Deconstructed: DCW 2026 Promotion
Maximizing Visibility + Impact at Design & Construction Week
Design & Construction Week 2026 is the can’t-miss event for anyone in the homebuilding and design industries. With the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) and the International Builders’ Show (IBS)
under one roof, it’s where trends are set, innovations are revealed, and business relationships are forged. For exhibitors, this week isn’t just about showcasing products—it’s about stepping into the spotlight at the largest gathering of qualified buyers, specifiers, and media in the industry.
But visibility at KBIS and IBS doesn’t happen by accident. With tens of thousands of attendees and thousands of exhibitors vying for attention, your booth, messaging, and brand story must stand out from the crowd. This is where strategic PR and marketing support make all the difference. From media outreach and press coverage to thought leadership opportunities and on-site storytelling, your goal should be to amplify your presence, so the right audiences are drawn to your brand before, during, and long after the show.
To get the most out of pre-show promotion, Merlot recommends:
- Understand your competitors and their [previous] presence at the show.
- Update and optimize your Exhibitor Profile.
- Develop a list of media contacts and a schedule for press releases.
- New product announcements.
- “Attending” news release.
- Any marketing or promotional activity of note, i.e. Influencer Programs or Sponsorships.
- Consider submitting for trade show-related awards and recognitions.
- Set up booth appointments with sales prospects.
- Develop Executive Media Guides for attending booth personnel to speak with media.
- Create a digital media kit with releases and assets for media follow-up.
To get the most out of week-of/on-site promotion, Merlot recommends:
- Media meeting scheduling and coordination.
- Social media posts and engagement.
- Tradeshow booth support.
- Additional news release distribution.
To get the most out of post-show recap and follow-up, Merlot recommends:
- Following up with media and sales prospects after the show.
- Continuous strategic and custom pitching.
- Nurturing media contacts and relationships.
- Coordinating media interviews.
- Solidifying business coverage.
- Performance highlights and reporting.
- Engaging a monitoring service to capture mentions and features across media.
When executed well, the conversations you start at Design & Construction Week (DCW) turn into leads, coverage, and long-term business growth. Our agency has proven this model out over 20+ years attending the show on behalf of over 30 clients in the home and building space, managing content creation to booth activation and everything in-between.
