by Danelle Dodds, Exhibit City News
Read in Q4 Issue HERE .
Every day, exhibit companies must close the gulf between a client’s booth design concepts and the practical reality of the final build. That goes double when working with healthcare companies that must integrate functional design with seemingly intangible goals. The hurdles exhibit houses jump depend on the challenges they face. We dissect two companies’ journeys from design to debut in a tale of two builds.
Shepherding Them Through the Process
When Shepard Exposition Services was tasked with reshaping the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) booth into a campus feel, they faced retooling the space into an experience. There wasn’t anything particularly wrong with the current design. The association was simply ready to rejuvenate, refocus, and revitalize (which coincidentally was the conference’s theme).
Shepard’s goal was to infuse new life and attendee connectivity into their booth for the ONS Congress. The high-water mark was not just esthetic. The new design needed to foster engagement and encourage organic, interactive moments. The redesign needed a breath of fresh air.
Shepard approached each layer with a sophisticated lens. The parts were equal to the sum, and no detail was too small.
One of the first redesigns Shepard dove into was the attendee walkway. A layperson may not recognize the significance of how the guest’s journey on the show floor ties into their subconscious experience. But to a well-trained exhibit company, an immersive attendee experience begins with the first steps.
To immediately place the guests into the mindset of a campus, the planning team understood that they had to set the tone. A friendly registration desk acted as the proverbial student union, providing attendees with a North Star to begin the day’s curriculum. An artery was created as the main central conduit through the hallways to capitalize on the campus theme. The path wove a trail that allowed guests to flow into spaces as seamlessly as if they were walking across a university lawn. Casual park benches were peppered along the course, offering moments of respite and engagement. The welcoming channel and its subsequent trappings infused a natural warmth and encouraged engagement through the supportive infrastructure of the conference.
The next goal was to maximize engagement. Peer-to-peer connectivity is a critical foundational element for ONS Congress. To ensure that the thousands of oncology nurses had plenty of opportunities to connect, Shepard reworked the booth layout. They molded the space to include a myriad of hubs where attendees could come together organically. To create a natural park-like engagement, the team set the green-carpeted nooks with bright, comfortable furniture. Towering columns were strategically plotted into the flow and festooned with canopies or backdrops. These clever formations formed alcoves or creative selfie spots, each affording attendees a place to relax or capture a smile. As a bonus, these areas became additional branding or informational opportunities for conference messaging.
And because the ONS Congress is significant to recharging one of the world’s most stressful industries, Shepard created a dedicated space for calm. The revamped area became a center for self-care, and they redesigned the multifunctional lounge into a ZenDen Oasis. Rich verdant foliage was folding into the space, blooming the event theme. Dopamine-stimulating activations such as puppy playtime, cookie printing stations, and wellness classes were available for attendees’ well-deserved breaks. The
pampering pavilion provided much-needed relief for a field of caregiving healthcare workers used to taking care of others.
The redesigned show resulted in amplified engagement, increased content generation, and revitalized attendees. It was a passion project with a purpose, with a Shepard leading the way.
More than Skin Deep
For more than 20 years, Premier Displays & Exhibits and Allergan Aesthetics™ have built a partnership rooted in trust and brand awareness.
Premier prides itself on immersive delivery as a full-service company specializing in exhibits, design, fabrication, and activation. When Allergan Aesthetics™ came to them to provide a booth for their SkinMedica® product line during the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) annual meeting, they knew they knew beauty was as important as design. On this show floor, beauty and science converge, and everyone puts their best face forward.
Not every booth is created equal. For a show and company rooted in aesthetics, a need for a pleasantly pleasing design is paramount. But it also needs to be functional.
It all starts with a vision or image. Concepts morph into vision boards, which evolve into renderings. Staff engineers turn concept sketches into structurally sound realities. In-house build teams create the finished products. Supportive show services discussions continue until the booth lands on the show floor. The goal is that the booth is functional, all while creating an emotional takeaway for attendees.
Premier crafted the booth with a clever, two-walled concept. Two massive LED panels converged to a corner, where evolving content caught the eye of roaming exhibitors. Making use of the panels allowed the brand to self-promote while infusing movement.
Next, they created a captivating double-sided statement piece measuring 20′ x 20′. One side was a floral wall in a luscious blush shade that accentuated the SkinMedica® product line. On the other side were silver sequins and radiant LED lights. Both approaches encouraged attendees to explore behind the wall and take selfies. These displays helped to amplify the brand as guests posted their photos.
Equally as thoughtful was the footprint. Smooth, white couches and intimate seating areas provided opportunities for the meetings. An offset consultation room created the feel of a medical office within the booth. A rigged, black-out canopy studded with lights hid the rafters from sight while allowing for subtle illumination shifts.
The final piece of the booth design was invisible to attendees but was the most sensible element of all. The booth can be repurposed and rescaled for future shows.
The partnership between Premier and Allergan Aesthetics™ aligned in a successful collaboration. For attendees, the result was stepping off the show floor and into the beauty of the brand.
