Exhibiting at trade shows isn’t cheap, and they're flooded with competitors and other booths trying to grab people’s attention. This is your chance to meet a sea of potential customers in person. You’re all set with a banner, materials to hand out and a big screen to catch people’s attention. What do you put on that screen, though? There’s no point in lugging around a display if it’s just going to have a still image of your logo. What will that do for people who know nothing about your brand? If you’re looking for a specific type of customer, you can use video to get their attention and educate them about your product.
Why is my trade show booth so important?
You’ve probably seen those booths an expo where no one is going up to it. The person who’s supposed to be at the table is either missing or hiding behind their phone not looking up and the only way you know the name of the company is because of the map you got on the way in. That will be a lot of people’s first impression of that brand.
Attendees are here to network and learn. Some brands spend tens of thousands of dollars just on their displays for one show. It’s all about getting people’s attention. When we make a trade show video, it’s loaded with on-screen info and visuals that draw in the right audience and allow you to speak with someone genuinely curious about your offering.
Trade show display types
Laptop or Tablet
If your budget is tight, a laptop or tablet might be your best choice. It might feel silly to use such a small screen, but you can still take advantage of all sorts of content to keep people engaged at your booth. Don’t forget the charger!
Monitor
The most common type of display is going to be a monitor or a TV. If it’s something you plan on using repeatedly you’re going to want as light as possible. As far as size, that’s really going to depend on the size of the booth. For example a 65 inch screen in a 10x10 booth may be overwhelming, unless the video is going to be the main component of your booth.
Touch Screen
For another level of engagement, you can use touch screens. A custom interactive setup could be used to give interested people a more in-depth experience learning about the product or creating interactive adventures around your brand. Like a standard monitor, a touch screen can come in all shapes and sizes.
Content types for your display
Slide show
The simplest option, and what many people do early on in their trade show experience is use slide shows. Don’t overload the screen with text, try to use some visuals, and make sure the text is readable from at least 6 feet away (figure it may be behind your table).
Explainer Video
An explainer video is a 1-2 minute video that makes a complex topic easy to understand. If you’re product involves a lot of science, use an explainer to break the subject down into easy to follow visuals. We recommend using on-screen text or subtitles to make the video easier to follow.
This video we made for AIQ’s booth starts with an eye-catching graphic of the rocket taking off and going into a phone. It then leads you through the platform, its biggest integrations, and features. Even though there was narration so they could use the video elsewhere, we made sure to include subtitles and bold on-screen text to catch people’s attention from across the room.
3D Animation
If you have large machines to take out or that would be difficult to show how they work. 3D animation involves creating a 3D model of your product so we can bring it into a tool like Blender or Cinema 4D and manipulate it as if it were a real object. If you’re going to do something simple like show the product doing a 360 degree rotation, we still recommend adding some on-screen text.
Interactive Animation
An emerging trend with software like Rive and now interactive lottie files is fully interactive animations. Something like an explainer video can be turned into an experience visitors can click through.
Trade show display considerations
Aspect Ratio
It’s important to consider the aspect ratio before getting started on the video because it will be time consuming to switch later on. Your display may be landscape, portrait or square. If you’re working with a designer for your booth, they probably know what size screen will look best.
Sound
Chances are you won’t be using sound on your display. Try summarizing any important information with text on screen. If you have narration, add subtitles to the bottom of the video so viewers can follow along even on mute.
Streaming
Do not try to stream the video over the internet. Ensure the file is downloaded to whatever device will be hooked to your display.
Test Before
Make sure everything works ahead of time. Test your setup early so there’s time to fix things.
Need help making your trade show booth video?
Contact our team at Purely Imagined. Our clients have displayed at expos like MJBizCon, Hall of Flowers, and the NRF Big Show. Our team are experts in 2D and 3D animation. The average turnaround time for a quality 90-second explainer video is about 6-8 weeks, so consider the lead time needed to complete your project on time. You can schedule a 15 minute call with our team or fill out the form and we’ll be in touch with you here.
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