Hands-On Experience by Design
Like an oversized experimental kit, the new roadshow by Evonik Industries capitalizes on the curiosity of its own employees and visitors at various locations of the specialty chemicals corporation. The mobile presentation of the AEROSIL® brand celebrated its premiere in October in Hanau; the second installation followed at the beginning of the year in the foyer of the Essen headquarters. And the response exceeded expectations each time: During a guided tour or on their own, countless interested parties have been motivated to learn more about the extensive application possibilities of the multi-talented AEROSIL® through touching and trying out the interactive features. The structural concept, planning, and implementation of the roadshow were in the hands of AMECKO GmbH.
Although the 70th anniversary of the brand provided the actual occasion, the main focus was to be less on the history and more on the diverse areas of application of AEROSIL®. The product, based on fumed silica (silicon dioxide), serves to optimize products from a wide variety of industries and can be found in many everyday items, such as paint, silicone, or photo paper, but also in pharmaceuticals and food products.
For the project team at Evonik and the experts at the responsible Oberhausen-based exhibition construction company AMECKO, the best approach through interactions was quickly identified: Evonik employees and visitors to the locations explore the special properties and numerous application possibilities through self-study. They can then delve deeper into the product world via information walls. All content is conveyed quickly, in an easily understandable and vivid manner. “We have clearly organized the individual topics didactically and implemented them in an exciting mix of graphics, films, and exhibits,” explains AMECKO Managing Director Klaus Zittrich. “In doing so, we have naturally taken into account the Evonik design system in all its manifestations.”
As central elements of the brand presentation, the interactions appeal to the target audience’s desire to experiment and their playful instincts—thus providing important reasons to linger. At each of the “experimental stations,” visitors learn something about how AEROSIL® improves material properties and thereby also enables everyday things that are taken for granted. Two stylized model car bodies, for example, demonstrate how it enhances the scratch resistance of paint. At another station, the optimized tear resistance of silicone can be tested. The use in photo paper is illustrated by a print action in which a photo is taken and printed directly. Several shaker jars demonstrate the texture and consistency of different forms of the innovative Evonik product. Elsewhere, in a glass column, powder can be swirled up at the push of a button to clearly observe how light AEROSIL® actually is and how much it can expand. Finally, lifting a large sack by means of a pull rope allows interested parties to experience the low specific weight of the material.
After the first two successful deployments, the third installation of the roadshow at the Evonik location in Rheinfelden is already confirmed. Additional stops are also being planned.