When the brand meets physical meeting places
Visual identity must adapt when the brand moves from digital platforms to trade shows and events. The audience is on the move, the competition for attention is high, and the message must work quickly, often from a distance. What works on screen rarely works unchanged in physical meeting places.
Yet many visual identities are taken directly from digital surfaces and into physical environments, without adaptation to scale, movement and context. The result is often brands that lose clarity where they should stand out.
I NPG We work daily to translate brands from digital surfaces to physical meeting places. Together with designers Joakim Eide and Thea Norstrøm, we share what it takes for a visual identity to actually work. three-dimensional.
From visual identity to physical expression
For designer Joakim, work always starts with insight.
– The first thing I do to transform a visual profile into a physical design is to use creative methods to create an understanding of the profile, how it is experienced and who the target audience is. The next step is to translate the information I gather into physical design principles so that the physical design speaks the same language as the visual profile, says Joakim.
Joakim Eide
Visual profiles developed for print and digital surfaces rarely function optimally without adjustment when used in physical meeting spaces.
Visual building blocks
For senior graphic designer, Thea, visual identity is about flexibility and room for variation.
– I explore how the existing profile can be broken down into visual building blocks that can give shape to the stand – from graphic surfaces and walls to activation and interaction.
In the face of large surfaces, distance and competing impressions, the visual profile must be able to be scaled, enhanced and adapted.
The classic trade show mistake
The most common mistake we see is that the visual profile is not adapted to the format and medium. Physical media such as trade fair stands require different means to convey the same message as visual profiles that are adapted to print and digital surfaces, says Joakim.
Many people choose a simple solution with a logo on the wall, and it often works well. But at a trade fair, surrounded by many different stands, simplicity can quickly become anonymous. Here, it's about standing out, and making it clear who you are and what you stand for.
By actively using profiling and scaling it up in shapes and colors, the stand can have a much stronger expression. At the same time, many visual profiles are developed for small surfaces or digital surfaces, which makes it necessary to find good solutions for outlets on large exhibition surfaces, Thea says.
Read more: How to succeed at trade fairs
When it works in practice
For a visual identity to work in physical meeting places, there must be a clear underlying concept. Strategy, design and implementation must be linked.
For Joakim, a well-thought-out strategy for the visual profile and a coherent concept are essential. For the profile to function optimally, there must be enough information in the foundation for the profile to be interpreted – and the correct tools can be used for the correct medium based on the client's goals.
It is important to convey the essence of the profile without exaggerating. Air, contrast and good readability are crucial, says Thea. At a trade fair, the audience is often at a distance, and the message must therefore work and be readable from a distance. It may be necessary to make adjustments to the profile, for example by adding a color, a texture or a material, to clarify the message and strengthen the contrast.
More than a visual expression
At NPG, we see trade fairs and events as more than just stand-alone initiatives. When used correctly, physical meeting spaces are a strategic part of brand building and an important tool for creating relationships, clear positioning and long-term value.
That's when the brand is not just seen, but actually experienced.
also read: The trade fair is your brand in 1:1 format
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