HIGHLIGHTS >>
Trade Show Design • Interactive Installation • Permits & Vendor Negotiation • Custom Commissions • Budget Management
<< THE STORY
For the hospitality design field, there's no trade event of the year more anticipated than BDNY. I was tasked with the challenege of designing a booth that would showcase Indiewalls' art consulting and production abilities, stand out in the crowd of 750 booths, and provide a unique booth-inspired sales pitch. I was independently responsible for every element of design, project management, and fulfillment of the booth.
I chose a throwback 90's theme, outfitting the 25' booth with everything from shag carpet, to inflatable furniture, to branded scrunchies, to a clear plastic telephone. Concealed speakers blasted a curated 90's playlist. At one end of the booth was a lounge area, where bright custom prints poked fun at frequent designer phrases (like a 'Sh*t Designers Say' video), some of which crowdsourced from top-tier clients before the show. The prints are meant to showcase the intimate understanding Indiewalls has on a designer's day to day, enough so that they are in on the jokes, while provided an enticing photo-opp for passers by.
On the other end of the booth, I secured and vinyl-wrapped a vending machine, aka the Art Vendor, filled with small prints and text-based relief sculptures. I designed the 8 unique sculptures, each showcasing 90's slang. Passers by were encouraged to try out the vending machine, while also listening to Indiewalls abilities as a bonafide art vendor.
The event was a smash success, and the booth was crowded with dozens of people the entire duration of the show. The neighboring booths even requested that Indiewalls not be next to them the following year because they felt the crowd blocked others from seeing their products. Indiewalls received more social activity than they had on any single day in 2018 or 2019, gained more than 200 new sales contacts, and received active leads for $300k+ in potential revenue.
Original concept rendering. On the left wall, a custom commissioned dimensional artwork by Will Penny hangs, complementing the simple geometry throughout the space. Modern inflatable furniture invites passers by to sit and pose. On the table in front of them, vintage candy, disposable cameras, and branded scrunchies were set out. One the right side, a working vending machine was installed vending various artworks to visitors.
//ARTISTS:
Will Penny
Ners Neonlumberjack
Prints licensed from Stocksy