Unusual Video Displays Attract Crowds

Flat panel plasma screens have replaced the bulky big screen TVs and retro-lite boxes that used to fill tradeshow booths just a few years ago. They are slim, bright and can be attached just about anywhere. They can also be mounted vertically, in “portrait” mode, on their narrow edge. That makes them perfect for the CHOPS experience.

How do you choose which size to use for your booth or special event? The choice is guided by how you want to manage the audience’s ability to interact. The smallest effective size seems to be about 25 inches for small booths, mounted at eye level. From there, we recommend sizes in the 40-70 inch range, because they are easy to rent and mount, and two people can handle them with ease.

In some cases, it’s now possible to mount a very large flat panel to replace a projection system, in tradeshow booths where there is just not enough floor space to accommodate the projector’s throw distance. And even that is changing, as we are now seeing special projectors that only need a foot or two to produce a 4-foot wide image. Anyway, there are some 100+-inch screens available, and they’ll need a lot of manpower to move them in and out of a location, so it’s best to use live animation on them when they are already installed in a venue.

Once we set up your screen and display the character on it, we can make adjustments to the orientation, aspect ratio and resolution, so it looks and feels just right on the screen. We also make a couple of minor tweaks to the color if needed, and connect to our own powered speaker, rather than use the built-in speakers, which can sound watery and ineffective.

In the image on the left, we’ve added a bezel to make our big flat screen look like a giant iPad, containing the avatar screen inside. Props like this can add to the draw when it comes to encouraging people to use their cameras to take and share pictures of your brand and booth.

The flat panel was also effective for Pharmacia Biotech, below, when it was used and mounted in about the same way, on the piece of booth wall. The booth wall was part of the booth decor, placed strategically to disguise the CHOPS control booth. Nothing more than a couple of sections of pipe and drape hid the secret of the man behind the curtain at the entire show. Yet it totally transformed the impact of the company’s exhibit, drawing people to the counter displays nearby.

We are always looking at the latest version of flat panel display and have recently found some interesting new ways to mount them in the booth, so be sure to ask about this convenient and affordable display system. Oh, and don’t forget to order the fake plants for underneath.