Abstract Displays, a full-service exhibit house specializing in trade shows, in Blue Ash Ohio, like most companies, were negatively impacted by COVID-19. As lifelong entrepreneurs, they knew that they needed to be proactive and change their business model creatively and quickly to find a solution to meet their clients’ needs. Through their experience, they knew that virtual trade shows would lack the engagement their clients needed, so they decided to take the tradeshow directly to their clients’ audience! Clients counted on these shows to launch timely products to the industries they served. Based on client needs: Abstract Displays converted their warehouse and showroom into a film studio and VidExpo was born.
Abstract Displays hosted their first VidExpo in May, and had over 300 signups, with 200 actually participating virtually. Those are better attendance stats than in-person shows. VidExpo allowed clients to have real human interactions, host Q&A sessions, do live product demos, and create videos that could be repurposed for marketing. This concept was born out of a need, but the result will revolutionize how businesses market their presence at trade shows moving forward.
While many businesses were paralyzed due to the uncertainty of the length of the pandemic, Abstract Displays took proactive measures to positively impact the trade show industry. “Launching VidExpo, was essentially like starting a brand new business, but with less time for planning. We used our expertise with face to face shows, and made it up as we went”, said Carla Eng, president of Abstract Displays. The end result was worth it.
Abstract Displays has been a longtime friend of our organization. The relationship began in our lending department with an SBA 504 loan to buy their current building in 2006 but has fostered into much more over the years. During the pandemic, we were the first call they made when they were forced close.
