Storylink's downloadable guide provides an ideal timeline for exhibitors' next new builds. Click the image above to download Storylink Creative's downloadable guide, "The Ideal Timeline." A great exhibit doesn't start with a sketch. It starts with a schedule. But often projects begin too late, forcing design compromises, inflated production costs, and missed opportunities. So to help exhibitors establish realistic timelines that will result in the best possible solutions for

Introducing Storylink Creative's Q1 2026 New Hires! Growth doesn’t just show up in bigger projects, bolder ideas, or a packed production schedule. It shows up in people. As Storylink Creative continues to expand, Q1 2026 brought an influx of new talent across departments, with each hire adding depth, perspective, and capability to our team. From engineering and HR to warehouse operations and exhibit construction, this group reflects a deliberate investment in both experience

Be inspired by the hottest trends and best exhibits from America's largest annual trade show. The International Consumer Electronics Show exists at the intersection of technology and experiential design. And as the first major U.S. trade show of each calendar year, the event is a barometer of what’s happening in the industry, what trends are taking off in experiential design, and how technology is being integrated in new and exciting ways … making it the most important show t

Storylink Creative, an award-winning experiential design and fabrication agency, is proud to announce it has been officially certified as a Great Place to Work® following a comprehensive, employee-driven evaluation process. The prestigious certification is based entirely on feedback from current employees, measuring key aspects of workplace culture including trust in leadership, respect, camaraderie, and pride in the work being done. The results reflect Storylink’s ongoing co

Storylink Creative has been recognized at the 2026 MUSE Creative Awards, one of the world’s leading international design awards and creative competitions, honoring outstanding achievements in design innovation, creative excellence, and artistic vision across industries.   Organized by the International Awards Associate (IAA), the MUSE Awards celebrate projects that represent the highest standards of global design excellence and creative innovation. Each season attracts thousa

How Storylink Creative helped Ecolab showcase its long-term growth strategy by turning abstract innovations into immersive experiences. Challenge Ecolab needed to showcase its long-term growth strategy among investors — but its most important innovation platforms were highly technical, abstract, and difficult to visualize in a traditional presentation format. Insight Investors don’t just want to hear about innovation — they want to see how it works, why it matters, and how it

Storylink Creative has partnered with US Compliance, implementing the firm’s Health & Safety Compliance as a Service (CaaS) program to strengthen workplace safety while improving efficiency across its fabrication and production operations. In the experiential design world, creativity may draw crowds. But behind every impressive exhibit, glowing LED wall, and precisely engineered structure is something less flashy yet far more important: safety. With that in mind, Storylink Cr

Storylink Creative teamed up with Hartmann Studios and Super Sharp Entertainment on a philanthropic customer-engagement event for Ecolab at the National Association of Retailers Show. Challenge Ecolab wanted to create a signature experience during the National Restaurant Association Show that would differentiate the brand while authentically expressing its long-term commitment to education and community — not just corporate hospitality. ProStart® is a 501(c)3 charitable organ

Storylink Creative is honored to make Exhibitor Magazine’s FindIt Top 40 list of the world’s best trade show exhibit providers for the second consecutive year. According to Exhibitor editor, Emily Olson, the designation “serves as a sort of Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval” for those in the trade show industry. Small, medium, and large exhibit houses with offices anywhere in the world were eligible to apply. Entries were evaluated to reflect how Exhibitor magazine readers v

Storylink Creative and von Hagen Design were honored with the International Collaboration Award at the Experiential Designers and Producers Association’s annual Access conference. The award recognizes cross-border teamwork that exemplifies exceptional communication, trust, and project execution across international markets. It celebrates partnerships that demonstrate how exhibit and event professionals can work together across borders to elevate global brand experiences and a

Storylink Creative is proud to announce that eight of its past projects have been named as finalists in Exhibitor magazine’s 13th annual Portable/Modular Awards, recognizing the company’s innovation and excellence in modular and portable exhibit design. The Portable/Modular Awards honor modular, system, and portable exhibits launched between November 1, 2023, and November 1, 2025, as well as conceptual designs that have not been fabricated. The awards are judged by a panel of

Guest Blog: Han Leenhouts Han Leenhouts, founder of Sales & Pepper, is an international keynote speaker and trainer with 30+ years in exhibitions and trade shows. Author of Peppertalk  and Peppertalk 2.0 , he empowers global teams with storytelling, visitor engagement, and value-based sales strategies. Han blends humor, real-world insight, and hands-on experience to drive measurable results. Trade shows have always promised opportunity. New business. New relationships. New mo

