10 Design Trends For Tradeshow Exhibits And Displays For 2009
During the rollercoaster year of 2008, several trade show exhibit design trends emerged – and will continue to grow in 2009. Most of these 10 trends boil down to 4 key benefits exhibitors always want more of: speed, savings, flexibility, and impact.
1. Pop-up displays edged out by more popular banner stands. The crown prince of portable displays used to be the pop-up. No more. Lighter, faster banner stands have changed the expectations of how lightweight and easy to set up a portabledisplayshould be. Thanks to their improved graphics, exhibitors are more willing to use three banner stands to define their ten foot backwall display. Bonus: banner stands offer more flexibility; three can be used as a backwall and exhibitors can use each individual unit on its own.
2. Fabric/extrusion systems become the rage. For exhibitors who want a more impressive look than pop ups and banner stands provide, there are a growing number of extrusion and fabric systems. These systems offer eye-catching shapes and can integrate trendier materials.
3. Mural graphics replace vertical carpet walls. Exhibitors now rely almost universally on the stopping power of mural graphics. There are many fewer “rug on the wall” portable backwall displays on the trade show floor.
4. More frequent graphics updates. Graphics are updated at an ever-faster rate to match the accelerated speed of new product introductions and the shrinking of product life cycles. And with the greater use of vertical marketing, exhibitors change their graphics more often to target specific audiences with exacting messages.
5. Video monitors used more often. In the era of YouTube there is a greater use of large screen video monitors, even in ten foot displays, to get attention and tell a story.
6. Turnkey solutions no longer a luxury. As marketing staff get squeezed to do more with less, even smaller-scale exhibitors are looking for more turnkey solutions for logistics such as online asset management, exhibit storage, and at-show set up and dismantle.
7. Custom modular exhibits reduce expensive drayage costs. As drayage charges continue to increase by double digits year after year, and shipping charges become harder to justify, custom modularexhibits continue to gain ground. Custom modular exhibits have replaced traditional custom designs for virtually all inline exhibits, most small island exhibits, and an ever-growing number of large island exhibits.
8. Modular rental exhibits most popular. Driven by faster product life cycles and branding revisions, and accelerated by economic uncertainty, there is a greater use of modular rental exhibits for exhibitor’s largest booth sizes. Flexible exhibit rentals help clients better manage their ever-changing floor space and show changes.
9. Modular exhibits more environmentally sustainable. In the search for more environmentally responsible exhibits there has been a greater recognition of the value of modular exhibits as compared to traditional custom exhibits. Custom modular exhibits are, on average, approximately 60% lighter and thus require fewer materials to make, and require much fewer carbon emissions for transport. By nature of the components they are made of, custom modular exhibits are much easier to separate into recyclable components at the end of their useful life.
10. Meetings set before the show. The entire interaction at shows has evolved. Because buyers study your company on the internet before the show they are further down the sales cycle when they arrive at your booth. Much of the emphasis has shifted from looking for new contacts at trade shows to hosting meetings with known contacts. As an example one of our clients recently built a 50 x 50 booth attendees couldn’t get into unless they already had an appointment. A meeting-focused exhibit tends to be more closed off and have more spaces for private discussions.
Consider these 10 tradeshow exhibit and display design trends as you plan your next year’s show schedule. Perhaps you’ll see things differently as you consider your next display design. For more ideas about exhibit design, visit www.skyline.com.
Michael Thimmesch has been a marketing maven at Skyline Exhibits for over 20 years. He is proud to have helped build Skyline Exhibits into the most recognized and highly respected brand in its industry.
http://www.skyline.com