Ever wonder what makes something look and feel “European” rather than “American?” Is it a design style, a sense of flair, or a difference in attitude? The answer is all three, and the same differences apply to trade show exhibiting!

In the U.S., the thrust of trade show display booths is often product-oriented, and sometimes they’re solely focused on sales and marketing. In Europe, however, a trade show display is viewed as a way to showcase the personality of your entire company, not just a particular product line.

Exceptional trade show exhibit quality combined with superb design, crowd-pleasing features, and durability are the norm in Europe. European trade show exhibitors also demand greater attention to a few things than is customary for American trade show displays:

• Quality
• Detail
• Functionality
• Longevity

Part of the reason for this is that trade shows and exhibitions in Europe last much longer and are usually more costly for participants. The U.S. has a mentality that centers more around disposability than Europe, where European trade show exhibits are meant to last for years.

So how do you design a trade show exhibit in the U.S. that combines European flair with quality of design and durability. To be fair, the trade show display market in the U.S. already has a heavy foreign influence that incorporates various types of lightweight metals and fabrics. When you add crisp, compelling design and durability to the mix, you gain the key ingredients to evoke a European-style trade show exhibit.

Many trade show exhibitors want to know how to capture the essence of European style in their U.S. trade show booths. The solution is to adhere to the following four principles. They are:

1. Incorporate clean, crisp, elegant design lines.
2. Design your trade show exhibit with clarity in mind.
3. Use low-key, eye-catching aesthetics to showcase your entire company’s message.
4. Take advantage of lightweight, high-tech, top-quality materials.

Since trade show display materials and labor—both to build and to disassemble the display—are more costly in Europe, the use of quality, lightweight materials can help reduce labor costs. Use a solid base structure that can handle very strong, lightweight aluminum extrusions to form the physical and design backbone of your trade show display. Focus on building a trade show exhibit booth that is durable, yet highly transportable. Do this, and you’ll have a display that can be assembled quickly and breaks down rapidly, saving you time and money. This way, you get to use quality materials while saving on labor costs.
An example of the European-inspired trade show exhibit is the EuroSys™ display product line. EuroSys™ display is noted for its clean lines; simplicity of construction; ease of assembly; and use of lightweight, high-tech, top-quality materials, with state-of-the-art aluminum extrusion.