Trade Show Creative Strategy & Stakeholder Alignment
IMEX, IPW, and Annual Trade Show Program
San Diego Tourism Authority participates in multiple domestic and international trade shows each year, requiring environments that effectively communicate the destination brand while engaging industry partners, media, and buyers.
As Design & Production Manager, I introduced a more strategic approach to trade show planning that improved stakeholder alignment and created a clearer vision for experiential initiatives.
Role: Design & Production Manager
Organization: San Diego Tourism Authority
Project: IMEX, IPW, and Annual Trade Show Program
Focus: Creative Operations • Stakeholder Alignment • Environmental Design • Project Management
The Challenge
Trade show planning lacked a shared process for visualizing experiences, aligning stakeholders, and communicating execution across teams and partners.
The project required:
Clear visualization of the exhibit before production began
Alignment across leadership, marketing, and production teams
Defined project scope, timelines, and deliverables
Efficient communication with vendors and fabrication partners
Confidence that the final installation would match the approved creative vision
Approach
I introduced SketchUp as a planning and communication tool to create alignment earlier in the process.
By developing detailed 3D renderings early in the process, I was able to:
Help stakeholders visualize complete branded environments rather than isolated graphic elements
Facilitate earlier and more effective cross-functional decision-making
Communicate design intent to fabrication partners with greater clarity
Translate strategic objectives into buildable solutions.
Solution
The SketchUp process evolved into a scalable framework used to support approximately four trade show activations annually.
Renderings were utilized throughout the project lifecycle—from initial concept development and executive presentations to fabrication planning and final installation—creating a shared understanding among all stakeholders and reducing ambiguity throughout execution.
This methodology also encouraged teams to think more intentionally about attendee flow, storytelling opportunities, and how physical environments could better express the San Diego brand.
Outcome
The new process improved communication, reduced ambiguity, and established a repeatable framework for trade show planning.
Key outcomes included:
Established a repeatable planning process utilized across multiple annual trade shows
Improved stakeholder alignment through early-stage visualization and decision-making
Strengthened communication between internal teams and external fabrication partners
Increased consistency and intentionality across event experiences
Influenced broader organizational approaches to event design, including future meetings and branded environments
The framework helped shift trade shows from standalone deliverables to strategic brand experiences.
