In the world of professional wrestling, the most important thing for a wrestler to do is to “get over” — meaning he or she elicits a strong reaction from the fans, either positive or negative. They could try to stand out simply by being really good at wrestling, but typically it takes a creative or unique gimmick to get people to pay attention. It could be anything from neon-colored hair to an easily repeatable catchphrase, and everything in between.

Exhibiting at the large annual RIMS conference is really no different. From offering giveaways and games to commissioning a yacht in the nearby harbor, you really need to do something bold and different to get noticed — and you only have a minute or less to grab people’s attention.

Last year was KCIC’s first time exhibiting at RIMS. Our New Orleans survival kits and Microsoft Surface giveaway were popular, but most attendees barely stopped at our booth long enough to say “hello”. This year in San Diego, we went with a surfing theme: “Get on Board with KCIC”. In our booth was a photo booth with a green screen where you could ham it up while appearing to surf giant waves (and even avoid a shark attack). Visitors got a printout of their photo on the spot and also a digital copy via email or text. Armed with a great catchphrase, a gimmick and standout graphics, we were able to get many busy attendees to pause in their mad dash for the best swag and take a few minutes to do something silly. Not only did we have a number of repeat visitors, but people also sent over their colleagues to join in the fun (or possibly just share the embarrassment). In either case, they were talking about KCIC and showing off pictures with our name on them.

Our efforts were not completely out of character. As you can see from the photos, we’re a fun group. From karaoke parties to playing softball together or trying to beat one another in distance running events, we create opportunities to play hard and not take ourselves too seriously. We tackle our clients’ challenges with the same gusto … like a lifeguard diving in for a rescue.

RIMS 2016 provided the opportunity to converse with many attendees and explain that we help companies manage their product liabilities. But like professional wrestlers, we had to get a bit outrageous in order to make those conversations happen!