Trend Alert: Why the Anti-Booth is Creating a Buzz

Trend Alert: Why the Anti-Booth is Creating a Buzz

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If you've ever attended an industry trade show—regardless of which industry you find yourself in—there's a good chance you've played at least some part in designing, setting up, or manning a "traditional" trade show display/booth. You know the types of booths we're referring to; you rent out a 10x10 space and set up a display to attract attendees. The specifics of the display may vary a bit, but probably include a large sign displaying the company logo, a "greeting center" that's staffed by a bubbly employee, and perhaps even some lounging areas or live demonstration areas throughout.

Not that these displays can't be super effective if they're designed and executed properly, but maybe now is the time to think outside the booth.

Thinking Outside the Booth

The "anti-booth" trend is creating quite the buzz in trade shows and events as of late—and if you've been looking for a way to make a unique statement and stand out among a sea of 10x10 booths at your next event appearance, it's something you might want to consider trying for yourself.

A perfect example of these emerging trend can be seen in RAB Lighting's beautiful "anti-booth" display at this past Lightfair (a huge trade show for businesses in the lighting industry). Rather than set up a "typical" booth or generic display, the company filled their space with 1,500 pots of grass, along with a serene walkway that passed through the display itself. Each of the pots of grass was mounted on a small pendulum, which was set up to gently sway back and forth (thanks to a series of hidden sensors) when attendees walked by.

As people walked through the display, they were delighted by the ability to set each tiny pot of grass in motion, demonstrating the concept that nature and mankind are in constant interaction with each other in beautiful ways.

Of course, this is just one of many examples of companies that have chosen to think outside the typical concept of a booth at their industry trade shows and events. It's worth noting that RAB Lighting's display subsequently won an award for Best in Show at the event. Of course, not only did they receive this award, but their display generated an insane amount of buzz and likely led to a number of new leads or conversions for the company itself.

How to Make a Statement

So, you're starting to see the appeal of these anti-booth concepts, and you're wanting to incorporate this kind of design strategy into your next industry event. How can you go about making your display stand out? The possibilities are endless, but no matter what you do, you should begin by considering the ultimate message you want to convey with your design. Only from there should you begin brainstorming unique ideas to catch the eye of your target audience without being "just another booth."

Looking for some inspiration? Cramer has some great examples of anti-booth ideas that have been successful in the past, so you might consider building on one of these. Working with an experienced display designer and builder might also help you generate new and unique ideas, as well as ensure they can come to fruition both in terms of logistics and budget.

When it comes to standing out and making a true statement, you can't go wrong with anti-booth. And if you're still looking for a great location at which to host your next industry trade show or other event, check out  Soho Studios for an incredible event space that's suitable for any industry.

7 Best Cities to Host a Pop Up Event

7 Best Cities to Host a Pop Up Event

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Are you considering hosting a pop-up event? You should. They are becoming increasingly popular, and are an excellent way to get your brand out there, make an impression, and gain new customers. If you aren't familiar with pop-up events, the concept behind them is pretty simple. They started becoming a "thing" about a decade ago, and are more popular now than ever. They are events that seem temporary or unplanned, but are actually anything but. To pull one off, you have to have an event planner who knows how to make an intricately designed event look totally casual, even like it was thrown together on the spur of the moment. You also need a large audience, because you want your event to gain a lot of public attention.

This need for an audience of passersby means you should ideally be having your pop-up event in a place where it will be easy for you to get a lot of foot traffic. These are the seven best cities in which to host a pop-up event, including a few examples of successful ones, to give you a few ideas for your own.

1. New York City, NY

As one of the busiest cities on Earth, and a top tourist destination to boot, New York City is an ideal location for any kind of pop-up event. In the world's melting pot city, you may even attract the attention of a few celebrities to your event. There will certainly be no shortage of potential participants.

A really successful pop-up event that was held here was done by the Culinary Institute of America, where students took over the famed Pangea restaurant to host a unique dinner. The menu was planned to contain only items that drew attention to how we will feed the planet as our resources dwindle in future generations. Conscious dining was the theme, and innovative, sustainable dishes were served to great acclaim. Because the event let visitors feel good about the cause they were supporting, they were also willing to pay more for it than a typical restaurant.

2. Los Angeles, CA

The home of the world's entertainment industry is another ideal location for a pop-up event. The possibility for celebrities coming and bringing attention and prestige to your brand is high. Like NYC, there is also a lot of tourist traffic. Plus, the paparazzi are everywhere here, and likely to cover your event, especially if someone famous shows up.

