AZ at ASCO 2025: Immersive, Intelligent & Sustainably Designed

Client: AstraZeneca

Chicago

AstraZeneca’s presence at ASCO 2025 marked a transformational leap in congress engagement, sustainability, and design. In partnership with Emota, AZ redefined what it means to lead in oncology exhibitions. The goal was to reaffirm AZ’s leadership, engage healthcare professionals across all congress touchpoints, and champion a sustainability-first approach aligned with AZ’s Net Zero 2030 commitments.

The booth’s design centered on immersive and modular architecture, moving away from bold exteriors to soft, flowing interiors using semi-transparent fabrics and curved forms. The modular layout and unitary - reminiscent of digital widgets - allows scalability and reuse across AZ’s annual portfolio of 300 annual congresses, for the next 3 years.

Sustainability was embedded throughout, with all booth materials and production methods chosen for their sustainability credentials – including reusable FSC-certified plywood, recycled plastic carpeting, and structural cardboard replacing traditional MDF. These design choices were not only environmentally responsible but showcased as visible innovations to inspire industry change.

Content delivery was reimagined through 360° immersive LED environments, synchronised across 23 screens and 19 displays, wrapping delegates in a dynamic narrative of AZ’s scientific breakthroughs. A particle-based avatar guided personalised journeys, supported by integrated technologies including transparent OLED touchscreens, RFID interactives, and an Apple Vision Pro experience - all interconnected via Emota’s FOYAH CMS.

The impact was profound: AZ attracted over 18,000 unique booth visitors (41% of in-person attendees), with an 87% conversion rate from foot traffic and an average engagement time exceeding 7 minutes. Online, AZ led peer-to-peer engagement with 50% more LinkedIn mentions than its nearest competitor.

This activation not only redefined the standard for pharmaceutical exhibitions but also set a precedent in sustainable, immersive, and intelligent event design. AZ’s ASCO 2025 experience is now recognised as a benchmark in the industry - described by many attendees as “the best booth ever seen."