Reflections from the Yellow Stage at  EuroShop 2026 By Travis Stanton Photo: Messe Düsseldorf / Tillmann To people who haven’t experienced it, EuroShop can be difficult to explain. Calling it a trade show feels almost reductive, like describing the Louvre as “a room with some paintings.” Technically accurate, perhaps, but wildly insufficient. Every three years, the global community of retail, brand, and experiential designers makes a kind of pilgrimage to Düsseldorf, Germany,

In an era when everything  costs more — labor, materials, freight, technology, even the coffee in the convention center Starbucks — exhibit and event budgets are under more pressure than ever. What used to be considered “nice-to-have” line items are now scrutinized, delayed, or cut altogether, while expectations for experiences continue to rise. Brands are being asked to do more, with less, in environments that are more complex, competitive, and costly than at any point in re

Most exhibitors obsess over the details they can control: booth design, multimedia, content, staffing, and pre-show marketing. Budgets are built on last year’s numbers, vendor contracts are locked in, and logistics are carefully mapped. But one factor exhibit managers cannot control — the show’s host city — is one of the most dangerous variables in trade show planning. It can quietly double your costs before you even step onto the show floor. When events rotate cities, year-o

For an industry built on spectacle, experiential marketing has a chronic addiction to novelty. Every year, exhibit and event managers are sold the same fantasy: This  new technology will revolutionize engagement. That  platform will reinvent storytelling. The next headset, the next AI tool, the next immersive buzzword will finally unlock ROI. Meanwhile, back in reality, budgets are shrinking, timelines are collapsing, labor is scarce, freight is brutal, and expectations are h

Storylink Creative prides itself on helping you ensure seamless and simple shipping of your exhibit-related assets, regardless of whether your show is in Chicago or Shanghai. But in order to ensure this process is fast and frictionless, we require specific information. Without it, shipments can be delayed or even forfeited at customs. No kidding! We recently had a client who was unable to provide all of these details, and the country the items shipped to were impounded and wi

Expo 2025 in Osaka set the tone for the future of experiential design, immersive storytelling, and branded environments. In this exclusive session, we unpack the most impactful trends emerging from one of the world’s most influential design events — and discuss what they mean for exhibits, events, and branded environments. You can view the webinar on demand by clicking the button below. To download a PDF version of the deck, click the link at the bottom of this page.

Agency recognized for “Assets to Animation” video and immersive multiscreen experience for Nurri at NACS 2025 Storylink Creative, an experiential brand-storytelling agency specializing in exhibits, events, and digital experiences, has been honored with two platinum Viddy Awards for excellence in video production and motion graphics. The awards recognize Storylink’s “Assets to Animation” video and a multiscreen motion-graphics experience created for the Nurri exhibit at NACS 2

If the past few years have taught the exhibit and event industry anything, it’s that budgets are no longer static line items. They’re living, breathing reflections of supply chains, labor markets, technology adoption, and union labor negotiations. As 2026 approaches, planners are staring down a familiar question with new urgency: How much is it really going to cost this year?   From fabrication and freight to AV, labor, and experiential tech, pricing pressures are evolving ra

Storylink Creative is proud to celebrate Bryant Smith's recent recognition as an EDPA Future Leader Award recipient, an honor that highlights emerging leaders making a meaningful impact in our industry. Bryant recently attended EDPA Access in Amelia Island, FL, to accept his award. After speaking with him, it’s clear this recognition reflects not a single moment, but steady leadership built over time. Adding to this milestone, Bryant also recently joined Storylink Creative’s

At Storylink Creative, our success is built on the talent, creativity, and collaboration of our people. And as our agency grows, so does our headcount! This year, our team has grown in some incredible ways. From project management to digital, logistics to fabrication, our 2025 new hires bring a wide range of skills and experiences that strengthen our collective story.  We’re thrilled to introduce the new faces (and personalities!) who joined the Storylink team in 2025.    Nin

Storylink Creative is proud to announce it has been recognized with four ExSys Awards , celebrating innovation in system-based exhibit design. Among the honors were standout recognitions for the experiential agency’s work with ITG Brands and the U.S. Africa Trade Desk, along with two additional awards tied to design collaborations with Red Bull North America.  The ExSys Awards are presented by The Experiential Design Authority and honor excellence in system-based exhibit desi

Business travel, especially for trade shows and events, can be both exciting and exhausting. Long hours, constant networking, and being away from home can take a toll. But prioritizing mental health while on the road is essential for maintaining productivity and your own well-being.  To add perspective from the field, we spoke with Cathi Williams, a leadership coach and speaker with Happy Healthy Leadership , who regularly works with professionals navigating the challenges of