Being at IMEX America is an amazing experience, and the energy on the show floor is a big part of why. You get to see how brands show up and connect with audiences, and how audiences connect with brands.

The booths and experiences that stood out to me at IMEX America 2026 were the ones planned with intention. Shaped LED and lighting, dimensional content, and food and beverage tied to the brand made booths memorable. Intentional wayfinding like designed stop spots and guided content paths could help attendees enjoy and absorb even more.

What were the key takeaways from IMEX America?

• Shaped LED and lighting made booths stand out without added structure.
• Dimensional content was more memorable than screens or video alone.
• Food and beverage tied to a brand or destination made booths more memorable.
• Time on-site builds relationships with colleagues as well as clients.
• Designed spots to pause could give attendees room to photograph and film.
• Intentional session layouts and guided content paths can help attendees absorb more.

Three things I noticed about booths while walking the floor

Each of these three booth observations from IMEX America comes back to intention.

Creative & Design is at its strongest when the booth experience is planned as a whole, so the structure, the content, and the touchpoints all point back to the brand.

How can a booth stand out on a floor full of big signage?

Unique shapes stood out to me on a floor full of big signage. Designed and shaped LED panels, like the angled panels at the SmartSource booth, created visually interesting, captivating graphics.

I also noticed that booth shape didn’t have to come from structure. The Los Angeles booth used a neon outline around its logo to create a distinctive shape, and it was noticeable without any added build.

What makes booth content memorable?

Memorable content mattered more than having an LED screen alone in the booth.

Movement and video were a strong start, and dimensional content made the difference. The Freeman booth used its curved LED wall to make our new Simply Curated Exhibits™ designs appear to extend into the booth space.

To me, the curved LED wall turned the screen into something that felt like a place rather than a flat display. Additionally, the life-sized avatars of booth staff added an unexpected yet striking and invited visitors inside.

Still images can create an immersive booth

The Los Cabos booth used mostly still images as part of its booth design.

I found the Los Cabos booth’s oversized lifestyle photography, which covered every inch of the walls, impactful and immersive without relying on video.

How can food and beverage build a booth’s brand?

Food and beverage gave booths an opportunity to build their brand. It seemed like most booths offered some sort of food and beverage, such as snacks, candy, and coffee.

Branding food and beverage, or connecting it to the exhibitor, is an easy way to make it part of the booth experience.

Louisville and Los Angeles tied food and beverage to their brands

A few booths made food and beverage part of their brand story. The Louisville booth served bourbon tied directly to the city and the overall experience.

Popcorn appeared at multiple exhibits, and it was an especially natural fit at the Los Angeles booth, where it connected to Hollywood and movie theaters. I saw room for the same approach with snacks and candy at other booths, with branded packaging or even sponsorships.

Experiences beyond the booths that stood out

Internal networking at the show

Connecting in person with team members who I wouldn’t normally see in person definitely had value. This tracks with the Freeman Trends Report: Pre-Event Edition (2026 Q4), which showed 85% of attendees prioritize in-person events because face-to-face interaction lets them connect with peers and experts.

With teams spread across locations and packed schedules, a show like IMEX America brings people together in person to build the trust, collaboration, and sense of belonging that carry back into everyday work.

How could designed stop spots improve the show floor?

While trying to photograph one structure on the IMEX America show floor, I paused in the aisle and waited for a clear shot. Later, I was the one stopped in the aisle, trying different angles, and when I finished I realized people on both sides of me had paused to give me space.

Stopping for photos on the show floor showed me attendees expect stops and starts in the aisles, which made me wonder what would happen if stop spots were designed into the show floor.

Picture small inlets at certain points, maybe at aisle intersections, with just enough room to step out of traffic. Attendees would know where to expect someone taking pictures or video, and the people taking them would have a place to do it while traffic keeps moving.

Design shapes the content experience

Whether you’re sharing content or absorbing it, IMEX America offers plenty of ways to do both.

The Freeman Company (TFC) content studio interviewed influencers, attendees, speakers, and leaders from TFC brands, and swapped its opaque panels for clear ones on day two so people walking by could watch the interviews as they happened.

I saw the same design thinking matter in the session rooms at Smart Monday, the show’s pre-show education day. Round tables are great for conversation, and seating angled toward the stage would also give everyone in the room a clear view of the speaker.

How could attendees absorb this much content?

Between the content studio, the Inspiration Hub, sessions hosted by brands in their exhibits, and 38 learning experiences on Smart Monday alone, according to MPI, there was a lot of content to take in at IMEX America.

Associations and brands could work together to guide audiences through the event app. Attendees could enter the sessions they plan to attend and their learning style preferences. An AI tool could help curate the best way for each person to learn, absorb, and remember the material.

Intention shapes memorable booth experiences

Intention was the thread running through everything I saw at IMEX, from shaped LED and branded snacks to stop spots and session seating. When brands plan every touchpoint with the audience in mind, audiences notice and remember.