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1 Ten BIG trends from ExhibitorLIVE - Compliments of Nichols

COMPLIMENTS OF nichols

EXHIBITORLIVE

TREND 1: Panel Systems

TREND 2: Backlit Fabric

TREND 5: Shape, Color, Materials

TREND 6: LED Lighting

TREND 7: Industrial Chic

TREND 8: Charging Stations

TREND 9: Video Walls

TREND 10: Engaging Attendees

TREND 3: Massive Hanging Signs

TREND 4: Integrated Technology

2 Ten BIG trends from ExhibitorLIVE - Compliments of Nichols 2 Ten BIG trends from ExhibitorLIVE - Compliments of Nichols











847.229.9800 | [email protected]

mailto:sales%40gonichols.com?subject=I%20would%20like%20more%20information

10 HOT Trends from ExhibitorLIVE

At Nichols, we stay at the leading edge to capitalize on

the top design trends, and to help you create a captivating

exhibit for your next trade show.

At EXHIBITORLIVE, we observed 10 key trends that will

help you stay ahead of the curve with your next exhibit. In

this ebook we examine those trends, and give you tips on

how you can make use of them.

With you, every step of the way,

Team Nichols

























Panel Systems: Exceptional beauty and ease of use.

Versatile, easy-to-use panel systems have matured to a level where they are hard to distinguish from a custom exhibit, so it’s no wonder this cost effective option is among the top trends. There are many exciting ways panel systems can make your booth a real standout:

• With both straight and curved aluminum frame panels that easily connect and stack, you can incorporate soft flowing curves or clean linear edges into your exhibit.

• The same panels can create walls, cantilevered canopies, counters, storage closets, or rigged hanging signs.

• Steel supports at critical junctures allow the system to remain lightweight and sag-free.

• Panels can be covered in towering full-color graphics or seamless SEG (silicone edge graphic) fabric skins that cross multiple frames for a beautiful, cohesive look.

• Cool metallic finishes, warm wood grain veneers, laminate, glass, brick and stone paneling can all be used as panel infills to reflect your style.

• Lightbox integration is a snap, and panel systems support a wide range of accessories such as shelving, monitor mounts, electronic door locks and more that disappear into the frame or are completely hidden under the skins.

• Innovative system elements allow you to construct a raised booth floor with both lower construction and operating costs.

• Panel systems are a great solution to make event setup easy. The pictured 26’ x 16’ backwall (center photo) took one hour to set up with just three people and only two ladders!

When you want an elegant booth with exceptional beauty that rivals a custom exhibit, but want to keep your costs low and your booth set up easy, talk to us about using an exhibit system!





Backlit Fabric: Beauty and impact.

Backlit fabric continues to be an important trend integrated into custom backwalls, hanging signs and counters.

The impact of light cannot be denied and that impact increases exponentially as the size of the lightbox increases.

• The combination of striking images and interesting shapes multiply the effect of backlit fabric. (upper left)

• A lightbox framed within a lightbox combines form with function and takes creativity to new heights. (center)

• Vibrant color is all the rage and finds no better canvas than backlit fabric. (upper right)

If you want your next booth to make a beautiful impact, we can help you incorporate backlit fabric into your design.

























The most dramatic hanging signs covered the entire footprint of the booth, drawing visitors into an environment that feels separate and contained from the rest of the show.















Massive Hanging Signs: Stake your claim.Massive hanging signs demand attention, define your booth space and create drama. At EXHIBITORLIVE we saw this trend employed to great effect. The most dramatic signs covered the entire footprint of the booth, drawing visitors into an environment that feels separate and contained from the rest of the show.

A few great features to mention:

• Hanging signs of this size require rigging and often truss, which may represent a significant part of your trade show budget, but it can be well worth the spend. Truss has the additional benefit of providing mounting for external lighting fixtures for even more impact.

• Today’s LED lighting allows large hanging signs to be lit from the inside as well, extending the reach of your brand across the show floor.

• The shape of hanging signs is no longer limited to a circle or rectangle. Tension fabric can stretch across frames that curve or sharply turn creating bold, geometric shapes.

• While the exterior of the hanging sign most often identifies your brand, the inside or underside of the sign can be utilized for marketing messages.

When you want to find out more about how you can claim your territory by incorporating dramatic hanging signs and ceiling elements into your booth design, let us know and we’ll gladly help.





