Pop-up displays have been around for over fifteen years, and while the basic design hasn’t changed, your options have. There are now several different types of pop-up displays available. If you’re shopping for your next display, these are the types you’ll find.

Standard pop-ups
Standard pop-ups are the most common types you’ll see at a trade show. They’re designed to be lightweight and portable. They usually come with a light aluminium frame; crossbars made from PVC, aluminium, or steel; and Velcro fabric panels. They are usually designed to incorporate two light bulbs, and come with a wheeled case that converts into a podium. The standard design is curved and about 3 metres wide.

Photo mural pop-ups
are basically standard pop-ups with photo mural graphics instead of Velcro fabric panels. They have more dramatic impact than the typical standard pop-up with fabric panels, because the graphics are bigger and more striking. The type of printing you use for the graphics makes a big difference, both in price and in quality. In a trade show environment, image quality is extremely important—you’ll have a lot of close viewing of large images and graphics, and even the smallest flaws will stand out. The priciest option is DURST LAMBDA printing, high-resolution laser writing directly from digital files onto photo paper. Less expensive options include LaserJet printing.

Commercial pop-ups
are heavier and a bit more expensive than standard models. They are more durable than standard grade pop-ups. They are usually used by companies that exhibit often, with larger sales teams. They’re much less common both on the trade show floor and in the vendor’s catalogue, because the prevailing industry trend is moving toward making pop-ups lighter and more economical. They come in both straight and curved designs, with a heavier frame, channel bars made from folding steel, and Velcro panels. They come in a variety of widths and can fit into one or two cases.

Fabric mural pop-ups
are a combination of either standard or commercial and photo mural pop-ups. It offers the large images you’ll see in a photo mural pop-up, printed on a single sheet of replaceable fabric pre-attached to the frame. This makes set-up even easier than it is for a standard pop-up. Fabric mural pop-ups are usually much lighter than other pop-up designs; they’re less than half the weight of most standard pop-ups. The typical perception is that the graphics on a fabric mural pop-up are of lesser quality than those for a photo mural or even a standard pop-up, but new printing technology has vastly improved the graphic quality.

3-D pop-ups
are the most recent arrivals on the display scene. Instead of the typical straight or curved design, 3-D pop-ups can be round, square, triangular, trapezoidal, or any shape in between. They’re unique and high-impact, and they really make a splash on a trade show floor crowded with curved standard displays. These pop-ups generally have pre-attached fabric panels, which makes the set-up surprisingly easy. Although they provide striking visual impact, they’re not necessarily more expensive than standard pop-up displays.
Despite the differences in these types of pop-ups, the general design is the same: a foldable accordion frame that pops up easily, channel bars that fold out to provide stability after the accordion frame is assembled, and graphics that either drape over the frame or come pre-attached. Pre-attached graphics do have a tendency to get wrinkled during transport, but the wrinkles will usually disappear with steaming or after hanging straight for a time. All graphics are easily removable so they can be changed for different trade shows.

Most pop-up displays should come with some halogen lights incorporated into the design, as well as a wheeled carry case that converts into a podium. Many pop-ups come with a podium wrap graphic that make the case/podium look professional and match your background graphics.

Before buying a pop-up display, it’s a good idea to consult with your vendor about which type would be best for you. The best display for a business depends on the sales team, the frequency of trade show attendance, the industry and audience, and several other factors. Take the time to talk to a knowledgeable vendor, and you should be able to find the perfect design for your next trade show appearance.