won’t need to be designed to travel on a European rail car but the idea remains the same: plan for transportation, budget and effect. You will save yourself money by understanding the best, most affordable means of transporting your display and planning for it.
You can have your cake and eat it too. Brainstorm with your team about creative ideas and transportation ideas then single out the best from each side and combine them into one vision. If you take nothing else from this display example, consider the high expectations and the quality of the display that resulted. You can pull it off too.