Challenge
For EXHIBITORLIVE 2024, an industry leading conference and exhibition for trade show and corporate event marketing, we wanted to defy convention and go beyond the traditional to create something original – in other words – Beyond Convention. “Beyond Convention” is an event marketing campaign that is not only a call to action to our customers but challenges them to shift their perspective from ordinary to extraordinary. At EXHIBITORLIVE, we wanted attendees to experience a live and on-demand demonstration of a working integrated event solution.
Approach
Our “Beyond Convention” theme was based on retro-futurism – the experience was designed to be nostalgic, innovative, and eclectic. With every touchpoint – pre-show, during show, and post-show – we wanted to exude confidence, thought leadership, and intrigue. While inspiring guests by exemplifying thoughtful experiential marketing. Going Beyond Convention, our space opted for a maximalism approach with various textures, unique materials, bold shapes, and bright colors.
Pre-Show Marketing
For our pre-showing marketing, we wanted to illustrate how we are Beyond Convention, tease our appearance, and establish Hamilton as a thought leader. Through an organic social campaign, paid digital ads and geo-fencing, an event microsite, and email marketing, we were able to create excitement and anticipation for our appearance at EXHIBITORLIVE.
Atmosphere
To create the Beyond Convention environment, we set the retro mood with a record player spinning chill vibes created and produced by Hamilton. There are eight tracks, all named and curated to embody the Beyond Convention theme. Our signature scent of vanilla was a nod to the custom cream soda hospitality station. With key notes of sugared lemon, vanilla crystals, and marshmallows – the scent was playful, indulgent, and uplifting. Funky motion graphics that highlighted the Hamilton Brand, the Beyond Convention theme, and Studio H – Hamilton’s in-house creative experiential studio – were displayed on a towering LED wall.
Hands-on Engagement
A hat customization activity was the main booth draw and featured a diverse selection of unique patches allows guests to express themselves with their personalized creations.
Hospitality
Our hospitality created an opportunity for guests to step off the show floor and enjoy a nostalgic, refreshing cream soda. There were three flavors, each mixed with vanilla and club soda – “Berry Nice” (blueberry), “Creamsicle” (orange), and “Guava Have It” (guava). The hospitality complemented our atmosphere with bright, bubbly, signature cream sodas.
Tech Tour Host
Hamilton participated in the EXHIBITORLIVE "Tech Tour" where select companies can present their latest technology applications in a live exhibit environment. This year, Hamilton presented inSIGHT – Hamilton's proprietary lead capture solution. 40% of those who attended the tech tour returned to the booth to have their badge scanned.
Hamilton Conference Session Speakers
Josh Frisbie, Vice President – Creative, and Courtney Soice, Chief Marketing Officer at Hamilton, presented Beginner's Guide to Leading Effective Event Marketing. The session included key steps on developing your event marketing and trade show program strategy and outlined the basics of event marketing strategy, objective setting, budget allocation, and measurement techniques.
Women In Experiential Keynote Speaker + Diamond Sponsor
Hamilton was proud to be a Diamond Sponsor of Women In Experiential. At the 6th Annual Women In Experiential breakfast at EXHIBITORLIVE, Sarah Sparks, SHRM-CP, Director – Human Resources at Hamilton, was the keynote speaker. Sparks facilitated an exercise designed to show attendees how to use the power of personality to transform relationships, improve communication, and reduce stress.
Results
Hamilton's Beyond Convention experience won the first inaugural Student's Choice Award for Best of Show. Over the course of two days, fifty students from Bemidji State University and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) voted for their favorite exhibit experience.
The numbers told a similar story. Hamilton increased leads by 52% from 2023, and of visitors exposed to the Hamilton booth, 56.8% converted into engaged visitors—meaning they spent at least 30 seconds within the tighter space—and engaged with over 56% of the exhibit hall attendees. This conversion rate is more than double the conversion rate at similar shows. In addition, the average dwell time was a staggering 12 minutes, with an average repeat by visitor of 3.05 times. 87% of engaged visitors visited both the hat patch activation and the hospitality area. Hamilton earned 65,667 social impressions from the social campaign.
