case study
A graduation to remember
Brighter were tasked with organising a graduation ceremony right after COVID-19 which meant there was 3 years worth of graduations to squeeze into 3 days.
graduates and guests
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online viewers via YouTube
million steps from the Brighter team
The Challenge
Make it a day to remember
The University of Southampton hosts both summer and winter graduation ceremonies, spread over a week with multiple ceremonies each day.
Organising modern graduation ceremonies involves meticulous planning, managing the flow of graduates and guests, ensuring an engaging experience, live streaming, and catering. The pandemic created a backlog, resulting in nearly 50,000 attendees at the 2022 events, held on one of the hottest days of the year.
The logistical challenges included accommodating graduates arriving, obtaining their gowns, taking photographs, and celebrating with guests post-ceremony. To manage the large numbers, we moved the event from the O2 Guildhall to Southampton Football Stadium, utilising one of the stands and constructing the graduation stage in front of it.
We established a comprehensive hospitality village, provided entertainment, and streamed the event on a private YouTube channel for those unable to attend in person. Specialist health and safety teams conducted a thorough risk assessment before the event, provided bottled water, and had medical teams on standby for emergencies. Accessibility needs were met with live British Sign Language interpreters and hearing loops.
The result
Many happy graduates
After months of planning, our team (including a Project Manager, Logistics Manager, Production Manager, Onsite AV Crew, Show Caller, Health and Safety Manager, and six sign language staff) coordinated efforts at two locations: Southampton Football Stadium and Winchester Cathedral. With thousands of online viewers from around the globe, the team handled an ambulance call, secured a stretch tent amid high winds, and facilitated an unforgettable day for over 50,000 graduates and guests. The team collectively covered more than 1.5 million steps over the course of the event - just another day’s work.
It was a momentous effort by the team who pulled together through two long weeks to help bring the event to life. Months of planning each and every single minute detail paid off to deliver a memorable graduation experience for each and every single guest.
