NEW YORK—When a panel is covering a topic as important as diversity and inclusivity within the beauty industry, you want to make sure your event production is on point so guests can absorb the important messages without distraction. At least that’s the approach hair care brand Matrix took for its Matrix Beauty Talks Panel, a hybrid event held in New York in March that was moderated by InStyle beauty director Maya Allen.
The event’s goal was to gather industry thought leaders—including actress Isabella Gomez, Matrix global artistic director Michelle O’Connor and celebrity stylist Nick Stenson—to engage in open, honest conversations and discuss actionable steps to create a more inclusive future for the industry.
To ensure that panelists could be face-to-face without worrying about their safety, Matrix tapped Agency Guacamole, a Los Angeles-based communications firm that specializes in beauty and lifestyle events. The team took a number of safety-focused steps, including COVID-19 rapid tests for the crew and panelists, hygiene dividers, individually packaged food and beverage and more. 
The colorful, branded stage featured hygiene barriers to separate the panelists, an extra safety step in addition to rapid COVID-19 tests and PPE.Photo: Courtesy of Agency Guacamole
BizBash caught up with Bilal Kaiser, founder and principal of Agency Guacamole, to see what he learned from producing the hybrid panel.
On what makes a good pre-event mailer:
In the world of virtual gatherings, mailers—where online attendees are sent a box of swag that will help them feel immersed in the event, even remotely—have exploded in popularity. And the Matrix panel was no exception. "I think the key to a good mailer is paying attention to consumer/influencer behavior and listening to their needs and wants," explained Kaiser. "For example, this past year a lot of editors have had to transition to working from home in their small New York apartments. This means they have to be particular about the mailers they accept, as their space is super limited. Keeping packaging to a minimum and being strategic and thoughtful with what is included in the mailer goes a long way."
Kaiser adds that while live events were paused, he tried to bring more of that experiential factor into the mailers, too. "Providing an activity or something that they can do at home is a lot more engaging than simply sending swag."
On how to facilitate seamless virtual event registration:
With increased competition in the virtual event space, it's crucial to make it easy for attendees to register and join—and put just as much thought into the process as you would for an IRL gathering. "Agency Guacamole has become known in the beauty and lifestyle space for producing amazing events, and we wanted to ensure we were putting our all into producing virtual events as well," said Kaiser. "For [the Matrix event], we partnered with Convene, whose platform allowed livestreaming of the actual production but also acted as a registration hub and CRM tool that allowed us to capture registrants’ information to help in the event marketing and planning. When sending out invites and RSVPs we simply included the custom Convene link, and attendees were able to register and get e-mail reminders for the event with a quick intake form."
The panel featured Michelle O’Connor, global artistic director at Matrix and five-time North American Hair Awards winner; Isabella Gomez, Colombian-American actress from One Day at a Time and Modern Family; and Nick Stenson, a celebrity stylist and the SVP at ULTA as well as an artistic director at Matrix. Maya Allen, beauty director of InStyle, served as moderator.Photo: Courtesy of Agency Guacamole
On hosting a safety-focused in-person element:
While the Matrix event took place on a closed set, Kaiser knew it was still crucial to ensure that every step of the process was safe and compliant for the in-person teams. "From having snacks and meal deliveries individually packaged, to giving out PPE kits to every attendee, to mapping out the floorplan prior to triple check all seating was at least 6 feet apart, to securing hygiene dividers for panelists—it was quite the process," he said.
One thing that was instrumental, he added, was having a COVID Compliance Officer on-site. Kaiser advised that it's a role events should be filling in the coming months, as well. "This person made sure that all COVID protocols were being adhered to, while our team was behind the scenes making sure the event was running smoothly," he said.
On the lessons brands should take into the future:
While Kaiser noted that his business survived the pandemic by focusing on influencer marketing and digital capabilities, he added that there's nothing quite like an in-person event. "Humans are social creatures, and we crave human connection. The people you meet, the stories you share and the overall impact are just so much greater in person."
So, what can brands and event organizers learn from the last year? "One thing we began to notice overall was a desire to be more intentional and thoughtful in processes and events," he said. "With so many digital events happening across categories, brands had to really think about the purpose of throwing an event and how they could execute that in a way that would resonate. As we get back to planning in-person events again, I think this is something we’re going to take with us—looking at activations more thoughtfully, and ensuring we’re being as intentional as possible to create experiences that actually have meaning."
