Walk into any trade show or product launch, and your eyes are immediately drawn to one thing—something bright, bold, and standing tall. A custom standee.

These portable displays might seem simple at first glance, but they’re quietly doing a lot of heavy lifting: drawing attention, guiding traffic, and telling your brand story before you’ve even said a word.

When used strategically, standees aren’t just décor. They’re marketing powerhouses—turning empty corners into photo ops, booths into experiences, and passersby into engaged audiences.

Here’s how to use them effectively to make your next event not just look good, but feel unforgettable.

1. Know Your Purpose Before You Design

Before diving into design, ask one key question: What do I want my standee to do?

The answer shapes everything that follows—from size and shape to copy and color.

Here are a few possibilities:

• Drive traffic to your booth or activation zone.
• Promote a new product or campaign.
• Guide visitors around your event space.
• Create photo-worthy moments that guests can share online.
• Reinforce brand identity in a way that feels cohesive.

A standee with a clear purpose stands out; one without it just takes up space.

For example, at a tech trade show, your goal might be to draw people in—so you’d use a tall, sleek standee with bold typography and minimal clutter. At a corporate event, your standee might serve as a backdrop—with your logo subtly repeated, designed for photos and press shots.

Every design choice starts with why.

2. Design with People, Not Just Products, in Mind

Here’s something many brands miss: standees aren’t just for products—they’re for people.

Think about the human experience at your event. People are walking, talking, carrying things, taking photos, maybe even juggling coffee. Your standee should fit into that flow—not fight it.

Keep it simple and legible.

No one has time to decode cluttered text or squint at small logos. Use short, punchy headlines, bold fonts, and high-contrast colors. Your message should be readable from at least six feet away.

Make it interactive.

QR codes, hashtags, or even clever photo cutouts give people a reason to stop and engage. The more tactile or memorable the experience, the more likely your brand sticks in their minds.

Think angles and visibility.

Place standees at eye level where foot traffic naturally flows—entrances, registration areas, or near high-interest displays. A beautifully designed standee hidden behind a pillar helps no one.

3. Tell a Story in Seconds

In event marketing, attention is currency. You have about three seconds to grab it.

Your standee’s job? Deliver your brand story in that short window.

This doesn’t mean cramming your entire marketing message onto one panel—it means distilling your brand essence into a single visual statement.

Maybe it’s your mission line: “Fueling Innovation Since 1999.”
Maybe it’s a product promise: “Cleaner Energy, Brighter Future.”
Or maybe it’s emotion: a smiling face, a striking image, or a tagline that sparks curiosity.

The best standees tell stories without shouting. They balance visual drama with brand clarity—enough to stop someone in their tracks and make them want to learn more.

4. Match the Material to the Moment

A great design on the wrong material can completely miss the mark.

Your standee’s environment determines what material you should choose:

• Foamboard standees: Lightweight and perfect for indoor events like conferences or exhibitions. Easy to move, replace, or reposition.
• PVC or acrylic standees: Durable and polished, ideal for product launches or outdoor activations. They look premium and hold up well in high-traffic areas.
• Eco-friendly options: Recyclable or cardboard-based displays for brands prioritizing sustainability—now a major selling point at events.

Durability isn’t just about surviving the day; it’s about maintaining your brand’s image under every spotlight, camera flash, and crowd bump.

And don’t forget logistics—easy assembly, portability, and storage are key. A display that looks great but takes an army to install? Not worth it.

5. Use Standees as Part of an Experience, Not an Afterthought

Too often, brands treat standees as last-minute décor—something to “fill space.” That’s a mistake.

When used strategically, standees can anchor your event narrative. Think of them as touchpoints in the customer journey: guiding people through discovery, engagement, and action.

Here’s how:

At exhibitions and trade shows:

Use standees to attract visitors from afar. Large-format designs with directional cues (“Visit Booth B12”) or dynamic graphics help cut through the visual noise.

At product launches:

Create multiple themed standees to tell a story—one for the brand, one for the product, and one for lifestyle or emotion. Each panel builds anticipation and reinforces identity.

At corporate events:

Use standees to showcase milestones, highlight achievements, or celebrate team culture. A “10 Years of Excellence” timeline wall, for instance, makes for a powerful statement piece.

When your standees are woven into the event’s flow, they stop being props and start becoming experiences.

6. Think Social: Make It Instagrammable

Let’s be honest—part of event marketing today is how it looks online.

If your standee doubles as a photo backdrop, you’ve instantly extended your event’s reach beyond its physical space. Every selfie or group shot becomes free marketing.

Tips for social-ready standees:

• Use bold colors or shapes that pop on camera.
• Leave space for people to stand within the design—like beside a cutout or logo.
• Include your event hashtag subtly, not aggressively.
• Ensure lighting is good enough to make photos look flattering.

When attendees share photos organically, your brand gets visibility that feels authentic, not forced. That’s the kind of marketing money can’t buy.

7. Don’t Forget Function—Good Standees Work Hard

While aesthetics matter, your standee also has a job to do. It might be to:

• Direct visitors to specific zones.
• Provide event schedules or speaker highlights.
• Introduce new products.
• Reinforce key messages or slogans.

Make sure your content matches your goal. The best standees combine design and purpose—they look good and get things done.

Also, think about reusability. If you’re investing in high-quality printing or materials, design your standee so it can serve multiple events with minimal changes. Swappable panels or modular frames go a long way in saving cost.

8. Measure the Impact

Here’s something many event planners overlook: tracking effectiveness.

You wouldn’t spend on ads without checking performance, right? The same applies to physical marketing.

Ways to measure your standee’s success:

• Engagement count: How many people stopped, scanned, or interacted with it?
• Social mentions: Did your hashtag or logo appear in attendee posts?
• Lead tracking: If your standee directed people to a booth, how many converted?

Simple tracking methods—like unique QR codes or short URLs—can help you quantify engagement and refine your strategy for next time.

9. Refresh, Don’t Replace

Your standee design shouldn’t stay frozen in time. Brands evolve, products change, and event themes shift.

That doesn’t mean starting from scratch every time. Small updates—a new tagline, color tweak, or seasonal theme—can make your display feel fresh without rebuilding it entirely.

Keeping visuals up to date signals to your audience that your brand is active, current, and paying attention.

10. The Takeaway: Stand Tall, Tell Stories

At their best, standees are more than marketing props. They’re brand storytellers—capturing attention, communicating value, and creating emotional resonance in seconds.

Whether you’re setting up at a trade show, hosting a press event, or unveiling a new product, think of your standee as a stage. It’s where your message takes physical form and meets the people who matter most.

When done right, it doesn’t just stand there—it stands out.

Bring Your Brand to Life—One Standee at a Time

Turn your next event into a visual experience that grabs attention and drives engagement. Design custom standees that tell your story, strengthen your presence, and leave a lasting impression.

Visit displaymfr.com to create standees that make your brand shine at every event.