Food and drink expo stand

With sold-out products on the last day of the show and a 12% uplift in sales at Tesco, this versatile food and drink expo stand was a huge success for our client.

Background

Nix & Kix’s aim is to create drinks with exceptional flavour, great refreshment and a host of chilli-driven benefits that can actually make your day. Driven by passion and imagination, the company was born to remove the stigma around “boring” soft drinks.

Challenge

Our client asked us to deliver a visually impactful stand that would help generate brand awareness whilst keeping within strict budget parameters.

The stand would need to be easily repurposed as Nix & Kix were planning to attend various shows, including Taste of London – mainly aimed at consumers and with an outdoor setting – and lunch!, aimed at traders and taking place indoors.

Solution

To attract maximum attention, curiosity and desire, we decided to focus our awareness strategy on the product itself, and the uniqueness it brings to the very competitive drinks market.

One of the first elements that make Nix & Kix memorable and recognisable is its packaging, so we made the shape of the Nix & Kix can the hero of the stand.

Open on all sides, the stand includes a demo counter and bar area that encourage audiences to get closer, relax, and socialise while they sample the Nix & Kix flavours.

During initial creative sessions in the Parker studio, the iconic slender shape of the can took the role of a building block. Being able to play with different configurations revealed the flexibility of a structure based around the shape of a can – this proved to be a convenient approach given the relatively small 3m x 3m plot size at Taste, turning the stand into a cost-effective and impactful awareness and sales tool. 

Stacking oversized cans added visibility to the small food and drink expo stand, immediately attracting the attention of passers-by.

The easily customisable tower of cans helped promote certain flavours over others. With the cans being a hollow timber cylinder, their small weight made them easy to stack up, reconfigure and transport.

Graphics wrapped around the can structures can also be changed easily, based on what flavours are being promoted or launched, adding to the overall cost-effectiveness of the stand.

Despite their light weight, the cans feel like a solid structure thanks to a concealed metal base that adds stability.

The tower of cans can be easily reduced to two as a base instead of three, or can also be used individually.

The stand also included fully insulated oversized cans that kept drinks ice-cold. By adding castor wheels, we further maximised our client’s investment as the fridge cans can be easily wheeled out of the Nix & Kix offices to attract new audiences as they walk the streets.

The launch at Taste of London of new flavour Watermelon & Hibiscus was a great success, selling out on the last day.

To transmit the essence of the natural ingredients that go into making the unique Nix & Kix flavours, we kept the rest of the stand design rustic and down to earth.

Utilising weathered timber for the bar/DJ booth area gave an instant sense of familiarity and welcome. With the Taste show taking place outdoors, we ensured that both visitors and staff were protected from the elements, rain or shine.

To squeeze out as much as possible from the small plot, we created a colourful illustration that helped turn the back wall of the timber bar into a popular Instagram selfie spot, where a bottle of Nix & Kix pours out a variety of fresh natural ingredients.

As a subtle yet effective brand awareness tool we included a branded lightbox, which really came into its own as the light levels dropped and the show went on into the early evening.

Final design touches – timber slats painted in bright Nix & Kix red, fairy lights and a hibiscus garland – added extra flavour to the overall success of the food and drink expo stand.

Later on in the event calendar, elements from the expo stand were also used for a pop-up experience and at the lunch! show – both a success for our client.

“We were very happy with the stand at Taste of London, we had so much fun and a lot of compliments! We completely sold out of the new Watermelon & Hibiscus flavour on the last day, so it was a huge success!

We saw a 12% uplift in Tesco stores following Taste, as we were directing people to their closest Tesco store – which is amazing…

We had nothing but positive feedback on the stand, particularly on the big cans! I also wanted to say that it has been an absolute pleasure working with you guys, you’ve been very accommodating to all of our requests and I’ve found the whole process very enjoyable.”

Marketing Manager, Nix & Kix