The Architizer A+ Awards are the definitiveglobal architectural award program, with over 100 categories, and are judged by apanel of more than 400 luminaries and thought leaders from fields as diverse asfashion, publishing, product design, real estate development and tech. Winners,jurors and VIPs gathered on May 11 at a red-carpet gala that is part of thethree week long NYCxDesign program New York City. Comprising diverse andinnovative global projects from starchitects to emerging firms, this year’swinners represent the best new architecture, interiors, and products fromacross the globe. For the third year in a row, Empire was at the helm to ensurethis event was a success.

The ceremony kicked off with a phenomenal andimpassioned speech about the Architecture industry by Architizer CEO MarcKushner who served as the evenings host.

"The A+ gala is more than just aparty. It represents a moment for us to stand up and champion our art, recognizingthe transformational role that architecture plays in our lives," said Kushner.

Luminaries from the world of architecture anddesign entered the industrial-style space to a red carpet and step & repeatwelcome, where event sponsor Sunbrella’s custom architectural installationwelcomed guests under an array of colored fabric. Guests enjoyed cocktails andpassed hors d'oeuvres by Cloud Catering along with ambient music played by DJJavier Peral, while enjoying the décor and enhanced atmosphere with a customCorian bar created by sponsor DuPont.

Attendees also enjoyed interacting with theBehr/Home Depot photo booth and extraordinary visual demonstrations of winningprojects by the virtualreality team at Graphisoft.

This year's biggest winner was Adjaye Associateswhich was named Firm of the Year, and other special achievement awards werepresented to Koray Duman, Tatiana Bilbao, Carlo Ratti, and and DJI drones,among others. The Lifetime Achievement honoree was handed to the brilliantarchitect, Odile Decq, which was highlight of the night where all were inspiredby her legacy.

"[Receiving this award] is anincredible honor and, of course, very humbling...To be recognized for work thatyou deeply believe in is incredibly rewarding." - Sir David Adjaye

Empire is a premier producer of some of theworld's most prestigious award ceremonies, including The Webby Awards, TheFragrance Foundation Awards, and was honored to be chosen as Architizer'sproduction partner for the 2017 Architizer A+Awards.

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​Action Carting treated their customers and investors to a night of"BAM!" at Emeril's flagship restaurant in New Orleans. Guests weretreated to some of the celebrity chef's most famous Cajun & Creole dishesincluding his BBQ Shrimp, Crawfish Boudin, and Banana Cream Pie.

Local music legend, KermitRuffins delivered an unforgettable headline performance, kicking off the nightwith his signature catch phrase “We partyin’ ya’ll!”

Voodoo priestesses roamedthe party dabbing love and money potions on guests, and local fortune tellersheld court in a candlelit wine cellar for anyone seeking a glimpse into theirfuture.

Guests were also invited tosample a variety of Bourbons, curated by Emeril’s in-house expert, which pairednicely with the nearby gumbo and chowder station.

With a line around theblock full of eager attendees, there was no better place to be in NewOrleans!

Empire has been producing The Webby Awards since 2005, and this year was one of the best yet.

Empire secured comedian and actor Joel McHale to host the 21st annual Webbys and his opening monologue set the tone for the evening: irreverent, hilarious, and at times, poignant. He also reminded winners of the show’s unique “five words or less” acceptance speech rule, warning them that if they were to speak more than five words, “we use the same security as United Airlines”.

As always, the Webbys honored a variety of the internet’s best. Winners included Artist of the Year, Solange, Best Actress, Gillian Anderson (presented her award by her X-Files co-star David Duchovny), and Best Actor, Steve Buscemi, who received his trophy from comedian and actor Louis C.K.

Other winners and presenters included political commentator Van Jones, multi-Grammy Award winning rap musician Residenté, The Women’s March co-chairs Carmen Perez, Linda Sarsour, and Bob Bland, New York Times Crossword Puzzle Editor Will Shortz, and YouTube Creators for Change ambassadors Franchesca Ramsey, Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, and Humza Arshad.

The event was once again held at Cipriani Wall Street and featured a colorful and exciting set design created by David Korins, the Tony nominated scenic designer of Broadway’s “Hamilton” and “War Paint”. After a standing ovation for the founders of the Women’s March ended the show on a high note, attendees enjoyed a fantastic afterparty at Highline Ballroom where Empire presented Questlove to spin and keep the dance floor packed.

Empire is honored to have worked with The Webby Awards for 13 consecutive years. The 21^st Annual Webby Awards are now available to watch online here.

SmartCities NYC is a newly-minted conference & exposition that explores theintersection of technology and urban life. Presented recently in therevitalized Brooklyn Navy Yard, the inaugural event was sponsored by Microsoftand featured world-renowned speakers, a cutting edge exposition, workshops,panels, parties, and a multitude of public events drawing attendees from aroundthe world.

For the past several years Smart Cities events have been heldglobally, bringing together hundreds of local, national, and internationalorganizations from government, academic, public, and private sectors inBarcelona, Istanbul, Kyoto, Casablanca, and Puebla to focus attention on urbaninnovation and to bring together businesses and institutions interested infinding the best solutions.

In 2017, Global Futures Group and Emergence Creative, in partnership with the NYC Mayor's Office ofTechnology and Innovation,engaged Empire as its Producer to launch the Smart Cities’ NYC conference.

Inspired to meet the growing interest in pioneering urban solutions that are defining and transforming cities around the world, Smart Cities was organized around three major concepts – innovation, infrastructure, and inclusion. Smart Cities NYC’17 focused specifically on the importance ofcitizen participation in making cities ‘smart’. With over250 speakers, Smart Cities NYC’17 covered a broad range of important topics from cybersecurity and cloud computing, to technology forthe disabled, mental health, big data, drones, rooftop urban agriculture,shared housing, transportation, and infrastructure.

