Here in Richmond, Va., where FrontLine Exhibits is headquartered, everyone loves big, splashy outdoor events. There’s the hugely popular Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K. There’s Dominion Riverrock, the nation’s largest outdoor sports and music festival. There’s the Richmond Folk Festival, a free three-day celebration of food and music from around the world that draws around 125,000 people. We could go on and on. But just because an event is popular, does that mean you need to show up? The short answer: Yes. Here’s why these events are great for your brand.
Is it worth it to have a presence at outdoor events?
Scenario: A local charity is organizing a mud run, and your business has agreed to be a sponsor. Your logo will appear on all the signage and advertising — so do you really need to set up an outdoor display?
The short answer is yes. When you’re sponsoring an event, “you can get more out of it than just throwing your name into the block of 20 logos on the T-shirt,” advises Senior Account Manager Chase Howells, who has worked for years in event marketing. If it’s the right spot for your demo, he says, you should show up, “because there’s not a lot of people throwing a lot into marketing at these events.” That means you can stand out from the crowd and win some new fans by making just a modest effort. “You can get some pretty good marketing mileage out of not a lot of spend,” he says. Plus, you burnish your brand by associating it with a beloved cause or fun festival.
What’s the best way to get noticed at outdoor events
Our clients often ask us for advice on bringing their message to outdoor events. The number-one question: Can we use our trade show display outdoors?
You can — if the weather cooperates. Indoor trade show displays aren’t designed to withstand rain, “and those things all become sails in the wind,” Chase says. A better idea is investing in some outdoor display elements. Some outdoor-specific displays are made of mesh material, to let wind flow through, and have shock-absorbing frames and weighted bases. There’s one problem: They tend to be expensive.
Another, practical solution is to invest in a custom-branded canopy/tent, or a branded wall for a tent. These walls can attach to an existing tent, Chase explains: “There’s half-height walls and full-height walls. It looks clean.” Other custom-branded elements that work well outdoors are fitted table drapes (instead of the flowy ones, which can flap in the wind) and flags. Just keep in mind, Chase says, that flags are deceptively tall — a 12-foot flag is perfect to grab attention outdoors, but it can’t be used indoors, where most trade show displays have to be shorter than 8 feet tall.
Have an outdoor event coming up this season? Call us! FrontLine Exhibits has extensive experience designing outdoor displays, big and small.