Integrated Technology: Wired for success.Technology continues to be integrated into every aspect of tradeshows, from gimmicks that capture attention, to irresistible booth elements, to cloud based technology to manage your events, and coveted giveaways. There are a variety of exciting ways to integrate technology into any booth:

• We were enamored by the big, beautiful touch screens that were designed for companies to display their apps! One of the roadblocks to interactive booth elements is producing the content, but many companies already have an app to showcase. With these large touchscreens that can run any iOS or Android app, it becomes easy to provide an interactive experience in your booth. You can even brand the casing that surrounds the giant screen. (upper right photos)

• Video walls were so prevalent on the show floor that they merited a trend on their own. (see page 24)

• Software companies demonstrated cloud-based technology to help manage trade show and event programs. These systems automate asset management, streamline staff scheduling, simplify surveys, capture leads, generate critical reports and more. Nichols is proud to offer this technology to our customers, along with our top notch support. Learn more about ShowRunner on our website.

• We had to stop and wonder at amazing hologram product displays, marvel at waterfall and water mist LED projection screens, and play in virtual reality.

• We enjoyed a beautiful example of touchscreen integration into a unique counter. (see page 11)

• We were amazed by how much easier keyless door locks made life on the show floor. (center)

• Hot give-away items included mini-cube Bluetooth speakers, branded desktop cell phone holders with a charger base, and electronics charging kits. (upper left photos)

We’re here to help you discover unique ways to integrate technology and wire your show program for success.













http://www.gonichols.com/showrunner/













Our favorite booths at the show employed bold, angular leading lines that had a rhythmic repetition to draw your eye into and around the space.





Shape, Color, Materials: Differentiate your booth!

Color and pattern were applied in new and exciting ways to make brands really pop at EXHIBITORLIVE. Geometric shapes and patterns are a motif that can be applied in many ways – as the template for your entire exhibit design, as individual graphic elements or as a repeating design element on a smaller scale throughout the booth.

• Our favorite booths at the show employed bold, angular leading lines that had a rhythmic repetition to draw your eye into and around the space. (upper left, center and page 14)

• Bright, contrasting colors in vibrant hues are the color trends. Even white booths were flooded with colorful LED lighting. (upper right)

• With graphics, we saw deliberate, strong color choices, edge-to-edge imagery, and largescale typography.

• At Nichols, we’ve used low poly graphic design on our website and marketing materials for the last couple of years. (center and upper right) Low poly uses simple geometric shapes placed side-by-side to create angular, often minimalist, compositions. It was fun to see this style beautifully executed on the show floor.

• Finally, we saw a return to the look of natural materials in exhibit construction. (upper right) Though a stone or brick façade might be a lightweight synthetic product, or a wood look achieved with dye sub printing to fabric, the desired mood and style still come through.

When you want to find your own unique way to use colors, patterns, or interesting materials, contact us and we’ll help you make your booth stand out.















LED Lighting: Light it up.

LED lighting made a dazzling addition to many booths at EXHIBITORLIVE. Booth components featured illuminated backwalls, headers, canopies and counters. Some of the amazing ways LED lights can be incorporated into booths include:

• Color-changing LED lights are an easy way to garner attention, allowing a white booth to become a kaleidoscope through completely programmable color changes. (see page 16)

• Advances in programming allow animated spot LEDs to light up featured graphics from behind fabric.

• LED strip lighting is an elegant way to backlight dimensional letters. (upper left)

• A plethora of fascinating, small fixtures and light tapes can meet nearly any lighting need. (center photo)

• We especially enjoyed the LED standoffs to illuminate Plexiglas edges. (upper right)

Discover how LED lighting can be a cost saving, but exciting addition to light up your booth space.















Very popular this year is industrial chic. It’s an interior design trend that began in city lofts and has made its way into the mainstream. It brings together the earthy beauty of iron and metal, accented by weathered wood and soft clean surfaces.















Industrial Chic: Work the industrial look.Industrial chic is an interior design trend that began in city lofts and has made its way into the mainstream. It brings together the earthy beauty of iron and metal, accented by weathered wood and soft clean surfaces. At EXHIBITORLIVE, this interior design trend made it to the trade show floor.

• It was used to great effect with faux concrete and corrugated metal printed on large fabric graphics and panel infills. (upper left)

• This trend was not to be missed with I-beams, gears and pulleys front and center in several booths. (upper left and right)

• We were drawn by the rustic warmth of wood, whether in natural form or convincingly printed on fabric. (lower left and page 19)

If you want to discover how your company’s products can lend themselves to an Industrial Chic look, we can help you express this casual industrial style.