Some of the noteworthy speakers and participants included: Toni Townes-Whitley - Corporate VicePresident Worldwide Public Sector,Microsoft (tech and education), Miguel Gamiño Jr.- Chief Technology Officer, City of New York (civic tech & innovation), Daniel Doctoroff - Founder and CEO of Google’s Sidewalk Labs, RachelHaot-Managing Director,1776 (global incubator & seed funding),Robert Wolf– Chairman and Co-Founder, Measure: Drone as a Service (dronesolutions), Abby Joseph Cohen- Senior Investment Strategist, Goldman Sachs, Richard Park– CEO, CityMD (tech solutions for healthcare),David Rothkopf– CEO and Editor, FP Group (global foreign policy insight& analysis), Gregory Treverton– Former Chairman, National Intelligence Council (U.S. Intelligence Community), Andrew Right– Former Counselor, U.S. Secretary of Transportation (transportation & infrastructure), Stacey Gillett – Senior Program Officer, Bloomberg Philanthropies, James Ramsey-Co-Founder and Creator, Lowline anddeveloper Lela Goren of the Goren Group amongst many more.

Simultaneously the eventfeatured an exhibit hall and Business to Business trade show that included interactivedemonstrations from sponsors ranging from Microsoft,Verizon, Union Point, BostonProperties/Dock72, German Areospace, Victor+Stanley, BMW/Urban X, PBSC Urban Solutions,Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands among many others. At the expo, lead sponsor Microsoft showcased HoloLens - the first self-contained, holographic computer, enablingparticipants to engage with digital content and interact with holograms in theworld around them. As well, Measure: Drone as a Service demonstrating its turnkey drone solutions via the DJI Inspire 2,the first filmmaking drone in the world to integrate HD video transmission.

On the final day Smart Cities NYC’17 hosted STEAM AHEAD, a day of citizenengagement to help New Yorkers access the information they need to betterprepare them for the demands of the modern workforce. From challenging highschool students to think big with moonshot projects, to creating employmentopportunities for our country’s veterans, to helping people seek meaningfulcareers in technology, STEAM AHEAD brought companies, nonprofits, andgovernment departments together with members of the community to discuss thechallenges and opportunities of work in the 21^st century.

The four-dayevent culminated in a by-invite-only “Humans of the Year” Closing Night Party, hosted by Smart Cities NYC’17 media partner, VICE Motherboard, and Prius Prime. Vice Motherboard and Smart Cities NYC invited over 500guests to enjoy closing night cocktails and custom projectioninstallations in the cavernous Duggal Greenhouse space as well as on thepicturesque East River waterfront.

Itsplacement in the Duggal Greenhouse, whereHillaryClintonandBernieSandersdebatedlast spring, showcased Brooklyn’s increased standing in the world oftechnology. And in the past year, the Brooklyn Navy Yard has been host to twotech hubs opening up there: New Lab, a workspace for manufacturing anddesign firms, and 1776NY, a startup incubator.

Empire served as overall producer of Smart Cities NYC and wasresponsible for project management, production design, technical production,staging, production of digital media content liaison with all exhibiting sponsors,staffing, catering (through a partnership with the New York Food TruckAssociation) and café area. Additionally, Empire’s team worked closely withGlobal Futures, Microsoft, VICE and other partners to facilitate each partner’sactivation and to supervise the overall guest experience.

Empire is proud to have served as producer of the inaugural SmartCities NYC and to have supported this important thought leadership platform.

To learn more about Smart Cities NYC visit http://smartcitiesnyc.com

Now in its 9th year, the Shorty Awards continue to honor the best influencers, celebrities, brandsand agencies on social media, across Snapchat, Periscope, Instagram, YouTube,Twitter and other platforms. In order to keep up with the competition’s growth,the Shorty Awards upgraded to the PlayStation Theater in the heart of TimesSquare in New York City for the ceremony on April 23.

Nearly 800 influencers,brands, agencies and guests packed the theater for the ceremony, which featureda cocktail reception, a seated dinner and an after party at Refinery Rooftop. Thestaged event streamed live on YouTube to over 60,000 viewers internationally,as fans all over the globe tuned in to watch their favorite social media stars.

Tony Hale (Arrested Development and Veep) hosted the show and kept theaudience entertained while presenters including Casey Neistat, Bill Nye (TheScience Guy!), Skai Jackson, Kaitlyn Bristowe, Kelsey Darragh, and ShayMitchell gave out the awards. Mitchell and Nye even won their own categories ofBest Actress and Best in STEM, respectively.

This was themost competitive show to date, as over 5 million votes poured in from fans allover the world, a record for participation. Winners of the signature Whale-TailTrophy included Gaten Matarrazo, Doug the Pug, Gigi Gorgeous, Chrissy Teigen,BTS, Mara Wilson and many more! Karlie Kloss was the esteemed recipient of theinaugural Shorty Phenom Award for Kode with Klossy, a summer camp where sheworks to inspire young girls across America to pursue their interest incomputer sciences.

Rising star andR&B/hip-hop artist Lizzo amazed the crowd with energetic performances ofher songs “Scuse Me,” “Phone” and “Good as Hell.”

We’re proud topartner with The Shorty Awards for our third year and we wish a hugecongratulations to all the winners this year!

Watch the Shorty Awards Here

For the first time ever, all five networks comprising AMC Networks – AMC,BBC America, IFC, Sundance and WEtv – came together to present a single upfrontunder the umbrella of AMCN. This year’s ambitious event featured a multi-roomstaged experience and a star-studded dinner for over 600 VIP guests.

Upon arriving at Skylight Clarkson North, guests were immediately transportedinto the world of AMCN. An elegant arrival hall featuring key art ofprogramming across all five networks led guests into the smart and sophisticated cocktail reception. Guests enjoyed savory hors d’oeuvresand prosecco until Scott Collins, President of AMC Networks Ad Sales, deliveredwelcome remarks and revealed the dinner.

On cue, drapes pulled open to reveal a massive, elegant dining room tothe awestruck guests. Two giant, towering high resolution LED video walls,each 64’ in length, flanked the room, and a sea of tables sparkled custom-designedcenterpieces of bell glass-enclosed lights. While dining on the gazpacho and mini lobster roll amuse bouche, provided by Abigail Kirsch, President & GM of AMC and SundanceTV, Charlie Collier, spoke about the upcoming programmingon both networks while visual content adapted to the unique screens illustratedeach point in perfect synchronization. Collier called Walking Dead star Norman Reedus to stage to time how long he could speak without mentioning the show (about 12 minutes).

After Collier’s remarks he welcomed Sarah Barnett, President & GM ofBBC America, to the stage where she shared breathtaking, immersive footage fromPlanet Earth 2 and other exciting news. Collins then returned towelcome with fanfare nearly 60 of the stars from across all AMCNetworks, who made their way into the room and joined the guests at each table. Among others, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Peet, Hank Azaria,Elijah Wood, Steve Buscemi, Carrie Brownstein, Norman Reedus, Kendra Wilkinson,Fred Armisen, and Mama June dined with guests and rotated tables betweencourses.

