Except for a brief interruption during the height of the pandemic, trade shows were and are extremely important gatherings, both in the B2B and B2C segments. In fact, however, most trade shows are characterized by some almost fixed facts: a sometimes enormous amount of advertising and information materials, freebies and giveaways. In addition, a high density of competing companies and often kilometers of distances that have to be covered on foot.

For several years now, corrugated cardboard trade show trolleys have enjoyed great success at such meetings. Because they address all the concerns of such professional meetings and combine them with a clever advertising effect and sustainability.

In the following, we'll tell you everything you need to know about these super-practical helpers on two wheels and their field of application.

What is the importance of trade fairs for companies?

There is hardly an industry that does not hold trade shows at regular intervals. In this respect, packaging manufacturers are no different from automotive suppliers, confectionery specialists, the video games industry, government equipment suppliers or toy developers. Moreover, it makes no difference whether we are talking about an industry that is more oriented towards B2C or B2B. And in case of doubt, companies from the most diverse directions come together at job fairs.

But what is the reason for this desire to interrupt business, sometimes for several days, because key members of the company's own staff are seconded for trade fair operations? It is a series of advantages that in fact exists equally at every trade fair, every exhibition:

1. Thinking outside the box: It does no company any good in the long term if it exists only in a bubble focused on itself. Trade fairs are therefore the perfect opportunity not only to take a proverbial look at what the competition is up to. Not only to be inspired, but also to better assess one's own standing.
2. Representing your own company: Marketing is an important factor. However, there is hardly a better opportunity to talk face-to-face with your target group, competitors and potential partners than a trade fair stand. Furthermore, contacts to the (trade) press can be established in this way. For example, to present new developments or the entire company.
3. Acquiring and making contacts: Every trade show is a microcosm in which many of the rules of everyday business are temporarily suspended. Therefore, they allow low-threshold interpersonal relations to be cultivated on neutral terrain. On such occasions, therefore, highly lucrative contacts are often "made" that would never have come about outside such occasions - for example, due to spatial distances.
4. Experience and create workshops, keynotes, seminars and the like: Trade fairs, as in many cases the most important industry gatherings in the calendar, are often explicitly designed to increase expertise, to discuss, to evaluate and, not least, to determine the direction of an entire industry. A corresponding supporting program is therefore also an excellent opportunity for influence and self-presentation, because you can deliver such workshops, presentations and the like yourself.

However, virtually every trade show is characterized by being extensive. Take the Nuremberg exhibition center, for example, with 180,000 square meters of hall space and a further 100,000 square meters of outdoor space - the situation is similar in many other exhibition centers. This means that every visitor and every participant has to cover long distances on foot there.

Without promotional gifts in their luggage, this is certainly unproblematic for most visitors. In the reality of trade shows, however, every stand operator will do everything in his power to give his visitors as many materials as possible. These can be catalogs, brochures and similar printed materials. Equally, however, it is good manners at many of these events to be extremely generous with promotional gifts and similar goodies.

Exhibition trolleys - what advantages do they offer in general?

Walking long distances and sometimes being loaded down with several info materials and freebies after just a handful of visits to the booth. This is the reality that led to the emergence of trade show trolleys a few years ago - as full-fledged transport aids designed for permanent use and to be procured privately.

The advantages of these rolling containers are impressive:

• There is hardly a more trade show-ready option for combining such compact dimensions with such a large transport volume.
• Trolleys are probably the most convenient, effort-saving way to move such loads. Much more comfortable than carrier bags and similar options.
• Unlike backpacks and "body bags" ( a typical bogus anglicism, by the way), which come in second place in terms of carrying comfort, trolleys don't look out of place with the usual trade show outfit - and they don't have to be taken off and put on in a complicated way either.
• Due to its design, the trolley allows you to attach other containers to it - such as file or laptop bags.

Together, this results in a maximally suitable means of transport for trade shows. It is simply pulled and can also be pushed if necessary. It does not disturb other trade show visitors in the crowds and is quickly out of the way when visiting stands.

Only one thing such trolleys are not: cheap and available for every visitor. That's where corrugated cardboard exhibition trolleys come in.

 

Exhibition trolleys made of corrugated board: perhaps the perfect combination of all trade fair realities

What is such a fair trolley? It is

• That made of corrugated board,
• primarily intended only for visiting the fair,
• cheap to produce and
• no less practical

equivalent to the conventional trolley. Take a body made of corrugated cardboard. Sometimes a lightweight plastic substructure is attached to it, which in turn holds two wheels made of the same material (there are now even completely plastic-free variants). At the top, either a classically shaped handle made of plastic or a protruding flap made of corrugated cardboard that serves the same purpose.

The result is the corrugated cardboard equivalent of the traditional trolley. This type of trolley is much more practical for the companies that present themselves at a fair

1. The trolley is basically intended as a giveaway that can be produced inexpensively. It is therefore distributed as a free advertising gift or as a freebie after data entry (e.g. in an e-mail distribution list). This makes it "look" like another trade show gift from a marketing perspective.
2. Due to its basic design, the corrugated cardboard trolley is an attractive helper for every trade fair visitor. After all, especially at B2C trade fairs, many visitors are mainly concerned with getting as many free souvenirs as possible. A way to carry them all comfortably through the long aisles is therefore always welcome.
3. Due to its rigid construction, corrugated board is not only robust against typical stresses in the trade show crowd. It can also carry heavy loads and is therefore ideally suited for holding and safely transporting catalogs and other materials for visitors to the stand.

