For many professionals in various industries, conferences and trade shows were the norms before Covid. Post-Covid there is a good chance that these gatherings will also have adapted to “the new normal”. So what will trade shows and conferences look like once the world opens back up?
Face Coverings Create a New Opportunity For Branded Merchandise
After the restrictions have lifted many people will still choose to wear a mask around large groups of people and gatherings. While the wearing of masks has been a point of contention for many, from a marketing point of view the regular wearing of face masks offers an opportunity for an additional piece of branded merchandise.
Customised face coverings can be personalised to reflect a brand, logo, or more. One idea for how to incorporate the wearing of face masks into a conference or trade-show is to have customised masks that are labeled with the company logo or with the name of the individual. Because the first thing people often look at when speaking to someone is their face, a personalised face covering can be an effective way to reflect the brand, company, and individual wearing it while also helping to reduce the spread of germs.
Social Distancing At Networking Events
When organizing a professional gathering post-Covid, it is important to keep in mind that even though the restrictions have been listed, many people will still be anxious about large gatherings of people within close proximities. One way to address this problem is for people to be more spaced out, so no more crowded conference rooms with people lined up in tightly spaced chairs.
After Covid social distancing will still be a concept that many have gotten used to, and so the spacing of chairs and events within a conference hall should be more spread out than before. To account for the additional space between people, one way to recognize the company or brand that individuals represent even from a bigger distance is through the branded t-shirts, masks, hats, and other items that they can wear.
If everyone at the trade show that is from a particular company is wearing matching shirts, then it can be easier to identify what company the person is from even from a distance. This way individuals can avoid unnecessary face to face conversations and hone in their networking efforts on those people who are most relevant to their cause.
How Branded Merchandise Will Look Different After Covid
Another way that personalised/customised merchandise may evolve to meet the needs of a post-Covid networking event and account for social distancing between people is that the fonts and logos used on company merchandise may need to be enhanced to a larger size so that it is easily recognizable even from a distance.
This could mean using a more simple and bold font, or it could mean blowing up the logo to a larger size so it can be seen from across the room easily. Because the fonts and logos need to be bigger, the cost of printing may be slightly higher than making t-shirts and other merchandise that only features a small print in the upper corner for example.
The New Normal At Future Conferences
In conclusion, even after the world restrictions have been completely lifted there is likely to still be some changes to how these networking events work. Companies may incorporate branded logos onto face masks for their team members, the fonts and logos used may need to go up in size to be seen from farther away due to greater distances between groups and people, and some companies may even choose to include the vaccination status or other references to the pandemic in their presentation and merchandise.