Four months ago we set out planning our exhibit experience at EXHIBITOR2008, our largest tradeshow of the year.  Like others in this industry, we had been following the green conversation closely to figure out how our capabilities should evolve to meet the green needs of client-side marketers. 

 

Our first strategy conversations revolved around developing a green exhibit.  We even contacted the US Green Building Council to see if we could get LEED Certification of our exhibit, something that would have been a first in the industry (they said no).  As our planning progressed, however, it became clear that green wasn't a central theme in the story we wanted to tell at this show 

 

Last summer we rebranded and repositioned the company, and EXHIBITOR2008 was a great opportunity to reintroduce EWI Worldwide and its expanded capabilities to the industry.  To be honest, it started to feel like the green message was getting in the way of our larger communication objectives.  So ultimately, we walked away from the idea.

 

The experience was a good one, though.  And I suspect many client-side marketers are having the same conversations we had.  Tradeshows and events are about communications.  Storytelling.  Green solutions at tradeshows and events only work when they're driven by story.  Not the other way around. 

 

The clients we've worked with to develop green exhibit solutions have had an important green story to tell their customers.  Timberland has a impressive track record of environmental stewardship, and needed an exhibit that spoke to those core values.  Their exhibit, fabricated of 98% Earth conscious materials and 88% recycled content, communicated that story well.  Likewise, Ford Motor Company has an important sustainability message to tell its customers in the ultra-competitive global auto industry.  Developing major architectural elements out of industrial cardboard tubing showcased that important message effectively.

 

We audit dozens of shows and events across multiple industries throughout the year to track trends.  We see exhibitors at CES beginning to tell green stories, but not yet through green exhibit solutions.  We see exhibitors at RSNA, HIMSS, AHA and other healthcare events focusing their stories elsewhere.  So its a mixed bag right now.  I suspect we'll know in the next five years whether or not green solutions will take root in the world of live communications.