Exhibition Stand Ideas: 10 Ideas for a Trade Fair Presence That Stands Out

An exhibition stand has only a few seconds to make visitors stop. Anyone walking down the aisle decides in passing whether to stay. Good exhibition stand ideas don’t have to be expensive – they have to suit the brand and spark something. Since 1991, we have been planning, producing and building exhibition stands for companies of every size. Here are ten ideas from our projects that work.

1. Create an experience instead of showing products

Visitors remember what they have experienced themselves. For Rittal at CeBIT in Hanover, we built a walk-in data centre inside a shipping container at the heart of the 525 m² stand: instead of reading data sheets, visitors stood right in the middle of the technology. For Easy Motion Skin, we recreated parts of a fitness studio on the stand, so the product could be seen where it is actually used. And at Kind + Jugend in Cologne, visitors could try out Kiddy’s child seats on the spot. So the key question is not “What are we exhibiting?” but “What should visitors experience with us?”

2. Turn the product into an eye-catcher

Sometimes the product itself is the best decoration. For Schuberth, we built a ceiling made of real helmets; for MINI, a real car hung on the wall. At the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) in Cologne, a Trabant 601 Kombi in Halloren design stood in the middle of the Halloren stand – a photo opportunity that gets talked about. Careful planning is essential: we clarify weights, fixings and floor loads before construction. Exhibits weighing more than one tonne are routine for us.

3. Use light as a design element

Light determines whether a stand looks premium or pale. For Bosch Rexroth at bauma in Munich, we built a 27-metre self-supporting truss with LED units – it became the signature feature of the 550 m² stand. At Intersolar, SENEC attracted attention with a fully backlit banner with blue LED strips, controlled via a DMX interface. And at IPG Laser, 3.6-metre light columns set the accents. We have been working with LED technology for around ten years and have more than 20,000 LED spotlights in our own stock.

4. Bring movement into play

What moves gets noticed. At E-world in Essen, EEX Group presented its new corporate identity on a stand with moving elements. They symbolised the dynamics of the electricity market and made the stand – only 145 m² in size – one of the most eye-catching at the fair. Movement doesn’t have to be complex: rotating exhibits, kinetic ceiling elements or LED walls with moving content are often enough.

5. Let the material tell the brand story

The stand itself can show what a company makes. Progress Group, a leading manufacturer of equipment for precast concrete plants, welcomed visitors at bauma at a reception counter made of concrete and lacquered components, highlighted by an LED light strip. Kronospan turned its stand at EuroShop in Düsseldorf into a journey of discovery through decors, textures and surfaces – with a lounge for exchanging ideas with architects and designers.

6. Recreate a brand world

For Haibike, we recreated a bicycle shop on the exhibition stand – so retailers can see at a glance how the products look in store. The SLV Visitor Center in Übach-Palenberg shows how far this idea can go: based on designs by the agency dreiform, we converted a former warehouse into a 380 m² world of light, including a steel stage. The result received the silver FAMAB Award 2016 in the category “Best Brand Architecture”.

7. Several brands, one presence

Joint stands are a challenge: every brand wants to be visible, yet the result should feel like one coherent whole. For the Winora Group at EUROBIKE in Friedrichshafen, we brought six brands – Winora, Haibike, Ghost, Lapierre, Koga and XLC – together under one roof. All joinery work on 1,660 m² was produced in our own workshops in Leipzig. Halloren, Delitzscher and Bouchard also presented themselves together on one stand, with ceiling banners in the colours of all three brands.

8. Step outside the hall

Not every idea fits into an exhibition hall. For Tadano Faun, we built a 2,100 m² stand on the outdoor area of bauma in Munich – with a two-storey pavilion tent covering 800 m² for meetings and presentations. 80 tonnes of gravel and upcycled oil barrels as bar tables created a genuine construction-site atmosphere. Outdoor stands need their own planning: foundations, structural engineering, weather protection and power supply. In return, they offer space for large exhibits and live demonstrations.

9. Build upwards

When space is tight, go up. At bauma, Progress Group used a raised platform: products below, meeting rooms above. The largest example in our company history is the Daimler AG stand at the IAA Commercial Vehicles: around 16,000 m² with a 2,000 m² double-decker, 15 restaurant and catering areas and 250 meeting and office rooms – from order to handover in just twelve weeks. So that you know in advance how your stand will feel, you can walk through it as a 3D rendering or in virtual reality before construction begins.

10. Reuse instead of throwing away

An exhibition stand doesn’t have to end up in a skip after three days. In 2012, we developed a stand concept for VNG that is still in use at E-world today: 80 percent of the stand stays the same, and only one themed area is redesigned each year. This saves costs and resources. For the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt), we built a modular stand at IFA in Berlin in which all materials carry the “Blue Angel” eco-label. Our Megawall system is also designed for many uses – read more in our article System stand with design ambition: what makes Megawall different.

Good ideas are not a question of size

Whether 120 m² or 16,000 m²: a clear concept works on any floor space. At Baselworld, NOMOS Glashütte deliberately opted for a minimalist design with light and glass – putting the watches centre stage. On small stands, a strong idea matters even more because space is limited. And after the fair: capture your contacts digitally, for example with our lead app myStandLeads – free of charge for our exhibition stand customers. Read more: Lead app for trade shows: 8 things that matter.

Your exhibition stand: let’s talk about your idea

Looking for exhibition stand ideas for your next trade fair? We offer free initial advice and, on request, a non-binding 3D concept. Get in touch – we look forward to your project.

References in this article: Rittal · Bosch Rexroth · Tadano Faun · Daimler · SLV · VNG