How to stand and deliver

Trade shows and exhibitions often bombard visitors with sights, sounds and brand messages, but it is the stands or displays that appeal to all five senses in a harmonised fashion that attract the most attention.

The ability of an exhibitor to achieve this balance and create an atmosphere, rather than erect a square box packed with too much information, is crucial, according to Melanie Wood, managing director of UK-based Wood Design & Management, which designs the exhibition stands for two of the Middle East's major tourism and hospitality companies - the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and the Jumeirah Group.

"There is a common misconception that an exhibition stand is a brochure in three dimensions. The brand is important, but what we are actually creating is an environment where people can experience the brand as opposed to reading about the brand," Wood explains.

"A stand in an ideal world should create an immersive environment. If people discover for themselves they might believe it."

Wood believes in creating an environment where everything the visitor touches communicates the brand message.

"Your stand should be a subtle reinforcement of what your brand is about and it's not only about the three-dimensional aspect and the construction. It's about what sort of glasses you use, how you greet your visitors, and how do you look after them in your environment," she says.

There are many ways to create this scenario using colour, graphics and to a limited extent, words, maintains Wood.

"Many people throw too many words at their stand. One or two words will be absorbed. More is less," she says.

But the most important element implemented to create an environment is light: "I could design the most beautiful stand in the world, but if the lights are not up, it wouldn't work. It's all about the lighting. It's make or break," Wood explains.

She advises exhibitors to "set the scene" and "create a sense of excitement".

When planning a stand it is fundamental to first establish your goals and your programme for the year, she says.

"Once you know your targets you can start to think about the creative aspect and the application of your brand," Wood adds.

Wood is a design guru who practices what she preaches, and the fruits of her labour were prominent at this year's Arabian Travel Market where she created the exhibition's largest stand -- that of the ADTA.

The 1300 m² stand took visitors on a journey through the emirate's past, documenting the "extraordinary life" of Sheikh Zayed, calling in at the desert, and then arriving in the future.

"The ADTA wanted to emphasise Abu Dhabi's cultural legacy and the legend of Sheikh Zayed," explains Wood. "It wanted to show the evolution from a very simple culture to what is now an extraordinary stratospheric development."

Wood says the ADTA was very keen to highlight how Abu Dhabi aims to become an icon of culture and a key stop on the culture trail in the future, with projects such as the Guggenheim Museum and the Louvre on the boil.

The desert area featured palm trees with real leaves and Bedouin tents made from traditional fabric, whereas sculptured models of forthcoming projects were presented in a futuristic setting.

Light was adjusted accordingly in each segment of the stand, ranging from the rich and warm orange and yellow tones that recreated the desert landscape to the blues and purples that depicted the mystery and awe of the future.

Subtle mood music was also used effectively, creating a space in which visitors could soak up the atmosphere of Abu Dhabi and experience its vision.

Abu Dhabi has hunger for innovation and they embraced all of my ideas," says Wood. "Of course, we also had to accommodate conference rooms and travel partners and take into account their materials, but negotiation is all part of the job."

But how can exhibitors with far smaller budgets and hence far smaller exhibition areas get their message across?

"You can say all that needs to be said in a small unit," claims Wood.

"If I did Abu Dhabi on a smaller scale I would still use all the basic elements. I would use a gift motif - a shell that's gift-wrapped and inside there a glowing jewel of light - so when the gift-wrapping is peeled away it reveals something so gorgeous that it creates an element of mystery."

Wood says using appropriate and good quality furniture, fixtures and fabrics is also paramount.

Jumeirah's ATM stand was also the work of Wood Design & Management.

Standing at 60m², the stand complements the company's strapline, ‘Stay Different' and portrays "purity, simplicity and the ultimate in luxury", says Wood.

"We used white with soft tints because pure white can be aggressive and harsh," she explains. "We used a sense of scale - combing grandeur with simplicity."

Wood has also created exhibition stands for entities such as the Dubai Department of Tourism Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Dubai Ports Authority and Dubai Flower Centre.

She plans to open a Dubai office within the next 12 months and will cater to events and shows in addition to exhibitions.

READERS' COMMENTS

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM