AAPEX 2022 presented Best Booth Awards to exhibiting companies with Best in Show awards presented to American Express (10X10 or Linear), and Manufacturas Diversas S.A. de C.V., (Peninsula or Island).

Winners were announced in seven categories: 

Best 10X10: Open Road Brands, Booth A6041 – A compelling display of product, full array of automotive themed signs and other fun retail products. Good lighting. Engaged staff, on the outer perimeter of the booth. Neatly fit a wide variety of product in a small space.

Best Linear (200 sq. ft. or more): American Express, Booth A31009 – Outstanding integration of automotive themes by a financial vendor. The center piece is an exquisite, eye-catching couch, which is the back-end of an old-fashioned vehicle with an AAPEX license plate. Product collateral also integrated the AAPEX license plate theme on one side, and product info on the back side. Another giveaway promotes AMEX’s shop small movement, encouraging buyers to support small businesses.

Best Small Peninsula (less than 800 sq. ft.): Manufacturas Diversas S.A. de C.V., Booth A3254 – Taking the exhibit industry into the future on exhibiting in a more environmentally sustainable way. Highly effective use of cardboard as the primary material used in the exhibit booth. Includes seating area, shelving with product and a chance to win game for attendees. Strategic use of lighting to showcase product and game feature. Even the booth staff’s shirt, promoting the company is made with recycled product. And the booth staff are very enthusiastic about their product line, reaching out to attendees in a welcoming and engaging way. 

Best Large Peninsula (800 sq. ft. or more): DEFA North America Inc., Booth A5079 – The design of the booth is modern, open, bright, beautiful. Product was nicely integrated into the booth structure and the staff were engaged with customers and passers-by. 

Best Small Island (less than 800 sq. ft): Meyle AG, Booth A31001 – This features a driving videogame in the booth to create engagement with passersby, a great integration of technology, a good display of product and engaged staff. 

Best Large Island (800 sq. ft. or more): CRC Industries, Inc., Booth A3816 –  From t-shirt giveaways to custom Vans on the booth staff, CRC took a truly head-to-toe approach to its booth.  

Best Pavilion: Brasil Auto Parts (Sindipecas), Booth A5432 – The nice, open, airy layout set this pavilion apart from the others. There was a great attention to detail, from the signage to the lighting to the consistent branding throughout. Everything worked very nicely together.  

This year’s judges were: Nancey Drapeau, Vice President of Research, Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), and Kimberly Hardcastle-Geddes, President and Chief Marketing Strategist, mdg. 

To select the winners, judges toured the show floor and evaluated booths based on: creative attention-grabbing techniques, effective visual communications, effective staffing practices, smart exhibit access and attendee navigation, and engaging and informative presentations and demonstrations. 

Awards were presented by Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, Auto Care Association, and Paul McCarthy, president and CEO, Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA).