Joost Pierrot Christophe Landuyt CBI E: joost@cbi.eu christophe@cbi.eu T: +32 2 739 96 20

1. Stand design
& decoration
Bogota, Colombia
September 2012
Joost Pierrot &
Christophe Landuyt

2. Stand design & decoration
 Ownership & production matters
 Situation within the halls
 Types of stands
 Sections and functions of stand
 Group stands
Some (very) good & (very) bad examples

3. Stand design & decoration
EXERCISE:
Make a (draft) sketch
of your (fictional) stand.
Indicate approx. sizes, key elements and limits with
adjacent stands…

4. Ownership & production matters
As an exhibitor, you have the choice between renting booth
space only ('naked square meters') and renting a fully
equipped stand, - or anything in between.
Further, specialised suppliers offer the choice between tailor-
made booths and 'modular' booths and building systems, - or
anything in between.
Lastly, you as an exhibitor can choose the range of services
that should come with the booth: mounting & dismantling,
storage & disposal, re-use…

5. Ownership & production matters
Traditional woodwork:
+ Freedom of forms - Building Time
Aesthetics After-use
Sturdy Reusability
Modular booths:
+ Fast to build - Cost (message)
Reusability Aesthetics
Environment No complex forms
Hybrid stands: best of both worlds

6. Most stand contractors offer several
negotiated alternatives:
Buying: Ownership &
On completion, the exhibitor
has full ownershipproduction
(and responsibility)
of the stand and its components.
matters
Renting: On completion, the exhibitor
has the right to use the stand and its
components for the duration
of the show.
Leasing: Construction & dismantling,
transport and storage for several shows.
!! "Designed here, built there" -
networks

7. Ownership & production matters
Ideally, the timing for stand design
and assembly takes 6 to 9 months:
Register with organizer (D - 9 months)
Briefing and rough stand design (D - 8 months)
Planning assembly and disassembly (D - 8 months)
Construction of booth (D - 6 to 2 months)
Preparing furniture, equipment and exhibits (D - 2 m.)
Compiling material (D - 3 to 1 months)
Transport of material (D - 4 to 3 weeks)
Assembly of booth (D - 2 – 1 week)
Handing over of booth (day before trade fair)
Disassembly of booth
Transportation to company, repair and storage

8. Situation within the halls
Most visitors develop typical behaviour as to when
to arrive and how to walk through the halls.
Several parameters determine which sections of
which halls will be busy at what moments:
- Origin of visitors (local - national - international)
- Interest of visitors (seminars, special events)
- Segmentation of halls (horizontal - vertical)
- Preparatory matchmaking (e.g. Royal Dutch)
Exhibition targets determine the best site:
- Existing customers vs. new customers
- Transaction vs. information
- Demonstration vs. market research

10. Types of stands
Criterion N° 1: Number of open sides
1 = Aisle stand
2 = Through stand or Corner stand
3 = Head stand or Corner stand
4 = Island stand
4+ = Avenue stand

11. Discover the booth types…

12. Sections and functions of stands
In general, a stand has several functions at the same time:
- Draw attention
- Spread a message/create an image
- Place to show / explain something
- Host booth staff & visitors (work & 'play')
- Front desk & logistical desk
- Hospitality point
- Information point

13. Sections and functions of stands

14. Stand design: some rules of thumb
Choose the user's perspective
Answer to "What is in it for me?"
Have a prominent eye-catcher
Keep it simple
Be consequent (targets, identity, promises, behaviour…)
Use the '4 and 15 yo rules
Try a zest of humor

15. Some examples:

16. Some examples:

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25. Some examples:

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27. Some examples:

28. Environmental considerations:

29. Group stands
A. Preparing a project
B. Selling a project
C. Managing a project

30. Group stands
A. Preparing a project
Finding the right show
Finding the right participants
Finding the right place
Finding the right theme

31. Group stands
B. Selling a project
Use visitor motives:
- Information on new products 48%
- General market orientation 41%
- Increase knowledge 34%
- Exchange of experience 29%
- New business contacts 23%
- Preparation of decisions 17%
- Concluding purchases 7%

32. Group stands
B. Selling a project
Use trade show assets:
- plenty of contact opportunities
- 1-to-1 communication
- business / market community
- faster buying cycles
- guaranteed/qualified visitors
- media concentration

33. Group stands
B. Selling a project
Use group participation assets:
- all planning aspects looked after
- higher visibility
- communication coaching
- travel & stay arranged
- lower costs
- lower risks

34. Group stands
C. Implementing a project
Team management
Technical management
Communication management
Destination management
Day-by-day management

35. Group stands
C. Implementing a project
Team management
- Create a project team
Different competences
Second opinions
Contact persons
Ambassadors

36. Group stand rules of thumb
Say no to: Techie style exhibits
Nest builders
Non-visitor oriented activities
Irrelevant gimmicks
Anything far-fetched
Endorse: Exhibits respecting '4 rule
'Open area' concepts
Involvement of participants
Booth staff training

47. Q&A

48. What did we learn from
this presentation?
1) The best place on the floorplan depends
on my participation targets.
2) Stand design and communication have
to be simple, straightforward and apealing
to visitors.
3) The 4 second / 14 y.o. rules!

49. For more
information:
WWW.CBI.EU