The brief for the Swift stand follows an established formula. It is the hub and heart of the exhibition at Sibos, an important and recognisable landmark for visitors at this premiere networking event for financial institutions. Expectations are always high and the balance has to be just right.
As the leading force within the industry and host of Sibos, Swift have to inspire and support the financial community, but never overpower. The Swift stand needs to evoke the future, whilst also respecting the business-like nature of the event itself and the community. It would be really easy to play it safe in terms of experience and environmental design, but we would never do that. It is our role to challenge Swift and push boundaries, whilst also being respectful of them and their audience.
We got it just right in 2017 and Swift were happy to have a reinterpretation of the same concept for 2018. We felt that we would be short-changing them if we took that approach and so we set out to reinvent the experience for 2018.
It is a given that the space had to function exactly as required, hosting numerous formal and informal meetings every day, as well as demonstrating various new products and services and acting as a meeting place and hangout space, open to the whole community.
Speed and agility underlined the top themes and nature of conversations on the Swift stand in 2018, so we created an environment that lived, breathed and spoke to visitors. Our aim was to set the tone, engage the audience and make visitors receptive to the ideas being showcased on the Swift stand. Colour and light were the tools deployed to bring the concept to life and achieve what we set out to do.
The result exceeded all expectations. The stand impression and dynamism attracted the right attention and engaged the audience at high level on what we needed them to. The living messages opened up discussions and set the scene for demonstrations, empowering the Swift staff who worked hard throughout the four days of the show.
The greatest accolade to our work was the fact that so many people talked about it. The concept got people asking questions and that is exactly what we wanted to achieve. Creation of a receptive and engaged audience for Swift to interact with in the most effective way.
