Creative agency Smyle created the first hybrid edition of the Wella Professionals TrendVision Awards UK & Ireland Finals ceremony, which took place at the Roundhouse, London on 11 October.
Known as the hairdressing industry’s most prestigious prize-giving, Wella’s TrendVision Awards carried a theme of ‘Finally back together’.
Smyle created a ceremony which offered all the glitz and pageantry attendees have come to expect over its 15-year history, including the launch of new collections from brands including GHD, Robert Eaton, D&J Ambrose and HOB Salons; as well as a catwalk show featuring the models who were styled by this year’s finalists.
For the first time, there was also a specially curated livestream, so that a much wider audience could be part of the action from home.
Smyle created an hour-long virtual broadcast programme which blended live coverage and filmed content, including backstage footage and interviews with some of the industry stars involved with the event.
The broadcast ended with live coverage of the final catwalk show and announcement of the winners, and the whole show was hosted by Radio X presenter Elspeth Pierce, who broadcast from a studio in the Roundhouse balcony with a bird’s eye view of the proceedings below.
The live event was hosted by celebrity hairdresser Patrick Cameron, along with a special surprise guest.
Allie Hargreaves, national education manager at Wella Professional, said: “We were mindful that not everyone could be here in person and Smyle’s creative hybrid solution meant that everyone in the Wella family got to experience the fun – as well as enjoying some exclusive content at the same time.”
Jonathan Boyne, communication director at Smyle, added: “We packed the show to give the in-person guests a night to remember, but it was important to make sure that the online guests didn’t feel left out, and this virtual broadcast solution was ideal. There were some exclusives for people watching at home – but at the same time, it ignited the ambitions of the hairdressing stars of the future to make being at the Roundhouse for TrendVision Awards a career goal to work towards.”
Image: Roundhouse, London, via Wikimedia Commons
