The Stand of the Year
In this category, the award is granted to the exhibition stand which is designed and executed with creativity, without compromising the targets. A well-functioning stand contributes to the achievement of the targets and takes into account everything from an unforgettable customer experience to the personnel’s needs, regardless of the size or the budget. The category winner will receive a € 3000 award.
Saab Finland Oy
Saab is a world-leading, international defence and security company. For more than 60 years, Saab has participated in the development of Finland’s defence capacity and comprehensive security. Saab Finland also conducts extensive research in Finland, for instance with Aalto University, as well as product development in its technology centre in Tampere.
Saab Finland Oy participated in the Comprehensive Security 2018 event held at the Lahti Sports and Trade Fair Centre. The aim was to encage as many people as possible, increase awareness in Finland and provide opportunities to learn more about Saab’s solutions. Visitors were presented with the chance to examine the cockpit of a full-sized replica of the Gripen E fighter in order to get an authentic experience of what being in a real fighter is like. There were also continuous queues for the SAVIT and NLAW simulators.
“The memorable content and excellent location of our stand generated lots of interest in people. Over 10,000 people visited our stand in two days. The feedback we received praised the interactive nature of our stand. The Gripen E fighter provided the visitors with a memorable experience and was the key attraction of the whole event.”
The Finnish National Opera and Ballet
The Finnish National Opera and Ballet is a national art institution that offers opera and ballet performances and other events for audiences of all ages. There are generally four new opera productions and three new ballet productions each year. Added to these are revivals of old productions, resulting in a programme that includes dozens of productions in the course of a year. In addition to established classics, performances include contemporary opera and dance works and especially new Finnish works.
The Finnish National Opera and Ballet participated in the Helsinki Book Fair 2018. Its aim was to enthrall new customers, delight culture enthusiasts and strengthen existing contacts. Instead of sales, the focus was on creating customer encounters through the Little Mermaid experience.
“Our stand was boldly designed with content at the forefront. Our stand was centred around the Little Mermaid ballet, a recording of which was shown on a big display. Visitors were able to immerse themselves in the world of ballet using wireless headphones. A seahorse lit with led lights functioned as a prominent landmark in the hall.”
The campaign website was accessed more than 5,000 times during the fair. In addition, newsletter subscriptions increased and the website traffic of the Little Mermaid production was above average during the whole fair week.
Unelma Knitting Factory
Unelma Knitting Factory is the art and design project of Sanna Vatanen, a textile artist and designer. She participated in the Finnish Craft and Design Fair in Tampere with her stand BÄÄ! Lankalaboratorio (“Yarn Laboratory”).
The aim was to promote the use and visibility of domestic local wool, as well as offer a memorable experience through the wooden fair stand, a wool exhibition and a yarn-spinning event. The spinning event was the fair’s showstopper and interested visitors of all ages. Lankalaboratorio was praised as the most beautiful stand at the fair. Book sales also exceeded expectations. The Väripallo (“Colour Ball”) campaign, which was organised to support the Finnish Association for Mental Health, was enthusiastically received and all campaign products were sold.
“Our stand was praised for taking sign language users into consideration by providing interpretation services. The wool exhibition, which allowed visitors to touch the exhibits, greatly promoted awareness of the value and current quality of domestic local wool.”