Project Overview
A US client contacted WOW DISPLAY through our website while preparing for an upcoming exhibition. The client was looking for several creative beverage displays that could attract attention, support brand promotion, and remain practical to transport and set up at the event.
The requirements went beyond appearance. The displays needed to be lightweight, compact for shipping, quick to assemble, and distinctive enough to stand out in a busy exhibition environment.
Based on the client's needs, our team presented several previously developed display concepts, including auto-lifting displays, gravity-feed displays, portable hand-carry designs, and foldable structures. These options helped the client explore different ways to present beverage products.
However, the client was particularly interested in a display that could be packed compactly and transform into a full-size promotional unit almost instantly. This led us to introduce our auto pop-up cardboard display stand, a design that combines lightweight corrugated construction with a distinctive opening mechanism.
The Challenge: Creating a Display That Is Easy to Transport and Quick to Set Up
For exhibition promotions, transportation and setup can be just as important as visual impact. A large display may attract attention, but it can become inconvenient if it requires extensive assembly, takes up too much storage space, or is difficult to move between venues.
The client needed several display styles for different promotional purposes, with portability and ease of use remaining essential across the project.
A conventional rigid display would not fully address these requirements. Our team therefore focused on a more practical alternative: a custom cardboard display stand that could deliver strong branding while reducing the effort involved in transportation, storage, and installation.
Corrugated cardboard was a suitable material for this application. It offers a lightweight structure, supports full-colour printed graphics, and can be engineered into folding display formats for temporary promotional environments.
Our Solution: An Auto Pop-Up Cardboard Display Stand
After reviewing the available concepts, the client showed strong interest in an auto pop-up display previously developed by WOW DISPLAY.
Unlike a conventional floor display that requires multiple assembly steps, this design uses a folding structure that expands into its intended three-dimensional form when opened. The display can be transported in a compact folded format and deployed quickly at the venue.
The mechanism also adds an element of surprise. Instead of simply placing a finished display on the exhibition floor, staff can open the compact unit and reveal the full promotional structure in seconds.
This combination of portability, quick setup, and visual impact matched the client's requirements. After reviewing the concepts, the client selected two auto pop-up designs and continued evaluating additional display options for the project.
Pepsi Pop-Up Cardboard Display Stand: A 3D Beverage Can Design
One of the standout concepts was a beverage display inspired by the familiar shape of a drink can. Rather than using a standard rectangular cardboard floor display, the design turns the display itself into an oversized three-dimensional promotional element.
The can-inspired shape creates a direct visual connection between the display and the beverage category. Combined with bold graphics and a large branding area, it helps the display attract attention before visitors even approach the products.
The exterior panels provide space for brand logos, campaign artwork, product information, and promotional messages. This allows the custom cardboard display stand to serve two purposes: presenting products and communicating the brand's message.
Key Features
The Pepsi POP Up Display Stand is made from 100% corrugated paper, keeping the structure lightweight and suitable for temporary promotional use.
It can be packed in a compact format to reduce transportation volume and storage requirements. Once released, the internal folding mechanism allows the display to pop open quickly and reach its final form in approximately three seconds.
No complicated screws, metal fittings, or multi-step assembly are required.
This gives the display several clear advantages:
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- Flat-packed for more efficient shipping
- Fast setup at exhibitions
- Large branding area
- Eye-catching 3D can-shaped design
- Suitable for short-term promotional campaigns
For beverage brands, the combination of quick deployment and strong visual impact makes this display especially useful for exhibitions, product launches, sampling events, and promotional campaigns.
Additional Display Concepts for the Exhibition
The auto pop-up display was a major highlight, but the client also wanted to explore other ways to present products and promotional messages.
We introduced additional concepts, including displays featuring an innovative cardboard display with paper clips made from recycled paper pulp. Depending on the structural design, this type of connector can replace selected conventional plastic or metal fittings.
The client could therefore compare different approaches to display construction, from fast-opening promotional units to alternative assembly systems.
Offering multiple concepts at the design stage helped the client evaluate not only appearance, but also packing requirements, setup convenience, and suitability for different exhibition applications.
From Design Approval to Production
Once the client had selected the preferred concepts, our team moved forward with the design and production preparation.
Before manufacturing, the team reviewed the dimensions, artwork, folding structure, opening mechanism, and packing method. These details were particularly important for the auto pop-up display because the folding mechanism needed to work smoothly while allowing the unit to retain its intended shape after opening.
The team also considered how the display would be handled during transportation and setup. For a promotional project, a design that looks impressive in a rendering must also be practical when packed, shipped, opened, and used at the venue.
WOW DISPLAY's experience in custom cardboard display manufacturing helped bring these structural and visual requirements together before production began.
Production Review and Customer Feedback
After production was completed, our team recorded videos of the finished displays to show their packed condition, opening process, assembly, and final appearance.
This gave the client a clearer view of the finished products and allowed the display structures to be reviewed beyond the original design drawings.
The customer was satisfied with the finished displays, particularly the creativity and practicality of the selected concepts. The auto pop-up display stood out for its combination of lightweight construction, compact transportation, rapid setup, and strong promotional appearance.
For the project, the objective was not simply to create an attractive display. It was to develop a format that could make exhibition preparation easier while giving the beverage brand a more distinctive way to present its products.
A Practical Cardboard Display Option for Beverage Promotions
This project demonstrates how a well-designed cardboard display stand can address practical challenges without sacrificing visual impact.
By combining corrugated cardboard construction with a folding mechanism and a three-dimensional beverage-inspired shape, the pop-up display offers a different approach to traditional promotional displays. It is particularly relevant to brands that need lightweight displays for exhibitions, product launches, sampling events, and short-term marketing campaigns.
At WOW DISPLAY, we develop custom cardboard display stands around product dimensions, branding requirements, transportation conditions, and intended applications. From conventional cardboard floor displays to foldable and auto pop-up structures, each design can be evaluated according to the project's practical needs.
For brands planning their next beverage promotion, the right cardboard display starts with more than graphics. Material selection, structural design, packing efficiency, and ease of setup all contribute to a display that works beyond the design stage.