To convey its message that "Success is Simply Human," SAP SuccessFactors constructed a climbing wall that became a soaring centerpiece for its 2,000-square-foot exhibit at the 2015 HR Technology Conference & Exposition. Positioned directly behind the booth's reception desk, the wall, which stood nearly three stories tall and stretched 20 feet wide, was affixed to overhead truss.

Programmable motion-light fixtures mounted on the truss projected the company's logo and cloud icon on the wall's center, creating a visual promotion attendees could spot from across the show floor. "We wanted to merge the structural element with human acrobatics and digital projection to communicate SAP SuccessFactors' key message in an unforgettable way," said Mark Pearlman, design director for Group Delphi, which designed and fabricated the booth.

Every 30 minutes, five acrobats from Dream World Cirque assembled on a slip-resistant vinyl floor in front of the wall. Then they scampered up the sheer face via three dozen wooden pegs jutting out of its surface. Over the next five breathtaking minutes, while the motion-light fixtures painted the wall and the airborne athletes with color-shifting illumination, the gymnasts contorted themselves into a kaleidoscope of limbs.

Often hanging by a single hand or foot almost 30 feet above the ground, the acrobats performed daredevil routines underscoring the exhibit's focus on its products and messaging. For example, a cloud formation echoed the company's cloud-based services, while a heart-shaped one symbolized the exhibit's theme that people are the heartbeat of an organization. "Rarely does an exhibit incorporate a piece of performance art," said one Exhibit Design Awards judge. "Theatrical, dramatic, and on point with the company's key messages, the wall undoubtedly stopped attendees in their tracks."