Brand Activation
BEVEL at Omega Psi Phi’s 85th Grand Conclave
A grooming lounge designed to move people and built to bring them together.
Industry
Fraternity, Non-Profit
Services
Event Activation, Photography, Print Collaterals, Project Management
The story
Create a premium BEVEL experience inside one of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.’s most important gatherings, then make every detail work inside a live convention environment. At the 85th Grand Conclave in Cincinnati, HICO Solutions transformed a high-traffic pre-function area into a destination: part barbershop, part product experience, part photo moment, and part social lounge. Developed with Omega Psi Phi and BEVEL, a Procter & Gamble grooming brand, the activation gave members and guests several natural ways to enter, engage, stay, and connect.
From challenge to outcome
01 — Challenge
The experience had to honor two distinct brands while serving a multigenerational audience and navigating the practical realities of a convention center: traffic flow, power, sanitation, labor, procurement, delivery windows, installation, staffing, and guest service. Just as important, the barber chairs could serve only a limited number of people at a time, so the broader space needed to keep everyone else meaningfully engaged.
02 — Approach
HICO Solutions coordinated the work as one connected guest journey—aligning strategy, creative direction, production, staffing, and show-floor operations around a single standard of execution. The team translated the sponsorship vision into a practical activation plan, connected Omega leaders, BEVEL representatives, venue partners, show-services teams, and vendors, and kept decisions moving through a concentrated planning schedule. HICO Solutions also directed and coordinated layouts, graphics, signage, displays, furnishings, and branded touchpoints that paired BEVEL’s black-and-white visual system with Omega’s purple-and-gold presence, while managing packages, materials, vendor sourcing, budgets, venue requirements, power planning, staffing, setup, barbers, DJs, brand ambassadors, customer-service staff, and production assistants.
03 — Solution
The activation was designed as a sequence of complementary moments rather than a single branded booth. A welcome and discovery point introduced the experience and supported product conversations. Two professional barber stations delivered trims and grooming services in a polished environment. Purple-and-gold and “Fresh Never Fades” photo moments invited guests to pause and share. A branded DJ area, lounge elements, product displays, sampling, and staff support gave visitors reasons to relax, socialize, learn about BEVEL, and move through the space at their own pace.
04 — Impact
What changed
The activation operated the way it was intended to: as a useful, welcoming destination where members and visitors could engage with BEVEL, receive a service, discover products, take a photo, enjoy the atmosphere, and connect with one another.
100%
Barber Availability Booked
1000's
Product samples shared
65%
Foot traffic → Social Engagement