Earlier this year a few members of our team made their way to Euroshop in Düsseldorf, Germany to see what the European exhibition industry were designing, building and creating – and it certainly did not disappoint. Much bigger than anything Australia has to offer, Euroshop comprised an overwhelming number of incredible stands.
Seeing some of the creativity and ideas coming out of Europe was truly inspiring. We have highlighted some of the more memorable stands which really stood out to us and we predict some of the trends we’ll start to see in the Australian exhibition industry over the next couple of years.
Lighting
A prominent stratagem throughout the event which made individual exhibitors stand out was a creative use of lighting. Different lighting features and designs helped brands showcase their products to great effect by creating texture, mood and drawing in crowds.
The varied use of lighting worked to enhance the experience both for both visitors and exhibitors. An emotional bias created by certain lighting settings can achieve a particular ‘mood’ depending on the nature of the brand or product. A dimmer overall light creates a moody atmosphere whilst bright direct light can hone in to spotlight a specific product display.
The right kind of lighting will influence all aspects of a visitor’s experience such as their spending habits, which locations they are naturally drawn too and most importantly for the exhibition industry, how long they spend at your stand.
At Euroshop we saw many different and creative uses of lighting, each creating a significant impact on the overall brand projection.
Assorted Texture & Materials
Whilst wandering between the overwhelming number of eye-catching stands, we noted some reoccurring materials exhibitors were using in new and creative ways.
Quattrobi used ribbon to create a unique, geometric effect on their stand. The imperfect use of the clean, white fabric against the black background creates an eye catching, yet simple and effective display.
Arken’s clever use of a textured, hessian backdrop against their neon lighting was another notable treatment.
We also loved this lighting company’s use of ‘Valcromat’ for their front counter and primary resource for their stand. Many exhibitors had made use of this material to create colourful displays …. tapping in to its many applications.
Fabric
Another huge trend which seems to be taking off throughout the industry and a resource prominently used at Euroshop, is the use of fabric both to provide seamless front-lit and backlit ‘walls’ and graphics.
The adaptable nature of the fabric allows for a visually flawless finish, especially beneficial for those large surfaces where pesky joins can get in the way. Euroshop provided us with new insights too. We saw fabric being cleverly used to create some really appealing lighting effects.
Sustainability
The idea of sustainability within this industry is a difficult one given the nature of exhibitions. However, there has been a recent movement towards making adjustments wherever possible. ‘Greener’ options were demonstrated throughout Euroshop and it is also an aspect we are looking at incorporating into the way we produce stands here at Exhibitionco.
Materials such as recycled timber, fabric and repurposed fabric for furniture were utilised across the entire show in creative and inventive ways proving that, not only is it possible to action a more sustainable approach, but there seems to be little excuse for not executing …or at least attempting to incorporate it.
The idea of the re-usability of a stand is one which resonated with us at Exhibitionco and is an area we believe we can work with clients on to improve mileage of their exhibition stands.
Technology
With the fast paced development of technology, it is a constant struggle for exhibitors to keep ahead of the game and know which technological components to incorporate into their trade show agenda.
Many of the exhibitors at Euroshop managed to integrate different aspects of advancing technology. We saw several adaptations using augmented reality, interactive touch screens, beacon technology and holograms on the showroom floor.
This digitisation was not only used for grabbing the customer attention – then retaining interest and engagement, but also to gather information from visitors. Information which will generate quantitative lead data which will later be used to create intelligent marketing strategies.
All in all, Euroshop was an education and we will continue to strive to stay ahead of the game in keeping up with … and coming up with new and innovative ways to showcase our partner’s brands and products.