Demo Room Interior Design & Installation – Allen, Texas

The Ask: A New Demo Room

When Watchguard Video needed help designing a show stopping demo room for its new Allen, Texas headquarters, they reached out to The Trade Group for help. The law enforcement video systems provider wanted to create a branded space to demonstrate the company’s body cam, in-car video and evidence management solutions technology.

According to Geoff Case, Creative Marketing Manager at WatchGuard“We’ve been working with Senior Sales Consultant Austin Montgomery and The Trade Group for WatchGuard’s trade show needs at IACP (International Association of Chiefs of Police) and other events over the past several years and have always been happy with the results. For the demo room,we were kind of stuck regarding how to design the space because we wanted the functionality of a conference room combined with a feel similar to our trade show booths, so it was a natural fit for us to collaborate on this permanent installation.”

The Trade Group performed design, printing, installation and fixture sourcing duties during the project, working in conjunction with WatchGuard’s existing team of architects, subcontractors and other vendors.

Branded elements and a high-tech vibe drive the design of the functional space

The demo room is one of the first things guests see when they walk into WatchGuard’s headquarters, so injecting some major WOW factor was key. “The room is located close to the main door and is more noticeable than anything else as you walk up to the reception desk. It’s truly front and center. Creating a space that would draw people in and be a big highlight in the building was of utmost importance to the client,” Montgomery says.

The room’s colors, textures and architectural features were designed to complement the branding and feel that was previously created for the building as a whole. For example, the room features dark gray walls that flow in from the adjacent spaces and the design in general has the same high-tech vibe featured throughout the building. Other key elements of WatchGuard’s branding –from the company’s signature, bright yellow shield to hexagon shapes – were also featured prominently in the demo room design.

The devil is in the details – from lighting to custom furniture to technology

Every inch of the 23’ x 31’ space speaks to the WatchGuard brand. Highlights of the demo room’s show stopping design include:

Yellow acrylic accents, LED lighting and signature shield on curved monitor wall. The client provided creative for a curved wall that is the focal point of the room. TTG handled the printing and installation of the graphic and added strips of yellow acrylic and LED lighting to make the high-tech image pop. TTG also created a layered acrylic backlit sign of WatchGuard’s iconic yellow badge, which has become a favorite photo opp spot for WatchGuard guests.

TTG also encouraged WatchGuard to go with three curved TV monitors instead of one large LED screen. As Montgomery explains, “Replacing a large LED wall would require extensive changes to the structure in the future.  We recommended a solution that would allow the client to be more agile with their technology choices as WatchGuard’s products and consumer electronics continue to evolve.”

Custom-built table. The hexagonal shape of the table was important because WatchGuard features hexagons in its branding and in a lot of different areas in the building. “We wanted to create something different than a basic square table, so TTG came up with the concept and designed a hexagonal table for the space,” Montgomery says.

Overhead light fixture. The client wanted lighting that would make a statement and create a hexagonal effect on the ceiling, but they didn’t want to use direct light.

Demo station with edge-lit acrylic signs. According to Case, “We really liked the demo stations The Trade Group had created for our trade show exhibits, so we wanted to replicate it here.”

Mannequin station with up-lighting. WatchGuard includes life size mannequins dressed as first responders and wearing WatchGuard body-cams in their trade show displays. A backlit layered acrylic sign was placed behind the mannequin to further reinforce the brand.

SEG fabric graphic murals reinforce branding beyond the demo room

WatchGuard initially asked TTG to create three large murals – a 38’x10’, 20’x10’ and 18’x8’ – that would be applied directly to the walls throughout the building, but TTG recommended a more flexible and economical solution.

As Montgomery explains, “Since we have a history with the client, we knew they would want to replace the murals from time to time, as messaging or solutions change. Peeling off mural graphics can be labor intensive, so we suggested they go with SEG fabric graphics instead. Fabric graphics are much easier to install and remove, so the client can easily swap in new graphics or reuse previous graphics as needs evolve. WatchGuard loved this option because it is a time saver and more economical over the long-term.”

Want to bring your brand to life with a permanent interior installation?

The interior design, production and installation experts  at The Trade Group are here to help. Just give us a call at 800-343-2005 to speak with a friendly sales consultant today.

Company Info

Overview: As the leading provider of mobile video solutions for law enforcement, WatchGuard Video has provided in-car video systems, body cams and evidence management software to about one-third of the law enforcement agencies in the US and Canada.

Industry: Video and software technology solutions for law enforcement.

HQ: Allen, Texas

Fun Fact: More then 6,000 law enforcement agencies use WatchGuard Video solutions.

Click here to view our case study PDF

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