How to Make a $25K Exhibit Booth Look Like $50K with Smart Custom Fabrication
You’re up against industry giants with marketing budgets that seem limitless. Their exhibit booths are sprawling, flashy architectural marvels, and your allocated $25,000 feels… inadequate. But here’s the secret they don’t want you to know: a sky-high budget is no match for sky-high ingenuity. With smart custom exhibit design and strategic exhibit fabrication, you can […]
The ROI of Experience: How Interactive Booths Generate 5x More Leads
In the thunderous, high-stakes arena of a trade show, blending in is a death sentence. Your goal isn’t just to be seen, it’s to be remembered, engaged with, and talked about. The future of exhibitions is experiential, and the best trade show booth designers know that the ultimate Return on Investment (ROI) doesn’t come from […]
Why Your Booth is Getting Skipped and How to Fix It In 2026
After 20+ years designing for events across the nation, we’ve seen booth strategies evolve. But the post-pandemic shift has been seismic. Attendees are more selective and digitally saturated than ever. If your traffic is dwindling, the problem isn’t the crowd, it’s the experience you’re offering. Relying on a pop-up banner, a branded table throw, and […]
The 3-Second Rule: How to Design a Booth That Grabs Attention in a Crowded Expo
In a sea of flashing lights, bold branding, and overcrowded aisles, your trade show booth has a job: stop people fast. You don’t have minutes. You don’t even have 10 seconds. You’ve got 3 – tops – to grab attention, spark curiosity, and pull your audience in. Whether you’re building your SuperBowl show booth (think […]
The Psychology of Trade Show Design: How Booth Layout Influences Visitor Behavior
We like to say your booth talks before you do. It can whisper “average” or shout “you need to stop here.” The choice is yours. While flashy graphics and cutting-edge technology are crucial, they are merely tools. The true foundation of a high-performing booth is an understanding of human psychology. Our white-glove, end-to-end process isn’t […]
5 Trade Show Booth Designs That Dominated the Competition
In the bustling world of trade shows, standing out takes more than just a table and a banner. At Highway 85 Creative, we’ve designed and built numerous booths that stand out on the trade show floor. Here are five exceptional examples that showcase how to achieve bold creativity, immersive experiences, and unforgettable branding. These five […]
Why Your Giveaways Are Wack, and What to Offer Instead
Giveaways have been the trade show move since forever. Big brands, scrappy startups—everyone’s tossing out branded junk hoping it’ll buy them attention. But let’s call it what it is: most giveaways are trash. They don’t attract serious leads. They don’t spark lasting connections. And they definitely don’t build your brand. All you’re left with is […]
From Leads to Legacy Clients: The Ultimate Post-Show Follow-Up Playbook
Let’s get one thing straight: Your trade show was a waste of time if your leads end up rotting in a spreadsheet. Most companies mess this up: they collect business cards like Pokémon, then ghost their prospects with weak-ass “nice to meet you” emails. Not you. Not anymore. This playbook is your fucking blueprint for […]
The Future of Trade Shows: How Special Tech Continues to Change the Game
How Special Tech Continues to Change the Game In the world of experiential marketing and brand activations, staying ahead of the curve ALWAYS means embracing the latest tech. At Highway 85 Creative, we *strongly* believe that cutting-edge tech is one of the necessary secret ingredients to making your trade show pop off. From holograms to […]
Dominate the Trade Show Floor in 2025
High-Impact Trends to Crush the Competition In the cutthroat world of trade shows, blending in is failure. As we charge into the second half of 2025, the game of exhibition design is leveling up: demanding bold, unforgettable experiences that don’t just look the part but drive real business results. Highway 85 Creative is leading the […]