Following dinner, Marc Juris, President & GM of WEtv, and JenCaserta, President & GM of IFC, both shared news about their respectivenetworks’ upcoming slate and announced new partnerships and acquisitions. Collinsthen welcomed guests to yet another revealed space, the after-party lounge, whereguests took photos with their favorite AMCN celebs. Throughout the after-party, guests enjoyed cocktails mixed with theatrical flair, danced to music spunby DJ Jon Black, and shared photos taken on a social media green screen photobooth where they dressed in AMC Networks programming-inspired costumes likeservers at Los Pollos Hermanos withtalent like Romeo Miller.

MediaVillage journalist Simon Applebaum wrote of theevent, “While other cable-distributed channels dropped out of the 2017 New YorkUpfront scene, AMC … bounced back with yet another unforgettable presentation.This time, however, AMC was joined by the other networks in its fold – IFC, BBCAmerica, SundanceTV and WEtv. … To quote a Broadway song classic, ‘someenchanted evening.’ High-quality in all the key aspects, and kudos to allthe talent for letting attendees get to know them.”

Empire was proud to continue our long-term partnership with AMC Networksand serve as overall event producer, provide concept, design, technicalproduction, décor and execution of all aspects of this very special upfrontevent.

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​Empire was proud to once again serve as the producer of the TIME 100 Gala, which took place at the Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Each year, TIME publishes the TIME 100: a list of the most influential people in the world. To celebrate this highly anticipated release, TIME hosts an exclusive gala event in New York City attended by current and past TIME 100 honorees. With its extraordinary mix of world leaders, innovators and celebrities, the TIME 100 Gala is globally recognized as one of the most prestigious annual events.

As in past years, the 2017 TIME 100 was attended by a who’s who of global icons from industry, culture, sports, fashion and politics.

Participants and performers at this year’s Gala included John Legend, Demi Lovato, Viola Davis, Ava DuVernay, Raed Al-Saleh, Bernard J. Tyson and George Church as well as Time Inc. President & CEO Rich Battista, TIME Editor-In-Chief, Nancy Gibbs, and Time Inc. Senior Vice President of News, Luxury and Style, Meredith Long.

Among the notable attendees this year were Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Margot Robbie, Trevor Noah, RuPaul, Samantha Bee, Ashley Graham, Leslie Jones, Megyn Kelly, Katie Couric, Rebekah and Robert Mercer, Lindsey Vonn, Tom Perez, Naomi Campbell, and Harvey Weinstein.

The gala featured an extensive red carpet on two floors, an elegant cocktail reception over which was flown a ‘photo chandelier’ of TIME 100 honorees, a seated dinner and program that combined remarks, musical performances, toasts by some of the evening’s honorees, and an after party with DJ Mick. This year’s gala event was sponsored by Citi, Johnnie Walker, and Aston Martin.

As one of the world’s most high-stature events, the TIME 100 draws extensive global media coverage which this year included NBC’s Today Show, CBS This Morning, FOX, Entertainment Tonight, E! News, and Access Hollywood. Additionally, the TIME 100 generates extraordinary digital reach through TIME.com, online bloggers and social media from the attendees themselves.

With the world watching through such extensive coverage, the production of the TIME 100 requires the highest caliber of precision planning and flawless execution. Empire was proud to work closely with the TIME team to once again deliver a flawless and extraordinary evening.

Empire’s responsibilities included event design, talent booking & coordination, staging and technical production, venue and catering logistics coordination (catering provided by Great Performances), broadcast facilities, stage management, staffing, front of house logistics, security and sponsorship activations.

Empire is proud to continue our eight-year history with the TIME 100.

​In March 2017, Empire produced the Lowline’s 2nd ever Underground Garden Party to celebrate the closing of the Lowline Lab in the Lower East Side. The Lowline Lab is a one-of-a-kind testing space for the Lowline’s technology and vision. Since opening in October 2015, the lab welcomed over 100,000 visitors from across New York City and from around the world and numerous to preview the Lowline protoype as well as its numerous the organization’s research, community outreach, and cultural programmings. The Lowline Lab opened its doors one last time, after being open for a year and a half, to welcome guests to commemorate the Lowline’s accomplishments and the future of the project.

As guests entered a lush green entranceway they were welcomed to vines, branches, bromeliad plants and handmade kokodama balls suspended from the ceiling artfully installed by the talented John Mini Landscaping team. Guests enjoyed wine and cocktails sponsored by Reyka Vodka and Palm Bay Wines, and hors d’oeuvres made by Pinch Catering Designs. Under the overhead solar canopy and throughout the space, dancers, including the talented Mirror Man contortionist, presented by Vance Garrett Productions mingled with guests.

Another design element of the evening included an LED lighting tube installation along the walls, suspended from the hanging greenery, and on tabletops to create a dramatic lighting statement highlighting the Lowline’s fusion of technology and vision for an underground oasis. Following cocktails, a seated dinner inspired by the Lowline’s edible plants was served. The fun menu designed by Pinch included an Underground Tin Garden featuring fresh sushi tuna, beets and micro greens sponsored by Gotham Green that guests were invited to trim themselves. For their main course, guests enjoyed an elegant Radiant Cod dish using roasted root vegetables and trout roe.

The program featured speeches by Lowline co-founders Dan Barasch and James Ramsey, and Padma Lakshmi, who presented the evening’s honoree, Jolie Hunt, CEO of Hunt & Gather and Lowline Board Member. Jolie Hunt later took a moment to recognize the current Young Ambassadors of the Lowline Young Ambassadors Program - an innovative 6-month long program that seeks to enhance youth education surrounding science, technology engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) as well as provide communication and leadership skills. To end the dinner portion of the event, Jolie Hunt led the evening’s pledge moment to raise funds to support the future of the Lowline.

Immediately after the stage program, Pinch presented guests with gourmet ice cream cones for a sweet segue to the after-party using innovative ice cream flavors provided by experimental ice cream shop based in NYC, Ice + Vice. To continue the celebration, DJ ?uestlove took to the stage spinning for an additional 150 guests who joined in the festivities. Empire is honored to serve as the Lowline’s event producers since 2013 and proud to support the creation of the world’s first underground park.

