With over 80,000 likes last night during a live streaming e-commerce show, BBC Radio 1’s 1st blind presenter Lucy Edwards gave real-time advice about which fragrances to buy on the hottest shopping platform in the UK: the OOOOO app.
A professional broadcaster and presenter, Lucy has millions of fans who love her authentic YouTube makeup tutorials and her videos giving insight into everyday things people ask her such as “How does a blind girl write a card” and “How does a blind girl mow the grass”. Her video “How blind people light a candle” attracted a whopping 7.5 million views. With a huge fanbase of almost 700,000 followers on Tik Tok, this just shows how eager people are to educate themselves about how others with unique circumstances live their lives.
At the age of 17, Lucy completely lost sight in both of her eyes due to Incontinentia Pigmenti. Since then, Lucy has become a teacher and role model for curious individuals interested in learning through her educational videos. With a great presenting style, Lucy is now selling perfume products through UK’s top shopping app OOOOO.
Oftentimes, we are swayed by a brand name or the style of the bottle of perfume we are purchasing. Lucy used only her olfactory sense to tell the 80,000 viewers what she thought of each perfume, giving her reviews unbiased authenticity.
Launched only a year ago, OOOOO is live shopping and entertainment platform with 25 channels from perfume, sneakers to books. The hugely positive response to last night’s show highlights the desire for people to educate themselves which is why OOOOO’s School.TV will be a major channel for the app as education in itself is a culture.
“We are focusing on categories where there is a culture. Such as handbags, wines, sneakers, toys. We think that where there is a culture, there is a conversation – and conversations are best when they are interactive and live. That is what OOOOO is.” Sam Jones, co-founder OOOOO
In 2021, OOOOO launched partnerships with fast fashion megabrand ISAWITFIRST, The Fragrance Shop, and FAO Schwarz (Toys TV). OOOOO signed a partnership with Online Retail Giant B2W in Brazil and they have opened a live recording studio for buskers in Soho, London (Busking TV).
Their newest TV channel Drinks TV is being headed up by Karen Hardwick DipWSET who will be developing the separate Drinks TV app. Karen will be leading Drinks TV which will allow consumers and producers to connect directly via their live stream shows from vineyards in East Sussex to France, gin distilleries in Scotland, brewers, coffee roasters and tea blenders.
There will be an aperitif hour, by experts; Clara Rubin, IWSC lifetime achievement winner, and sommelier and Daniel Miceli, Team Leader at Soho Farmhouse, among others.
Karen’s background is 30 years in the drinks trade in various sales and marketing roles. starting with Britvic, moving to Bass Brewers. Karen owned and ran The Wine Academy for 10 years, running wine, spirit, and brewing education courses as well as corporate events. In 2012, Karen was voted Wine and Spirit Educator of the Year by the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. For the last 10 years, Karen have been working both with National on Trade customers and supermarkets to develop their wine ranges before joining OOOOO.
“What we are trying to achieve is an education and entertainment source where all the drinks and accessories are shoppable. But if you simply want to join and learn without purchasing that’s not a problem. There is no cost to join the drinks.tv community and all of the content is free to access. For producers they get a chance to tell their story direct and unabridged, it’s live so no opportunity to edit or airbrush!”
“What I really enjoy is allowing the producers to tell their stories in their words rather than trying to condense it into a few words on a back label or a carefully curated drinks menu. We want this to be raw and unscripted but also to be informed and respectful. We will be paying particular attention to those producers who are making a real effort to farm sustainably and in an environmentally conscious way.” Drinks TV, GM Karen Hardwick DipWSET
You can download the OOOOO app here