The Future of Trade Shows and Augmented Reality

With the state of the Pandemic across the country and world, the uniform shift from in person to digital is showing uncertainty for the future of common place events such as Trade Shows, work travel or even local visits to customers. Given what seems like an indefinite shift, how will companies pivot to support customers in a new and digital way, how will trade show exhibitors fair with the uncertainty of the future of tradeshows. What will happen to trade shows, their industrial manufacturing exhibitors and how will marketing dollars that had traditionally been spent on in person experiences, shift.

Now, with Augmented Reality, there is a way to shift marketing dollars traditionally allocated to trade shows. Augmented Reality allows your sales teams and customers to share and experience your large scale trade show product exhibits anywhere, anyplace and anytime, all through the use of a mobile device.  Not only does Augmented Reality allow for complex product demonstrations and interactions without having the product physically in front of you, but also allows for data integrations with RFQ technology as many other features, such as education and field support.  

Augmented Reality is rapidly leading the industry with new cutting edge technology which can replace in person product demonstrations. It is as simple as firing up a mobile app. Augmented Reality can replace the large, heavy, and expensive equipment that is transported to an exhibitor’s booths for display.  An Augmented Reality App works on any surface, anywhere, with or without an internet connection.

How does it work? Simply open the app, select the product and tap the screen to place the model on any surface – carpet, tile, table top. Walk around the model, look inside or even through, as if it’s right there in front of you. Features such as zoom allow you to get a close-up look, an explode button will open the model to display the internal components.  Hot spots provide annotations or additional detail, as well as cut away views allowing the innerworkings of the model to shine through each layer of the assembly. Not to mention photo realistic surfaces show materials, light source angles, reflections and colors that are so real, you’ll think the model is right there in front of you.

In a large room or only have a small mobile phone on hand? No problem, screen casting offers the ability to simultaneously share your mobile device to a connected tv, projecting the model to share with customers or clients.

With this new technology, gone are the days of expensive travel or trade show exhibitor costs, spending marketing dollars on travel or shipping, customizing, setting up, displaying and storing large, heavy and obscure trade show display equipment. What will the shift in spending do to your marketing budgets?