To learn more about the Lowline, visit http://thelowline.org/

Target partnered with Empire to produce their 2017 FinancialCommunity Meeting – an annual presentation to analysts and media. It was heldat 583 Park, where Target reported on their 2016 earnings and shared anoverview of plans for the future.

Attendees were greeted with breakfast before being seatedfor opening remarks by John Hulbert, Target VP of Investor Relations. The firstportion of the presentation featured CEO Brian Cornell, COO John Mulligan andCFO Cathy Smith focusing on investments in the business for the long-term.These include the enhancement of digital and in-store experiences alongside theevolution of stores and supply chains, and the introduction of new exclusivebrands across the apparel and home departments.

For the second portion of the presentation, Michael E.McNamara (EVP, Chief Information and Digital Officer) and Mark Tritton (EVP andChief Merchandising Officer) joined the other executives onstage to fieldquestions from the audience. Guests thenproceeded downstairs for a luncheon and the opportunity to network with the Targetleadership team.

Following the stage program, Target conducted a separateQ&A for the media. CNBC was also onsite for an exclusive interview with CEOBrian Cornell.

The brand messaging and aesthetic were most prominent in thecustom stage backdrop accompanied by sleek, white theater seating in the MainBallroom.

Empire is proud to collaborate with Target, a Fortune 50company, to create and execute this top-tier business communication event.

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For the sixth year, Empire teamed up with visionary artist, entrepreneur and philanthropist will.i.am to produce the annual TRANS4M Gala, benefiting his i.am.angel Foundation. This year’s gala honored Marc Benioff, chairman and CEO of Salesforce, a pioneer of cloud computing and creator of the 1-1-1 model of philanthropy which leverages its resources to improve communities around the world. The evening was co-hosted by Ron Conway, Laurene Powell-Jobs, Sir Richard Branson, Van Jones, Lyn & Norman Lear, Ken Hertz and Polo Molina.

The i.am.angel Foundation supports charitable activities and educational programs providing college scholarships (i.am scholarship), college preparation (i.am College Track), and opportunities in STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math), all part of will.i.am’s commitment to TRANS4M-ing his hometown neighborhood of Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles.

On the evening of February 9, 2017, more than 350 supporters gathered at will.i.am’s studio and headquarters known as “The Future” for an intimate evening that showcased the Foundation’s programs and students. i.am.angel Foundation donors enjoyed cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and musical surprises by the Printz Trio as they made their way through The Future’s space, engaging with students in a variety of demonstrations related to i.am.angel Foundation’s STEAM programming.

After cocktails, guests made their way to Milk Studios, which was transformed into an elegant dining room with long rustic wooden tables juxtaposed with the venue’s steel and urban vibe. Flourishes including hanging greenery, pin-spotted tabletop florals, and flickering candlelight for a warm yet forward-looking style.

The program included heartwarming student testimonials, an education and philanthropy conversation between will.i.am and Marc Benioff, and a guest appearance by the Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti. As the evening progressed, auctioneer Abra Annes took the stage and led guests to bid on VIP experiences that ranged from a safari at Richard Branson’s Mahali Mzuri Lodge in Kenya to meeting Chris Rock at The Total Blackout Tour.

The evening finished with a high-energy performance by The Original Black Eyed Peas and after party beats provided by DJ Ali Shaheed.

Empire is honored to continue our long-term partnership with the i.am.angel Foundation and to serve as producer of this exclusive event.

For more information on this innovative foundation, please visit iamangelfoundation.org

On December 1, 2016, EBONY Magazine presented the 5th annualEBONY Power 100 Gala, honoring the nation’s 100 most powerful and influentialAfrican Americans, along with Lifetime Achievement recipients, Earth, Wind andFire and Cicely Tyson, and Ebony Icon Award recipient, Nile Rodgers.

This year’s Ebony Power 100, took place at the historicBeverly Hilton's International Ballroom and was hosted by the CEO of EbonyMedia Group, Cheryl Mayberry McKissack, the Chairman Emeritus, Ebony MediaOperations, Linda Johnson Rice, Editor-In-Chief of Ebony, Kyra Kyles, TheChairman of Ebony Media Operations, Michael Gibson, and The Vice Chairman ofEbony Media Operations, Willard Jackson.

Following red carpet arrivals and an elegant cocktailreception, the approximately 600 guests were seated for a dinner program emceedby actor, comedian and director, Cedric the Entertainer. Attendees wereentertained by a wide array of musical and dance performances, Performersincluded child dance phenom, and star of Black-ish, Miles Brown, neo-soul duo,Lion Babe, and a rousing finalé performance by Nile Rodgers and Chic, whichincluded a livestream to Facebook Live for the world to see.

DJ D-Nice performed throughout the event and spun at thepost-reception in the International Foyer and Terrace.

Celebrities and A-listers in attendance and showcased on thestage included Jimmy Jam, Skai Jackson, Regina King, Issa Rae, The Preachers, andCraig Robinson. Additional attendeesincluded Simone Biles (who graced one of the four covers of the annual issue),as well as Holly Robinson Peete, Kelly Rowland, Kathy Ireland, Pam Grier, and MatthewKnowles, and more.

First Lady, Michelle Obama (who along with the rest of theObama family, appear on this year’s Ebony Power 100 list) also sent a heartfeltvideo tribute for the occasion.

The Ebony Power 100 was presented by Nationwide Insurance,with other noteworthy sponsors and partners including United Airlines,Cadillac, and Hilton Worldwide.

Empire was honored to once again serve as event producer forthe Ebony Power 100, responsible for venue logistics, décor, production, talentbooking & coordination, registration, livestream, videography, eventlogistics and onsite management.​

In 2016 to capitalize on Empire's expansion in Asia, Empire opened a Hong Kong office to focus on the fast-growing Hong Kong, Macao and China markets. Among this office's first projects was the production of a special incentive program in Hong Kong to reward over 1,100top distributors from Japan.

The massive program held in the The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre consisted of an award ceremony and galadinner followed by a memorableBoyz II Men concert.

HongKong-themed videos created by Empire dynamically opened the ceremony andover 80 guests made speeches on the stage throughout the program. At the finalé of the gala diner, Boyz II Men took the stage to perform a 60 minute show that included their hit “End of the Road”, “I’ll Make Love” and “Water Runs Dry.” Afterthis unforgettableexperience, the international guests left the venue full of excitement.

