Hain Celestial

The Challenge
Hain Celestial, the leader in the organic and natural products market, wanted to drive sales and increase awareness at Natural Products Expo, the largest event in the natural food marketplace today. Their key objective was to showcase their myriad of products for investors as if they were displayed in a grocery store while incorporating product sampling areas and conference rooms to lock in sales onsite.

The Approach
To accomplish this goal, Gilbert designed a store-like exhibit that incorporated elements to help buyers envision Hain Celestial’s abundant product line. Inspired by supermarkets,, we sectioned each product line into its own dedicated space. We incorporated reclaimed lumber into their sampling stations to align with their commitment to sustainability and environmentally-sound business practices.

Additionally, to boost sales and engagement, Gilbert separated the Personal Care section into its own “mini booth” that differentiated those brands from the rest and demonstrated their distinct values. A working kitchen with interactive sampling stations served as a fun way to learn about and taste products in the booth.

The Result
Overall, Hain’s presence at Natural Products Expo was a massive hit. On opening day, Hain Celestial’s CEO used the exhibit as a stage to talk to investors about their products and upcoming business plans which created a hype that lured in a surge of attendees. Their product sampling stations were flooded and led to a substantial increase in sales. This interactive and educational platform coupled with the supermarket-inspired theme allowed buyers to feel a connection to Hain’s products and brand and made this activation a success.

Nikon

Nikon, the leading name in the photography industry and a long-time Gilbert client, approached us with a unique challenge for their exhibit at PhotoPlus East. After celebrating their 100 year anniversary in 2017, Nikon wanted to reevaluate their brand image, analyze how they marketed themselves, and launch their innovative mirrorless camera, the Nikon Z. For Gilbert to reimagine a brand as iconic as Nikon, we needed to gain an intimate understanding of who Nikon is, where they wanted to go, and who their customers are. We collaborated closely with their team members and analyzed every aspect of their previous shows: color, attendee engagement, selling experience, and opportunities for education and brand building. We chose a more subtle palette of colors and textures: white and wood flooring

and tables created an inviting atmosphere while a black backdrop with iconic “Nikon yellow” graphics stayed true to brand. We eliminated the glass showcases and introduced product tables lined with cameras that allowed attendees to touch, feel, and play with Nikon’s product range like never before. Gilbert worked with Nikon to station educated salespeople around the floor to help and educate attendees. Nikon’s presence at PhotoPlus East 2018 was a massive success. Their exhibit was one of the most attended and their photographer talks and demonstrations were consistently flooded. The updated, modernized look and feel launched a new image for the Nikon brand and the experiences inside delivered real, lasting impact. Both the existing and new elements will be utilized at future shows such as the CES, WPPI, and PGA.

Canon Virginia

Canon Virginia, the plastic mold manufacturing division of Canon, wanted to create a cohesive brand journey that told their brand’s story and illustrated their manufacturing capabilities. Most exhibits at NPE display large machinery out in the open and don’t require attendees to walk inside. Instead, Gilbert designed an exhibit that focused on storytelling, which enticed people to enter the exhibit and learn more about Canon Virginia’s products. Canon asked us to design a space that featured three distinct product categories: Product Assembly, Plastic Injection Molding and

Precision Mold Making. We created three individual environments to live under the “Get the Job Won” theme that Canon Virginia highlights in their branding. The overall design proved to be successful for Canon and helped them achieve their goals of not only showcasing Canon Virginia’s capabilities, but also those of their parent company, Canon Inc. Canon reported increased brand awareness and significant engagement at the show due to the immersive experience that Gilbert created.

UBM’s The Tents

UBM, the event producer responsible for the fashion trade show, Project, wanted to create a 25,000 square-foot upscale, modular pavilion for up-and-coming fashion brands that attendees would see as an exciting destination at the show. Show pavilions often use aluminum extrusion and cheap materials, which look lackluster and don’t serve the brands that reside within them. The Tents, as they would be called, needed to be something more. Since the goal was a high-end environment, Gilbert ruled out using extrusion and instead designed modular hardwall panels that could expand or contract depending on the size of each brand’s space. Custom tables, shelves, clothing racks, and logos were designed to assemble quickly and easily. This uniformity created a clean, upscale aesthetic that put each brand’s product line front and center.

The name “The Tents” originated from the pavilion’s original location, outside the convention center housed within a giant tent. After a few years, weather concerns drove The Tents indoors. Tasked with keeping The Tents on-brand, Gilbert utilized fabric, draped from the ceiling, to frame the section and make attendees feel like they were still walking through a tent. Since its launch, The Tents have been a fixture at Project and the destination to see new, exciting, up-and-coming fashion brands. Gilbert works closely with UBM and their client brands to ensure seamless set up and that each brand is positioned to succeed at the show. Outdoors and in, people return every year to The Tents to see what the new names in fashion have to offer.

Number Project/Four Loko

Four Loko, one of the most explosively popular beverages at the time of its release, wanted to make a significant impact with their exhibit at ComplexCon, one of the most relevant events in the pop culture space today. Their main goal was to revitalize the Four Loko brand through product sampling and fun experiences. To accomplish this goal, Gilbert designed an immersive bodega, inspired by the activations Four Loko creates at convenience stores across the country, to serve as a platform for activations and a party-like atmosphere that would drive traffic to the exhibit.

Complete with a famous DJ and product giveaways, the exhibit served as a hangout for attendees and a place to rediscover the Four Loko brand. Four Loko experienced massive foot traffic throughout the show, saw a big social media spike, and was highlighted by Complex, the show’s producer, for their strong presence at the show.

BuzzFeed

BuzzFeed wanted to make an impactful statement at their first Licensing Expo and debut their daughter brands: Tasty, Goodful, and Playfull. The exhibits at Licensing are typically wide open and designed with an “in your face” approach. Gilbert flipped this tradition and created an enclosed, experiential environment that led attendees through an immersive adventure with branded rooms that offered educational and sales

opportunities. The design created an incredible buzz on the show floor which achieved BuzzFeed’s goal of raising awareness of their licensing capabilities. Tasty, one of BuzzFeed’s brands, signed an exclusive licensing deal with Walmart for their cookware as a result of their participation at the show.