Long-distance effect of exhibition stands at trade fairs

What is it all about and how can it best be achieved?

Being visible from far away and attracting potential customers — that is probably the goal of every trade fair booth. Many companies compete for the attention of visitors. Continue reading to find out how to achieve the best long-distance effect at a trade fair and what exactly that entails:

What exactly is meant by long-distance effect at a trade fair? 

Long-distance visibility is an important element of visual recognition. Every company wants its booth to be seen at the trade fair. But in order to stand out from the crowd, certain requirements must be met.

There are many challenges at a trade fair. Since every company wants to be seen, everyone tries to arouse interest by various means. However, it is not enough to simply increase visibility — what visitors see at the trade fair must also have the desired impact.

And that is exactly what long-distance effect aims to achieve: the trade fair stand should catch the eye of potential customers and arouse their curiosity. Various measures are used to achieve this.  

How do you achieve a good long-distance effect?

There’s no question about it – a good long-distance effect at trade fairs is essential for exhibition stands if they want to attract visitors. There are many things that can contribute to increased visibility and a positive effect.

Ceiling banner

A ceiling banner that is as large and visible as possible in order to take advantage of the maximum permitted height is an absolute game changer. Those who take advantage of the full size get the most out of the space available to the company. This allows you to exploit the full potential of a exhibition stand.

A banner, for example, serves to frame the booth visually and spatially. This makes the entire exhibition booth appear larger and more spacious. Additional lighting creates a very special effect. To do this, it is necessary to indent 50-100 cm from the edge of the booth to make room for a suspended light truss. 

Booth Design

Booth design includes factors such as the width, height and colors of the booth. Depending on how you choose these, you can achieve a better or worse long-distance effect at the trade fair. 

It makes sense to always use the maximum permitted height for the walls and to make full use of every other dimension in order to achieve a high presence. This will definitely make the exhibition stand an eye-catcher.

The neighboring booths should also be taken into account. Your own booth should be shown to its best advantage. Therefore, the neighboring company should be seen as little as possible, especially in photos. This is the only way to create eye-catching images that can be used for advertising and other purposes.

And what about colors? Striking and eye-catching colors that also fit in with the company’s corporate design are the first choice for achieving a good long-distance effect for trade fair stands. The colors of the corporate design can be combined with matching eye-catching colors for this purpose. Using colors that are unusual for the industry is a particularly effective way of attracting attention.

One example of the successful use of long-distance effect is the Bausch+Lomb stand at DOC in Nuremberg in 2024. Here, a ceiling banner was designed that made maximum use of the stand’s width and depth, making it clearly visible. The color combination of petrol blue and fuchsia was particularly important here. The two contrasting colors catch the eye at first glance and literally draw the attention of trade fair visitors. 

Branding

It is not only corporate design that plays an important role in the long-distance effect of exhibition stands. Branding in general should not be neglected either. The company logo, slogan or statement look particularly good on the walls or ceiling banner of the stand.

Slogans that reflect the company’s philosophy in particular can evoke emotions and bring a brand to life. Visitors feel engaged and want to find out more – their curiosity is piqued and they head for the exhibition stand.

At BAU 2019, this strategy was evident in the simple but powerful presentation of the logo and the white interior surface of the banner. This type of branding sticks in the memory and can influence visitors’ decision to engage more deeply with the brand. 

Placement

Where should the exhibition stand be located at the trade fair? This is an important question for companies and should definitely be taken into account when considering long-distance effect. The location has a strong influence on how visitors perceive an exhibition stand.

The rule of thumb is: the closer the booth is to the main aisle in the hall, the better. Being in the front row has a better effect on visibility and impact than a location at the left or right edge of the hall.

The goal is for visitors to enter the hall and see the exhibition booth first. Since these are naturally the booths in the front row, it makes sense to secure a spot here. 

Lighting

In fact, the right lighting is crucial for a good long-distance effect. Light and moving spotlights can create an atmosphere that captivates visitors. 

Although exhibition halls are already very bright, this is not enough, so lighting is absolutely necessary. It can be used specifically in areas that are too dark or to ensure that a logo or banner is optimally illuminated. Good lighting is also suitable for highlighting special elements.

Moving images have a particularly high long-distance effect due to their increased visibility. A 3D logo is also one of the measures that attracts a lot of attention. Here, companies should always choose the option that is feasible and fits in with the overall design.

Long-distance effect of exhibition stands – examples from MMD

What does good long-distance effect look like in the practical use? We at MMD have examples of exhibition stands that achieved the optimal effect with the right measures:

• Bausch+Lomb: Use of optical mirror effects, illusions, shapes and images at various trade fairs  

• Johns Manville: Concept of a typical American sports bar as an eye-catcher at the Filtech trade fair in Cologne 

• FSB: “Homage to Concept: 100 Years of Bauhaus” at BAU Munich
  
  
• Pirelli: Exhibition stand with restaurant as a highlight “pit stop” at The Tire Cologne 

Conclusion