When in doubt, start with the logo. It's a cardinal rule for corporate branding, exhibits included. After all, these meticulously crafted emblems are designed to communicate a company's competencies within a postage-stamp-sized space. Moreover, clients are conditioned to scan the rafters of the show floor, searching for those familiar shapes and colors. But building a new exhibit for a company that's fresh off a complete rebranding presents a host of challenges – and a rare opportunity for designers to truly showcase a company's omnipresent icon.

NetScout Systems Inc. was in the midst of just that type of visual rebranding when it approached Hill and Partners Inc. to design the exhibit that would debut its new identity. The resulting design featured stark white, geometric structures and dangling cylinders, which created the backdrop for an enchanting light show.

"Throughout the day, the entire exhibit was bathed in a choreographed lighting show that transformed the space with a variety of color washes comprising the new corporate color palette," said Guy Cinq-Mars, account executive at K2 Fabrication and Design. Because NetScout had requested ample room for a smattering of product kiosks and sitting areas, designers kept the footprint of the exhibitry to a minimum and shifted decorative and branding elements toward the rafters. Meanwhile, practical accoutrements dominated exhibit floor space: Six 30-inch-diameter bistro tables occupied the multiuse theater, and snow-colored couches were nestled in every corner. A pair of kiosks and a diminutive reception desk flanked those furnishings.

Exhibit Design Awards judges lauded the innovative approach toward debuting NetScout's new logo in a pristine, white space that "evolved into a kaleidoscope of corporate colors" – a sensational feat considering it was accomplished within the restraints of a $250,000 budget.