Express Yourself

In trade-show booth design, everything from style and image to product display—even how the attendees are treated—has an impact on whether an exhibit reinforces the brand or undermines your efforts. "You're the messenger, an evangelist," says Keith Bisogno, Thermo Electron's director of marketing services. "Everything down to the smallest level combines to create either an integrated single presence or a hodgepodge."
Of course, many trade show booths come up short, with flat experiences that disappoint or confuse customers.
Does your booth express your brand? Try answering these eight questions:

1. Are you "refreshing" too often? If attendees can't easily tell which company your booth belongs to, they'll never engage the brand. "Make a clear statement with no distractions," says Debbie Kemp, exhibit marketing manager at Toshiba America.
While it's OK to update your exhibit style periodically, doing it too often creates the risk that you'll leave your audience behind. "Changing your look too often is confusing," says Kathy Kellett, Apple Computer's director of worldwide corporate events. Remember, you live your brand's look and feel 24/7/365. Chances are you'll become bored with it long before anyone else does.

2. Is the message clear? Packing 100 pounds of messaging into a 10-pound exhibit never works. "If there are more than two or three messages, people won't focus," says Frank Accetulli, EDS' corporate trade show manager. Instead, focus on the single most important message. And don't neglect curb appeal. If attendees can't figure out what you're offering from the aisle, they probably won't stop.
Toshiba reinforces its brand with consistent messaging throughout its exhibits, ads, and other show materials - not just on a show-by-show basis, but through all shows and media.
And no trade show should be considered a stepchild. After all, one bad impression can quickly reverse months of good impressions. "Apple considers every show to be a critical event," says Kellett. Even smaller shows get first-class treatment when it comes to design, messaging, and development of experience.

3. Does the structure express your personality? An exhibit must express the brand attributes, says Kemp. For instance, Toshiba wants to communicate stability to its customers in the medical industry. "People want to buy from someone strong who's going to be around," says Kemp. So Toshiba uses its exhibit architecture to reinforce "sturdiness."
Spyder Active Sports has an "adrenalized" brand—a serious athletic persona—which drives its exhibit design, influencing everything from the furniture it selects to product merchandising. "Brands have particular flavors," says Kathy Carroll, Spyder's marketing manager of retail services. "If you ask what your brand represents, this evolves into a checklist of brand cues - color, texture, and personality—you can design from."

4. Does your exhibit support your message or compete with it? Avoid architecture for architecture's sake. "It's a mistake to sacrifice delivery of message for a beautiful design," says Mark Jacoby, national trade show manager at Panasonic.
Along those lines, the materials inside the booth should be consistent in look and quality. Carroll says it's a mistake to use materials that look "thrown together." (Unless, of course, that's the image you're going for.) Apple relies on its entire team to make sure its exhibits live up to its clean, elegant design standards.

5. Do the bells and whistles lead the audience astray? Standing out is important, but don't let the temptation to be clever or unique lead you off course. Your activities, videos, presentations, and promotions will work for you only if they reinforce your brand. "Don't do it if it will confuse people as to who or what you are," says Accetulli.

6. Are the brand and product integrated? Never miss an opportunity to give your brand and products more exposure. Jacoby uses Panasonic brand monitors and other products exclusively in all of his exhibits, even when those aren't the products being promoted. And when the booth staff has prizes to give away, you can bet those items are Panasonic products, too.

7. Does the visitor experience live up to the brand experience? If your brand is warm and fuzzy, your exhibit must support that. "We make our decisions based on what it will be like for the [customer]," says Jacoby. For Panasonic, this includes training the reception personnel to address visitors by name and welcome them to Panasonic. He also creates open floor plans that help attendees quickly locate the products they are interested in.

8. Does the staff represent? "Our people are knowledgeable and helpful to ensure the customer has a positive experience," says Toshiba's Kemp. That means no high-pressure sales tactics, and no army of salespeople standing around.
You also might want to reconsider those staff uniforms. "Seeing everyone in the same shirt can be like jumping into a sea of piranha," says Jacoby.
Spyder takes another tack, allowing employees to select their own clothing, but asking that the outfits they select reflect Spyder's corporate colors.