Great Trade Show Branding We Saw at IMEX America 2019
The Dana team just returned from our longtime client ninth聽edition in Las Vegas. As always, this biggest-and-best-in-the-US trade show for the incentive travel, meetings and events industry rivaled its host city in spectacular brand exposure and oh-so-flashy fun.
And that means it鈥檚 time to bookend our blog series on effective trade show marketing. We hope it helped you maximize your experience at IMEX America and will continue to do so everywhere else you鈥檙e exhibiting. Use it well!
We rounded up some of our top picks for trade show branding.
While working, we traveled the trade show floor about a billion times鈥攁nd seemingly covered just as many miles. That gave us oodles of opportunities to check out exhibitors鈥� trade show branding choices in their booths, activities and sponsorships.
Below, we鈥檙e sharing the ones that caught our close attention. You鈥檒l notice that in addition to standing out from the very large crowd, they all obey our #1 Cardinal Rule for Trade Show Branding: Stay true to your brand.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts |聽From prevalent signage in the escalator and foyer areas, to brand sponsorships, to a bustling booth and can鈥檛-miss-it brand activation on the show floor, Hilton really made a splash. We especially loved 鈥淐entury Falls,鈥� adjacent to their booth, which tied together their 鈥�100 Years of Hospitality鈥� anniversary campaign, water stewardship and environmental missions and wellness messages.
This walk-through 鈥渘ature鈥� trail surrounded a colossal digital waterfall, complete with the soothing sound of rushing water. It featured a pledge to join the Cupanion 鈥淔ill It Forward鈥� movement: In exchange for avoiding single-use bottles, we received a free reusable bottle. We continue to scan the tag each time we refill it, and clean water is donated to a person in need.
We posed at the GIF photo station and paused for the finale: a beverage station with chef-created water infusions, a QR code to get the recipes and a strong call to action to share our experience on social media.
Hyatt |聽A (silent) shout-out to Hyatt and their nearby inflatable Meditation Station, a multisensory sampling of their well-being amenities. We tried out this amazing brand activation when it made its debut at IMEX in Frankfurt. This show, though, they stepped up their game, adding even more elements, like space to Feel (Meditate), Fuel (Hydrate) and Function (Relax & Recharge).Munich Convention Bureau | If ever there were a stop that imparted a sense of place, it鈥檚 one of our enduring favorites, the unique Munich booth! Evoking a sunny biergarten with long tables topped with Bavarian pretzels and beer glasses, everyone wants to hang out here.
A maypole mimics the legendary city landmark, but features flags with booth partner names and logos. Even better, the booth is staffed by charismatic brand ambassadors. They don dirndls and lederhosen, cheerfully invite passersby in to this virtual Oktoberfest and offer well-branded freebies that complement the 鈥淪imply Munich鈥� tagline.
Greater Palm Springs CVB |聽We always pop into Palm Springs, another perennial Dana favorite. This year, they built an actual mid-century modern home鈥攖he city鈥檚 quintessential architectural style and a huge draw to the destination鈥攔ight on the show floor. Indoors and outdoors, the setup truly welcomes 鈥済uests鈥� to slip into Palm Springs chic. And that perfect, pretty pink door? A must-stop photo op!Lots of Southwest USA Destinations |聽Very honorable mentions go to the Southern California exhibitors Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (consistently cool branding), Santa Monica Travel & Tourism (that iconic sign and beachy theme) and Visit Newport Beach Inc. (鈥渂oat鈥� seating in front of a digital video screen takes you there).
Thumbs up, as usual, to Destination Colorado鈥檚 cozy, 鈥榬ound-the-campfire setting and Visit Austin鈥檚 authentically funky booth artwork and CD giveaway featuring Austin musicians.
Let鈥檚 take a look at YOUR trade show branding!
Show us what you got, and we鈥檒l see how to make it the best. Email Lynn Kaniper at lkaniper@danacommunications.com鈥攐r call 609.466.9187, ext. 117 for details.
And if you haven鈥檛 already, give the other installments of this trade show blog series a read: Exploring the Ultimate Trade Show Engagement at IMEX in Frankfurt, Good Boothmanship: Trade Show Etiquette Rules and Trade Show Follow-Up Tips for Exhibitors.
#IMEX19