Expo! Expo! 2025 sure was sweet (and we don’t just mean from the jellybeans – IYKYK)! From two packed sessions to meetings and booth engagement with current customers and new industry friends, our days were busy with excitement and value.
Attendees who stopped by the booth learned more about our general services contractor offerings as well as additional service offerings including labor & project management, technology solutions, event management, creative & design, and sponsorship & marketing.
Alongside clients, the team provided Expo! Expo! attendees with two sessions chock full of fresh creative ideas and impactful strategies to apply for their own shows.
Building Events that Feed Connection
In “Freshly Baked: Building Events that Feed Connection,” VP of Creative & Strategy Angela Strahan and client Sara Taylor (Viticus Group), shared the sweet spot framework – when emotional storytelling blends with sensory design to balance feeling, function, and flavor. Tactics to design for that sweet spot include:
- Design by mindset
- Layer sensory cues
- Personalize through choice
- Facilitate discovery
- Build third spaces
- Curate disruptors
Hungry for more? Download our Building Events That Feed Connection white paper for an extension of what was discussed in the Expo! Expo! session. Plus, you’ll learn how to create the sweet spot combination of event engagement and connection.
Smart Strategies, Big Impact
Operations Manager Jim Brown, joined by client Alaina Herrera, CEM (National Council for Mental Wellbeing) presented “Smart Strategies, Big Impact: Expo Design on a Budget”. Together they broke down how – with Fern as a collaborative partner – they were able to put on an impactful NATCON expo, with strong branding, while maintaining a budget-conscious mindset. The top 4 strategies employed to make it all happen include:
1. Essentials First – Aligning the goal of reducing costs by focusing on “need to have” vs. “nice to have” meant reducing spend in lower impact areas and shifting funds to elevate higher priority areas.
2. Repurpose Materials – Reuse of existing structures, banners, and decor and using materials across multiple areas.|
3. Co-Branded Opportunities – To create high-impact activations on a budget meant collaborating more with sponsors to develop shared, branded spaces.
4. Design that Stands Out – To create lasting impressions for attendees, high-impact areas on the floor plan were anchored by applying consistent, unifying design elements.
Interested in more ways to boost event ROI? Download our Event ROI white paper for strategies to control costs and boost ROI for your next event.
We’ll see you for Expo! Expo! 2026 in Milwaukee. But, don’t wait until then to connect. Connect with our team today to learn more about Fern and Nth Degree services.