Hamilton Exhibits LLC's tagline for EXHIBITORLIVE 2023, the industry's leading conference and exhibition for trade show and corporate event marketing, was "Go Boldly." While the slogan was a call to action directed at its customers and prospects, the experiential marketing company led by example with a completely mirrored 20-by-30-foot island that took home the Best of Show Award for large booths. "Our design was inspired by luxury retail spaces that elicit curiosity, encourage confidence, and elevate emotions," said Josh Frisbie, VP of creative at Hamilton. To that end, a trio of triangular structures at three of the booth's corners formed crisp angles inside the footprint. "The design helped create a traffic flow and added a sense of constant movement," one judge said. The reflective walls also magnified the perceived size of the booth. Eschewing the more obvious Derby and bourbon homages to Louisville – where the event was held – the team opted for an off-the-beaten-path tribute to the city that also produces 90 percent of the country's disco balls by suspending more than a dozen various-sized silver balls throughout the space. Attendees found plenty to explore, beginning with a digital story wall that showcased Hamilton's digital and 3-D capabilities and continuing at an angled table where visitors created their own personalized tote bags using custom stamps. But Hamilton really showed its class with a distinct blend of both unmistakable and subtle details. The firm tucked local electric string trio Electria into a luxe alcove with matte black walls and scores of miniature glittering disco balls where they performed contemporary music on classical instruments. The booth even smelled luxurious thanks to a hidden scent machine. The combination of daring design, at once disruptive and refined, and engaging activations was nothing if not, in a word, bold. E