Get excited, stylists — Wella Company’s We Create extravaganza (aka “the fiesta of hairdressing”) is almost here and trust us, this is one event you won’t want to miss!
Taking place on April 25th, the first-of-its-kind event is set to be a global celebration of the hairdressing craft. Attendees will be kept busy with a jam-packed agenda consisting of four hours worth of shows, seminars, and intimate conversations with top industry leaders. Not to mention, they will also be able to learn first-hand who the 2021 winners of the International Trend Vision Award are, as We Create will be hosting the award show.
The event has an exciting line-up of speakers who will be in attendance including Briana Cisneros, Patricia Nikole, Diane Stevens, Zach Mesquit, Romeu Felipe, Nicole Revish, Patrick Cameron, Renya Xydis, Robert Eaton, Sonya Dove, Darren Ambrose, Rossano Ferretti, and Mark Hayes.
According to a press release, We Create will be fully accessible to salon pros all over the world via two streaming channels that will be broadcasting simultaneously. The first channel, We Inspire, will showcase top artist shows from around the world, as well as announce the winners of the ITVA competition. The second channel, We Transform, will showcase real-life makeovers, along with plenty of inspo on attracting and retaining clients. Both channels will be available for viewing up to one month after the live virtual event has ended.
Ahead of the We Create event, The Tease spoke to Wella Company’s Chief Marketing Officer, Laura Simpson to learn more about the event planning process as well as what attendees can expect on the big day!
The Tease: How did the concept of We Create come about?
Simpson: In the past year many industry events have been cancelled or changed to on-line for obvious reasons. At Wella, we also cancelled all physical events, as the safety of our customers and teams is paramount. However, we know hairdressers miss the connection to each other and their clients. We also know they need inspiration to be able to come back to salons with even more vigor and passion than before. This is why the We Create concept was born.
‘We Create’ demonstrates our commitment to supporting the professional community at a time when they need it most. For this reason, the event will be free and open to everyone whether they are Wella customers or not. This equates to an estimated investment of over 12 million dollars. That is how the Wella family shows ‘commitment’.
What did the planning process look like for an event of this scale?
Simpson: We started planning in early December. The most challenging thing was the pandemic of course! No one can travel and we have ensured 100 percent compliance with health and safety protocols. Another important aspect of planning relates to the content, which was carefully selected to ensure we are helping hairdressers to address current salon and clients’ needs. The content was created in 11 different countries, so you can see the scale of the challenge. We used our amazing teams all over the world to create together and we have shot all looks locally with each global artist. In short, the event needed to be meticulously planned and there always had to be a plan B in place!
We Create will also be hosting the International Trend Vision Award as part of the program. Why is this event the perfect platform to host the competition?
Simpson: Yes, we have our International Trend Vision Award competition as an important part of We Create! ITVA has a long and strong heritage of discovering new names and supporting young talent in the industry. We wanted to find a fitting platform to celebrate the finalists and announce the winners since we are not able to come together face to face like we normally do.
With nearly 5000 entries from 28 countries, We Create is a perfect stage to celebrate 92 winners in 7 different categories! Hosting ITVA at We Create gives our finalists and winners maximum exposure for the work and efforts they have all made in taking the time to enter.
The We Create event mimics a TV show in that it will be broadcast over two channels simultaneously. What inspired you all to deliver the content this way?
Simpson: We knew we wanted to give the viewer a choice of what to watch and when. We will broadcast twice in one day to manage global participation. There will also be the option for playback so viewers can enjoy the highlights more than once.
We have a lot of content we want to share and offering two channels gives us the chance to offer a wide variety. The viewer can hop between channels to catch their favorite artist or piece of content. The content we have from 26 of our biggest headliners is a no-miss chance of course, so if they miss the first time round or want to see any of the sessions again, they can view on catch up with the playback for one month after the event!
What can attendees expect when they attend the event on April 25th?
Simpson: I think this is going to be a unique experience – for all of us! Inspired by Netflix, powered by the biggest hairdressing names, this is going to be the best in the industry in action. A truly global and inclusive event – from diversity in hair types and textures, models and presenters to multicultural approach to trends and hair fashion. Expect to see lots of color, real model transformations, as well as true creative inspiration – from concept to collection. We will also have business inspiration. You can hear from the best in the business on their tips to build business, especially during tough times.
We encourage all those who registered to attend the event when it is live on April 25th. We will have live chats available with the headliners, so you can interact in real time during the show with your hero, and of course a chance to win some exclusive mentoring sessions with one of the headliners post-event!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Completely free and open for all stylists, you can register to attend the event on We Create’s official website. To learn more about We Create, be sure to visit wellawecreate.com or follow @wellahair on Instagram.
