How to win events with creativity
How a small startup can bring big energy to a huge Event
When you're a small startup at a massive industry event - surrounded by brands like Delta, United, and Amex - how do you stand out?
That was our challenge at GBTA, the largest business travel event in the U.S. Our company, Mesh, was there to show how we're reinventing travel & expense management - but with a modest booth tucked away in the corner, we knew we had to think big.
So we asked the one question that kickstarts every great campaign:
What is the story we want to tell in this event?
Our answer: Mesh is the future of T&E.
As we are bringing a modern platform to manage companies travel & expense, it was clear to us that we need to come with Mesh being the future of how T&E looks like.
And what better way to bring that to life than with the Delorean and Back to the Future theme into this?
✨ Outside the Convention Center
We found a Delorean owner in Atlanta, hired an actress to play Doc Brown’s sidekick, wrapped the car in Mesh magnets, and hit the road. They drove around hotel zones and event entrances, turning heads and drawing crowds before attendees even stepped foot inside.
🚗 Inside the Booth
We brought the theme full circle with a Delorean-inspired booth experience.
Here’s the twist:
We gave away “Unlock the future of T&E” - literal keychains handed out by the Delorean crew outside, each stamped with our booth number.
Attendees came to our booth to try unlocking the Delorean door for a chance to win cool prizes.
The energy was contagious. People lined up. Photos flooded social. And our tiny booth became a buzz-worthy stop.
🛬 Starting Before They Landed
To top it all off, we didn’t wait for attendees to get to the venue. We met them at the airport.
We booked a few well-placed airport billboards in Atlanta, teasing “The Future of Travel & Expense Starts Here” alongside the Delorean visual and the Mesh logo. No call to action - just curiosity.
It planted a seed before they even picked up their luggage.
So by the time they saw our Delorean driving around or a key in their hand, it all connected.
This wasn’t just a booth - it was a narrative.
From airport to hotel to show floor, we brought the future with us.
📈 The Results?
Huge increase in brand awareness
Tons of traffic to our booth
A serious boost in qualified leads
And a feeling that Mesh belonged on that big stage - because we showed up like we did.
Takeaway:
If you can’t buy attention, earn it with creativity. Start with a strong positioning theme, bring it to life across touchpoints, and always bridge the gap between brand moment and lead capture.
Because in startup marketing, you don’t need the biggest booth.
You just need the boldest idea.
Thanks for reading Startup Growth Diaries.
If you enjoyed this story I’d appreciate your “Like” or have your own scrappy event win to share, I’d love to hear it in the comments!
Until next time, keep growing 🚀
Idan