Charging Stations: Power up!Another hot trend from EXHIBITORLIVE is the incorporation of charging stations. Exhibitors are capitalizing on our need to stay connected at all times, and drawing in attendees, with free access to charging stations on multiple surfaces within the booth.

An amazingly easy addition, charging stations can be added to any table, counter or wall with minimal cost. The wide range of choices at EXHIBITORLIVE moved from overt glowing end tables and high boys to subtle, out of the way options. When you add a chair next to the charging station, the show attendee gets to “recharge” too!

Power up your booth by offering a service attendees can use right at the show. Contact us at and we’ll help you design charging stations that make your booth stand out.

























Technology improvements and lower costs are paving the way for the natural progression from monitors and illumination to video walls as an accessible booth element for many exhibitors.





Video Walls: Make a BIG impression.

One great way to draw a crowd and keep their attention is the integration of a video wall into your booth. Technology improvements and lower costs are paving the way for the natural progression from monitors and illumination to video walls as an accessible booth element for many exhibitors. While there’s no disputing the impact of a full motion color wall in your trade show booth, the hardware set-up and operation, as well as the content production, can seem daunting. There are two main approaches to creating a video wall:

1. Use LED monitors that provide true HD resolution and have an ultra-narrow bezel so the inter-image gaps will be barely noticeable. The operating software allows you to display multiple images over individual screens or one continuous image across all the screens.

2. Interlocking LED tiles allow greater flexibility in sizing to meet your precise needs. This type of video wall can display a single message or the screen can be partitioned to see multiple messages at the same time. Images can be static and change at timed intervals or be completely animated.

We are continually impressed by the quality leaps in the resolution of LED tiles, with images so fine that they almost look 3D. Viewing distance and content will determine the level of resolution you need for your application. Animation is used more frequently than video as it allows you to easily move back and forth from conceptual to concrete information.

We recommend renting this equipment since the technology is changing at such a rapid pace. Renting also provides the benefit of on-site installation and technical support at your show. Be sure to partner with an exhibit house that either has the in-house expertise or strategic partnerships to bring you this upscale, impactful booth element.

When you want to make a BIG impression, Nichols can help you integrate a video wall in your next booth.
























When you’re looking for additional ways to engage attendees, you can’t go wrong with adding a dash of fun or providing some TLC.





Engaging Attendees: Appealing engagement.

When you’re looking for additional ways to increase visitors, you can’t go wrong with adding a dash of fun or providing some TLC. Who doesn’t like to challenge their brain, go back to their college days, eat, drink, win money or take home impressive swag to their kids? At EXHIBITORLIVE we witnessed a variety of ingenious ways to lure attendees into a booth space:

• College: play a game of bags, hear the news (learn about the exhibitor), listen to some of your favorite tunes, and grab a cup of joe. (center)

• Carnival: have fun playing Jeopardy on touch screen technology and be a hero when you come home with a large and huggable sock monkey. (upper left and right)

• Relax: cozy up to the bar, sip a glass of wine and rest while having a casual converstation with the rep. (see page 27) We’re ready to help you brainstorming appealing and engaging ways to draw a crowd to your booth, or with any of the exhibit trends!















#ExhibitTREnDING#TeamNichols#ExhibitorLIVE
























At Nichols, we’re committed to making your trade show experiences easier, more dynamic, and most importantly, worry free. In addition to finding a lot of great new trends at EXHIBITORLIVE, we also strengthened relationships and made new contacts that will enable us to serve you even better.

We’re here to brainstorm with you, to find you the best fit for your needs, and to help you incorporate any or all of these trends into your own exhibit. Contact us today and we’ll help you make your vision for your next trade show booth a reality!

Every step of the way.

gonichols.com

515 Huehl Road | Northbrook, IL 600962 | 847.229.9800 | [email protected]

©Nichols Display Group, Inc.

Photos in this booklet were taken in public spaces at the ExhibitorLIVE show and do not represent displays or materials manufactured by Nichols. Although Nichols creates similar displays, these images were taken strictly as a representation of the trends that appeared throughout the event, and are meant as news-worthy information only. Nichols does not claim any sponsorship, endorsement, or association with the products or services pictured in these sample images. For information about the next ExhibitLIVE show go to: exhibitoronline.com.


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