It's a challenge many trade show marketers face. The best way to jump start a conversation about your product is to show it installed—but unfortunately, building a factory or house, or bringing an airplane or tractor trailer onto the show floor, is cost prohibitive. Plus, if you build an enclosed environment, no one will be able to see what's going on from the aisle.

While animation, VR, AR and touch screens can get the job done, sometimes there is nothing quite as convincing as having attendees touch and feel the real thing. When that's the case, the easiest solution is to minimally construct your exhibit. That is—select an iconic element or elements that get the point across—and leave the rest to the attendees' imagination.

UTC Aerospace Systems utilized this technique to showcase how its wide variety of airplane products look when installed. The company knew that creating a display that mimicked the application environment of its seating systems, cockpit controls, airplane evacuation systems, cabin controls, wood veneers and lighting would jump start meaningful conversations with attendees.

 

They also knew seeing the products installed would draw attendees from the aisle. So rather than use a real fuselage or mock up that would obscure attendees' view of their products from the aisle, 3D Exhibits created an open structure with just enough elements to convey that the space was the interior of an airplane.

The solution utilized an open aluminum frame fuselage, real airplane windows, and just enough aluminum facia panels to get the message across. Simple graphics communicated key product features at a glance. Sectional half-walls created distinct areas within the exhibit and reduced distractions from adjoining conversations.

 

The result was a functional space that also served as a great conversation starter.

How do you create the impression of a specific environment in your booth—without building the entire thing? Shoot us an email. We'd love to hear.