Any trade show environment can give you a good look at the types of displays and signage that work well. You can use yourself as the guinea pig of sorts. Which booths and displays cause you to linger a little longer? What catches your eye? What stands out? And, conversely, what seems to fall flat, and how can you avoid that in your own display and signage campaigns?

Catering to the printing and display markets among other aspects of the branding world, PRINTING United Expo, held Oct. 22 to 24 in Orlando, was a perfect place for distributors and printers to meditate on their own displays and consider how they could make their projects even more eye-catching for customers.

Let There Be Light

We’re still animals, after all. Our eyes are attracted to light. Using a lit display is a fairly simple way to stand out from the environment.

Javier LaFontaine, vice president of territory sales for Counselor Top 40 supplier Showdown Displays (asi/87188), said using light in a display essentially cuts through the “scroll” of wandering a show floor. The same way that people scroll through videos on social media platforms without pausing, people tend to walk without stopping. You have to give them a reason to stop and change direction, and you don’t have much time to do it.

“When you’re walking in a trade show environment, someone makes a decision in about three seconds if they’re going to stop or not,” LaFontaine said, adding that everything in a booth from the products to the display must create a cohesive theme. “You have to have a strategy for your event.”

LaFontaine said that, in addition to other multidimensional display pieces, Showdown has been using more backlit pieces for displays that pop.

Showdown Displays (asi/87188) used light-up components like the Astra Counter Kit (255390) to add light and dimension to a display.

“It’s about the experience, but it’s more about the ‘Oh wow, I’m going to stop here,’” he said.

One of the items at Showdown’s booth was the 84” ShowGlower Totem Kit (254913), which creates a three-dimensional display that people can see from all angles.

Different Materials for Different Jobs

Like apparel, displays shouldn’t be thought of as one-size-fits-all. While certain components like backdrops and table throws can work in most scenarios, distributors should consider using specialized designs for specific end-user clients and their needs.

One of the products Illinois-based supplier Soardist (asi/88083) was showcasing was its new FoodPro tent, which Michael Empey, director of marketing, called the “flavor fort” for fun. He noted that the breathable mesh on the tent’s windows can be cut into custom shapes or branded with dye sublimation printing.

Soardist (asi/88083) was at the PRINTING United Expo showcasing its new mesh tent geared toward customers in the food service industry.

“That’s been a nifty thing to be able to show people,” Empey said. “They come in, they want to touch it and pull back the flaps, and it’s cool to see an allover, 360-degree print, and it doesn’t change on the media that you’re printing on.”

Empey said the mesh and breathability of the tent appeals to those in the food service space who might be doing outdoor installments and need protection from the elements, but that Soardist has also gotten attention from customers like farmers markets, hospitality and nonprofits doing things like food drives.

Sticky Marketing

Some displays are for short periods of time, and others need to be a bit more permanent. This is when strong adhesive displays can transform a space into a fully branded and immersive experience – and not just the walls.

Amanda Lowe, global marketing director for Drytac, was on hand to show the company’s SpotOn Duo, a double-sided adhesive with permanent adhesive on one side and a dot-pattern and removable adhesive on the other, ideal for point-of-purchase displays or window graphics.

For larger jobs, there are ways to wrap entire walls and even the floors and tables to add durable branding to each dimension of the display.

Floor graphics, Lowe said, were something that caught on during COVID when stores advertised social distancing measures. Like QR codes, people figured out how useful they could be even as the crisis subsided.

Using signage and print products on surfaces like tables and floors, as done here by Drytac at the PRINTING United Expo in Orlando, creates additional brand visibility and a more immersive display.

“People know how they work – they direct people – but there’s a different way to use them,” Lowe said. “We’re seeing a big influx of dance floors for weddings. It’s a one-night event. … We’ll see people use the same material to wrap bars at weddings because people want the whole branding experience. Look at our booth – everything has been wrapped by our media, so it can be transformed. We started with this booth, and it was nothing but white.”

Special Features

A good display requires attention to more than just the flat surfaces. Whether it’s at a trade show, installation or event, creating an interesting space and call for interaction requires thinking about memorable experiences and moments of fun.

This can be things like games, photo opportunities and elaborate diorama-like displays, like this one created with inflatables and promotional products by Ultimate Tech.

Using things like promotional products and branded items that inspire interaction can make for an attractive and effective display.

And, just like we’re animals who are attracted to light and color, don’t overlook the power of a little bribery with things like food and beverages. A candy bowl goes a long way – especially when you can use them as additional promotional items through branded packaging.