Why a Custom Trailer is Better than a Temporary Trade Show Exhibit

A few years ago, I read an intriguing article in Exhibitor Magazine titled “Booth Burial,” in which industry experts shared valuable insights on how to efficiently handle the disposal of exhibit materials. This got me reminiscing about my extensive experience in the experiential industry and the innovative solutions I can now provide to brands and agencies alike.

Over the course of more than a decade, I had the privilege of working in client service roles at two prominent Chicago-based experiential agencies, namely Marketing Werks (now Product Connections) and Mosaic. During my tenure, I had the opportunity to manage activations for esteemed clients like Verizon, Kettle Brand, Welch’s, Evolution Fresh, Grey Goose, AT&T, and many others.

One aspect of the industry that always puzzled me was the significant waste generated by activation elements. Considerable upfront investments were made in acquiring pop-up tents, activation components, or even having vendors design bespoke interactive displays. However, once the program concluded, most of these assets were stashed away, never to see the light of day again.

Agencies would allocate substantial funds annually to store these supplies, only to later conduct clean-out events where interns and account coordinators would discard items to make room for the next year’s inventory. Sadly, very little of it was ever reused, effectively rendering the money spent on storage as wasteful.

The experts featured in the Exhibitor article presented several disposal solutions, including entrusting an exhibit house with disposal, immediate booth disposal after a show, charitable donations, or selling the assets. Nevertheless, there had to be a more sustainable way to reduce this waste, optimize financial resources for both agencies and their clients, and still meet the activation goals, right?

Enter Advantage Trailer.

An experiential marketing trailer offers all the capabilities of a pop-up tent or exhibit display, with the added benefit of versatility. A marketing trailer becomes an asset that can be reused in subsequent years, repurposed for new clients or activations, or even sold back to us.

Our commitment to delivering high-quality, durable trailers means they maintain their resale value long after your program concludes. We’re not in the business of cutting corners for a quick buck. By choosing a marketing trailer from Advantage, you’re investing in an experiential asset that demands less maintenance, offers greater longevity, and retains a higher resale value compared to our competitors.

Furthermore, a trailer is exceptionally adaptable. While assembling and disassembling costly exhibit displays at trade shows requires significant labor, a trailer can easily roll in and out, simplifying setup and minimizing weather-related disruptions. Unlike pop-up tents and other activation elements, a trailer is self-contained, allowing for swift deployment and giving your on-site staff the ability to adapt to adverse weather conditions.

All of these advantages translate to significant time and cost savings during trade shows and event activations.

A trailer equals more value for your investment.

A branded trailer extends your brand’s visibility while on the road and during idle periods between events. Its mobility allows for utilization between major events, unlike exhibit displays that remain in storage. This means your client can maximize the number of activation days they get out of their investment.

I understand that concerns about storing the trailer off the road may arise, particularly depending on your agency’s location. However, even if storage poses a challenge, it remains a superior proposition to storing disposable event elements that will likely be discarded to accommodate new ones.

And let’s not forget leasing as an option. If trailer storage is a concern, consider leasing one for the weeks or months your program is active. At Advantage, we offer flexible short-term and long-term leasing options, which can be financially appealing for agencies that prefer not to commit to storing and maintaining a trailer.

In conclusion, an experiential marketing trailer represents a sound investment for any brand or agency seeking to engage consumers in the field. It offers sustainability, versatility, and extended brand exposure, ultimately delivering more value for your investment.

View some of our case studies about recent custom trailers we’ve done for brands such as Florida Blue, Timberland, and Dr Pepper.