Client: Bus Stop | Event: National Bus and Coach Show 2024 | Location: BCEC Brisbane
Industry: Transportation
Future-Ready Eco Buses on Display
Imagine waiting at a bus bay, and instead of just any buses pulling up, you see a fleet of the latest models decked out with the latest in green technology. At this year’s National Bus and Coach Show, that’s what the attendees experienced engaging with Bus Stop’s exhibition stand. The brand’s 25x15m display, an eye-catching makeshift road floor, stopped traffic by encapsulating the essence of modern transportation and sustainability, giving guests a chance to step into a future where every ride is about cutting-edge tech and keeping the planet green.
In a bold nod to its industry dominance, Bus Stop showcased four innovative buses at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC), immersing visitors from 17 to 18 September into the next generation of travel. The brand’s emphasis on new and renewable energy reinforced its role as a leader in sustainable transportation solutions, with its custom expo booth being a testament to its commitment to revolutionising the sector.
Challenges
As Bus Stop geared up for the National Bus and Coach Show 2024, they had a clear game plan—to prove they are a major player in the industry known for their leading series of eco-friendly shuttle vehicles and top-notch professionalism. Expo Centric, its partner exhibition company, set to fulfill the brand’s mission by bringing to life the following clear-cut objectives:
Main Attraction
Vehicle Display
- They want to highlight the best of their eco-conscious models, which include three all-electric vehicles and one non-electric mining vehicle.
- Buses are to be positioned on site to create an inviting space from all angles, gaining maximum exposure and focus from attendees when they are at the booth.
Theme and Design
Green and Renewable Energy
- The theme must be green and renewable energy-focused, which will be emphasised by using greeneries and illuminating each bus under with green LED lights to unify the concept.
- A single-blade Aluvision frame with a graphic panel must accompany each bus display to highlight detailed information about the models.
Structural and Functional Elements
Flooring
- The flooring must handle large buses driving on it into place. It must be very well secured, including any floor decals, adornments, lights, etc.
Visibility and Wayfinding
- With the stand positioned in the middle of the exhibition centre with four sides exposed, the brand wanted the overhead signage to be visible from all angles for ease of wayfinding.
Visitor Experience
Breakout Area
- There must be an inviting and open breakout area where salespeople can sit and discuss with prospects.
Coffee Station
- A coffee station with a branded desk labelled Recharge Station should be prominent to all traffic walking past.
Refreshment and Seating Areas
There must also be a fridge with clear doors large enough to be visible on the expo floor that is to be stocked with branded water bottles, along with a few tables with stools or equivalent seating.
The Build
At the heart of BCEC, expo attendees found themselves walking into a futuristic bus bay—the colossal 25x15m exhibition stand of Bus Stop. A stunning invitation to hop on and take a journey into the future of transportation, the booth stood out from all angles with a rigged, double-sided circular banner displaying the brand and its partners’ logos—King Long, Isuzu, and Yutong.
Open from all sides, the stand perfectly mimicked a bus stop with its charcoal tiles accented with white road-line markings and grass-green surfaces. Two pairs of buses occupied both the longer sides of the space, with visitors having the chance to access each through its front passenger doors on the left side, allowing them to experience the brand’s state-of-the-art and sustainable vehicles.
Each vehicle was accompanied by a product blade embellished with horizontal oak slats supporting the detailed graphic wall display and a planter box. These standalone informational panels provided thorough overviews of the models, guiding attendees into getting in-depth insights about the green technology and state-of-the-art innovations that made each bus exceptional.
Central to the stand were the hospitality areas segmented into various setups, giving visitors a lot of space to interact with the booth and its offerings. The breakout zone, accentuated with an artificial tree to emphasise the green concept, had six seating areas strategically placed adjacent to each of the bus displays to make room for engagement and discussion.
On the far end of the trade show space was the branded reception/barista counter with the front labelled ‘Recharge Station’, designed to be the area where visitors can physically and socially recharge with a cup of coffee and a good conversation with the staff. Near to it was a tall fridge where water bottles were stored for guest refreshment, with its height intended to enhance visibility and ensure it still stood out in the expansive floor space with larger displays, such as the buses. This choice perfectly tied up the stand’s pleasant and accommodating setting.
Features
Buses on Display
An elaborate setup perfect for showcasing large-scale vehicles, the stand’s bus display zones were deliberately allocated to focus the guests’ attention on the featured fleets. Each has a product blade expounding on a shuttle’s details, adorned with green and oak accents to reinforce the booth’s sustainability theme.
Breakout Area
A roomy, expansive zone in the middle of the stand that served as the main engagement area for Bus Stop’s staff and the expo attendees. Adorned with greeneries such as the lofty decorative tree at the centre and the planter boxes for each vehicle’s graphic blade, the space was beautifully proportioned into several discussion settings that varied from bar and lounge seating setups.
Reception/Barista Counter and Tall Fridge
Receiving guests at the front end of the bus-bay stand was the branded reception and barista counter, which functioned as the welcome station where coffee was offered. Adding to the refreshment feature of the booth was the tall fridge for cold drinks.
Results
Affirming the brand’s industry excellence and its dedication to green tech principles, Bus Stop’s exhibition booth at the National Bus and Coach Show 2024 brilliantly demonstrated that a substantial space can indeed create a memorable impact. Its expansive exhibit was transformed into a dynamic road-and-bus-stop experience and showcased Australia’s leading electric bus range with style and innovation.
This project successfully underscored Expo Centric’s creativity and capability to turn a grand vision into reality, proving the expertise and competence of the exhibition company to amplify any brand’s presence in the automotive industry.