The “Art” of the Exhibit

When you’re at a trade show, what attracts you to a booth? Is it the giveaways? (Admit it.) Or is it the graphics?  At Zone 5, we understand the importance of both … but we lean toward the former. Just kidding, it's the graphics. Of COURSE it's the graphics!

Designing a successful booth is the result of delivering a clear, unified message AND understanding the dynamics of booth design. As professionals working in this arena for 20 years, Zone 5 has developed some guidelines that we suggest our clients follow (whether working with us or an in-house team). Here are a few of the more important items.

  1. Image Size. If you are taking a digital picture yourself to be used in your exhibit, image size becomes very, very important. You’ve heard the term megapixels(MP), but what does it mean to your graphic?

It’s simple. The more MP, the larger the image you can output. Generally, 5 megapixel cameras (or higher), set to it highest resolution should provide you with acceptable image clarity when your photo is printed 30 inches and larger.

In other words, if you can email the image, it’s probably too small to use. (BTW, be nice when emailing. Attached images should be no larger than 1MB in size.)

2. Live Area. So, what is the magical “live area?” The live area is the area is a safe zone for important text or images.  This is an area of your printed graphics that is safe from cropping or trimming. If designing a letterhead for example the trim area would be 8.5" x 11”. If the letterhead had a bleed it would be printed on a larger sheet (say 9" 11.5") and after printed it would be cut down to 8.5" x 11".

3. KISS Method. (Keep It Simple, Silly) You want to keep your message brief.  The job of your booth is to attract the attention of the exhibitors and create a quick glimpse of what you have to offer. Your message should communicate the key features and benefits of your product or service. Trying to squeeze in every little bit of your company profile only detracts from your main message. (It’s a lot easier for a potential client to remember one key thing about your company than four or five. ) Let your salespeople and collateral fill in product details.

4. Logo Size. Big. Bold. Clear!  If a client remembers nothing else, you want them to remember your name. Goal – keep your logo visible and legible at all times. (i.e. For a 10’x10’ space booth try and keep your logo at least 20”. )

5. Text Size. Big. Bold. Clear! Just as important as logo size is text size. The only way a potential client will remember your message is if they can read it. Don’t miss the opportunity. Text should be a minimum of 72 points.

If you’re using a headline, the shorter the better. A shorter headline will allow you to make your message bolder and more visible … even from across the room. (And even on a small tabletop display.)

For more tips or information on Zone 5’s large format services, contact me at dan.reade@zone5.com or 242.7031.
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