subject: Outrageous Trade Show Displays [print this page] Outrageous Trade Show Displays Outrageous Trade Show Displays
I have both worked for my own business endeavors at trade shows and I have also attended them as a visitor. And I have seen a lot. Always on the lookout for opportunity, I made it a point to consider every trade show attended and worked as research. I check out trade show displays and exhibits to learn more about what works and what doesn't and to hopefully inspire new and better ideas for success.
To that end, I share my tips and findings often. But, sometimes, you just need to have a little fun. So, I would like to share some of the most interesting trade show exhibits and presentations I have seen.
The Bird Guy
At a home and garden show in Columbus, Ohio, there was salesman launching a new line of decorative bird feeders, bird baths, and other stone items for the outdoors. To attract visitors to his booth, he actually had domestic birds in a large caged area, enjoying the baths and feeders. He had designed it like an upscale bird spa and you really couldn't help but stop and check it out. The lighting was great and clearly much attention had been paid to every detail of the concept. I think he did pretty well at the show. After speaking with him when the show was winding down, he did admit that it was probably a good idea, but the cleanup was a nightmare.
Cocktails
I attended a food and beverage distributor show in Tampa, Florida, and saw one of the best trade show displays ever. The competition was fierce, everyone had samples of their food and drinks and they also had a lot of leeway to create really spectacular displays. But, one duo was promoting a line of mixers, so they secured a large space and designed the entire booth to look like a TIki bar. Then they used their mad mixing skills to really do it upCocktail style (we've all seen the movie, right?) They were flinging bottles, tossing glasses, stacking up the drinksit was captivating. Drinker or not, people couldn't help but stop and watch for awhile. So, I really don't know how "great" their actual mixers were, but they really sold themselves and that ultimately translated to big profits.
Interesting, But I Almost Lost My Lunch
At a trade show in Boston for new inventions, there was a company that had invented a portable blender that "could turn anything into a smoothie. Anything? Yes, anything." To get audience participation, they ran a contest to see who could come up with the most bizarre concoction with the ingredients they had on handwhich ran the gamut from fresh fruit and veggies (ok.) to lamb chops and sushi (what?). The prize for the craziest smoothie would be determined by audience cheers and a free blender would be given to the one who crafted the recipe and one to the audience member who drank it. Wow! I didn't participate, other than to cheer for the bacon and mango shake, but these guys got the whole place rocking every time they blared their horn and announced that the contest was on. It was actually kind of grossbut it got the attention they wanted.
Trade shows can be a lot of fun. Hours of serious thought and planning go into creating trade show displays, but adding some excitement certainly has a payoff.
