UK Maritime Industries Showcase at SMM Hamburg 2024
Creating a recognisable UK presence in one of the world’s busiest maritime marketplaces.
Overview
SMM Hamburg is a highly competitive exhibition environment in the maritime sector. Attracting tens of thousands of attendees and with extensive exhibition stands throughout the venue, visibility is everything.
Tide was commissioned to deliver the exhibition design, print materials, and promotional activity for the UK Maritime Industries Showcase. We were tasked with establishing an environment that felt immediately recognised as UK-led, while still giving pod exhibitors the room to present as individual entities.
The showcase also needed to make an impact before guests arrived in Hamburg. It was vital that visitors knew where to go, what to expect from the exhibition, and who they would meet.
The Approach
We developed the stand design using the UK GREAT brand, which provided instant visibility inside an international exhibition hall. UK branding was applied consistently across the space—from pod counter sides to shared back walls—for cohesion.
All design decisions were focused on transparency and balance:
- UK branding was used to anchor the space
- Exhibitor logos and graphics were given clear prominence
- Shared surfaces were used to guide movement and attention
To support on-stand engagement, we produced a set of creative assets, including an exhibitor guide and invitations for the networking reception. The materials provided visitors with a clear overview of the event and exhibitors with a useful reference for subsequent conversations.
We supplied exhibitors with a social media toolkit to encourage their own outreach before the event. We also created a coordinated campaign to promote event details (such as location and welcome reception information) and participating companies’ services.
Branded materials played a crucial role in our creative approach for two reasons: to ensure recognisable marketing activity and to uphold consistency across channels.
The Outcome
With Tide’s focus on branding and early-stage promotion, the UK Maritime Industries Showcase achieved steady footfall at SMM Hamburg 2024.
The event’s success is a clear example of how structured design and coordinated promotion can give shared exhibition spaces clarity and commercial value in a crowded international market.
"Working with Tide Creative on the UK Maritime Industries Showcase at SMM Hamburg 2024 was an absolute pleasure. Their expertise in exhibition design and marketing was instrumental in creating a high-impact, cohesive space that brought the showcase to life, attracted significant foot traffic and also provided an excellent platform for UK maritime businesses to connect with international markets. From strategic design elements to thoughtfully developed promotional materials, Tide’s attention to detail and commitment to delivering results were evident throughout the entire process ."
– Helen Stephen, Commercial Marine Group Director, Society of Maritime Industries
