Interactive Design – Fair and Event – Brand StrategySidel groupPERFORMANCE THROUGH UNDERSTANDINGHolistic Visitor Experience |
The Sidel Group is a leading provider of machinery, services and complete solutions for packaging liquids, foodstuffs, household cleaning supplies and personal care products. Through the merger of two global companies – Sidel and Gebo Cermex – the corporation boasts of a total of 170 years of experience and currently has nearly 40,000 machines in operation in more than 190 countries.
The merger of Sidel and Gebo Cermex was first introduced to the general public at Munich’s Drinktec 2017, the world’s leading trade fair for the industry. Alongside the latest products and services, the Sidel Group presented its new brand identity with a major exhibit covering nearly 5000 square meters. The exhibit focused on a consistent presentation of the merged group’s new brand identity, as well as its best-in-class service quality and intelligent Industry 4.0 solutions.
Early on it was decided to design a visitor journey that would not be limited to the actual visit to the trade fair, but to create a comprehensive, digital communication strategy that also reinforced the brand experience before and after the event. An entire array of visitor-oriented measures was planned, all of which were designed to support the communicative concept and contribute to strategic goals while ensuring a consistent, holistic experience.
The powerful architectonic idea – a central dome – was used to reinforce all of the themes to be communicated. The clear and concise story was underscored by the use of concentric circles: from the communicative core of “Understanding,” to the primary offerings in the portfolio, to the service offerings and the machinery itself.
Intersecting avenues provided direct routes to the exhibition’s principal elements and enabled shortcuts for individual tours. Eight-meter-tall pillars provided a clear structure while communicating the most important facts and making it possible for visitors in the exhibition hall to find the booth easily.
The visual imagery and graphic design also paid into the brand promise, “Performance through Understanding.” Close-up photographs of equipment details and portraits of employees imparted a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Large-scale typography and short headlines called attention to important facts, while high-contrast graphics communicated a sense of speed and performance. The consistent implementation across all media from the station design to the motion graphics, along with the user interface at the touch tables, resulted in an engaging overall impression that exuded self-confidence.
The central tool for visitors was an interactive keycard with NFC technology that enabled each individual to personalize their experience of the exhibit. With a simple touch of the near-field communication card, guests were able to store information that interested them in a personal cloud, then call it up later at their convenience. This ensured genuine interaction between visitors and the displays, and enabled targeted communication of relevant content.
A visitor management app was created for fast, efficient registration of visitors and follow-up on potential business leads. The app also supported advisors in their individual conversations with guests by offering additional information and recording data in real time. The result was a comprehensive database system that empowered agile customer management through better responses to customer queries on the spot, while delivering valuable insights for subsequent customer management as well.
A chief highlight of the exhibition stand was an interactive installation called “The Souce” upstairs in the dome. The intuitive display provided a metaphorical glimpse of the future by letting visitors discover market insights and relevant trends, thereby demonstrating the Sidel Group’s deep-seated understanding and many years of experience. The interface also interacted with the light installation above it, creating a fascinating display that attracted visitors to take a closer look.
As part of the follow-up effort, each visitor to the booth received an email with links and files recapping the information they selected – quick, convenient and customized. An extensive download portal provided additional content and services to promote further exchanges with visitors after the trade fair ended.
Drinktec 2017 set new records. Not only did it welcome more visitors than all previous trade fairs, it was a complete success for the Sidel Group in other ways as well. The record number of visitors contributed many new business leads and conversation notes, and most of the guests were able to interact with the machinery in new and exciting ways. The event also had a tremendous positive effect on the company’s employer branding and strengthened the brand experience in a long-lasting way for both visitors and employees.
