Industry News
Curated headlines from the trade show and exhibition industry's top publications, associations, and expert blogs. Stay current with exhibitor announcements, show openings, industry trends, and market news from across the events world. Whether you follow technology, healthcare, food, or manufacturing events, our news feed surfaces the stories that matter to trade show professionals, exhibitors, and event marketers.
The Brief: Boot Rooms and Beer Windows
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover the Febreze Boot Room Tour, folding pubs and Peroni Portals. SPORTS PLAYERS SMELL BAD. FEBREZE HAS A TOUR FOR THAT. As the Official Odor Fighter of Major League Soccer, Febreze clearly has no problem…
Experiential Marketing Trend of the Week: Commiseration Activations
Diehard sports fans recognize that you can’t win ’em all, but that doesn’t make their team’s losses any less devastating—especially during tentpole tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and March Madness. And as of late, savvy brands have been quick to offer a shoulder to cry on with…
5 Big Experiential Themes from Fanatics Fest 2026
To know the fan, you must be the fan. And brands that showed up to Fanatics Fest 2026 proved it. We navigated around talent walkways—how stars get from backstage to in-booth panels and appearances—drops and more. Here’s what stuck out. The post 5 Big Experiential Themes from Fanatics Fest 2026…
Paycom Makes a Loyalty Play at SHRM26
Paycom has been part of the SHRM show for more than a decade, but this year, the brand hedged its bets on a decidedly experiential strategy, and scored a record number of leads. The post Paycom Makes a Loyalty Play at SHRM26 appeared first on Event Marketer.
Minty Lands in Creator-Rich Miami with a Social-Ready Pop-up
The AI shopping app’s trendy activation highlights brand partners at Swim Week It may be a surprising stat, but Miami is home to the most top Instagram influencers per capita in the U.S., beating out L.A. and NYC. And for a growing brand like Minty, the first AI cashback and savings app in ChatGPT,…
3 Things We Loved from Laneige’s Wonder Lab Pop-up
The Laneige Wonder Lab is on the move, hitting six locations this summer with hydration-inspired experiences. We stumbled upon the tour’s first stop in Orlando, FL, in front of Sephora at Disney Springs, which took place July 18-21. The activation featured the brand’s signature color palette of…
The Brief: Hut Originals and Running Vaults
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover Run Vaults, Gold Squad goals and taking it Back to the Hut. The post The Brief: Hut Originals and Running Vaults appeared first on Event Marketer.
Swag That Works: The New Rules for Trade Show Giveaways
When Middesk set out to build trust with Money20/20 attendees, it transformed its booth into “The Trust Club” filled with custom-designed merchandise created specifically for the trade show experience. From heavyweight crewnecks to limited-edition duffles, the brand designed exclusive items to…
How Beverage Culture is Weaving its way into Trade Show Programs
A Watermelon Basil Refresher? A frothy Strawberry Matcha Latte? An… IV? Beverage culture is exploding, and exhibitors are turning to unique hot and cold non-alcoholic sips to deliver deliciousness along with engagement throughout their trade show programs. Here are some of our favorite flavors and…
Eat up Seven Exhibit Trends from the Summer Fancy Food Show
Across the sea of culinary items presented at the 2026 Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City (June 28-30), nearly 1,000 of them officially debuted at the event. The post Eat up Seven Exhibit Trends from the Summer Fancy Food Show appeared first on Event Marketer.
Five Mid-Year Trade Show Exhibit Trends to Watch
Things are moving fast in trade shows and events, and we love being in the middle of it all. Over the past six months, EM’s team has logged in tens of thousands of steps around top shows across the nation. We sampled, shot hoops, and made perfumes, and, of course, mostly scouted the floor for…
10 Brands Capturing FIFA World Cup Fever with Stunts, Activations and Pop-ups
After almost 40 days, the FIFA World Cup 2026 wraps up this weekend with the final match between Argentina and Spain on July 19. The post 10 Brands Capturing FIFA World Cup Fever with Stunts, Activations and Pop-ups appeared first on Event Marketer.
Pre-Registration Now Open: EMMA Announces an Event Measurement Certification Course
The Event Marketing Measurement Association (EMMA, formerly EMMC) has launched the industry’s most comprehensive event measurement certification course, designed for event and marketing people at all levels—from professionals beginning their event measurement journeys to seasoned marketers who want…
Survey Says: How LYX Designs Event Feedback to Fuel Discovery
The earliest post-event surveys in the experiential marketing industry often involved a clipboard, pen and paper, and covered broad-stroke sentiment markers and anecdotal feedback on intent. (Are they “most likely,” or aren’t they?) But the survey has evolved into a strategic evaluation tool that’s…
Yahoo’s Explorers Society Rewards Attendees for Being Curious at Cannes
When Yahoo dropped anchor at Cannes Lions 2026, it was equipped with its most ambitious festival activation strategy to date, and one very large purple submarine installation. The post Yahoo’s Explorers Society Rewards Attendees for Being Curious at Cannes appeared first on Event Marketer.
Why a Dog Hydration Brand Designed an Activation to Meet Dogs at Their Level
For new brands and challenger brands alike, investing in experiential marketing doesn’t always require a huge budget or “bold” plan. The post Why a Dog Hydration Brand Designed an Activation to Meet Dogs at Their Level appeared first on Event Marketer.
The Brief: Cowboy Deliveries and Talking Toilet Paper
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover cowboy deliveries, synchronized raids and talking toilet paper. The post The Brief: Cowboy Deliveries and Talking Toilet Paper appeared first on Event Marketer.
Experiential Marketing Trend of the Week: Time is Luxury
Consumers are embracing tools to help automate their lives and their work, because while today they enjoy an economy of endless choices, the biggest luxury in a culture moving at warp-speed is… time. Experiential marketers are uniquely suited to ensure time is well spent, which is why they’re…
How Oatly Built a B2B Event Inspired by its Strategic Beverage Trends Content
As beverage culture explodes, Oatly is ensuring it’s not only a key ingredient within the conversation and the concoctions, but that it’s also leading them. With the goal of creating “the Davos of beverage,” Oatly’s recent AFTERTASTE event in New York City immersed 300 leaders, operators,…
Watch: Leah Stark of Ecolab in The Studio at EMS 2026
Welcome to Studio Sessions, interviews filmed in the field with the minds behind the moments. In this episode, Leah Stark, director of experiential marketing at Ecolab, joins us at the 2026 Experiential Marketing Summit to discuss what it means to be a bold-thinker and risk-taker in the industry,…