Trade Show Exhibits Fit for a King- Part I

If you have not seen the Oscar winning movie, The King’s SPEECH, do so. It is an exceptionally well done film with superb acting. In light of the recent royal wedding, it was all the more interesting as it was beneficial in clarifying the lineage of the royal family and the Queen’s place in such. The opening scene returns us to the 1938 Empire Exhibition where, the then Duke of York , played by Oscar winner Colin Firth, is waiting in the wings to deliver the opening speech (which I will share in part II) as requested by his father, King George V. It sparked my curiosity regarding the event –being part of a Trade Show Exhibits family-so I did a little research.

The fourth of five great exhibitions to be hosted by Glasgow since 1888, the 1938 Empire Exhibition covered some 178 acres. Marking the fiftieth year anniversary since Glasgow’s first, the exhibition exceeded the original by more than 100 acres. It was to be ‘the most extravagant exhibition ever held in Britain’ and offered a chance to boost the economy of Scotland-then recovering from the depression of the 1930’s. Over 100 individual palaces and pavilions were constructed in BellahoustonParkin just over ten months time (though underground work had commenced a year earlier). Having 716 exhibitors, this last public showcase of the British Empiredrew slightly over 12.5 million visitors from May to October 1938. ["Exhibition Facts”. Empire Exhibition Scotland 1938. Digital Design Studio]

By comparison, The Consumer Electronics Show is North America’s largest convention, having some 2700 exhibitors with trade show exhibits spread over 3 million square feet of floor space. Drawing over 100,000 attendees toLas Vegas for the four day event in January every year (according to PC magazine, some 140,000 in 2011), it showcases the industries latest and greatest.

Certainly not an exhibition on the scale of that held at Glasgowor the ChicagoWorld’s Fair of 1936, but impressive when you take the temporality of the show into consideration. Installing and dismantling some 68 acres of Trade Show Exhibits in -let’s say a week’s time- is quite a feat. Just as we live in an electronics world; analogously, it was an industrial world in 1933, as reflected in several of the named structures (Palace of Industry; Palace of Engineering North/West). The Palace of Arts (the lone remaining structure) and the Concert Hall, attest to the ‘Art’ consciousness of the period, as does Fair Park here in Dallas. Having trod for decades through countless miles of disarray on tradeshow, convention and exposition turf, Exhibittrader.com understands the art and appreciates the industry it takes for both. Keeping pace with this electronics world, our new sister website, Exhibittrader2.com, offers customers a world of display products and services at their fingertips.

Trade show Booths Underfoot

By definition, a booth-of any type- usually denotes a structure whether temporary or permanent, for the purpose of vending something. Food booths at a fair; toll versions on highways; the ticket ‘box’ office at a concert; they all dispense something to the consumer in exchange for currency of some type. While there are automated versions, such as the photo kiosk at your local mall; most are manned. At ExhibitTrader2.com, we understand that trade show booths are much more than just a backdrop for peddling your wares. They often provide the face and image of a company to a very large audience.

While much attention is often paid to the exhibit design itself, graphics and overall layout; rarely is the same attention given to flooring. Linda Musgrove, The Tradeshow Teacher, advises to think outside the box when selecting flooring for your booths- to not always stick with the same old thing. In light of April being National Foot Awareness Month and the toll a tradeshow floor can take on your souls; we share some of her explanation for exhibiting options available for under foot, in her article TradeShow Teacher’s Flooring Tutorial:

Single Color Carpet: When selecting carpet for purchase or rental, you should always select a color that will complement your corporate colors and image. There are many styles available: basic, deluxe, premium, pristine, shaggy, etc. …

Digital Carpet: This type of carpet gives you the ability to have photo-realistic, printed graphics on your carpet. She advises to select an image that will create emotion or surprise for the attendees; lure them into the booth.

Logo and Inlay Carpet: You can have your corporate logo, tagline, product name or a creative, attractive design custom inlaid into the carpet. A great way to continuously brand your company and makes your Trade show Booths look professional and well thought out.

Floor Mat Carpeting: These can be used to make an impressive entrance area by adding your logo or messaging to the design. A great option to focus interest particularly if you have a reception area or stations where attendees view presentations or demonstrations.

Interlocking Flooring Tiles: Foam interlocking carpet tiles, having the ability to easily lay down in creative styles, in a wide variety of color combinations. Very comfortable to the exhibitors/attendees walking around the booth; a welcome change for the feet from the hard aisle carpet/ cement floors in the exhibit hall!

Hardwood Flooring: Typically provided as modular, interlocking panels that are easy to assemble; available in a wide range of wood finishes. Sets your exhibit apart from the majority of exhibitors that use carpeting; the look is very polished and stylish.

Snap Flooring: For a very trendy and edgy look. A great option is the diamond plate pattern in silver, which looks somewhat like metal. It has a very industrial, hip look to it.

Stone Looking Flooring: Typically made with a strong combination of fiberglass and urethane. A durable product with a great classy look to it. This will prominently set your booth apart since not may exhibitors use this style. Stone Flooring is a good way to create an environment, rather than ‘just an exhibit’.

ExhibitTrader2.com perseveres to stay on the cutting edge of the latest exhibiting strategies and promotional trends. We can offer many creative suggestions if you find yourself experiencing ‘exhibitor’s block’. Next time you are at a show or other marketing event, take notice of Trade show Booths that seems to be catching everyone’s eye; then give us a call so we can began putting one together for your next venue. Exhibittrader2 selling spectacular Trade Show online is our business. We also offer a wide variety of eco friendly Trade show Booths.