The evening, which was hosted by Peep Show actor and comedian David Mitchell, saw 18 gold and 26 silver awards handed out to the cream of the advertising crop, with guest presenters including actor Stanley Tucci.
Hawthorn has delivered the technical production for the British Arrows Awards since 2011, with the design and production values increasing in specification and complexity each year. Working alongside the British Arrows Awards producers, the team at Hawthorn once again provided an imaginative and unique way of using the 4,000sqm event space at Battersea. The venue split into three separate areas, providing an evolving guest journey throughout the evening and to mark the awards 40th year, British Arrows tasked Hawthorn with making the event even more spectacular.
As guests walked into the venue, they were greeted by an open plan view of the event space before them and a large 13m x 3m 3.9mm LED wall behind them, showing custom British Arrows content. With stunning video content, the focal point of the ceremony, an AI Media Server was used to show super-wide video across a 40m area, using five large projection screens to showcase the winning advertising campaigns and give the successful teams the recognition they deserved.
Lighting was kept simple but effective, utilising 120 Source Four Par's to frame the screens and provide a golden 'glow' around the room, complementing the British Arrows brand and visuals. Twelve Martin MAC Viper moving lights added depth and texture to the room and created impressive awards 'stings' for the winners.
As the awards ceremony ended, guests were treated to an after-party back in the bar area. This space was sectioned off using drapes whilst the event was live, allowing a dancefloor to be laid, a video jockey to be set up, and the lighting trusses to change heights to create a different feel for the guests. The 13m x 3m LED wall was used to display content from the VJ, supported by 24 Robe Pointe moving lights to create a real party atmosphere.
Awards director Janey de Nordwall at the British Arrows, said, "We've been working with Hawthorn for a number of years and never fail to be impressed by both the creative and technical skills of the team. As this was our 40th anniversary, we wanted to create a truly unforgettable event, really going beyond what we had done in previous years. We were delighted with the service that Hawthorn provided and the feedback from guests on the evening was fabulous."
Tom Ring, senior project manager at Hawthorn, commented, "It was amazing to work with the British Arrows team again to produce this year's ceremony. Every year the bar is raised and we always rise to the challenge - we aim to go above and beyond our client's expectations. The layout and design of the event really shows off the versatility of Battersea Evolution and demonstrates how our technical expertise within the venue enables us to deliver amazing results."
(Jim Evans)
