Feature
Stand storytelling
For me, it’s good old-
fashioned storytelling: a
stand that not only looks
amazing, but links the
aesthetic, structure, and
content to a wider brand
or product message. When
this kind of holistic thinking
happens, you really realise
the power of the stand as a
medium.
One such example that
I often think about is
Samsung’s IFA Berlin
2016 installation, which
deconstructed their
Quantum Dot TV into a
display of 9,204 discs of
coloured glass. This created
a hypnotic, quasi-religious
experience, that at once
related to the product,
and drew in visitors, who
couldn’t resist sharing
images. To follow through
with such an abstract
concept, at the expense
of hospitality space, takes
confidence and a marketing
team with vision, and the
trust of their C-suite.
Beyond artistic
installations, structural
innovations can deliver story
and spectacle, especially at
shows where exhibitors are
demonstrating the latest
technology. At CES in Las
Vegas this year, for example,
LG’s curved screen entrance
was utterly mesmerising,
a show of domination in
terms of technical and brand
brilliance.
Taking a different
approach to emerging
tech - at CES 2019, Google
created a ride straight out
of the Disneyland playbook.
With characters designed by
London-based Nexus Studio,
it was creative, playful
and product-relevant. It
set a new standard for
entertainment levels and
creative ideas at trade
shows.
The world stage
Perhaps the biggest fair
of all is the World Expo.
Underneath the glistening
exterior, Expo is a meta-
trade fair, where nations
display entire industries in
a global showcase. As such
the Expo results in some
spectacular designs, as
nations try to out-peacock
each other.
Ten years on from the
Seed Cathedral and there’s
no doubt some of the
most spectacular stands
in development will come
at Expo in Dubai. In the
interim the UK has delivered
The Hive (Milan), the Yurt
(Astana) and the Garden
(Beijing). In Dubai, the
UK will be represented by
visionary Es Devlin, who has
conceived a Poetry pavilion.
I can’t think of anyone
more qualified than
Devlin, and her design is a
gramophone to the world,
delivering poetry in a way
that’s both understated and
filled with meaning. It has
echoes of Heatherwick’s
work but so very
contemporary, combining
The Seed Cathedral credit - Iwan Baan
crowd sourced poetry with
artificial intelligence to
deliver a glowing, sculptural
poem.
At Expomobilia, the four
stands we are constructing
each have very different
core propositions: Finland
promises an excursion
through a ravine into the
fresh winter snow, Norway
explains the natural and
industrial journey through
the ocean, and visitors
to the Swiss pavilion will
emerge through the fog into
an alpine vista. Perhaps the
biggest talking point will
be The Netherlands, who
will lead the conversation
on sustainability with
their remarkable edible
centrepiece – a plant-
covered cone.
Each of these approaches
considers the user journey
at the heart. They create
anticipation and deliver
memorable experiences
through spectacular
installations, and smart use
of technology. The legacy of
the Seed Cathedral informs
the focus on storytelling and
spectacle through strong
core ideas.
Designers and
constructors needn’t wait
for such a big platform to
use these elements. Brand
activations of all sizes
benefit when we consider
what the point we’re trying
to make is, and bake it
into every element – from
user journey, to content, to
design and materials.
Think beyond just
demonstrating products,
into how a core idea can be
extrapolated into engaging
experiences. In fact, the
simplest ideas can lead
to the most eye-catching
centrepieces – think of
the Seed Cathedral, or
Switzerland’s foggy reveal
in Dubai.
Looking forward
Striking this balance
between spectacle and
sustainability is to be one of
the sector’s core challenges
going forward. Future
trade shows will need to
re-use, re-interpret and re-
contextualise their approach
to materials. Restraint will
be the new excess.
The 2020s offer us an
opportunity to tell digital
stories in a real-world
environment which is under
threat. For trade shows to
continue to perform their
multiple functions, whilst
incorporating tech and
sustainability, they’ll need
to work harder than ever.
My hope is that just as the
2010s were exemplified by
the Seed Cathedral, it will
be spectacular examples of
storytelling, technology and
sustainability that pave the
way for the decade ahead.
Strong ideas, explained
through immersive spaces
and well-told stories have a
lasting, transformative and
emotional effect on a visitor.
One that can inspire for
years to come.
May — 25