When Longeviti Neuro Solutions LLC wanted to tout ClearFit, its unique implantable neurosurgical device that lets surgeons scan and monitor patients' brains using ultrasound technology, at the 2021 Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting, it turned to a technique almost as old as consciousness itself: storytelling. "We were worried neurosurgeons would be reluctant to expose themselves to this new solution," said Paul Eizerman, design director at Impact Unlimited Inc. (dba Impact XM), Longeviti's exhibit house, "so we developed a narrative through the architecture itself." The opening chapter of this cerebral story was a 19-by-19-foot silhouette of a head that served as the focal point of the 20-foot-square island. Constructed of lightweight aluminum, the see-through skull was wrapped with tension fabric and illuminated by internal LEDs. Arriving guests encountered a large video monitor on the main wall illustrating the brand story through looped content combining animation with footage of cranial implants. Further chapters in this saga were spun by staffers showcasing ClearFit with real-time demonstrations of the device at freestanding kiosks, including one with a cranium that seemed fresh from the graveyard scene in "Hamlet." The brainy approach to storytelling impressed Exhibit Design Awards judges. "Attendees knew right away that this exhibitor explores the mind," said one.

Advancing to what might cheekily be called a higher level of consciousness, VIP guests ascended to the upper deck to meet with Longeviti reps. Here they became part of the story itself with attendees' curiosity piqued by the sight of people mingling inside the brain, bringing the story of ClearFit to a satisfying close. E