A successful immersive experience depends on a combination of bold design and interactive elements working together to highlight a company's messaging. Based on the conceptual design of its exhibit, Rubrik Inc., a cloud data management and enterprise backup software firm, was set to deliver in spades at VMworld 2020 before COVID-19 forced the event to move to the digital realm. Designed by MC2, an MCH Company, the stand was a daring deviation from traditional exhibitry. "Our goal was to create a fully interactive environment – a true Rubrik experience that was modular, scalable, and innovative," said Sheri Posey, marketing manager for MC2. That objective began with an angular canopy of metal mesh with glowing blue-green edges that was to soar above the exhibit. A series of triangular light tubes were to be suspended via choreographed winches, creating a kinetic display that continuously morphed into illuminated geometric shapes.

Along the back of the exhibit, a conference room set at an angle would provide the backdrop for captivating interactive elements on two exterior sides. A massive – and seemingly passive – trapezoidal LED wall on the front of the conference room would "glitch" when visitors approached, simulating a system crash echoed throughout the exhibit as lights switched from Rubrik's corporate blue to an alarming red. Attendees would then work together to answer a series of on-screen product questions to get the system back up and running.

On an adjacent side of the meeting room, energetic visitors could test their agility on a climbing wall by vying against each other or scrambling solo to complete routes created by projection-mapped light prompts. The fusion of imaginative architecture, interactive technology, and physical activity was sure to appeal to a wide range of attendees and deliver an unforgettable experience. E