Evento Award for Water Expo

Water Expo was just awarded as the best consumer event in Finland. An event concept I was privileged to design with Pulp Agency.

The reasons behind owning a boat are not the same for Generation X and Millenials. This shift in motivation had been seen in the declining visitor numbers of the Helsinki International Boat Show. The challenge was to breathe new life to the event by reaching the younger generations in their terms.

Working as a Senior Art Director and a Concept Designer for Pulp Agency, we introduced the client to the concept of Uusi Aalto - Water Expo, an add-on event for the Helsinki International Boat Show. To reach the potential 'generation next' boat owners, the concept was built around water sports and lifestyles from wake boarding to fly fishing. Basically, anything you could do on or around water when you're heading out with your boat. It's not about owning a boat — it's about all the things you can do with it.

The concept included the largest indoor pool in Scandinavia, where visitors could test drive different water sports equipment. Booths were designed in the style of colorful beach huts around the pool, creating a cozy and vibrant oasis.

The 2016 visitor count was around 80,000, with more than ten percent increase in attendance from previous years. The average visitor age came down from 48 to 42, and a growing number of people report Water Expo being the main reason for attending the Boat Show.