Dometic's Journey to Best-in-Show

Derse started 2019 with the question, “where to?” We wanted to understand where our clients were on their professional and trade show journey so we could better facilitate brand experiences that engage customers. Our company focus for the year is to inspire our clients and be a trusted guide to help them take their trade show program to new places.

Dometic, a global leader in mobile living, is no stranger to helping people reach new destinations. They develop, manufacture, sell, and service a broad range of products to enhance comfort, performance, and safety in vehicles. It’s mobile living, made easy. They truly prove you can go anywhere with the right equipment, and the right guidance.

Heading into RVX 2019, the National RV Trade Show, Dometic was at a place in their brand journey where they wanted to do things differently and set themselves apart from the competition. Dometic was searching for a way to disrupt the ordinary while still providing a memorable experience. With some help from Derse’s thought leaders and exhibit designers, Dometic’s presence at RVX 2019 went beyond the traditional approach and nabbed the title, Best in Show. How did they do it? They got true to the core of who they are, after all, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.

Here are three ways Dometic earned their victory at RVX 2019.

1. THEY TURNED THEIR SPACE INTO A SELLING ENVIRONMENT

The heart of Dometic is making mobile living easy, and they sought to bring that idea to life on the show floor. A successful selling environment isn’t stuffing shelves with products, it’s knowing who your customers are and what they want. Dometic’s customers invest in mobile living, seek adventure, and enjoy nature. Dometic showcased how they make mobile living easy by creating an actual mobile living environment, trees and all.

One step into Dometic’s 30’ x 30’. exhibit and attendees found themselves surrounded by trees, shrubs, rocks, and even bears! Don’t worry, they weren’t real.

This was no traditional exhibit. Dometic's RV was completely transparent. Yes. Completely. Transparent.

Dometic wanted attendees to see all that was possible in mobile living when using their products, but to make the right impact, Derse had to get creative with how the products were presented. The RV was outlined with black sculpted metal and filled with 4’ x 8’ sheets of clear acrylic, serving as the RV walls. Vinyl applied to the exterior of the structure represented windows and external detailing, and the RV was complete with faux wheels. The structure focused on the products by showcasing them in a bold and stand out way.

The RV included Dometic’s new integrated IOT (Internet of Things) system. It delivered a state-of-the-art digital program giving customers the ability to fully customize and control every product inside of the RV. Attendees could test the blinds, full-sized refrigerator, sink, microwave, toilet, and furnace, all from the touch of a button. It was clear, literally, that the exhibit made a major impact on the attendee experience. Giving attendees something to see, touch, and feel created a strong selling environment for Dometic.

2. THEY IMMERSED THEIR AUDIENCE.

Historically, Dometic’s exhibit featured heavy amounts of product, leaving little room for attendee interaction and experience. But in the case of RVX, Dometic’s space evolved by reducing the amount of on-site product and integrating digital activations. Interactive kiosks showcased current and future product offerings online while providing a clutter-free exhibit space.

Attendees stepped inside the Plexiglas RV and experienced a real-life representation of Dometic’s mobile living, made easy. Under one–see-through roof, Dometic showcased: Oceanair blinds, full-sized refrigerator, sink, microwave, stove, range, toilet, furnace, water heater, mini-fridge, slide-out cook-top, and a wine fridge; because even on the road, vino is best served cold!

Digital marketing components were integrated with QR codes marking each product within the RV, providing additional information to attendees on special features and specs via their mobile phones. The combination of real-life application and digital activation created an immersive brand experience within the environment, helping bring their concept “mobile living, made easy,” to life on the show floor and giving the audience a glimpse of what’s possible with Dometic.

3. THEY MEASURED MORE THAN NUMBERS.

Dometic used their trade show space to leverage a dedicated and confined audience. RVX attendees were in a buying mindset, eager to learn, test out products, and give feedback in real-time. Dometic harnessed their exhibit visitors' feedback as the ultimate focus group for product research.

The interactive kiosks prompted attendees to answer questions on current and future products, giving Dometic the opportunity to use that intelligence to accelerate their product innovation lifecycles without the need to showcase every product on the floor. The exhibit experience allowed Dometic to get face-to-face with their audience, and ultimately, connected their brand to their audience and made meaningful business connections.