The evolution in design and construction of trade show booths and exhibits has changed drastically as the trade show industry has grown. Images from trade shows in the 1940’s indicate that many displays were little more than a card table and a sign. Most of these simple displays were “build and burn,” designed and only used for that particular event. These uncomplicated displays were generally created in-house by a company’s art or marketing department.
Through the 1950’s and 1960’s as trade shows gained popularity, and companies recognized the value of exhibiting, they also realized that having a professionally designed booth or exhibit was a worthwhile investment. It was not (and is not) just a status thing; companies realized that they only get one chance to make a first impression. Two companies of equal size, selling similarly priced products, can compete equally in most markets. But if one company is at the trade show with a beautiful booth with modern graphics and design, and the other company has something that looks like it was thrown together by a few employees in the warehouse, then there is no competition! The company with the better display will attract more attention and present their company in the best light. The company with the inferior display will look second rate!
Trade shows got very competitive starting in the late fifties. Companies wanted their displays to be the hit of the show. Booths got larger, more elaborate, and had more features. There were two and three story display booths; booths that looked like buildings or rivaled the interior of stores. The “build and burn” booth was long gone by the late 60’s as the cost of designing and developing a booth was so high that it became more cost effective to have a booth built, save it and use the same display at multiple trade shows.
A few companies were able to create nice booths in-house but by the 1960’s several companies sprang up whose primary business was designing trade show booths and exhibits. By the 70’s and 80’s the in-house built booths were becoming rare. Even the companies that had the capabilities to build in-house found it was more cost effective to buy from a dedicated trade show booth company. Although expensive, these booths were somewhat modular and often designed to be moved and stored so they could be used at more than one trade show or event.
For many years, custom design was the only option, but now companies have more choices. Each option will be explained fully in future chapters but we will touch on them briefly here. Custom design is still a solid option, costs have dropped as the construction of booths has become more standardized and the materials easier to obtain. A relatively new option is the pre-designed booth; a booth that is built in standard sizes and then branded with the individual company’s graphics. The end result is an excellent brand new booth without the cost of a totally custom design. Renting booths is another newer option. The rented booth is branded with the company’s graphics. This option saves the company the cost of ownership such as storage and upkeep. The used trade show booth market is substantial: booths originally costing thousands of dollars can be purchased and re-branded with new graphics at a fraction of the original cost.
If you are not sure which option is best for you, call 800-898-8485 and tell the customer service representative that you got the number from this book. They will schedule you for a free half-hour no sales pitch consultation to help you determine which option is best for you and your business.