From tactile design to emotional engagement, immersive exhibitions are changing how stories are experienced. Venelize de Lange from media update spoke with Marita de Vos about what this shift means for media professionals.
As exhibitions become increasingly content-rich environments, the way media professionals cover these spaces are evolving. For creators, exhibitions present opportunities to uncover layered stories and gain insight into audience behaviour.
This shift reflects a broader move towards experiential storytelling in the media, where participation and narrative context shape how stories are told and shared.
Marita de Vos, Operations Manager at SMARTBUILD, has spent decades working at the intersection of exhibition design, technology and audience engagement, closely observing how brands and visitors interact within these environments.
With experience across South African and global exhibition spaces, de Vos brings a practical perspective on how storytelling is built into physical spaces — and how those principles translate to modern media.
In this Q&A, de Vos shares her observations on collaboration, narrative design and the changing role of experience-led storytelling in a media driven world.
What should media representatives, such as journalists, bloggers or vloggers, be looking out for, beyond just the visuals, when they cover immersive exhibitions to capture the full experience?
Exhibitions are all about engagement beyond static visuals. Media professionals should focus on dynamic interactions, observing how visitors immerse themselves in experiences — from touchpoints and augmented reality to live demos, as seen at shows like Decorex where tactile experimentation plays a pivotal role.
Equally important is capturing the emotional reactions; moments of fascination and spontaneous discussions serve as powerful indicators of an exhibition's impact. Moreover, ambient and sensory details — the curated soundscapes, lighting and tactile elements — add a hidden narrative layer that enriches the overall experience.
A well-designed narrative flow guides visitors through a cohesive story that mirrors the brand's message and contextual relevance, turning every exhibition into a fully immersive journey.
Do you have advice for creators wanting to collaborate with exhibition design teams? For instance, what helps foster a meaningful, content-friendly partnership?
Clear communication is essential — establish early on what you hope to achieve to bridge the gap between content creation and design execution.
It's also important to reach out well before the exhibition to understand the projects the company is working on. The stories behind each stand build are often fascinating and can provide strong, exclusive content, especially for journalists covering the show.
Engaging in brainstorming sessions and workshops with the design team from the very start ensures that your content ideas align seamlessly with evolving design elements.
What does successful connection feel like to you — when you see an exhibition come to life, how do you know you have achieved a meaningful narrative and emotional impact?
When an exhibition is successful, you can see its impact clearly. Visitors don't just watch; they interact, talk and share their experiences, showing that the story truly connects with them. The event unfolds like a smooth journey, naturally guiding people through each moment and reinforcing the brand's message.
You also sense the emotional impact when attendees get moved, take photos, share on social media, or give positive feedback. Finally, when the client confirms that their message was effectively communicated, it proves that the immersive storytelling worked as planned.
In your recent article published on media update, you argue that static product-centric stands are no longer enough and that immersive storytelling is the future. What inspired this shift and when did you realise it was becoming essential?
With the fast pace of content consumption, static stands no longer grab attention, and modern tech like AR, VR and interactive screens now play a big role in engaging visitors.
Market research and client feedback have shown that interactive stands create higher engagement and a more memorable experience. When you see the audience taking photos, touching elements, or simply gazing at the visuals, it's a clear sign that the brand story is successfully coming to life through your stand build.
South Africa is culturally diverse. How do you ensure that immersive exhibition designs resonate authentically with local audiences, rather than feel like imported global trends?
Building a strong relationship with our clients is key. We start by truly understanding their story, goals and objectives, ensuring our design reflects their unique brand and cultural origin.
Even when working with international brands, we work closely with them to understand their objectives while adapting their stand to suit the local market, which we are always learning from.
This blend of global vision and local insight is what makes a local stand builder unique at an African show.
Continuous feedback from clients and audiences helps us keep the design true to local traditions, ensuring an authentic and impactful presence.
You have spoken about, "pulling visitors into a story". What are the most overlooked storytelling elements, in any medium, that creators should pay more attention to?
The way different segments of a story flow seamlessly can often be overlooked. Smooth transitions — whether visual, auditory, or spatial — enhance the overall narrative experience.
You collaborate with multiple teams, such as designers, tech specialists and brand strategists. What can media professionals learn from your collaborative model to strengthen their own projects?
Embrace a repeating process where you keep using feedback to improve. This flexible method opens the door to creative ideas and quick adjustments.
What is the single most important mindset shift you believe the media and creator industry needs to make to keep pace with the future of experiential storytelling?
The biggest change is realising that people now want to take part instead of just watching. We see this across content hubs at the exhibitions that drive meaningful content.
Media and creators need to move from simply sharing information to creating experiences where people are part of the story.
This shift from passively receiving content to actively joining in will shape the future of storytelling, creating stronger emotional bonds, better memory retention and overall success for brands and content.
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*Image courtesy of contributor and Canva