CELEBRATING INNOVATION IN MEDICINE

The situation

Every year, GSK's Transformational Medicine and Vaccine Awards recognise the scientists driving some of the most significant advances in medicine and vaccines anywhere in the world.

The event had become GSK's flagship global innovation awards. But flagship status brings its own pressure: an awards ceremony that stays the same year after year starts to contradict the very thing it's meant to celebrate.

GSK wanted an event that didn't just celebrate innovation - it embodied it. A new format, a new structure, a new story. One that could scale globally, land as a hybrid experience, and make 15,000 people - in the room and watching remotely - feel the weight of what was being recognised.

Two men give a presentation on a stage with a large screen displaying a DNA helix illustration. The stage has a backdrop with 'GSK' and 'ESMO 23.'

What we did

We rebuilt the TMVAs from the inside out.

Rather than refreshing the existing format, we started with the story - what innovation in transformational medicine actually means for patients, for science, and for the people in that room who had dedicated their careers to it. The event structure, the format, the content and the experience all followed from that story rather than the other way around.

The result was a hybrid event that brought together a live audience with a global virtual one - connected not just by a livestream but by a shared experience designed to make every participant feel part of the same moment.

Orange colored booklets or pamphlets titled 'GSK Transforamtion Medicines and Vaccines Award 2023' lined up on a shelf.
A large audience sitting in rows of chairs inside a modern, multi-story building with a Christmas tree decorated with red ribbons and ornaments in the background, during what appears to be a conference or presentation.
A woman in a leather jacket and striped skirt is handing out awards or trophies to a line of people at a ceremony inside a conference room.

The result

A single hybrid event that reached and moved an audience at scale.

15,000 attendees

300+ innovation winners recognised

26,000 virtual hearts and claps

"I want to share a HUGE THANK YOU for all of your efforts to make today's TMVA event spectacular. From the planning and prep, to the video shoots, to the platform build, to the gift boxes, to the awards show, there was not a detail missed, not a thing left undone. Your dedication to each other, to R&D and to making this event truly wonderful was evident every step of the way. We recognised R&D stars today, but I want you to know that in a sky full of stars, I saw you.”

Head of Internal Engagement, GSK

Two women smiling while holding orange award trophies, posing behind a large photo frame at an event.
Audience members at a conference raising their hands in response to a speaker or question. Attendees are seated in auditorium-style chairs with a large screen and camera equipment visible in the background.
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