In this series, features and series developer Heather Nicholls takes you behind the scenes of some of the most compelling brand activations and events.
In the eighteenth edition, we meet Identity Global, the agency behind House of Wella, the immersive pop up for global beauty leader Wella that includes brands such as OPI, GHD, Wella Professionals and Clairol.
The Brief:
Wella approached Identity to create an immersive pop-up experience that would introduce the brand to new audiences while celebrating their existing community. The brief called for a multi-faceted event featuring brand presentations, product showcases across their portfolio, and an evening celebration at a separate location.
Identity’s interpretation went beyond a standard product launch. Identity saw an opportunity to create a gallery-style experience that merged fashion house aesthetics with interactive brand storytelling, something shareable that would extend Wella’s reach far beyond the physical attendees. Identity Global was responsible for venue sourcing and scenic design through to event-day management and delivery.
The execution:
The inspiration for the activation came directly from Wella’s refreshed brand guidelines and visual identity. Identity’s goal was to translate their brand vision into a three-dimensional, lived experience – ensuring every design decision, from materiality to spatial flow, authentically embodied Wella’s creative DNA.
Identity started by sourcing venues that offered the right canvas, spaces with character that would be able to support the creative vision whilst meeting practical requirements.
From there, Identity worked with the Wella team by translating their initial inspiration into detailed guest journeys through renders, floor plans and spatial storytelling. Then, Identity’s in house design team refined the aesthetic direction while its scenic team ensured every element was aligned with Wella’s vision. Throughout construction and into the live event days, the on-site team orchestrated every detail, from technical execution to guest experience.
Isobel Ross, senior account manager at Identity Global said: “Collaboration was at the heart of our process.” Throughout the process, Identity positioned themselves as an extension of Wella’s team, focused entirely on delivering success for the client.
Identity brought specialist expertise in content creation, technical production, and logistics to complement their brand knowledge. This partnership approach was crucial for complex elements like the F1 car installation, where Identity had to engineer creative solutions for bringing such a large, valuable asset safely into the space. Identity also worked closely with suppliers to ensure every guest touchpoint felt cohesive. Identity created multiple ‘instagrammable’ moments and engagement touchpoints that encouraged guests to capture and share their experience, effectively turning attendees into brand ambassadors and extending the reach exponentially beyond the venue walls.
Ross said: “The storytelling flowed naturally from space to space, with each brand zone offering hands-on product experiences and educational content. This approach fostered genuine connection rather than passive observation.“
The biggest challenge for Identity was time. Ross explained: “With a compressed setup window, we had to be strategic from the design phase onward. Every scenic element was created for efficient installation, where we had to engineer creative solutions for bringing such a large, valuable asset safely into the space.”
The result:
The experience brought Wella’s entire portfolio to life through dedicated brand zones for Wella Professionals, OPI, Clairol and Sebastian – each with its own distinct personality and immersive touchpoints that balanced education with engagement. Ross said: “A standout feature was the Wella Professionals area, which showcased their exciting new partnership with F1 Academy through a fully branded Formula 1 car on display.”
Ross added: “Downstairs, we curated intimate panel discussions featuring celebrity and community ambassadors including Stacey Dooley and Susie Wolff, who shared industry insights and personal stories about their connection to Wella. The evening culminated in a show featuring Wella’s top artists, bringing technical artistry and creative vision together in a memorable finale.”
The activation delivered on multiple levels: strong in-person engagement, extensive social media amplification and press coverage that extended the event’s impact well beyond the two days. Most importantly, the activation achieved what mattered most to Wella – introducing their brand to new audiences while celebrating their community in a way that felt authentic and memorable.
Furthermore, guests left with genuine knowledge of Wella’s brand portfolio, heritage and future direction. Ross said: “They didn’t just see products, they experienced them.”