However, the greatest attraction of corrugated cardboard trade show trolleys is not found in these three points: The exterior of the trolley is of course printed extensively with your own advertising measures. After all, the surface is huge compared to other trade show gifts and lends itself to this. This makes every user a highly visible advertising ambassador throughout the trade show grounds.

At the same time, however, the corrugated cardboard is opaque. This makes it possible for the trade show trolley to do something that has made many a competitor jealous: everything that the trade show visitor is handed out at other booths disappears completely invisible to the public in this container made of corrugated cardboard. No matter how creatively the competition designs its own giveaways and similar materials, their advertising effect fizzles out just as unseen in the trade show trolley as possible desirability factors that arise among third parties when they see the items.

In fact, at trade shows where one or more exhibitors hand out such corrugated trolleys, you often only see their advertising literally rolling through the aisles. Whether it's a creatively designed fabric carrier bag, a practical backpack bag - everything that would normally be a good, trade show-worthy advertising measure in itself remains invisible.

Corrugated board and sustainability: environmentally friendly flagship of the company

If you're referring solely to the benefits of the trade show itself, the corrugated cardboard trade show trolley is probably one of the best giveaways imaginable - at least as long as analog printed matter and other promotional giveaways continue to be distributed in raw quantities at such events.

At the same time, however, the helper's choice of materials means that, despite its relative short life, it is not something that should give the issuing company or accepting visitor a bad environmental conscience.

On the contrary. In particular, those trade show trolleys that either do without plastic altogether or rely on single-grade (= easily recyclable) plastic for parts such as the wheels, the high proportion of corrugated board offers a big plus.

Corrugated board is already an environmentally friendly product per se, as it is completely biodegradable within a short period of time - and also consists of largely biological materials. Furthermore, it is also possible to take an environmentally friendly approach to both the type of printing and the inks used in the process.

The corrugated cardboard exhibition trolley may be a practical promotional gift with a limited life span. However, since it does not pollute the environment and the climate nearly as much as similarly short-lived giveaways made of plastic, it does not offer a negative surface for attack. On the contrary, if it is specifically advertised with environmental, nature and climate-protecting attributes, then there is even a double advertising effect that goes far beyond the pure utility value and the promotional printing.

Exhibition trolleys made of corrugated board: What must be considered in the design(s)?

There are now several suppliers of exhibition trolleys made of corrugated board. Some even offer trolleys that are even more minimalist, because they rely only on sturdy paper instead of corrugated board - almost like a Stand-up pouch on wheels. However, by no means all solutions are equally worth the money. What's more, you can see time and again at trade shows that the companies that issue them have made mistakes in their design.

The following points should therefore be considered when selecting models and their design:

• The design should have as much of a wow effect as possible and ideally be based on familiar (packaging) elements of that company. For example, some beverage manufacturers use cylindrical corrugated cardboard trolleys that look like the company's beverage can due to their printing. Similar approaches are equally possible for many other industries.
• Utility value should never be lost from focus. This means that volume, payload and "ride comfort" should always have top priority. The most beautiful trolley is of no use if it is too small or simply uncomfortable to pull.
• Above all, loading must be extremely fast and uncomplicated. Small openings or slots in the lid of the trolley are therefore a good basis. However, it should also be easy to open and close for stowing larger giveaways and similar items.

Conclusion: Are trolleys made of corrugated cardboard good promotional gifts at trade fairs?

In the face of concerns at trade shows and similar gatherings, there are likely few trade show giveaways, especially but not exclusively in the B2C space, that are any better.

Usefulness and advertising effect are to be considered particularly high on all levels. It is true that corrugated cardboard exhibition trolleys are not as durable as other typical giveaways. However, they more than make up for this single disadvantage with their enormous advantages at the trade fair.

For a visitor who quickly collects many kilos of materials in this rush, the first thing that counts is being able to carry them as comfortably as possible for the rest of the trade show visit. Even more durable freebies between tote bags, flashlights and powerbanks can't compete with this fact.

FAQ

1. How loadable are trade show trolleys?
   Since only particularly stable corrugated shapes are usually used for this purpose, such systems can usually be loaded with at least 10 kilograms - in combination with plastic substructures, this figure is even higher.
2. Are the trolleys only suitable for indoor exhibitions?
   Primarily yes. It is true that appropriate printing ensures a certain degree of weather resistance. However, corrugated board products are generally not resistant to prolonged contact with moisture. The mostly small wheels are also only suitable for solid, level surfaces.
3. How do I react when competitors also hand out trolleys?
   At trade shows, the winner in this respect is usually the one with the better design and/or whose stand is closer to the entrance. If it is possible to freely choose the stand position, the latter should be aimed for.

 

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