Empire’s Hong Kong office provided turnkey event production services including the venue scout and coordination, design, logistics,catering, stage management, and international artist coordination to ensure asmooth experience for the client and to promote the best possible experiencefor the attendees.

With the opening of Empire's Hong Kong office, Empire builds upon it's existing presence in the Asia region and expands our ability to support major projects for clients based both in Asia and around the world. Please contact us for your next projects in Hong Kong and China.

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​On December 5, Empire delivered Daughtry as the surprise performer for Samsung Hope for Children’s annual Holiday Appreciation Mixer. In addition to hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and the opportunity to preview virtual reality and other technology installations at Samsung 837, Samsung’s not-for-profit foundation partners were treated to an intimate acoustic duo performance by American Idol star, Daughtry. Daughtry performed popular songs such as “Home,” “Crawling Back to You,” and “Life After You” before ending with a touching rendition of “Silent Night” to celebrate the holiday season. During the set, Chris Daughtry engaged the audience in a fun 360-degree photo using the Samsung Gear 360 camera.

Empire is a leading provider of top tier musical entertainment and talent for corporate clients, production companies and private interests, and was proud to partner again with Daughtry on another successful event.

Our favorite online mattress retailer, Casper, opened their first-everNYC storefront at 106 Spring Street in Soho just in time for the holidays tooffer curious customers the opportunity to try out the brand’s innovative lineof sleep products. The innovative pop-up shop, dubbed the Casper House, is thethird iteration of the concept, following successful runs in Los Angeles andLondon.

Conceived as an illustrated house that “fell” from the skyto “land” inside a brick and mortar store, this playful store showcasedCasper’s whimsical nature and provided practical & cozy areas – in the formof bedrooms - for guests to try out the Casper product line. A mammothundertaking, we designed & built the four-bedroom house in just 3 weeks!

Upon opening, shoppers were invited inside to peruse thebrand’s wares and schedule 15-minute “trials”, and wander through the house todiscover its hidden gems as they queued for naps in one of the four bedrooms.From the mouse hole in the hallway, to the “secret room” accessed through thebookcase, visitors were greeted with playful surprises around each corner,allowing for a creative and fun shopping experience.

Casper House was openfrom November 2016 through February 2017.

See more on Casper's blog here.

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Microsoft hosted its premier event for worldwide developersat Spring Studios in New York City with a simultaneous live broadcast onlinereaching over a million viewers. A platform for announcements about the futureof its tools and services in the area of Application Innovation, Microsoft unveileda series of products and partnerships that strengthen the company's Azure cloudplatform for building intelligent, cross-platform apps and services. Led by MicrosoftCloud and Enterprise Group EVP Scott Guthrie, among the day’s many press-worthyannouncements was Microsoft’s move to open source development by joining theLinux Foundation.

Spring Studiosand Spring Place, a photo studio / private membership club and recent additionto NYC’s trendy Tribeca neighborhood, provided the perfect setting for an eventdedicated to collaboration and intelligence. To balance the sun-filled spacewith the need to beautifully illustrate data-driven content, three large-scale,high-resolution LED screens were custom-built to fit within the existing windowframes. This view was then “extended” along the sides of the room withlarge-scale scrim-covered walls to help communicate Microsoft’s themes of openessand flexibility.

The visualaesthetic and brand messaging were integrated into every aspect of the event.Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration,where they walked through an immersive animated LED light-strand “forest”before check in. The lunch space décor included custom-built suspended scrimpartitions, echoing the keynote walls, to create intimate restaurant-stylespaces. Bursts of color brought Microsoft‘s brand to life against the cleanwhite surfaces. Afternoon breakout sessions offered custom content tracked toattendees’ varied interests, and customer images displayed throughout the venueshowcased real-life applications of their products.

Every element ofthis program, from registration, breakfast and keynote to lunch and eveningcocktails, was custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and todeliver a high-touch guest experience.

Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft to create andexecute this top-tier business communication event.

To view excerpts of Microsoft Connect(); // 2016, visit https://connectevent.microsoft.com

Click here for a timelapse video of the event: https://vimeo.com/201861428​

Returning to New York City for the first time in 20 years, the World Chess Championship celebrated the competition with a splashy Opening Ceremony at the iconic Plaza Hotel.

Hosted by actor, director, producer, and chess fan Adrian Grenier, the reception was decked out in a classic black and white theme, a subtle nod to Truman Capote’s famed Black & White Ball held in the same venue 50 years ago.

The highlight of the evening was the introduction of the competitors, Magnus Carlsen of Norway and Sergey Karjakin of Russia. The guests were thrilled to meet the youngest competitors in tournament history, at 25 and 26 respectively, and were privy to the official Draw Ceremony, granting Magnus Carlsen the first move at the next day’s game.

Joining the players on stage were the President of World Chess, Ilya Merenzon, FIDE Vice President Israel Gelfer, as well as sponsor representatives Michael Stanton (EG Capital Advisors; Member of the Supervisory Board), Andrey Guryev (CEO and Chairman of the Management Board PJSC Phosagro), and Megha Malagatti (Global Communications Director of S.T. Dupont), all of whom enjoyed an intimate VIP reception in a Penthouse Suite immediately prior to the stage program.

Guests were also treated to unique musical performances by Russian pianist Nikola Melnikov and Norwegian violinist Isa Caroline Holmesland (of the Oslo Strings), both of whom came to New York specifically for the event to symbolically represent the battle between the two players' home countries.

The stage program concluded with one final iconic New York element – a surprise performance by the world- famous Harlem Gospel Choir, decked out in black and white robes inspired by chess pieces, extending the festive theme of the evening. Guests enjoyed the performance while sipping custom cocktails made with Beluga Vodka, a sponsor of the event.

This year’s World Chess Championship took place from November 11-30 at the Fulton Market Building in Manhattan, where after almost 3 weeks of play, 12 games, and a day of tie breaks, Magnus Carlsen retained his title as the World Chess Champion which he has held since 2013.

For those not in New York but who still wanted to experience the event, the championship was the first sporting event broadcast in VR.

Additional information about the tournament and upcoming events can at https://worldchess.com/nyc2016/.

