Nearly 20,000 people from more than 100 countries descended upon Orlando, FL last week for PowerGen, the world’s largest power generation event. With so many marketing opportunities for the event’s 1,400 exhibitors, the question of how best to attract not just the most attention, but the right attention, was critical. Companies used hanging signs, lights, huge screens, virtual reality displays, large marquees and massive pieces of machinery to distinguish themselves. And there was one relatively common attraction that I didn’t expect to see: street magicians.
We’ve all seen the act, or something like it: A charming card shark impresses a captive audience by performing seemingly impossible card pulls, ball disappearances and even psychic mind reading. I stopped and watched three magic shows, participated in two and walked by at least another dozen. They were fun, for sure. My personal favorite involved breaking down Three-card Monte using progressively larger lemons. Another trickster correctly guessed the random sentence I had read in a book he handed me minutes earlier. I’ll admit it; it was impressive. I still have no idea how he pulled that off.
I also have no idea what products he was selling.
I thought, “The company attracted me, but do card tricks and mind reading engage me with their brand?” Each performer tied elements of his act into the exhibitor’s products or capabilities in ways that felt, at best, tangential. The shows were fun, but were they effective? At the end of the day, they failed to leave a lasting impression.
At STAR, we use a five-phase process to ensure our clients’ exhibits aren’t just eye-catching, but results-focused. We work with clients to determine the goals and vision of each unique project. This is critical because as a project takes shape or changes, and as new and exciting ideas are added, we constantly revisit the goals and vision to ensure that the project stays on track and produces the intended ROI.
It’s not magic…but it can feel like it. STAR blends creative design, top-flight production and fabrication capabilities, transparency in terms of process and pricing, and laser-like focus on ROI. This attention on strategy gives our clients’ projects a noticeable edge when compared side-by-side on the exhibition floor.
Engage STAR to learn about our five-phase process and how we can provide a project that is eye-catching, engaging and, most importantly, effective.
