When it comes to announcing your presence on the trade show floor, what's going on above your exhibit can be just as powerful as what's going on inside of it.

Effective use of the air space over your exhibit can communicate your brand, draw attention—and even convince attendees to enter your exhibit.

Here are 5 current trends in trade show hanging signs:

 

1. Leverage mass. If you are looking for a way to make your small or mid-sized exhibit stand out, the solution may be to treat your hanging sign as a statement piece. Rayence made its hanging sign 12-feet tall, added visual interest by designing the sign as two overlapping ribbons (rather than a simple oval)—and added contrast by finishing the exterior of the sign in white—and the inside in red. The shape and mass of the sign ensured that this 30' x 30' space became a can't miss destination. (Rayence exhibit design and fabrication by 3D Exhibits.)

 

 

2. Light it up. LED trim integrated into the edges of Dell EMC's hanging sign draws attendees' attention and reinforces the company's image as a high-tech leader. (Dell EMC exhibit design and fabrication by 3D Exhibits.)

The pink pin-lights on ZTE's header evoke curiosity. The result is that attendees slow down to take a look at what the company has to offer.

 

3. Repeat after me. Another hot trend is to design a hanging sign that is a combination of concentric elements and/or repeated shapes.We've seen a lot of variations on this approach—from circles to rectangles to triangles. Vary the color, height or angle of some of the elements to customize this approach for your brand and message.


 

4. Organic curves. Flowing curves are easy on the eyes and tend to have a calming impact on people viewing them. This hanging sign strategy is perfect for companies that want to communicate brand attributes such as comfort and caring.

 

5. Dynamic shape. No one ever said that hanging signs had to be simple shapes. Don't be afraid to leave the box far behind you—literally—by creating unique and sculptural hanging signs.

 

 

What's the most dynamic hanging sign you've seen on the show floor lately?