Why the Lighting At Your Favorite Trade Show Makes it Your Favorite with Kurt Wunsch of Alford Media

 

How important is lighting design to the feel and success of a corporate event? Kurt Wunsch, Lighting Designer at Alford Media, tells us it’s everything. With over 20 years in the industry, working in many aspects of lighting design from theater to concert touring, to corporate and special event designs, Wunsch has seen first hand how critical both the aesthetic and functional elements of lighting are for an event that is worth traveling for. Technology has brought us together in many ways; whether it’s personally over FaceTime or professionally over Cisco WebEx, the in-person conference or live event on a corporate level isn’t as necessary for communicating crucial information. That means they have to go above and beyond in their design and purpose to feel unique.

Above and beyond doesn’t mean big and bright, though, especially in the corporate world. “It’s not like you’re going to a rock and roll concert where you’re expecting spectacle and intensity,” Wunsch said. “You’re going to retrieve information, you’re going to bond with other people.” Crafting lighting design for a trade show has several subtleties, and there’s a balancing act in perfecting the stage wash to not interfere with the spot lights, and then those to not interfere with the ambient color highlights.

Even more exciting is how lighting design is leaking from the stage to the entire show floor or ballroom. With the experiential aspect of the trade show taking higher precedent, finding ways to immerse audiences has become essential. “They’re bringing in custom furniture in the audience,” Wunsch said. “They’re trying to engage the audience in a full capacity, that’s really brought our job away from the stage and out into the house.”

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @ProAVMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Drive In, Drive Out: The Rhythm of Metropolis
April 15, 2026

Behind the seemingly mundane choreography of a drive-in lies a broader story about how modern cities script behavior, turning even the simplest actions into rehearsed routines. What looks like repetition is really a quiet testament to systems designed for flow and control, where efficiency often outweighs individuality. In places like Metropolis, the rhythm of…

Read More
telemetry
Visibility at Scale: How Data, Telemetry, and IT Architecture Enable High-Performance Data Centers
April 14, 2026

As AI infrastructure scales at an unprecedented pace, the complexity of managing data center operations has shifted from purely physical challenges to deeply digital ones. Today’s facilities generate enormous volumes of telemetry, and industry estimates suggest hyperscale and AI data centers produce millions of data points per second. At that scale, visibility is no…

Read More
healthcare
The Early-Stage Playbook for Healthcare Founders: Credibility, Founder Mindset, and Real Market Fit
April 13, 2026

Healthcare innovation is having a moment. With over 500 startups applying annually to leading accelerators like Health Wildcatters, the sector is seeing a surge of founders eager to tackle inefficiencies in care delivery, diagnostics, and patient experience. At the same time, digital health is regaining momentum—after a period of market correction, funding went up…

Read More
apprenticeship degree
Career-Connected Health Care: Why the Apprenticeship Degree Is the Future
April 13, 2026

Hospitals across the country are feeling the strain—too many open roles, not enough trained professionals, and a growing gap between what students learn and what the job actually demands on day one. Training is getting more expensive, timelines are stretching, and healthcare leaders are being forced to rethink how new clinicians enter the field….

Read More