OBO Bettermann: how OBO presented itself to architects as a design brand at BAU 2025

The 120 m² stand for OBO Bettermann at BAU 2025 in Munich had been booked. It was meant to appeal to architects and show the products. At the time, OBO was also positioning itself as a design brand with a new campaign, and the stand was to reflect that.

On top of this came training for the sales and trade fair team. The team was to know what architects expect and feel confident in conversations at the stand.

From the idea through concept development to visualisation, we developed a stand concept for OBO that combines clear structures with open areas for conversation. The design was guided by architects’ visual habits, and a small number of display surfaces put OBO’s solutions centre stage. We planned and delivered the stand in close collaboration with the stand builder.

In addition, a compact five-hour remote training session for the OBO trade fair team took place shortly before the fair. In it, we prepared 14 participants from the trade fair and sales teams for conversations with architects. It covered both theoretical basics such as »How do architects tick?« and practical tips that could be applied directly at the fair.

There was a particular focus on conversation skills: how do you open a conversation at a trade fair? Which arguments are particularly relevant for architects? And which mistakes should be avoided at all costs? The training taught concrete dos & don’ts and gave participants confidence in dealing with the target group.

The trade press picked up on the stand: the magazine messe+event featured it in its »Kleine Messestände« (small stands) section.

1. Concept development: developing a guiding idea for the stand with a focus on architects as the target group, including a clear structure and design direction.
2. Planning: detailed planning of the stand and its individual areas, including furnishing proposals and functional spatial design.
3. Visualisation: creating mood boards, 3D visualisations and pragmatic design drawings that illustrate the concept clearly.
4. Training: preparing the trade fair team with practical training focused on understanding the target group, conversation skills and interaction strategies.

OBO Bettermann offers comprehensive solutions for cable management in buildings, from power distribution and surge and fire protection to data and network technology. The product portfolio includes installation systems for floors, walls and ceilings, high-performance cable support systems and protection and connection solutions that ensure a safe infrastructure.