A New Wave of Activations
On today’s tradeshow floor, the battle for attention is churning. Rows upon rows of exhibits vie for attention. Each hopes to lure attendees into meaningful conversations, product demos, or brand experiences. But static booths are no longer enough in this era of shortened attention spans and heightened expectations. The rising tide sweeping the show floor? Activations. These immersive, interactive experiences intend to capture attention, spark curiosity, and create unforgettable moments, even at the least interactive shows.
As Stefanny Avera, COO of Amusement, Exhibit, and Event Services (AE&ES), points out, “If your show is not engaging, your booth needs to be.” She would know. Alongside CEO Gary Bordman, the team at AE&ES has served exhibit and event enhancements for over three decades. She says, “We have seen every evolution of activations.”
A New Wave of Experiential Engagement
Activations aren’t new. Clever traffic drivers have attempted to seduce attendees as long as there have been conventions and exhibits. However, the shoreline of engagement has changed. A new workforce is driving a tsunami of innovation.
“We are painting with a bold brush because the expectations are so much higher now,” explains Rolando Espinoza. As the creative director of Champagne Experiential Studios, he and his team have delivered immersive engagement since 2003. They are well acquainted with convention attendees’ often flitting and evolving nature. “The audience is younger. They go to festivals; they see things on TikTok,” he states. “They have seen more than some of the previous groups have. And they want to recreate those engaging experiences.”
He’s not wrong. A recent Forbes article pinpoints the seismic shift responsible for this new wave of innovation. According to the piece, Millennials are teetering on becoming 75 percent of the workforce by 2025. This tech-savvy, diverse, and influential crowd has grown up in a world where personal control is at their fingertips. The engagement they are drawn to puts them squarely in the frame. Espinoza eloquently points out. “People don’t want to look at the show; they want to be the show.”
Activation Trends: Reflecting the AI-udience
This engagement trend shows no sign of receding, especially because most activations are now rippling with a focus on social media currency from user-generated content. Social media shares have become a key performance metric. Espinoza exclaims, “I can’t imagine any activation not being built for social media! There is a legacy that social media leaves behind.” Avera concurs, “Activations that allow the attendees to share their experience in real time, that generates buzz for that brand, is always a draw for clients.”
To that end, photo-centric activations with social media possibilities remain wildly popular. The formula of takeaway + branding = win/win has been upgraded from nostalgic, classic photo booths to elaborate branded walls, installations, and sections of the booth itself.
Aisle-facing walls or dedicated areas within the booth become immersive backdrops that coax clients into whimsical settings begging to be shared on social media. From foliage, neon messaging, and seating to oversized Lego® walls, photography op activations can shape a booth’s image on the show floor and in cyberspace. When you add AI, you can take fantasy to the next level. AI has swept into the photo experience, with the finished product turning the subjects into augmented versions of themselves. “We can turn attendees into Legos® or F1 drivers!” laughs Espinoza.
Technology is also being used to encourage both engagement and dwell time. Gamification as an activation is leveling up. Attendees can immerse themselves in virtual experiences beyond simple VR headsets. The innovation blurs the line between the attendees and the show experience. Espinoza shared a recent installation with a client who wanted to do a customized interactive wall. “We did an augmented reality experience where attendees could paint features on a giant wall. They could wave their hands and paint fire or send butterflies across the screen.” Some activations now even include haptics. “We’re getting a lot of requests for our F1 experience, where attendees can race against each other with a 49-inch ultrawide curved screen, paired with the Thrustmaster Ferrari Edition steering wheel and full-motion chair. Attendees get to feel every twist, turn, and movement while they are immersed in the game like never before,” Avera describes.
Innovation is also taking shape in bot form. Espinoza is quick to answer when asked about additional trend requests on clients’ lips: “Robots! Robots, robots, robots. Robots that serve you drinks. Robots that take your picture. Robots that look like dogs. They are an eye candy that people really like, especially for technology clients,” confides Espinoza.
Get Upstream: Customized Content
Unlike engagements at live events, activations on the show floor benefit from upstream integration. Instead of waiting to shoehorn an activation into a booth design once completed, conversations about engagement opportunities are beneficial when they start earlier. Whereas receptions and galas can squat over thousands of square feet, booth activations demand concentrated footprints. Tapping an activation partner while mapping the booth design can result in more immersive experiences while sidestepping unplanned mishaps.
“Many clients don’t consider the marshalling or drayage, which impacts their bottom line. If we are involved in the discussion, we can help them plan appropriately,” states Avera. “It benefits clients to engage us early because our ideas impact their booth design. Espinoza adds: Bringing us on early is a dream scenario for experiential planners because we can help them avoid pitfalls.”
Advance activation planning also assists when it comes to the integration of branding and lead generation. “Almost 86 percent of what we’re doing is customized,” Avera shares. “Customizing is wide open in terms of technology. We just need the time to plan for it.”
Those additional ripples of customization help with lead retrieval. Some activations can capture critical data for customers’ marketing efforts. Most photo engagements link to email addresses, immediately expanding a client’s database. Some activations can capture audience polls, resulting in valuable customer insight. When combined, they create a trifecta of ROI. “Traffic-building activations do more than just drive foot traffic. They create memories, lead generation, and brand awareness,” summarizes Avera. “They give exhibitors ROI that drives engagement. People simply engage more when there is an activation.”
This story originally appeared in the Q2 2025 issue of Exhibit City News, p. 44. For original layout, visit https://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/exhibit_city_news_-_apr_may_jun_2025/44.
