Event: CAMX, World of Concrete, JEC
Location: Dallas & California, USA. Paris, France
Duration: 15 + years
The challenge
USA-based Owens Corning has a deep and rich history, with its materials used for world-famous infrastructure including the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Hajj Terminal in Saudi Arabia and the 9/11 Memorial Fountains. And, a little further back through time – Neil Armstrong took the first steps on the moon wearing a suit made from Owens Corning yarns.
The brand develops and produces insulation, roofing, and fiberglass composites and related materials and products and is the world’s largest manufacturer of fiberglass composites. It is also famous for being one of the only brands in the world able to trademark a colour – pink, which was the colour its insulation fabric turned when red dye was added to it. You can read more about its fascinating brand story here.
True to its history, Owens Corning wanted to be a disruptive, jaw-dropping presence at international composites show JEC World, World of Concrete and composites and advanced materials expo CAMX.
And, thanks to Covid, the show programme was also postponed in 2020, so when shows finally went live, designs had to be reconfigured to suit new spaces.
Conceptual planning
The design required a concept that could work seamlessly across three spaces of varying size.
Visually, the experience needed to invoke the kind of creativity that might exist inside a designer or innovator’s mind.
The brief also required a registration desk with three to four check-in stations, four defined demonstration zones with a conversation space in each and meeting rooms that included, if possible, a second storey VIP space. Owens Corning also wanted to keep some flexible space on floor to host and greet visitors as well as a suitable area for demonstrating Owens Corning’s offering
The solution
DSA has been a trusted design partner for Owens Corning for over 15 years. We were delighted to work with the brand to raise awareness of its innovation, bringing its latest brand campaign #makeimpossiblethings to life. We also wanted to ensure sufficient tribute was paid to its striking and unusual brand mascot, Pink Panther, by ensuring designs incorporated the animal and the brand’s well loved trademark pink colour.
Telling Owen Corning’s brand story
Crucially, the exhibition space needed to effectively tell the brand story, moving away from displaying products built with Owens Corning composites, and focusing on demonstrating the key benefits of choosing Owens Corning. With this in mind, DSA created a visual representation of the client’s R&D facility, known as the Pink Tank ™. Visitors were invited to explore the services and customer experience provided by Owens Corning through touchscreen enabled digital demonstrations which took place inside the space.
DSA designed and created a bold, showstopping two-storey stand with immersive walkways which could not be missed from the show floor. A selection of Owens Corning’s products were highlighted with a mixed fabric backdrop, with a 3D eye-popping fascia wall. Owens Corning’s brand strapline and mission were brought to life with striking graphic walls and a blend of materials.
Separate meeting spaces were cleverly partitioned with industrial-look materials that evoked the kind of raw creativity seen in urban scapes transformed by street art.
A blend of private and communal spaces were provided with comfortable wrap around seating areas designed to maximise use of space.
The stand was designed with sustainability in mind, with modular elements which would be able to be used across multiple shows.
The results
In a major return for live events, Owens Corning’s experience enjoyed massive footfall (43,500+ at JEC World alone.)
It was able to demonstrate total brand continuity across three shows with vastly differing spaces.
Want to see previous designs for Owens Corning? Have a look here.
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