Showcasing an array of brand personalities under one umbrella.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is considered the world’s largest and most influential oncology organization. The institution holds immense notoriety holding prestigious focus on advancing the frontiers of research, educational opportunities and elevating the practice for clinical care.  Held at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, the 54th ASCO Annual Meeting hosted over 32,000 health care professionals from around the world, showcasing over 5,000 exhibitors and welcoming 40,700 registered attendees.

We worked with Merck KGaA, a pharmaceutical company based out of Darmstadt, Germany, to create an elaborate 70X70 footprint, split in three separate parts, each tailored towards a different audience.  Amongst structural components, our team designed and fabricated a stately hanging sign that was suspended just about 45 feet high.  Other elements included a 12-foot LED backlit-angled cube, which invited guests to the branded environment. The grounds were beautifully mapped out by a custom 5-color carpet with organic shapes that followed the architectural layout of the island booth.  

The space contained 41 touchscreen monitors and information panels which required discreet presentation due to sensitive international trademark policies. A privately reserved section was also curated with a media wall for interactive games promoting their fundraising initiative.  With 6 hosts and a booth captain, the staff flawlessly operated 3 specialty coffee bars, offering barista service to visitors during the time of their guided experience.  

Working closely with an external consultant, careful deliberation was put into applying brand guidelines and incorporating specified disclaimers around the trade show booth to help monitor both circulation and accessibility.  Our main challenge was content visibility ranging from one section to another.

After legal approvals and design revisions, the structure was ready for takeoff – awaiting specialty transport by track to Chicago.  Over an extensive period of 5 days, our dedicated team of installation superiors worked on-site, along with local labor to build the exhibit.  Later with assistance from the European Merck KGaA team, both worked together to solidify all media and print material for opening day.

Working side-by-side a longtime client, and seeing them share the essence of their brand and culture with industry peers, was an incredibly rewarding and triumphant experience.  Sharing a common purpose is why we love what we do.

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