Your Guide to Exhibition Design

Thinking of promoting your company at a Trade Show or Exhibition? There are numerous different ways of producing Exhibition Design. From very simple roll-up banners to custom built stands, but one thing is certain, it is all about creating the right impression.
Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme 01
Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme 02
Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme 03
Which ever route you decide to go with, keep it simple! Trade Shows and Exhibitions are busy places, from the number of attendees plus the “visual noise” that all the stands make together. Normally the exhibition organisers will provide a “Shell Scheme” which you can dress however you please. There will be a list of things you can and can’t do, namely everything that is fixed to the side and back panel’s needs to removable, no nails, staples or anything like that. The Shell Scheme’s are normally a 3m x 3m space but depending on your requirements they can be multiples of this, for example, some of the exhibition design shown on this page are of a 9m x 6m stand.

Exhibition Design Options

  • Make sure you see a good selection of design options
  • See them in 3D if possible
  • Be bold
  • Strong imagery
  • Strong message
  • Minimal text
Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme 04
Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme 06
Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme 05
Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme 07

Filling the Space

  • What are you showing?
  • Roll-up banners
  • Pop-up stands
  • Straight or curved stands
  • Graphic panels
  • 1 stand or 2
  • Shelving & cupboards
Most Exhibition Stands are free-standing, normally of pop-up design where they are very simple to erect and take down. This is very important for re-usability.  If you are going to invest in a pop-up stand you should consider how you may use it in the future as that may have an effect on the content of the design. The client here decided to go for 2 pop-up stands which would work together or separately.

Be Bold

Stand-out from everyone else, the design needs to have impact and be memorable. What you want is for people to say, have you seen the “XyZ Stand”, that builds awareness and gets even more people to visit you. This printed Graphic Panel was 6m wide x 2m tall.
Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme 08
Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme 09

Design Development & Sign-off

  • Exhibitions can be expensive so make sure you sign off all of the visuals and know exactly what you are getting.
  • Make sure you have plenty of time to get everything printed.
  • If you have a Shell-Scheme practise putting the stand up and back down again.
  • Take pictures while you do your trial run

Planning & Installation

  • Make sure you have everything covered, design is signed off
  • Stands complete and tested
  • Power
  • Lighting
  • Storage
  • Products
  • Brochures
  • Promotional literature
  • Business cards

Break-down

  • Don’t forget you’ll have to take everything down
  • There won’t be much time to remove it all
  • Save packaging and transportation boxes
Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme Plan
Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme Photo 01
Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme Photo 02

Ready for the Show – Aqua 2017 at Telford

Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme Photo 03
Gordon Low Exhibition Design Shell Scheme Photo 04