Busy Planning Your Exhibition

Busy planning your exhibition?

If you are in the middle of planning your exhibition, here is a quick check list of current trends that are making their mark on the world of exhibitions this year. Are you exploring all the ways in which you can maximise your results of your trade show?

1.      Ipads and Tablets - you will see them everywhere as ‘the' means of gathering data and engaging visitors.

2.      Virtual attendance - twitter feeds, live streaming video and Skype means that you have to start thinking about the impact of your presence at an exhibition on those who are following remotely.

3.      Follow through - mandatory follow up email and phone calls are looking really rather jaded this year.  Companies are setting up event specific micro sites, online communities and webcasts to continue the conversation, and extend the impact and influence of an event for much longer.

4.      Gamification - this term was coined by the video games industry. It speaks of the increased successful use of competition, interaction and game dynamics to build brand loyalty and engagement. This is an idea that is really catching on - just think of the recent Weight Watchers television ad campaign - where people are now ‘playing Weight Watchers' rather than ‘doing' or ‘being on' their eating plan.

5.      Mobile - this is an obvious one to talk about, and with it comes location based marketing. Exhibitors are continuing to use mobile optimised content, QR codes, ‘share' value content. Also anticipate the use of voice activated interactions.

6.      Reduce, Reuse and Recycle is now really beyond just the concern of eco themed exhibitions.

7.      Cross-platform storytelling - whatever you are trying to communicate it has to translate across different media.

What impact do these trends have on the way you design and organise your physical exhibition space?

Perhaps you are considering reducing the amount of paper literature that you dispense, in favour of more interactive wall surfaces with printed QR codes or built in touch screens. In place of literature dispensing stands you might be considering having more plinths around which people can gather and connect.

You might be considering using a printed floor area with a game ‘trail' on it, that then links to the messages on the branded clothes your staff are wearing... a game that starts on your Facebook page, a week before the exhibition...

Get creative, have fun, and take advantage of this year's exciting exhibition trends. We are certainly impressed with the way our clients are experimenting with stands this year.