For an event honouring the best in live events, a good show is necessary. The EVCOM Live Awards 2016 did not disappoint. Replete with live musicians, a starlit venue, street dancers and a glow-in-the-dark basketball, the event was lively. Not to mention the two Guinness World Records attempts made on the night.

But the show was only part of the evening for EVCOM, for which the awarding of the best in live events was the main attraction. Though the top awards went to Smyle Group (‘Agency of the year’) and Coralle Desoutter from the Stroke Association (‘Peter Franks Rising Star Award’), the night was won by JWT London. The agency took home three golds and three bronze awards for its work with HSBC.

HSBC has long been known for its in situ advertising in airports worldwide. The engaging ads liven up jetways and travelators, and now, thanks to JWT’s installation at Gatwick Airport, the bank has bringing the Yangtze River to London. The ‘Living River’ project used a soundscape of noises recorded along the Yangtze to transport travellers not only through Gatwick’s Skybridge, but to one of the world’s longest rivers.

EdComs took home a gold in the ‘Education & training event’ category for its work in urban planning education. Other winners included work for financial services companies, auto brands and even event venues themselves.

Steve Garvey, CEO of EVCOM, says, “Live events agencies, their clients, suppliers and the media gathered to celebrate at the EVCOM Live Awards 2016, and they certainly celebrated with limitless enthusiasm. Never before have so many senior events people got down on one knee to break a world record and raise money for Meeting Needs, and never before has the standard of winning projects been so high.”

Midway through the festivities, the attendees broke the Guinness World Record for the 'Most people performing jazz hands.' For one minute, 394 people got down on one knee and shimmied their begloved hands to outdo the previous record holders who had only 250 people perform the feat. It was truly a night that will go down in the record books.

The full list of winners is as follows:

EVCOM Platinum Award (sponsored by Melia Hotels International)
J. Walter Thompson London

Agency of the Year (sponsored by Hyatt International)
Gold: Smyle Group

Silver: BrandFuel

Bronze: drp

Highly Commended: TRO

Automotive Event sponsored by Dubai Business Events
Gold: Jack Morton for Honda @ Goodwood 2016

Silver: drp for Triumph – Global Dealer Conference 2015

Bronze: TRO for BMW at Goodwood Festival of Speed

AV/Production Supplier sponsored by Integro Entertainment (ACJ)
Gold: DB Systems for Future Reality

Silver: Production Bureau for Doosan Global Business Forum 2016

Brand Experience sponsored by PRG XL Video
Gold: J. Walter Thompson London for A Living River

Silver: EdComs for ParalympicsGB Rio 2016 Torch Tour

Bronze: In2EventsLtd for AlphaGo Challenge Match

Highly Commended: AMV Live of AMV BBDO for The Night of the Wolf

Highly Commended: FreemanXP for Vodafone Future Breakers Live at Capital’s Summertime Ball 2016

Clarion Grand Prix Live Award sponsored by INVNT
Gold: EdComs for KPMG Work Ready 2016

Silver: The Edge Picture Company for Ask Yourself

Bronze: J. Walter Thompson London for A Living River

Collaborative Event sponsored by Young Guns
Gold: Goose Live Events for 25th European H.O.G Rally 2016

Silver: Ashfield for HIVee – The HIV Experience Exchange

Bronze: Pure Events for groupm EMEA Conference 2016

Conference Overseas sponsored by euromic
Gold: George P. Johnson for One Young World 2015, Bangkok

Silver: Pure Events for groupm EMEA Conference 2016

Bronze: Ashfield for HIVee – the HIV Experience Exchange

Conference UK sponsored by Hiscox Event Assured
Gold: Meet & Potato for Conference Carnival 2016

Silver: The Rachel Ley Consultancy (RLC) for ITM Conference 2016

Bronze: BrandFuel for Zeitgeist

Education & Training Event sponsored by Ashfield Meetings & Events
Gold: EdComs for UrbanPlan UK

Silver: EdComs for Deloitte ASPIRE

Bronze: EdComs for ParalympicsGB Rio 2016 Torch Tour

Highly Commended: NexGen Healthcare Communications for UK Breast Cancer Summit Meeting 2015

