The exhibitors at London's RSVP trade show for event and meeting planners used all sorts of tricks to get attendees to notice their booths—or "stands," as they call them in England.
The Royal Horticultural Halls had an aerialist performing on fabric hanging from the ceiling, and the Concept Centre showcased a variety of performers (aerialists, jugglers, gymnasts) on a stage set up on top of its booth two stories above the trade show floor. (You don't have to be at an event industry show to use this trick—why not use an aerialist to bring attention to a booth selling software?)
One of our favorites stands: London event firm Dr. Party
used its name as inspiration for a colorful booth with fun medical touches. Managing director Danielle Nay
handed out medical bracelets printed with the company's stand number. Attendees who showed up at the booth wearing the bracelets got Dr. Party's unusual brochures in the form of pill bottles filled with jelly beans and covered in labels with the firm's client list (MTV, 20th Century Fox) and cheeky slogans like "For all party headaches." Employees working the booth wore candy-colored medical uniforms and used plastic syringes to pour drinks into shot glasses.
The show's organizers showed some smart touches. To keep some consistency in a trade show filled with visual stimuli, all of the RSVP branding—in the signage, the program guide, even the furniture in the press lounge—was in the same purple color. And exhibitors got to show off their capabilities in areas beyond their booths: The Amazing Effects Theatre showed off special effects and audiovisual technology, the Starlight Spotlight Stage featured various performances, caterers sent out waiters with food in shifts through the run of the show, and entertainment companies populated the floor with plenty of stiltwalkers, singers and other performers.
—Chad Kaydo
Read our report on London's event trends...
The Royal Horticultural Halls had an aerialist performing on fabric hanging from the ceiling, and the Concept Centre showcased a variety of performers (aerialists, jugglers, gymnasts) on a stage set up on top of its booth two stories above the trade show floor. (You don't have to be at an event industry show to use this trick—why not use an aerialist to bring attention to a booth selling software?)
One of our favorites stands: London event firm Dr. Party
used its name as inspiration for a colorful booth with fun medical touches. Managing director Danielle Nay
handed out medical bracelets printed with the company's stand number. Attendees who showed up at the booth wearing the bracelets got Dr. Party's unusual brochures in the form of pill bottles filled with jelly beans and covered in labels with the firm's client list (MTV, 20th Century Fox) and cheeky slogans like "For all party headaches." Employees working the booth wore candy-colored medical uniforms and used plastic syringes to pour drinks into shot glasses.
The show's organizers showed some smart touches. To keep some consistency in a trade show filled with visual stimuli, all of the RSVP branding—in the signage, the program guide, even the furniture in the press lounge—was in the same purple color. And exhibitors got to show off their capabilities in areas beyond their booths: The Amazing Effects Theatre showed off special effects and audiovisual technology, the Starlight Spotlight Stage featured various performances, caterers sent out waiters with food in shifts through the run of the show, and entertainment companies populated the floor with plenty of stiltwalkers, singers and other performers.
—Chad Kaydo
Read our report on London's event trends...