Our team recently returned from InfoComm, where we helped Legrand create the largest exhibit on the show floor – a commanding 100’ x 120’ exhibit! Virtually tour the space here.
InfoComm is the largest audiovisual and integrated experience event, and we’re here to share our top brand experience takeaways that can be applied to almost any event.
Differentiation
Differentiation was hard to find at InfoComm. We saw lots and lots of monitors, but not a lot of content that told the story of why one monitor was superior to another. We often see this happen at trade shows, and it’s unfortunate because many products have a very compelling story that should be shared.
If you’re exhibiting at a show where you have a similar product to others, it’s crucial to tell your differentiation story in a compelling way. There are many ways to differentiate not just with messages but unique architectural structures, varying material, and clear branding with strategic graphics. A unique differentiator was a microphone company that had a talented live musician performing on the show floor. This was an excellent way to differentiate and show how their products work while also engaging and entertaining the audience.
Thought Leadership
The AV world does thought leadership well. We saw many companies leveraging their content and sharing it in large group presentation formats. It was common to see groups of 10+ people walking the show floor going on “booth tours” where they were all from the same company in their matching polos listening to presentations. Then, they would all walk together to the next booth and hear another presentation. Other industries should absolutely do this! It’s such a great way to introduce yourself to other products, familiarize yourself with options, and grow together as a team.
Many companies had stages and mini-theaters set-up with microphones to host these “booth tours.” This is a great way to gather attention and position yourself as a leader in your industry. Whether you have engineers, scientists, food influencers, or other individuals who can command the attention it’s a strategy that works across industries. People go to shows to learn something new; if they learn from you, they might give you their contact information and ultimately their business.
Cultural Relevance
Another great insight from InfoComm is the idea of e-sports. One exhibitor we saw had an engagement area where they demonstrated their products through an e-sports area. They had two to three people playing a video game and one person announcing. There was always a crowd around watching and engaging. It was a culturally relevant way to showcase their products and capture attention. What made this successful is that the engagement was live, real-time, and interacted with the people right in front of them.
Whether you’re planning to exhibit at InfoComm 2020 or want to infuse your next brand experience with differentiation, thought leadership, or culturally relevant integrations, I’d love to talk to you!