Trade or consumers exhibitions, business seminars, award ceremonies, product launches or even brand re-launches are all areas where display graphics have an important role, not just in branding the event but in quickly communicating key messages and setting the scene/tone from the outset.
In fact room branding is at the most basic end of the display & exhibition spectrum, usually done with popular and versatile Pop Up Banners. The most that we have done for a single event was a group of 7 for the Scottish Archive Network who had a range of different online services to display and a few different events to attend where there was only space for a few of the banners (such as Tartans Day in New York) to be used so they needed to be truly versatile and have some stand alone banners. You can change the graphics on the better quality Pop Up systems but ensure that you specify the correct sizes as they come in different widths when re-ordering, the most popular being 0.8m, 1.0m and 1.2m so choose wisely for re-use.
With Pop Ups you really do get what you pay for, cheap imports have meant that prices have tumbled and they come in a various levels of quality accordingly. We do not use any that are permanently fixed, but understand that they can have a use. The better ones come with a cartridge built into the base where the graphics wind up to roll up into, this gives the banner far more stability when its in use and protects the graphics when not is use or in transit or storage (for 95% of its life). The base ought to have extendable feet for additional stability when in use. We have seen some stands positioned near open doorways where the draft has made unsecured Pop Ups sway a bit, it’s eye catching but not what you want for your brand.
The material that the graphics are printed on also needs consideration. For most uses you want the thicker type that does not curl up at the edges and with a backing colour so that no light shows through from behind, sounds obvious but worth checking before buying. Unless you expect to make use of your banner outdoors then a mesh material can be specified so that your product advert does not turn into a windsurfing board.
Does it come with a carry bag and what is the final weight, important if you need to ship them off in advance or take on board if flying to a show.
How quickly will it go up and is it really a one-man job? Best if you get a demonstration before ordering.
Images, do your images have sufficient resolution to be enlarged to 1.2 metres wide on a Pop Up, or even bigger on full stands? We can tell you in advance but it can be a huge percentage enlargement for items that are not vector based, often too far. If you are buying library images try to think of the maximum usage size rather than finding the ideal image and then discovering that it cannot be used.
If like most companies your company name and logo run to quite a few characters long then you may be tempted to run it vertically instead of the more familiar horizontal. This hardly ever works as people do not like to tilt their heads over and you are far more familiar with your company name than they are so why make it hard for them to even read your name.
Colours; your logo will have a Pantone colours references (PMS numbers) but the banners and graphics will be produced CMYK in full process colour.
So PMS equivalents will be used, be prepared for that. The proofing tends to be PDF which is fine for content but not great for colours. The best production houses allow some dialogue and can colour match for you. The cheaper end will just process and deliver. This can be fine but when you go back to order another banner or make changes (as we did for the CLE banner set) we also sent back a swatch of the original banner to colour match. A little precaution that might not be recognised until the system is brought out at the subsequent event without any nasty surprises. These are the extra value that an experienced design company can add to ensure that your special event is memorable for the right reasons.
Here are examples where lights and furniture are used to create the right first impression and to be more welcoming. They also add precious wall space so display area can be maximised, within reason. Many events are in the UK and are generally walk in shell schemes to be decorated. Here are some visual examples for various clients.
Design & production timing – do allow adequate time for the design, proofing and production of Pop Ups. We would say that 2 weeks for design and changes then after approval allow at least a week for production.
And before you start here are some of the Golden Rules to be aware of:
For larger displays and exhibitions read this blog post about the Nikon stands we have built with meeting rooms, DVD monitors, back lit walls and even full kitchens. The largest being 9m x 9m and its amazing how costly it can get to fill 81 square meters with graphic displays, furniture and carpets. And factor in the event venue in Germany, Italy or Russia and you can start to see the complexities.