In this series, Agency Correspondent Heather Nicholls takes you behind the scenes of some of the most compelling brand activations and events.
In the thirteenth edition we meet, Emota the agency behind The Inizio Booth at ASCO 2025 (The Annual Society of Clinical Oncology).
The Brief:
Inizio returned to ASCO in 2025 with the ambition to build on their 2024 debut. The brief was ambitious yet clear: stand out, spark conversations, and redefine sustainable exhibiting.
They wanted to establish themselves as a leader not only in oncology but also in sustainability and innovation. Working closely with Inizio’s global marketing team, Emota interpreted this as an opportunity to create a booth that did not just talk about ESG values but physically embodied them, a space where the brand story was told through the materials, structure, and lifecycle of the design itself.
The Execution:
Simon Davenport, global head of environments, Emota said: “The starting point was Emota’s Enivroplan methodology, which embeds sustainability into every stage of a project, from design concept and material selection to transport and end-of-life recycling. The team viewed sustainability not as a restriction but as a design challenge that could spark new ideas. The mindset led to the bold decision to use recyclable cardboard as the primary material, a choice that set the booth apart while staying true to Inizio’s values.”
Throughout the process, Emota collaborated with Inizio’s global marketing team, who gave their full support to the Enviroplan approach and encouraged bold thinking from the agency.
The design process was rooted in rethinking the entire booth lifecycle. The team created a modular structure that slotted together quickly without heavy tools, cutting installation time from two days to just four hours. Interchangeable graphic panels were added to allow the core structure to be reused at future events with minimal waste. All furniture was sourced from previous builds, the carpet was made from recycled bottles and graphics were printed with water based inks. To minimise transport impact, the booth was flat-packed and shipped by sharing trucks with other exhibitors.
Suppliers were chosen for their ability to provide recyclable and reusable solution, whist transport partners helped to reduce emissons by consolidating loads. Inclusivity was also built in from the start, with Inizio’s internal DEI Center of Excellence advising on accessible content, language, and engagement techniques to ensure the booth worked for every visitor.
The Result:
Davenport: “The booth was one of the most distinctive on the exhibition floor. Its unusual use of recyclable structural cardboard drew curiosity from the moment the show opened, with attendees stopping to ask questions and explore.”
The booth’s power lay in its ability to tell a story without needing explanation. Visitors could see and feel the sustainable design choices in every surface and detail. LED lighting enhanced the structure with minimal energy use, while TRACE, the carbon calculator, validated the impact with real data. Davenport added: “For attendees, the booth was was not just a backdrop but an experience that reflected Inizio’s identity as an innovative, values-led organisation.”
The modular design meant that the booth was more than just a meeting space, it was a hub for interaction and conversation. Engagement at the booth was higher than the previous year, with a 17% rate recorded. Online, the booth’s presence lived on long after the event, generating more than two million LinkedIn impressions and 74,000 YouTube views.
The outcomes were significant across environmental, financial, and business measures. The booth achieved 100% recyclability, with 63% of materials made from recycled sources, and its carbon footprint was reduced to 0.62 tCO₂e compared to 2.4 for a traditional build.
Costs were cut by more than 40 percent, freight by 75 percent, and labour by half. From a business perspective, Inizio saw a 17 percent engagement rate, 47 live deals in progress, and strong digital reach with more than 2 million LinkedIn impressions and 74,000 YouTube views.
Lucy MacLauchlan, head of global marketing at Inizio, said: “This design reflects our values and proves that creativity and environmental responsibility can work hand in hand.”