Ghd oracle lands exclusively in rush salons – here's the inside scoop

From 1 May ghd oracle is available to purchase exclusively at Rush Salons in the UK. HJ speaks to ghd’s managing director Antony Strianese and Rush’s co-founder Stell Andrew about the duo’s new partnership where clients can learn how to use the professional curling tool before taking it home.

The revolutionary new ghd oracle – Antony Strianese at ghd's take on the partnership

Why has ghd decided to expand its curling category with ghd oracle? Curls continue to be a huge trend and with the launch of ghd oracle, our aim is to help consumers make their hair styling journey as streamlined and easy as possible. Many consumers struggle to curl their hair but with the new ghd oracle, curling is now as easy as straightening. It is the perfect tool for time-poor clients following professional training in the salon. Why have you chosen to stock ghd oracle exclusively in professional hair salons? The role of the salon channel is pivotal for ghd and remains at the heart of the business. This goes hand-in-hand with education, which is central to the launch of ghd oracle. With this tool you can create a multitude of curls and waves just by a slight tilt of the hand and the speed at which the tool glides over the hair. It is crucial that we arm our consumers, via our professional stylists in salon, with all the information and knowledge they need so they can create these looks with ease and do so confidently. Can you tell us about your exclusive partnership with Rush? We are thrilled to be working with Rush as our UK exclusive partner to launch our most exciting innovation to date. Rush complies to a salon-centric focus that matches the ghd strategy. Rush salons already use, love and endorse the ghd range with proven success and growth. Rush will be providing complimentary tutorials for all consumers so they can learn how to use the tool before purchase. If they want to pop back for a further session, Rush will be happy to facilitate. How will you create a buzz around ghd oracle for the launch? We want the stylists to be the key drivers and power holders for this launch. Their hands and knowledge are the tools for educating, creating content, showing how to create a variety of curls and waves and we are excited to watch this unfold throughout May, when ghd oracle launches. The stylists really are the oracle in how to get the best out of this tool. What is the long-term plan for ghd oracle? After the four-month exclusivity period with Rush, we look forward to inviting additional salons to be part of the ghd oracle journey. We hope through this salon-only method we will empower our professional salon partners to feel more comfortable recommending professional products and encouraging sales as an essential part of the salon aftercare service. We know professional salon endorsement is key for clients and they trust and value the opinions of the hairdressers in their lives. Salon business is in our DNA and something we cherish.

The exclusive salon partner – Stell Andrew at Rush's take on the partnership

Why were you chosen to be the exclusive salon partner for ghd oracle? We were chosen because of our passion and drive for education for both our staff and the consumer. Our status is a nationwide growing brand, and our client consultation process is a key factor at Rush that drives in high volumes of new clients every week. What will this partnership mean for Rush salons? This exclusive partnership supports our brand awareness strategy. It allows us to work closely with ghd (the leading experts in this field) and will attract both new and regular clients into Rush salons throughout the UK. Rush has been working with ghd for a long time and it’s a very proud moment for me to see our salons be part of this exclusive launch in the UK. How will you promote ghd oracle in your salons during the exclusive launch period? We’ll use a multi-channel approach for promotion using email marketing and our social media channels. When clients visit our salons, they will see ghd oracle messaging in the window and throughout the salon. We have also planned some salon window takeovers to allow ghd oracle to become the hero product. Can you tell us about the training you’ll be giving stylists ahead of the launch? We’ve worked closely with the ghd education team, and our education team in our Covent Garden academy has held small group training sessions. This has allowed key stylists and managers from each salon to take part in training and ask questions, which has kept the training very personalised. How will your team educate clients during a salon appointment? Clients will be taken through a personalised consultation process, where stylists will talk to them about how they wear their hair on a daily basis and what type of curls they like to achieve. Our stylists will show clients how to use ghd oracle to achieve the desired look and they will be given the chance to try the tool themselves to ensure they feel comfortable before leaving the salon. Why is it important for new innovations to be stocked exclusively in professional salons? New innovation to the market brings a wave of excitement to both clients and hairdressers but without the in-salon consultation, there will be confusion on how to use ghd oracle correctly. The online hair market is big business but you can’t buy expert knowledge online for a client’s specific hair type or lifestyle – all of these elements play a part in making any innovation in-salon a success.