According to a recent study by Fast Company, Generation Z will account for 40% of all consumers by 2020. If your business markets and sells directly to consumers, this presents a new challenge for you. This means not only should your marketing, messaging, and branding appeal to this group, but so should your trade show booth.
Born after 1995, Generation Z is characterized by their technical savvy, love of social media, research-driven behaviors, and detachment from brands that try to market to them traditionally. What they crave is engagement in an authentic manner and information that goes beyond what they can find on your business’ own website or social media. Consider the following ways you can make your trade show booth more appealing to Generation Z:
Incorporate Technology into Your Trade Show Booth
Because Generation Z is so technically savvy, you can appeal to their love of all things technical with opportunities to engage with technology. This could be touch screens, virtual reality, augmented reality, and more. They won’t be drawn to your trade show booth because you have a PowerPoint presentation or a video playing. What they will respond to are large screens offering gamification of your products, goods, or services or even more tactile opportunities to engage with technology. One idea is to create a structure that offers a virtual reality experience of your products, goods, or services that allows them the ability to engage with both technology and your brand. When it’s time to design your trade show booth, work closely with your exhibit design house partner to ensure technology is adequately incorporated into your design.
Sell them on Success
Generation Z is very research-driven. They know what your products, goods, or services are. What they may not know is how it will contribute to their success. When considering your trade show booth messaging, keep this in mind. What messages do you currently convey to consumers in your trade show booth? How do you appeal to them to check out your products, goods, or services? If 40% of your potential target consumer base will be Generation Z, you’ll want to consider the delicacy of targeting your trade show booth messaging to this crowd without also alienating multiple other generations.
Deliver an Experiential Event
Generation Z lives and breathes online. This means they’ve grown accustomed to interconnectivity and constant entertainment. How will your trade show booth attract people that are so used to being entertained? The answer is to deliver an experiential event. At CES 2018, Kodak’s Instant Print Category hosted an experiential event where they invited people to the streets of Paris in their booth, complete with street performers. Your business could also host an event that speaks to the consumer such as inviting them to discover the values behind your product with a brand activation event.
If your business markets and sells directly to consumers, you should consider how your target buyers will be changing. If you’re not yet targeting Generation Z, you may want to reconsider your marketing strategy, including your trade show booth. Keep these ideas in mind and contact Absolute Exhibits if you need any help.