A pop-up store was set up in LA before the premier of the movie, Where the Wild Things Are, to sell memorabilia. The store was created to look like a nest in one corner, and a giant child's fort in another corner. The mannequins were given horns to resemble wild creatures. It was such a fun place to shop, and looked like it had always been there. For the short time the store was there, it pulled in an amazing amount of traffic and sales.

3. London, UK

The NYC of the UK, London is a city that always has something happening, and foot traffic from regular people, celebrities, and nobility alike. It is also the location of a highly creative pop-up event that shows their versatility. This one was put on by the Wieden+Kennedy ad agency, and its purpose was to show anyone who happened by what it is like to work there. The front window of the office was transformed into a cartoon set, where employees took turns working. It looked like they were working in an animated cartoon environment, and passersby loved it. There was even a webcam on the agency's website so anyone in the world could watch. This event went on for a few weeks, and gained a huge amount of attention and brand recognition for the agency.

4. Paris, France

Probably the second-best place to have a pop-up event in Europe besides London, Paris has everything going for it that London does, only with that traditionally romantic Parisian background. It would be a perfect location for any dating or romance-themed event.

5. Seattle, WA

Known for its eclectic residents, this is the home of Starbucks and grunge rock, among other things. With a large population, and high tourist traffic, with people who are known to be environmentally aware, this is the perfect location for any "save the planet" or sustainability pop-up event.

6. Orlando, FL

It's the vacation capital of the world. If you are looking to put on a family-friendly event, or one that caters to a fun-loving, irreverent crowd, like college students or hipsters, this is the place to do it.

7. Miami, FL

The southernmost home of the nation's celebrities, heirs and heiresses, and other glitterati, as well as vacationers and partiers of all ages, Miami is a hotspot of non-stop activity, making it an ideal place to host a pop-up event of just about any kind. Plus, it has the advantage of having Soho Studios there, which is a perfect location for an event, or to find the people with the right experience and knowledge of the Miami crowd to plan an incredible one for you.

Three Things Forbes Included in its Under 30 Summit

Three Things Forbes Included in its Under 30 Summit

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With its recent Under 30 Summit, Forbes showed that it knows how to connect with the under 30 crowd. Forbes put a lot of research and effort into creating an event that catered to this audience while recognizing their unique experiences. The summit, which has been an annual event since 2014, took place in Boston, MA from October 1st to 4th this year. With over 7,000 people going to the summit, Forbes showed that it created enough interest in advance for people to want to attend.

How was Forbes able to reach this up-and-coming population? Here are three of the components Forbes included in its summit that connected with the under 30 crowd. 

1. Inspirational and Professional Opportunities

This event put young professionals in touch with opportunities that would inspire them, give them professional connections and teach them a thing or two. The summit included a wealth of content in different subject areas, from technology and science to health and social responsibility. It allowed attendees to connect with each other, collaborate and even learn about work opportunities. 

The crowd was able to learn and be inspired by top-notch speakers and celebrities, including Sophia Amoruso of Girlboss Media and John Chambers of Cisco. They learned from entrepreneurs, influencers and other powerhouses. They got the chance to talk to investors and network with other professionals as a way to grow their careers and opportunities. 

2. Entertainment and Experiences

Young professionals could get more than career-related education and inspiration at this summit. They also had fun. Event attendees had the chance to try different cuisine at an included food festival and experience the summit’s rocking music festival. 

The entertainment went beyond shows that attendees could watch from the audience. They also got to have unique experiences that engaged them. This aspect of the summit was new to this year, and it made a huge difference in connecting with the under 30 population. Attendees were able to test drive an Alfa Romeo sports car, learn from and play with a former professional basketball player and a bar crawl.

3. Recognition

With this summit, Forbes does a great job of tying an experiential event into its recognition of important people under 30. It goes along with Forbes’ “Under 30” list that yearly recognizes 30 innovators that are younger than 30 within numerous categories. This connection helps build interest around Forbes’ list and its authoritative position, while engaging with people on an in-person level.

The current summit recognized the new 30 people that were honored this year while also bringing back honorees from the past. In addition, the event recognized winners of competitions attendees were able to participate in. Medinas, a healthcare exchange platform, won the Global Change the World competition and received a $100,000 prize along with a $300,000 in-kind prize. 

Overall, Forbes did an amazing job at gaining excitement from its target audience and creating an experiential event that attendees would benefit from. The content, events and experiences kept attendees mostly in an "under 30 village" while also giving them the opportunity to fully appreciate the city by visiting different parts. Through a mixture of great content, awesome experiences and professional opportunities, the under 30 crowd was engaged and given the chance to grow personally and professionally.