5 Trade Shows That Have Left Their Mark in History
Imagine having a trade show booth or display so impactful that people remember it for years, or even centuries after you exhibit it.
Trade shows have been around since consumerism itself. Think about the ancient bazaars of the middle east or the markets of the Renaissance. Since then, they have slowly developed past small market gatherings to huge productions that generate billions of dollars. Some shows and brands have been so great and made such a huge impact, that they have permanently placed themselves in the history books. Take a look.
The Feminine Auto Show in 1958
When General Motors, LLC realized that 70% of their automotive purchases were influenced by women, they decided to use their trade show space to appeal to them by showcasing cars that were designed by their female employees. The cars included features such as lighted makeup mirrors, vanities on the glove box, child protection locks and purse storage compartments. At the time, some of these features were ignored; but today they are a staple found in almost every car vehicle.
The Paris’ Exposition Universelle of 1889 (World’s Fair) and the Eiffel Tower
Paris. When you see or hear the city’s name you think of dimly lit cobble streets, quiet cafés, the sweet smell of bread and, of course, the Eiffel Tower. This iconic symbol of France is world-renowned, but its reason for being built may surprise you. The tower was built specifically for the World’s Fairs in 1889! It was first looked at with disgust by Parisians but quickly grew to be a spectacle that people from around the world respected, so they kept it. Next time you see it, you can simply think of it as the largest and most popular trade show display in history. 
The National Industrial Exhibition in 1903
This trade show took place in Osaka, Japan where nearly 4.3 million attendees marveled at the wonders of new-era technology. The show featured X-ray devices, telegraph machines, elevators and enchanting lights and was implemented in an effort soften the fear of modernization that the Japanese held during a period of rapid transformation. This exhibition was so memorable, that a Japanese artist created the painting below to express the dreaminess of the venue.
The National Child Labor Committee’s exhibit at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915
A trade show booth constructed by the National Child Labor Committee exposed the horrible realities of child labor in the early 1900’s, where about 35,000 children were dying annually in harsh factory conditions. This ignited the fight for human labor rights; and by 1938, The Fair Labor Standards Act was passed. If you look at the photograph, you can see they didn’t use any fancy cut outs or structures. Some simple, printed signs were just enough to evoke revolutionary change!
Tintypes in the 19th Century
Tintypes were old-fashioned photographs that were produced by placing a direct positive on a thin sheet of iron and then coating it with dark enamel. This technology was revolutionary because it was fast and inexpensive. Many people took ahold of this easy-to-use technology and created photo booths at outdoor events like county fairs. It was the old-fashioned version of the modern photo booths we see at fairs and events today - even back then they loved selfies!
*This post is a curation of articles from Exhibitor, a trade show magazine. Please visit their site if you are interested in reading more about trade shows in history or would like to view the original content.
