Once I too was an exhibit designer myself and here is the story of how I ended up asking help from younger designers.
I used to believe that events that incorporate event design into their planning process can create deeper, long-lasting relationships with their attendees. Good event design is attendee-focused. While this is true, it used to irk me that everyone is so focused on the event organising alone, I can't help but feel disappointed that no one really looks at exhibition designing as a real deal too.
The credit always goes to the event organising team but no one knows the struggles of an exhibition designer like me. You wonder how a stall design itself can accomplish so many things, it may be unbelievable but it is definitely possible. In fact, we are capable of creating exhibition booth designs that achieve much more.
Exhibition design for me before
I remember what my old boss/mentor/friend told me "Investing in a booth design that is unique and attractive is not enough." Simple enough, I learned and absorbed his teachings. Even exhibition stands that might seem too "meh" for some needs to be symbolic of your brand image and also subtly yet strongly reflect your marketing campaign. Exhibition stand design must look like an extension of the brand image of my client. It needs to embrace the brand personality and core brand values.
If I happen to have a brand caters to the upper-middle class and higher class then my exhibition presentation and stall design must reflect that. For example, a brand manufacturing luxury, high-end automobiles will never have a small or for that matter a medium-sized booth will average décor. The brand will always invest in a larger booth and classier stand design. There is a reason that brands and companies, that have the resources, opt for the best exhibition stall fabricators in the industry. Impressing the target audience at an exhibition simply does not suffice anymore. I know all of these alright but everything changed when I started my own art exhibits, suddenly being an artist made me overthink at what I used to do.
What I used to do
We spend a lot of time preparing their visions and ideas. Exhibition design in Singapore means clients need us for our ideas as sketches, plans, or models generated on the computer or by hand. Each of these designs must be tailored to specific information, such as theme, size limit, audience, purpose, cost, and so on. This information is collected either personally in a discussion with the client or through the company and corporate research. Designers will discuss their plans with their clients or company, and begin creating a prototype. The client can then request necessary changes until the final model is produced and approved. Easy right?
What I do now
After I got tired of all the corporate stuff, I redirected all my artistic energy to my own expression. I went back to what I really loved and that was painting. I guess by quitting my job to be a painter, I made my six-year-old self very happy.
Now my dilemma was that I was about to showcase my pieces and I needed a good exhibition design company in Singapore that would be able to help me, even if I know the job I definitely needed a team. Besides, it has been so long since I last designed an exhibit or a booth.
Witnessing new exhibition designing techniques
I still know my way around exhibition designing, however, I could be brave enough to admit that after a decade of being one myself, I would need experts of today to help me with my very own exhibit. Because like theatre design, exhibition design plays a supportive role that has the potential to elevate an experience from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Apart from the many technical complexities to resolve light levels, conservation issues, circulation issues, fire issues, structural issues, technology issues, exhibit designing could also be very critical.
I know my few visitors care about the details of my paintings, and, when they arrive at my venue, they would become anarchists. Unlike the more passive experiences of watching a film or play, or reading a book, exhibition audiences are on their feet and will go where they like, when they like. They are wonderfully unpredictable in what catches their attention and how long that can be sustained.
The skill of a good designer is to plan and balance the experience – tempting the visitor with sensorial pleasure, encouraging thoughtful contemplation, developing a journey through the subject, piquing and rewarding curiosity. And this is exactly how my exhibition design service helped me with my art showcase, I didn't even tell them of my background but they delivered, even exceeding my own skills. I was really impressed.
Final words from an old exhibit designer turned artist
Just because you were once a pro or an expert yourself does not mean that the younger generation would know less than you, I gave the young designers of CDI World SG a chance and they proved themselves, I sold out every single canvas I have had and this is because of their new methods, unorthodox style, and hunger for design.
