Trade show trends 2025: what’s hot right now

Trade show season is back, and brands are raising the bar. The most forward-thinking businesses are creating stand out experiences. From immersive booths and virtual extensions to gamified engagement and cultural collaborations, trade shows in 2025 are evolving into dynamic, high-impact brand moments.

Whether it’s merging the physical and digital, embracing sustainability, or collaborating for greater impact, these key trends are redefining trade shows. 

Here’s how you can make them work for your brand.

#1 Experience is king

[Image credit: Delta Airlines]

The era of static displays is over. Leading brands are turning their booths into multi-sensory experiences, using interactive technology, immersive storytelling, and bold booth design to captivate attendees. Embrace the latest trade show technology trends, like VR demos or touchscreens, as easy and engaging ways to showcase your products

At CES 2025, Delta Airlines celebrated 100 years with an immersive keynote that showcased their history, innovation, and future vision. The experience featured interactive exhibits, a Virtual Pilot Training Experience, and a 16K wraparound LED display that took audiences on a fully immersive flight journey. 

How to bring it into your trade show strategy:

• Use interactive elements – VR demos or touchscreens are easy ways to showcase your products.
  
• Create an immersive atmosphere – Incorporate lighting, sound, and visuals.
  
• Provide take-home reminders of your story – such as custom Postcards or Stickers.

#2 Physical meets digital 

[Image credit: Christie’s]

The best trade show booths don’t just exist in the real world; they extend into digital spaces. Brands use holograms, AR, and live-streamed content to make their presence more interactive and far-reaching.

At the 2024 Art & Tech Summit, Christie’s took things beyond the frame, bringing holographic art to life. Visitors could interact with digital versions of physical pieces, blending classic curation with cutting-edge tech. The experience was also live-streamed, making the content accessible far beyond the event. 

As trade show booth trends for 2025 evolve, hybrid experiences like these will be key to creating more immersive, shareable brand experiences.

How to bring it into your trade show strategy:

• Make print interactive – Add QR codes to Business Cards and other Marketing Materials to connect visitors to digital content.
  
• Bring products to life – Use AR or virtual demos to show off features in an engaging way.
  
• Encourage real-time sharing – Create a branded hashtag and incentives for attendees who post about your booth.

#3 Engagement gets competitive 

[Image credit: Groove Jones]

Trade shows are busy, which is why brands are turning to interactive experiences to draw people in and keep them engaged.

At Dreamforce, Salesforce and Ford took engagement up a gear with an interactive multiplayer game show featuring the Ford Mach-E. Attendees competed in storytelling challenges and problem-solving tasks, turning product education into an immersive, high-energy experience. 

Gamification will continue to play a bigger role in trade shows, helping brands turn passive visitors into active participants.

• Design interactive brand games – Attract, engage, and make your message stick.
  
• Incorporate leaderboards and rewards – People love a bit of friendly competition
  
• Use digital platforms – Create virtual challenges and expand engagement beyond your booth.

#4 Sustainability takes centre stage

Trade show attendees are more conscious than ever of waste, and brands are responding by rethinking booth materials, reducing excess waste, and prioritizing sustainable trade show giveaways that people will actually use.

Exhibitors at IMEX America were encouraged to rethink their approach. The event introduced a Sustainable Exhibiting Guide, promoting reusable booth designs and more energy-efficient setups. Exhibitors embracing these practices were awarded Green Badges, recognizing efforts like carbon-conscious shipping and waste reduction. 

As trade show trends for 2025 continue to shift, brands are expected to balance bold displays with eco-conscious design.

How to adopt these sustainable trade show booth trends

• Ditch disposable materials – Use modular booth designs made from recycled or reusable components to cut down on waste.
  
• Make print sustainable – Choose recycled paper like MOO cotton or go digital with QR codes that link to key resources.
  
• Offer high-quality gifts – Swap single-use freebies for premium, practical items like reusable Drinkware or Notebooks that attendees will actually use. 

#5 Impact trumps visibility

In 2025, brands are joining forces to create bigger, bolder trade show experiences. Collaborations offer more value, richer experiences, and stronger brand connections. 

At Pitti Uomo 2025, the renowned menswear trade show in Florence, Guess Jeans partnered with Gene Gallagher to host a 5,000-capacity techno rave. This high-energy activation blended fashion, music, and culture. The collaboration shows how forward-thinking brands can transform a product showcase into a cultural moment.

Trade show collaborations can create synergy, cultural relevance, and experiences that last long after the event ends.

How to bring it into your trade show strategy:

• Team up on a shared space – Partner with a complementary brand to create a co-branded booth or activation that tells a bigger story and draws in a wider audience.
  
• Host an exclusive event – Elevate your presence by co-hosting a live experience, whether it’s a panel talk, product demo, or after-hours event that connects your brands in a meaningful way.
  
• Cross-promote for bigger impact – Leverage each other’s audiences by co-branding giveaways, running joint social campaigns, or offering exclusive trade show perks that reinforce your partnership.

Get trade show ready with MOO

Stay ahead of trade show trends for 2025. From custom Print to Branded Merch, MOO Business Services offers tailored solutions to amplify your brand—before, during, and long after the show. To get started, fill out this form, and one of our team members will be in touch shortly.