The other day I had a short conversation with a client about trade show graphics. It seems she was having a bit of a battle with her art department about the format and formula of the graphics going into her new trade show booth.
One of the biggest problems was consistency. As we sat talking, I thought of a few simple rules we could all apply to our graphics so we can use and reuse them together. Consider this short list:
- Typeface for headers, sub-headers and body copy (if you have to resort to it) should all be form the same family.
- Placement should be at the same relative location on the page if graphics are to appear in the same space (watch how the eye tracks.
- Be consistent in bold and italic typefaces if you use them. be sure they are used that way in the same place from panel to panel.
- If a photograph or image is included, be sure you understand teh scale. Huge heads have their place in an exhibit, but think about it before you approve and produce the graphics.
- Simple is better. Less copy and more image and lots of white space. Remember: graphics support what comes out of your staffers’ mouths and are there as conversation starters not whole stories.
Keep in mind this is a simple list and not an end-all-be-all list. The message is to think about graphics as they relate to the exhibit and each other as well as to their intended audience.
TTSG
