If you’ve been to EHA before, you know what to expect — and 2025 was no exception. Compared to oncology-heavy shows like ASCO or ASH, the exhibit floor here is always more restrained. Smaller booths, less flash, fewer theatrics. It’s a congress that consistently puts science first, and the design language follows suit.
Part of this is driven by EU regulations and cultural norms, which discourage overly promotional tactics. But let’s not pretend those rules prevent impact. They may cap hospitality — not creativity. They may shape how you show up — not what you say or how memorably you say it.
And that’s where the opportunity lives.
At a show where almost everyone plays it safe, the one brand that chooses to be bold — with purpose — will stand apart. Not for being loud. But for being clear, confident, and creatively committed.
Here are five trends we saw across the floor, and how smart exhibitors are quietly shifting the experience:
1. Message as Environment
While most booths kept messages static, some brought them to life spatially. AbbVie’s “Foundation of Treatment” became a literal architectural anchor, not just a headline. When messaging shapes the physical space — through structure, lighting, or layout — it stops being passive and starts being memorable.
Most booths still treat message as copy. But when you treat it like an experience, you build recall and reinforce leadership.
2. Tactile Stops
Simple analog moments created real engagement. Novartis combined a giant etched “burden stone” with a digital selection tool, turning passive messaging into active reflection. BeOne’s buzzer game was playful, memorable, and deeply on-brand for a cardiology-focused product.
These low-tech activations often outperformed slick screens. Why? Because they slow attendees down, spark conversation, and create something to feel — not just view.
3. Smart Comfort
Amenities weren’t flashy, but they were strategic. Cold drinks during a Milan heatwave? MSD’s seating areas with inlaid charging surfaces? These weren’t afterthoughts — they were traffic drivers. Incyte’s chalet and Sysmex’s gelato cart didn’t just offer relief, they delivered brand-aligned moments of hospitality.
Comfort isn’t about luxury. It’s about practicality that shows you understand your audience’s needs — and are willing to meet them with intention.
4. Personalized Pipelines
More booths offered filterable, self-guided clinical content — a welcome evolution from endless poster walls. Genmab’s hybrid digital setup and BMS’s QR-enabled trial data allowed attendees to navigate based on what’s relevant to them, not just what’s on loop.
At a science-first congress, this kind of personalization doesn’t just improve UX — it signals respect for time, focus, and cognitive load.
AstraZeneca and BMS stood nearly alone in making sustainability visible. AZ’s tactile materials table and CEO quote connecting climate to patient health were standout moves. Most others? Silent on the subject. There’s white space here for exhibitors ready to connect sustainability to their healthcare mission.
5. Brand Heartbeats
The emotional layer is rare at EHA — but powerful when it appears. Lilly’s nod to lab bench beginnings and Regeneron’s patient storytelling were small moments with big resonance. These stories humanize the science, connect to purpose, and build long-term affinity in a way data alone never will.
This is the next frontier: not just what your pipeline or products say, but what your corporate brand believes — and how bravely you show it.
So what now?
This is how EHA tends to be — restrained, modest, and measured. And that’s exactly why any brand willing to go bigger, bolder, or braver will stand out. Not louder for loudness’ sake, but more memorable. More intentional. More felt. In a hall where most booths play within the same visual volume, even a slightly elevated presence can command disproportionate attention.
Start by asking which of these trends aligns with your brand’s DNA. Don’t replicate. Rethink. Adapt intentionally. And if you do it right, you won’t just show up differently next year.
You’ll be the one they remember.
