With the trade show season just around the corner, now is the time to generate eye-popping ideas for your exhibition stand designs. So you can leave a lasting impression, boost visitor engagement and stand out from the ever-growing competition on the trade show floor. Discover innovative exhibition stand concepts that will help you take your designs to new heights.

Challenge expectations 

How to make your stand design unforgettable? One answer is originality. If you can create a never-seen-before concept that’s as wild as it is relevant, you can generate a real buzz around your booth.

Take a look at this Smoothie Bike designed by INCEPTION for a cocktail making company.

Source: INCEPTION

Attendees were invited to cycle to create their smoothie or cocktail of choice. It's simple yet ingenious. Interaction with the product results in effective engagement and a notable experience. Those who use the bike not only walk away with a delicious refreshment but a lasting memory of the brand.

To generate original ideas, brainstorm with your team. They don’t have to be experts in marketing, just passionate about your brand and what it stands for. Brainsparker is a great (and free!) app to use for this purpose. Or you can work with an exhibition stand design company who can help you unleash your own creativity.

Show your green side 

88% of consumers want you to help them make a difference, according to a survey by Futerra which was completed by 1,000 consumers in the USA and UK.

How can you weave sustainability into your booth design and not be limited by it?

One simple way is making your booth out of recycled items (materials taken from another object such as newspaper, tin cans, glass jars and PET plastic). There are more than 4,500 recycled content products available giving you lots of options to think about.

You could also consider using recyclable materials which can be reused by you or someone else. However, note that they don’t necessarily contain recycled materials and will only have a positive impact on the environment if they are recycled after use.

This design by Nature’s Path is a stunning example of a sustainable booth:

Source: Living Maxwell

The eye-catching tree (which attendees can climb using the circular stairway) was built using recyclable, low-emission, urea-formaldehyde-free material called Oriented Strand Board.

Meanwhile, the counter faces were made from upcycled Nature’s Path cereal boxes and the lighting was LED fixtures for low voltage consumption. The flooring was eco-friendly too, created with renewable and recycled content.

Through this innovative exhibition stand, Nature’s Path demonstrates its commitment to the environment, which is a core value of the brand. This resonates powerfully with ethically-minded visitors, capturing their attention and while giving them a serene refuge from the hectic trade show floor.

Build virtual worlds 

If you have the budget for it, virtual reality (VR) technology is a spectacular engagement tool that can be incorporated into your booth’s design. You’ll need a specialist to help you build a customised VR application which can be experienced through headsets.

When it comes to your app, the possibilities are endless. Perhaps you’re a travel company. You could invite attendees to explore your top holiday destinations, from sandy beaches to bustling cities. Or maybe you’re a skincare company focused on relaxation. Whisk your visitors away to an oasis where they can experience tranquillity while learning about the benefits behind your product.

For inspiration, take a look at Samsung’s VR experience from its 837 exhibition:

Source: Wearable Technology

It invited attendees to put on a flight suit and walk on the moon with incredible realism. The tech giant built this software using NASA’s Active Response Gravity Offload system which mapped out the actual partial gravity experience of walking on the moon.

We aren’t all best friends with NASA, but this demonstrates the unlimited power of VR. What experiences could you create at your trade show booth that connect attendees to your brand like never before?

Drive exposure 

Want a really simple way to get attendees to talk about your brand online? And in the process, give them something to remember you by? Photo op walls incorporated into your exhibition stand design are an affordable and creative way to achieve these things.

They’re easy to set up and encourage visitors to engage with your booth. All you need is an idea relevant to your brand, a fun cut-out or backdrop and some props. Some food for thought: feast your eyes on Refinery29’s impressive experiential photo op wall.

Source: SF Gate

Photo op walls supercharge engagement and brand awareness because people love to share fun or crazy pictures of themselves with their social media followers.

You could even generate further engagement by launching a competition. For example, the person with the most likes on their picture gets a free product. The only rule is that they have to tag your company in the photo to ensure you get exposure.

Design to impress 

“Be audacious and memorable … but smart and relevant.”

- Ken Krogue

You might be more comfortable relying on an old exhibition stand design but you won’t be doing your business any favours.

Be bold and create something new that will capture visitors' imagination and help them forge meaningful connections with your brand. Your reward will be better engagement, brand exposure and meaningful relationships.

For more inspiration, check out our blog: Five Things You Need to Consider for a Show Stopping Retail Display.

Think you might need help from an innovative exhibition stand design company? Talk to a specialist designer as SPOS today on 0207 1007320 

You can also email us at hello@sposdisplay.com or visit our website for more information.