Advent Blog

Painfully, I must admit that the tradeshow industry is resource guzzling vehicle often driven by deadlines, convenience, and low costs.  Environmental concerns get left by the wayside.  Even “eco-friendly events” with environmental themes tend to produce monumental damage, laments Jeffrey MacDonald of USA Today (read more).  A big part of the problem is that companies think they have to hit the ground running.  But first let’s learn to crawl. 

10 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Tradeshow: 

1. REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE.  This is the basic tenet to the yet to be defined dogma of the “Green” movement. 

2. Reduce paper waste by communicating electronically.  Send information via email whenever possible.  Communicate with potential and existing customers via web and phone. Also, allow visitors at your trade show exhibit to sign up for more information at a computer rather than handing out sheets of paper for them to turn in.

3. Use low impact printing techniques for graphics.  Many chemicals used in the printing process are harmful to the environment. 

4. Reuse as much of the booth as possible.  Buy a quality, well designed exhibit that will last for multiple shows.

5. Forget about disposable giveaways.  We all know where they’ll end up.   

6. Encourage branded reusable giveaways.  Branded water bottles will eliminate the need for paper and Styrofoam cups.  Branded canvas bags can be used to carry collateral at the show and groceries at home while replacing piles of disposable plastic bags. 

7. Ship an exhibit directly from show to show.  Save on shipping costs and reduce emissions by shipping your exhibit to advance warehouses near the next show, thus eliminating an unnecessary trip home in the interim. 

8. Use local resources.  Many resources like labor, carpet, and furniture can be obtained at the show site further reducing travel and shipping volume. 

9. Do the little things.  Turn the lights off.  Take a few extra steps to the recycling bin.  Forgo the convenience of a cab in favor of a nice walk or a ride on the metro.  

10. Make a donation.  Donate a portion of your tradeshow budget to an environmental cause to help balance your environmental impact.  Also, you can encourage attendees to participate by offering them the option to donate.

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Advent leads from the forefront of the cutting edge modern marketing industry by fueling brands with the explosive power of experiences.  Advent creates an emotional bond with audiences by leveraging the unrivaled effectiveness of experiential marketing through targeted events, engaging exhibits, and branded spaces.  High impact and high touch strategies mark Advent’s creative advantage and have helped rapidly expanding brands communicate messages that gain immediate and lasting resonance with consumers.  For more visit www.adventresults.com.