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Empire partnered with Reel Works again toproduce their 2016 Benefit Gala, Celebrating Women in Media. Reel Works is oneof the leading digital media educators in the United States and the onlyfilmmaking program that matches teens 1:1 with professional filmmaker-mentorsto tell their stories and have their voices heard. It’s a powerful combinationthat changes young New Yorkers lives by allowing them to present their unfilteredvoices.

This year's gala began with a VIP reception in the historic Capitale,adorned with Corinthian columns, Venetian glass, marble mosaic floors and 65-footceiling. Honorees Dr. Stacy Smith, Director of the Media, Diversity and SocialChange Initiative at USC’s Annenberg School, Karen Horne, Senior Vice Presidentof Programming Talent Development and Inclusion for NBC Entertainment andUniversal Television Studios and Mona-Scott Young, CEO and Founder of MonamiEntertainment mingled with guests and all were invited to enjoy cocktails andpassed hors d’oeuvres before to making their way into the ballroom for theprogram and dinner.

Empire managed the stage program working with, New YorkCity-based actor, stand-up comedian and writer, Naomi Ekperigin. Ekperigin hasbeen listed as one of "7 Reasons Why SNL Should Hire a Black Woman"on Buzzfeed.com and one of "8 Black Comediennes Who are Ready forSNL" by Essence Magazine. Together we were able to highlight the work of honorees,chair members, and students.

As the evening progressed, the enthusiastic Charles Antintook the stage as the live auctioneer, helping to raise a record $480,000. Theevening wrapped with the F. John Outcalt Award for Outstanding Filmmakingwinner announcement and special musical performance by Diana Gordon, thesongwriter named “the mind behind one of 2016’s most memorable lyrics”: “Hebetter call Becky with the good hair” from Beyoncé’s “Sorry”.

Event sponsors included Empire Entertainment, NBC Universal,Annenberg Foundation, Samsung Hope for Children, BBDO, HBO, Comedy Central, VH1,and Viacom.

Empire is proud of the continued partnership with the ReelWorks organization and our contribution to making the evening the mostsuccessful benefit dinner to date.

If you are interested in learning more about Reel Worksplease visit: http://www.reelworks.org/​

Since 1981, the Coalition for the Homeless has developed andimplemented humane, cost-effective strategies to end mass homelessness in NewYork City. Every day, the Coalition works to ameliorate the suffering of morethan 3,500 men, women and children by providing housing, emergency food &clothing, crisis services, job training and special programs for kids such as CampHomeward Bound.

On Thursday, November 3, 2016, the Coalition for theHomeless hosted their 22nd annual ARTWALK NY, bringing together more than 700Coalition supporters, artists, collectors, art-lovers and celebrities in theFlatiron’s Metropolitan Pavilion for an evening of festivities including a liveand silent auction of more than 100 pieces of donated contemporary art.

For the seventh consecutive year, Empire served as overall producer of ARTWALK NY. This year, artist Kenny Scharf washonored for his contribution to contemporary art, and Mike De Paola was honoredfor his continuous philanthropic support of the Coalition over the years.

Aileen Agopian auctioned off a magnificent selection of artpieces donated by some of the world’s most celebrated artists, including JennyHolzer, Wade Guyton, Louise Fishman, Ed Ruscha and honoree Kenny Scharf.

The evening, generously presented by Italian fashion houseMax Mara, began with hors d’oeuvres by Pinch Food Design and cocktails graciouslyprovided by VDKA 6100, Morris Kitchen, Peroni, Illegal Mezcal, and Perrier. Aselection of New York’s best restaurants, including Indochine, DB BistroModerne, Wildair, Sessanta, Rouge Tomate, The Odeon, Bar Bolonat, and MomofukuNishi provided tasting stations. Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery, Morgenstern’s Finest IceCream, and Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolate offered luscious sweets, and CounterCulture poured espressos and lattes.

Throughout the night, guests bid on and purchased works fromestablished and emerging artists while grooving to tunes spun by DJ MiaMoretti.

Working closely with Coalition for the Homeless’ events teamand title sponsor Max Mara, Empire served as executive producerof the event and was responsible for aspects ranging from event design, layout,production and logistics to décor and restaurant coordination.

To learn more about the Coalition for the Homeless or to getinvolved and donate, visit www.coalitionforthehomeless.org

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To kick off the fifth season of hit docuseries Vanderpump Rules, Bravo Media wielded the power of the sexy series and social media to draw huge crowds of loyal fans to a one-night-only bar crawl in New York City, attended by eight of the show’s cast members. Empire was thrilled to partner with Bravo Media to plan and execute this experiential consumer event.

Vanderpump Rules follows the sexy aspiring actor/model waitstaff of Los Angeles restaurant SUR through the drama at work and off-hours. The bar crawl event, aptly-named VanderCrawl, attracted close to a thousand fans to the Meatpacking District, eagerly queueing up on the sidewalk hours in advance for their chance to meet the Bravolebs and to sip drinks prepared by them.

VanderCrawl kicked off at newly-opened restaurant/club, Kola House, and featured Tom Sandoval as guest bartender, mixing his SUR-inspired cocktail “Hot Pink”, a peach vodka & grapefruit elixir, while DJ Lily Vanili spun tunes for the crowd. Fellow cast members including Stassi, Scheana, Kristen, Tom Schwartz and Katie chatted with fans and VIPs including latest Bachelorette Jojo Fletcher and her fiancé, Jordan Rodgers.

Fans followed the Bravolebs down the street to The Tippler, the second stop on VanderCrawl, for more revelry, as well as the chance to try bartender Ariana Madix’s cocktail, “Pinky’s Lemonade,” also inspired by SUR. DJ Jon Blak mixed upbeat pop hits as the Bravolebs snapped countless selfies with fans and handed out purple #PumpRules shades and branded t-shirts.

The escalating party continued around the corner at the third and final destination, No.8, the latest hotspot by nightlife maven Amy Sacco of Bungalow 8 fame. Vanderpump Rules’ bad boy Jax Taylor was on full display as he served his SUR-inspired cocktail “Cape Fizz” from the head of the horseshoe-shaped bar.

Fans and Bravolebs had a blast that night with fans asking for a VanderCrawl 2.0 and Vanderpump Rules cast member Scheana tweeting, “I cannot get over how EPIC the #VanderCrawl was last night”. (More fan/Bravoleb photos and tweets can be viewed at #VanderCrawl)

In addition to the fans that joined the VanderCrawl, press including the New York Times, E! News, and PageSix came along for the ride, publishing play-by-play rundowns of the epic evening.

