Trade show display

A trade show display is a graphic display device designed to be used at a trade fair or trade show. These may include table top displays, banner stands, pop up displays, flat panels displays, and other paraphernalia used to fill a temporary stall or booth at a trade fair or convention. The displays vary greatly in size, cost and complexity, but all are designed to visually represent a specific interest of the company. Trade show displays use bold images and catch phrases, in an attempt to attract visitors to their exhibit space, so that sales representatives can give a sales pitch or hand out brochures.

A trade-show booth often consists of a display designed for a wall surface, which can be a graphic image or a velcro compatible fabric, on which a wide variety of graphic images printed on substrates can be attached. These substrates include rigid or semi rigid substrates like various forms of acrylic and plastic. Trade show displays can also include structures that are suspended from the ceiling over larger the trade show booths. Exhibitors at trade shows are normally provided a 10 by 10 feet (3.0 m × 3.0 m) booth space facing an aisle, which has an 8 feet (2.4 m) high back wall consisting of 4 fabric panels that are threaded onto a telescoping aluminum pole and connected to the top of an 8' tall aluminum pole; one located on the far right of the back wall and the other on the far left of the back wall. Two more draped walls, both 3' high are connected from the back wall poles and extend to a 3' high pole positioned on each side of the front of the booth near the aisle. This provides the exhibitor with a pre defined area in which to present his or her company or organization, to visitors attending the trades show event. In this space, exhibitors set up a wide variety of trade show displays, tailored to their specific need, in order to present their services. Companies often rent exhibit space from show organizers and then, design trade show displays to attract the attention of visitors and attendees at the trade show.

Types of displays

There are many types of trade show displays / exhibits. Below is a list of the most common types:

Large companies often buy a custom exhibit to be used at different shows in different countries all over the world – a concept similar to the set of sound and stage equipment that accompanies world famous music groups on their tours around the world. Rules for construction of custom exhibits vary from country to country and even show hall to show hall.
For example, in Russia, construction of even temporary structures at the exhibition venues is treated in accordance with the Russian construction laws that mainly apply to capital development. Even if the custom exhibit has been used at other shows in other countries, its design and the credentials of the builder will be scrutinized by the organizers of the show and the technical department of the venue.[4]
Custom exhibits are transported to the exhibit hall in exhibit crates, skids, dollies, or sometimes via pad wrapping, to protect the exhibit properties during transport, and during set up and tear down (Installation & Dismantle).
Retailers with bespoke point of sale displays are seeing an improvement in visitor engagement and an increase in sales. Customers get hands on with products and statistics reveal that 75% of people who pick up a product buy it.

Types of display materials

Another recent trend from the manufacturers of trade show displays is that of utilizing a wide variety of building materials in one display such as laminate, fabric, metal, etc., to from what is called a "custom modular hybrid displays." One of the most aggressive manufacturers of trade show display systems which utilize metal, laminate and fabric in the production process, is Classic Exhibits Inc. out of Milwaukie, Oregon.[7] Many of the specific product names of the new generation of custom modular hybrid displays utilizing dye sublimated tension fabric and other materials are detailed in this glossary of products for the custom modular hybrid category.

Many newer displays are designed to reduce weight and setup/dismantle time, and utilize tension fabric graphics, typically using dye-sublimation printing. The most recent method for attaching these fabric graphics to modular aluminum frames is to use "SEG" or "Silicone Edge Graphics",[8] which employ a plastic strip or bead at the edge of the graphic that is pressed into a groove on the aluminum frame.

Apart from above displays, there are variety of displays used in the trade shows or any events. They are hanging displays, truss displays, retail displays, tower displays, fabric displays, etc.

Eco-friendly displays

bamboo promotion counter

Eco-friendly trade-show displays can be made from bamboo. Some of the features designed in mind when these products were made are eco-friendliness, and the natural look. The distinctive look helps attract potential client's attention to the exhibitors booth. Laminated bamboo has similar strength and appearance to hardwood, thus making it a good choice for high-end presentations.

These bamboo displays are a way for retailers to cash-in on bamboo's current eco-friendly cachet. Notable modern bamboo displays include bamboo banner stands, and exhibition equipment. Eco-bamboo trade-show displays include but are not limited to: promotion counters, brochure holders, banner stands and many more.

For years, the trade show display business was dominated by the notion of selling and owning one's display properties. There are a number of reasons for this including accounting realities and the cultural history of the industry itself. But, in recent years, this has all begun change. At one time, the notion of Rental exhibits would have been a category in the list above; that is to say that at one time a Rental exhibit would have been viewed as a type of exhibit, usually a property owned by an outside vendor (either the show general contractor, or an outside rental exhibit company), which are stock properties that are rented to the exhibitor in a standard configuration, or a modified version thereof. This is no longer the case.

Current thinking in the exhibit industry often treats rental and purchase as alternative financial strategies aimed at accomplishing different ends. These days virtually any trade show display of any type or quality can be rented or purchased.

In some markets (such as North America and Europe) rental provides lower initial (and even lower overall) costs due to costs of trade show exhibit ownership while delivering greater flexibility whereas purchase provides certain undeniable accounting benefits. Consumers of trade show displays in these markets must weigh their options to determine what works best for their situation. In other markets (such as most of Asia) raw materials and labor are priced such that rental is rarely competitive. This is due to the disposable Build and Burn approach which is so prevalent.

While it is true that any trade show display of any type or quality can be rented or purchased, there are still some types of trade show displays which are viewed as almost exclusively rental properties:

Display standard sizes and configurations

Trade show displays vary in size. While tabletop displays can be smaller than an average table or desk, some custom exhibits may be larger than a typical city block.

The typical booth size in North America is 10 by 10 feet (3.0 m × 3.0 m).[10] Exhibitors can typically rent space in multiples of the standard 10 ft by 10 ft space (renting two 10 ft x 10 ft spaces that are beside each other would form a 10 ft x 20 ft space, and renting four 10 ft x 10 ft spaces in a square would form a 20 by 20 feet (6.1 m × 6.1 m) exhibit space).

In Europe, and Asia, exhibit spaces are typically done in 1m increments, with the smallest typically being 9.8 by 9.8 feet (3 m × 3 m).

In either case, a "show floor" is "made" by arranging the various exhibitors based upon their spatial requests. Regardless of geography, the rental realities dictate that all displays on a trade show floor will fall into one of several configurations:

Geographic / cultural differences in approach

Differences in how trade show displays are approached vary on the locale: in South America, Europe and Asia it is much more common to have what is known in the industry as “build and burn” exhibits, which are exhibits which are fabricated and set up just for the life of the one show. In North America it is more common to have exhibits which are purchased, and then used many times for different shows before they are either re-purposed, or disposed of. In Europe, trade shows have much longer hours, and are more about having longer meetings and actually closing deals than in North America—therefore displays are built more to facilitate longer meetings, including more comfortable seating and hospitality such as food and beverages.

See also

References

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