Entertainment/Speaker Bureau Agency of the Year sponsored by The Appointment Group
Gold: Performing Artistes

Silver: Speakers Corner

Event Organised by an In-house event/Communications Team sponsored by Gallowglass
Gold: QEII Centre for Outside the Box

Silver: Stoke Park/Ace Group for The Boodles 2016

Experiential Event sponsored by EventsTag
Gold: BrandFuel for Android MWC Barcelona

Silver: AMV Live of AMV BBDO for The Night of the Wolf

Bronze: TBA for Marking 325 years of the Nolet Distilling Tradition

Bronze: J. Walter Thompson London for A Living River

Highly Commended: FreemanXP for Vodafone Future Breakers Live at Capital’s Summertime Ball 2016

Highly Commended: TRO for British Airways: Access All Areas at Isle of Wight Festival

Highly Commended: TRO for Lucozade Zero Consumer Launch

Financial/Business Event sponsored by The Communication Directors’ Forum
Gold: Cheerful Twentyfirst for Entrepreneur of the Year Awards – UK Final 2015

Silver: We are Vista Ltd for LBG One Group 2016

Bronze: J. Walter Thompson London for A Living River

Highly Commended: drp for Lloyds 250th

Integrated Marketing Award sponsored by Pure Events
Gold: AMV Live of AMV BBDO for The Night of the Wolf

Silver: FreemanXP for Vodafone Future Breakers Live at Capital’s Summertime Ball 2016

Internal Engagement sponsored by Melia Hotels International
Gold: Rapport for ONE ASTELLAS Live

Silver: Action Impact Events LLC for Al Habtoor 45th Anniversary Event

Bronze: drp for Wickes – Year Beginning Meeting

Highly Commended: Sledge for Conference Week

Highly Commended: NexGen Healthcare Communications for 2016 Congress podcasts

Highly Commended: Ashfield for Kollider Hackathon

Outdoor Event sponsored by Cheerful Twentyfirst
Gold: BrandFuel for Android Mobile World Congress

Silver: Action Impact Events LLC for Qasr Al Muwaiji (QAM) Opening Ceremony

Bronze: FreemanXP for Vodafone Future Breakers Live at Capital’s Summertime Ball 2016
Peter Franks Rising Star Award sponsored by WRG
Gold: Coralie Desoutter, Stroke Association
Silver: Bethany Chamberlain, The Appointment Group
Bronze: Sian Smith, Sledge
Pharma/Healthcare/Cosmetics Event sponsored by AXA PPP Healthcare
Gold: Rapport for ONE ASTELLAS Live
Silver: Ashfield – HIVee – The HIV Experience Exchange
Bronze: NexGen Healthcare Communications for UK Breast Cancer Summit Meeting 2015

Product Launch
Gold: Top Banana for Martini Brand Refresh

Silver: drp for Triumph-Global Dealer Conference 2015

Silver: WRG for Triumph Global Product Launch

Bronze: She’s Gott It! for Hitachi Rail Opening

Highly Commended: TRO for Lucozade Zero Consumer Launch

Public Event sponsored by Active Training Team
Gold: SPARK THINKING for Leeds Beckett Graduation Festival 2016
Public Sector Event sponsored by drp
Gold: Action Impact Events LLC for Qasr Al Muwaiji (QAM) Opening Ceremony

Sporting Event sponsored by JA Hotels & Resorts
Gold: TRO for BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth

Silver: TRO for Nissan at the UEFA Champions League Final, Milan

Bronze: Venues and Events International & Zing Events for Bidwells’ Carnival of Sport

Use of Technology sponsored by Cvent
Gold: J Walter Thompson London for A Living River

Silver: TRO for TRO Retail: The Sweet Shop

Bronze: TBA for Marking 325 years of the Nolet Distilling Tradition

Highly Commended: IMC Productions Ltd for A Streetcar named Hyundai

Use of Venue sponsored by Mash Media Group
Gold: J. Walter Thompson London for A Living River

Silver: Production Bureau for Doosan Global Business Forum 2016

Bronze: Troxy for Troxy and Kerrang! Awards 2016

Highly Commended: WRG for Google Garage

Highly Commended: She’s Gott It! for Hitachi Rail Opening