NeoCon 2025 was one week ago today. This week, as we download our pictures, review our notes, and follow up with the new connections we made, we thought it would be fun to relive the experience through the eyes of a first-time attendee to the show. This year, LightCorp sent our summer Marketing Intern, Bo, to opening day, and this post shares his insights and observations of the industry’s biggest event of the year.
Q: So, Bo, thanks for being part of our NeoCon team this year. We’re all dying to know- what did you think?
Bo: Overall, the day was really cool, and I was glad I got to experience it. Some of the things I observed were that many of the people there were in the same situation as I was, not really knowing what was going on. I had a few people ask me where a showroom was, or where to go for something, and I, like them, had no clue. I also noticed there were people from all over the world. I noticed accents and different languages being spoken, which I thought was really cool. I did not realize how big of an event this was. I liked the friendly environment that was created. I never felt like I was in the wrong for taking a picture or asking a question; everyone was very friendly.
Q: Part of your assignment was to seek out the many showrooms in which our products are featured. Were they hard to find, and did you have any favorites?
Bo: I got many pictures of our products being displayed in showrooms, and one that I thought was really cool was the Ruth lamp in the Group Lacasse room. Right as you walk in, Ruth is displayed in what looks to be a waiting room setup, which I thought looked really nice.
Q: Another marketing-related task for your visit was to identify common themes or trends in showroom storytelling. What did you observe?
Bo: Some recurring themes I noticed in the showrooms were that people were using a lot of deeper colors in their products. I saw a lot of burgundy or crimson, purples or darker blues, along with browns and tans. A few of the showrooms also featured only black and white, which I found interesting. Similarly, most of the furniture I saw had simple shapes and styles that matched their simple color scheme. If there were couches or desk designs, they just seemed very simple, and it felt as if every company’s aesthetic had a modernistic feel to it.
Q: When it comes to our categories of power and lighting, did you notice any innovative uses of these elements in any spaces?
Bo: A lot of the power or lighting I saw was from our products or products similar to them. I only had an eye out for our products. I tried to look for cool and innovative things in other showrooms, but I saw a lot of them that were pretty similar to ours, which caused me just to start looking for our products.
One thing I noticed about the power products I saw was that there were units that only had USB power ports and no AC outlets. I guess that tells us where tech is heading.
Q: Before the show, we discussed the trends in how office space use has evolved since the pandemic. What did you notice about the types of scenarios that brands included in their showrooms?
Bo: One of the things that I noticed while I was at NeoCon was the development of social workspaces within an office. I saw many collaboration areas represented.
I also saw a lot of personal work pods, which have been around for a few years. However, something I found interesting was the collaboration pods. At the Indeal Showroom, they showcased work pods that were designed for collaboration. They could usually fit about 3-4 people and came built with a table and chairs to create a private collaboration area. I think this is a great idea because people come to the office to collaborate with others, rather than working in a cubicle or office space by themselves.
Q: Great observations, Bo! I’m curious what your biggest “Wow” moment was. What was the most memorable thing you experienced that day?
Bo: One showroom that I really enjoyed was the Turf Design room. Right when you walked in, there was a DJ booth where they could showcase their acoustic wall and ceiling designs. To match the vibe they were searching for, they filled their showroom with a variety of colored LED lights. This room was unlike anything else I had seen that day, and it was cool to see. /