Empire is a leading producer of experiential events and innovative event marketing in New York City and across the country.

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In November 2016, for the 4^th consecutive year, Empireproduced the Lowline Anti-Gala at the Lowline Lab in the Lower East Side. TheLowline Lab is a long-term laboratory and exhibit open to the public thatshowcases the solar technology to sustain a variety of plant life. Over 100,000visitors have come to experience the preview of the urban underground parksince its opening in October 2015.

New York officials approved plans this past summer to buildthe world’s first underground park in the Lower East Side. This is a huge stepforward for the Lowline to convert a historic underground trolley terminal intoa subterranean public space. The Lowline is targeting to open in 2021, and inorder to get there they threw their annual Anti Gala fundraiser to help raise crucialfunds for the project.

Approximately 225 guests were greeted into the loosely themedWonderland event by peculiar characters dressed as a flirtatious Cheshire Cat, slickMad Hatter, tap dancing Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, sleight of hand magicianWhite Rabbit, and Playing Cards painting the roses red while walkingthrough the mysterious fog enchanted surroundings.

Guests made their way into a seated dinner where they enjoyed adelicious meal by Pinch followed by a performance by Hammerstep, a hip hopbeatboxing tap dancing duo and a burlesque performance.

The program featured speeches by Lowline co-founders Dan Baraschand James Ramsey and board member Jolie Hunt who hosted the pledge, garneringover $50,000 in proceeds that directly benefitted the building of the Lowline.

DJ JD Samson closed out the event with her cool beats that kept theparty dancing into the night.

Empire is honored to serve as the Lowline’s event producers since2013 and proud to support the creation of the world’s first cutting-edge undergroundpark. To learn more about the Lowline, visit http://thelowline.org/

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For the second year in a row, Empire produced ContextMedia: Health’s Fall AgencyParty at the IAC Building in New York City. Completed in 2007 by architect Frank Gehry, the IAC Buildingfeatured the world’s largest HD screen at the time in its lobby,where the event was held. Guests mingled and danced while engaging withContextMedia’s digital platforms throughout the space.

ContextMedia is a health information services company which builds digital media technologies to deliver lifestyle education to patientsto improve health outcomes. The company empowers healthcare professionals toengage patients while curating content personalized for each member office. Itis the fastest-growing company in the industry, offering sector-leadingtechnology to their customers.

Upon arrival, guests werewelcomed by the IAC’s massive 120 feet video wall, which displayed digitalcontext throughout the night. They were also greeted by an interactive mediacolumn that allowed guests to use the technology first hand and customize theirexperience.

Among these installationswas a seated photo booth, digital graffiti wall, and customized Snapchat filter.Once guests took photos, they could share them in real time to their socialmedia accounts with #CreatewithCMH via the interactive custom-designed sharingstation. Guests could also draw images on the digital graffiti wall that appeared on the media wall that spanned the entire lobby.

Entertainment for the nightwas provided by DJ PS1, a native New Yorker with a passion for deejaying andmusic production. DJ PS1 has spun at some of New York City’s top night clubsincluding Cain, Pink Elephant, Marquee, and Avenue. At 18, he embarked on anationwide tour and hasn’t stopped since.

Empire is proud to produceconferences and events for some of the world's leading healthcare andtechnology companies.

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This Fall, Empire delivered the B-52s to perform as closing entertainmentfor a corporate conference’s awards show at a hotel in Los Angeles, CA.

Empire worked closely with the client’s production company to select,negotiate for and ultimately contract the 1980’s dance artists. Any mystery concerning the band’s longevityand ongoing appeal is immediately solved when exposed to a B-52s concertexperience. From groundbreaking songs like “Rock Lobster,” “Dance This MessAround” and “Private Idaho“ to chart-topping hits like “Love Shack” and “Roam”the B-52s’ unforgettable dance-rock tunes start resonate with audiences thatcame of age in the 1980’s whenever their music begins.

After thirty-five years and over twenty million albums into theircareer, the B-52s remain one of rock music’s most beloved and enduring bands.The band still features most of its original lineup including principals FredSchneider, Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson.

The B-52s delivered a high energy show of their greatest hits, keepingguests on their feet throughout the performance.

Empire continues to be a leading provider of top tier musicalentertainment and talent for corporate clients, production companies andprivate interests, and was proud to partner again with the B-52’s on anothersuccessful event.

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FilmStruck is a newstreaming service for movie lovers from Turner Classic Movies and The CriterionCollection. FilmStruck delivers a constantly-refreshed, curated library ofarthouse, independent, foreign and cult films from critically-acclaimed studiosaround the world. Developed and managed by Turner Classic Movies in partnershipwith The Criterion Collection, FilmStruck is the exclusive streaming home tothe world-renowned Criterion Collection of films.

Held at 404 @ Hudson Yards, a white space in New York City, the eventhosted over 250 VIPs from the motion picture, television, digital and mediaworlds including Dawn of the Dead director George Romero, actress RoseMcGowan, and musician Laurie Anderson.

To launch thisunique service, FilmStruck called upon Empire to design and create a unique,experiential evening featuring immersive vignettes and experiences based onsome of its iconic film titles, including Mad Max, Clerks, MoulinRouge and The Seventh Seal.

Guests were able to become a part of Mad Max (1979), as Empirecreated a green screen production set where once in costume, guests could takethe wheel behind Max’s Interceptor, manically drive and create their owntrailer for the film. Guests immediately received a completed scene ofthemselves as Mad Max, which they could post to social media.

For the motion picture Moulin Rouge (1952), Empire created aFrench boudoir backstage of the famed Parisian cabaret. Cancan girls seducedguests with Absinthe cocktails and a caricature artist offered guests portraitscreated in the style of French painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

To depict Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal (1957), Empire reimaginedthe film’s iconic “chess match with death”. The brooding black and white seawas the backdrop as two actors embodying death and the knight played aninfinite chess match. Guests were able to participate in their own game with anoversized chess board directly parallel to the deadly match.

In the Clerks vignette, Empire replicated the film’s iconic“Quick Stop”. Complete with a cash register, live security camera and anindifferent store clerk, everything behind the counter was up for grabs. Adigital photo booth captured images as guests shoplifted and uploaded them tosocial media using the hashtag #FilmStruck.

