 BioClinica Inc. was recently formed as a result of a merger between Bio-Imaging Technologies Inc. and Phoenix Data Systems Inc. So to debut the new name and drive people to the company’s Web site, BioClinica opted for a little star power at the Drug Information Association’s 45th Annual Meeting. Red-carpet themed pre-show e-mails went out to clients and prospects, and a room drop that resembled a supermarket tabloid invited attendees to meet “Brad Pitt” and “Angelina Jolie” in the BioClinica booth. During the show, attendees lined up to have their pictures taken with the look-alike “Brangelina,” as employees acting as fervid paparazzi snapped shot after shot of the “movie stars” and their new friends. While booth visitors waited their turn, staffers handed out BioClinica-branded movie theater-sized boxes of candy and shared the inside scoop on the company’s new name and capabilities. Booth staffers instructed departing attendees to view the photos on a special BioClinica Web page and vote for the best one, as voters’ top pick would win an HDTV and a Blu-ray DVD player. A post-show tracking survey on the company Web site revealed that more than 40 percent of photo-shoot participants cited the in-booth “premiere” as the reason they visited the booth.
It ain’t easy being Green, but it can be even more difficult to prove you’re Green, especially given the rash of Greenwashing that’s sweeping the trade show floor. That’s why Hisense USA Corp. didn’t just claim to produce energy-efficient flatscreen televisions at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show — it proved it with an eye-catching product display. Hisense positioned a conventional flatscreen monitor alongside one of its more efficient models, while digital screens hooked up to the monitors displayed the amount of energy each was consuming, proving that the Hisense flatscreens delivered on the company’s eco-friendly claims. Simple, effective, and undeniably efficient.
 At GlobalShop 2009, Artitalia Group Inc., a provider of retail display fixtures, wanted to communicate its “Together We Will Bounce Back” tagline, which symbolized its commitment to helping customers through the recession. So rather than spending oodles of dough on its booth design, Artitalia filled its 40-by-50-foot space with 120 inflated Bozo the Clown punching bags. Four gigantic red balloons, one on each corner of the space, featured the company name on one side and its tagline on the opposite side. Acting as a focal point, a large blow-up projection
screen in the center of the booth featured images of Artitalia’s recent projects. The entire booth cost 92 percent less than the company’s previous GlobalShop exhibit; plus, it clearly communicated the company’s message and captured attendees’ undivided attention.
 To drive booth traffic and promote its tagline, “Get on the network that rocks!” Qwest Communications International Inc. turned attendees into rock stars at Interop 2009. A flamboyant host invited passersby onto the Qwest stage, a 10-by-10-foot aisle-side platform set against a green screen, for their 15 minutes of fame. The host prompted each attendee to don a variety of props, including Lennon-esque shades, a bolero, a guitar, and a faux tattoo sleeve, and to strike a pose as a booth staffer snapped a picture. Staffers immediately printed out each photo and glued it inside a bi-fold card as a takeaway. Featuring the Qwest logo and the words “You rocked Interop Las Vegas,” the outside cover of the roughly 5-by-7-inch card opened to reveal the attendee’s photo and the words “Now get on the network that rocks.” The back of the card featured a Web-site address and a promotional code, allowing attendees to visit the site and download a free song courtesy of Qwest. Post-show, Qwest continued the theme with a “Rockin’ or Not?” Web site that encouraged attendees to post their souvenir photos and to vote for the most “Rockin’” shot. The winner received an additional 10 free song downloads. According to an Interop study, Qwest’s booth was the ninth most visited exhibit at the show, proving that the rockin’ strategy also delivered rock-solid results.
|
|
 To give its clients and prospects a break from the daily grind, Spoon Exhibit Services Inc. hired a caricature artist to draw humorous depictions of guests who attended its off-site events at EXHIBITOR2009. The activity tied in to the company’s in-booth artwork, which featured cartoon characters discussing the challenges faced by exhibit and event managers. Prior to the show, Spoon sent roughly 200 direct mailers to targeted attendees, inviting them to the evening events. Spoon saw a return rate of 50 percent, as nearly 100 people attended the events, 75 percent of whom were new contacts. Results like those are no laughing matter.
The social-networking trend shows no sign of slowing, and smart exhibit managers can turn that sensation into an opportunity. During the 2009 Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association show in Tampa, FL, exhibit house Freeman Co. used Twitter, the micro-blogging service, to connect with attendees and bring them to its booth. The Las Vegas-based company tweeted instructions to its Twitter followers that urged attendees to visit the Freeman booth and say “tweet” to staffers. Freeman rewarded those who followed the directions with a $5 Starbucks gift card and a conversation about what Freeman has to offer. Now that’s a tweet deal.
 Sponsoring a bellyband around the show guide puts your company’s name into attendees’ hands — but it also puts your name in the garbage as soon as attendees rip off the band to read the guide. So to keep its name out of the “gutter” at the 2009 International Contemporary Furniture Fair, Japan by Design, a branch of the Japanese External Trade Organization, abandoned the bellyband concept altogether. Working with show management, Japan by Design stuck branded Post-it Notes on the cover of each show guide. Featuring the company’s logo and booth number, the sticky notes required much less paper, ink, and production time than traditional bellybands, resulting in a roughly 50-percent cost savings. More importantly, attendees typically left the Post-it Notes in place, or used them as bookmarks. Either way, the notes kept the Japan by Design name front and center — and out of the trash.
What's The Big Idea?
Do you have a clever exhibit-related tip? Did your last exhibit have an über-cool traffic builder?
Contact Travis Stanton at [email protected].
|
