Challenge
For EXHIBITORLIVE 2023, an industry leading conference and exhibition for trade show and corporate event marketing, we challenged ourselves to break through the clutter and establish Hamilton as a thought leader in experiential marketing – in other words – GoBoldly. "GoBoldly" is an Event Marketing Campaign that is not only a call to action to our customers but challenges them to defy convention and raise expectations. At EXHIBITORLIVE, attendees experienced a live and on-demand demonstration of a working integrated event solution.
Approach
With every touchpoint – pre-show, during show, and post-show – we wanted to exude confidence, competence, and impact. While inspiring guests by exemplifying thoughtful experiential marketing. The exhibit design had to be refined, sophisticated, and luxe. Our environment was a luxury retail-inspired space that elicits curiosity, encourages confidence, and elevates emotions while telling our unique story in unpredicted ways. Purposely avoiding gimmicks and fads, our space opts instead for a simple, clean, and restrained aesthetic to act as an embodiment of our new endeavors.
Pre-Show Marketing
For our pre-show marketing, we wanted to garner excitement for EXHIBITORLIVE, tell the story of GoBoldly, and encourage guest visits to our booth. Through organic social, paid digital ads, an event microsite, and email marketing, we were able to exceed our engagement benchmarks by 120%.
Atmosphere
To create the GoBoldly environment, we set the tone with a local electric string trio – Electria – upscale and unconventional, yet on trend. We also used a signature scent – "Juniper Tonic" – with key notes of rosemary, vetiver, and strawberry to refresh and uplift the senses.
Hands-on Engagement
A create-your-own-bag activity, complete with custom stamps, gave a hands-on, tactile element to our digital-forward space.
Hospitality + Giveaway
The hospitality complemented our atmosphere with sophisticated, alcohol-free cocktails – a classic mojito, luxe royale, and bold bellini. A social contest giveaway enabled guests to enter-to-win a $250 gift card.
CTSM Speaker Session
Josh Frisbie, VP – Creative, and Courtney Soice, Marketing Director at Hamilton, present Beginner's Guide to Leading Effective Event Marketing. Learn key steps on developing your event marketing and trade show program strategy. This session provides you with the basics of event marketing strategy, objective setting, budget allocation, and measurement techniques.
Results
Hamilton's GoBoldly experience won the Best of Show – Large Booth Award at EXHIBITORLIVE 2023. Exhibitor Group presented Hamilton with the Best of Show award at the annual award ceremony at EXHIBITORLIVE in Louisville, KY. Experienced corporate trade show marketers spent two days judging the exhibit hall before selecting the winners. According to the Awards MC and EXHIBITOR Group Senior Writer, "Judges weren’t wowed by Hamilton. They were stunned.” One judge commented, "It’s the one booth that’s completely impossible to ignore.”
In addition, Hamilton was selected as a winner in EXHIBITOR Magazine’s 37th Annual Exhibit Design Awards in the Self-Promotion category. Hamilton received a Bronze Exhibit Design Award for their GoBoldly exhibit experience at EXHIBITORLIVE.
EXHIBITOR magazine praised this year’s Exhibit Design Award recipients for “their ‘thrilling,’ ‘stunning,’ and ‘wild’ experience.” Hamilton received applause for their meticulous attention to detail – from mirrored surfaces and live performers to disco balls, custom stamps, and even a signature scent. “The combination of daring design, at once disruptive and refined, and engaging activations was nothing if not, in a word, bold.”
Beyond the award accolades, Hamilton doubled their leads from last year's EXHIBITORLIVE show. They also captured over 50% of the corporate and exhibit buyer audience. During the three days of show hours, Hamilton documented over 7,850 total impressions.
