The strategic advantage of exhibit rentals
After decades of trade show experience, we know what works, and what doesn’t.
One of the clearest shifts we’ve seen is toward exhibit rentals becoming the key strategic driver for some of the strongest live event programs.
Rental exhibits are no longer a fallback. Today’s leading brands use modular rentals to save time, control costs, and stay agile while keeping messaging fresh and teams focused on results.
Why rentals deliver clear advantages:
- You’re not locked into one design across all events
- Easily change sizes, layouts & features from show to show
- No storage, maintenance, or repair costs
- Predictable, per-show budgets with no surprises
If you’re attending three or more events a year, there’s little reason to force the same setup to fit each one. Rentals give you a wider range of exhibiting options that fit each show, not the other way around.
Financial strategy without compromise
Renting doesn’t mean cutting corners. It means making smart choices.
About 73% of companies now rent their trade show displays, and for good reason. Rentals reduce costs, save time, and give you more control over how your brand shows up at every event.
Rentals let you match your design to the event without wasting time or overspending. This frees up budget and energy for initiatives that really move the needle, like sales strategy, campaign extensions, or stronger activation on the show floor.
Why rentals are more cost effective:
- Cut exhibit costs by up to 60% without sacrificing professionalism
- Predictable costs per show with no storage, maintenance, or repair bills
- Skip shipping coordination, labor management, and replacement parts
And when time is short (like for the 28% of companies who start planning their trade show marketing just one to two months out), rentals keep you on track with a display that’s pulled, prepped, packed, and ready to go.
Agile design for evolving goals
Different shows demand different strategies. With modular rental systems, structural pieces can be reconfigured, expanded, or simplified as needed.
You might need a wide-open 30×30 for product demos one month, then a focused 20×20 with private meeting areas the next. When renting, you can easily adjust to the space without starting over.
Rentals also help your brand stay current. Messaging and graphics can be easily refreshed to align with new campaigns, product launches, and audiences.
Rentals are a smart way to stay flexible when you:
- Have several events with different goals
- Shift focus or tactics from show to show
- Use different footprints throughout the year
- Have multiple campaigns or product launches
The right rental strategy gives you one design system that adapts across your calendar. You can add towers, counters, double decks, storage, or interactive and digital elements (like LED tiles, which have dropped 40% in cost over the last two years) on demand and without rebuilding your entire display when needs change.
Sustainable & scalable logistics
Trade shows are among the most resource-heavy forms of marketing. Shipping crates, discarded graphics, and one-off builds quickly add up to significant waste.
Rentals cut much of that out. Instead of building new structures for each event, you can customize from Apple Rock’s modular, well-maintained rental inventory that’s built to last across multiple shows. This reduces materials headed to landfills and lowers emissions from long-haul freight. With staging facilities nationwide, Apple Rock can ship from the closest location to minimize both cost and carbon footprint.
And while we manage logistics, your team can focus on what matters most: engaging high-value prospects. In fact, 64% of exhibitors say attendee quality matters more than volume. Rentals give your staff the advantage to arrive at a finished, fully tested display and spend the show building relationships, not chasing crates or fixing broken panels.
What you gain when logistics are off your plate:
- More time for sales team prep and messaging
- Better focus during the show
- Fewer on-site surprises and distractions
- Room to test and adjust based on the audience
Better event strategy starts here
Apple Rock rental exhibits are designed, managed, and delivered by the same experts who create our custom exhibits. From concept and design through build, logistics, installation, and dismantle, your team is supported at every step.
Our modular, scalable rental systems adapt to your program, so you can move from show to show with confidence and consistency.
👉 Be the first to access our NEW Exhibit Rental Catalog, designed to make event planning faster, easier, and more strategic. Sign up to get it first when it launches.