Each vignette had its own custom cocktails and Turner, FilmStruck andCriterion Collection executives delivered brief welcome remarks in front of a20’ LED wall displaying footage from some of the FilmStruck titles. Guests alsoutilized a series of tablets to navigate and explore the FilmStruck app in comfortableliving room furnishings, driving home the message that these films are nowavailable in the home.

Empire worked closely with Turner and FilmStruck to design and executeall aspects of the event and engaged media partner Shore Fire to assist withpress outreach.

The resulting event generated substantial influencer awareness and mediacoverage for the FilmStruck launch and the event was highly enjoyed by allattendees.

During the same week, Empire also executed a presence marketingsponsorship for FilmStruck at the Walter Reade Theater at the Film Society ofLincoln Center, where guests attending the New York Film Festival could relaxin a living room set and explore the FilmStruck platform.

Empire is honored to work with FilmStruck, Turner Classic Movies, andThe Criterion Collection to launch this extraordinary new streaming service. Tolearn more about FilmStruck visit http://www.filmstruck.com​

​On October 19, Empire once again servedas producer for Keep a Child Alive’s Black Ball at the Hammerstein Ballroom inNew York City. This year’s 13^th annual Black Ball honored musiclegend Clive Davis and featured extraordinary performances by Alicia Keys, A$APRocky, Chance the Rapper, Salt-N-Pepa and Patti Smith.

The Black Ball was designed by Creative Director Earle Sebastian who chose to reignite the spirit of '80s activism for thisyear’s cocktails, dinner and stage design theme. Design elements includedfabric walls, geometric prints and a live art installation piece by British visualartist Shantell Martin, best known for her stream of consciousness drawings andlight projections. Grafitti-covered walls featuring AIDS activism posters covered the space while 13-year old DJ Fulano dropped old school beats, transporting the audience back in time.

Keep a Child Alive’s co-founder Alicia Keys and Keepa Child Alive CEO Peter Twyman took the stage to evoke the spirit of the '80s, whenAIDS activists launched the movement to bring access to treatment for millionsaround the world. Their remarks underscored the courage and bravery of thoseearly days of AIDS, and the need to empower the next generation of activists.

Then KCA honored innovator, creator and humanitarian Clive Davis, who has impacted the lives of so many people though his tremendouscontributions in music and philanthropicefforts.

A star-studded guest list of over 600 came out tosupport Keep a Child Alive’s mission with guests including Clive Davis, PadmaLakshmi, Mr. Brainwash, Alek Wek, Lupita Nyong’o, Baz Luhrmann, Omari Hardwick,and Russell Simmons.

Guests dined on a delicious dinner designed by guestchef Marcus Samuelsson and catered by Creative Edge.

This year’s Black Ball raised $2 million through table/ticket sales, sponsorships, donations, pledges and a live auctionhosted by CK Swett. The live auction featured a luxurious trip to the exclusiveSugar Beach resort, custom-made Christian Louboutin shoes, limited editionLouis XIII Cognac plus a guided tour of their cellar in France, and his and hers Audemars Piguet watches. The Black Ball has raised over $30 million sinceits humble beginnings in 2004.

After the auction, Alicia Keys and her band put on anincredible concert performance that, true to Black Ball tradition, featuredseveral amazing musical guests. For the first time ever, the concert waslivestreamed on TIDAL, where people all over the world could witness theincredible performances in their living rooms.

Hip Hop Queens of the '80sand '90s, Salt-N-Pepa opened the concert with old school classics, “PushIt”, “Let’s Talk About Sex”, and “Whatta Man” — a tribute to honoree Clive Davis.Chance the Rapper came out to perform “Angels", “No Problems”, and aduet with Alicia Keys.

Grammy Award-nominated artist A$AP Rocky took thestage next, pumping up the crowd with “Fashion Killa”, “Yamborghini High”, “FlackoJodye II”, and then followed with a duet with Keys on “Blended Family.”

Alicia Keys then sangclassics and new song “Holy War” to a crowd high from theelectrifying concert. Finally, legendary Patti Smith took the stage to sing “People Have the Power” and “Because theNight” with Keys.

Moments after the concert ended, Swizz Beatz and DJRunna took to the stage to DJ the Afterglow party, keeping all the guests dancinginto the early hours of the morning.

Empire has been proud to serve as the Producer of theBlack Ball since its inception in 2004 and to partner with Keep a Child Alive andAlicia Keys to grow it into one of New York’s most anticipated, annualfundraising events. To learn more about Keep a Child Alive and supporttheir mission, please visit www.keepachildalive.org#KCABlackBall

​In the beginning of October, Empire delivered former Secretary of State, and retired General Colin Powell to speak at two separate engagements for an international financial investment firm in New York City. At the early morning event, General Powell participated in an intimate fireside chat before an audience of 30 renowned hedge fund and private equity founders. Throughout the interview and open Q&A session, the General discussed and answered questions on a vast scale of topics – from Cybersecurity to foreign policy; the state of the American economy, immigration and, of course, the upcoming 2016 US Presidential Election.

General Powell provided valuable insights to all those in attendance, helping them gain new perspectives on how global markets and investing may shift according to the current geopolitical landscape. Following the Q&A, the General participated in a brief meet & greet with the guests and dispersed signed copies of his book In Life and Leadership.

For the second event, held directly after the morning session, General Powell delivered a keynote presentation before an audience of well over 300 guests. With everyone packed into the auditorium, the General riveted the audience with stories of his childhood, nostalgic memories of his experiences with the Reagan and Bush administrations and shared his sentiments of continued optimism toward the United States and the direction the country is heading.

It was evident that both crowds were inspired by General Powell’s wisdom and insights; he was the perfect speaker for both events. Empire worked closely with longstanding partner, Washington Speakers Bureau, to contract and coordinate Colin Powell’s appearance.

Empire continues to be a leading resource in delivering keynote speakers, political experts and speakers of all areas of expertise for a variety of organizations.

During September’s United Nations General Assembly week,Bloomberg Philanthropies presented an important thought leadership conferenceentitled the U.S. - Africa Business Forum.

Held at the storied Plaza Hotel in New York City, the Forumincluded programming and remarks from President Barack Obama, former New YorkMayor Michael Bloomberg, various Heads of State and C-Level executives fromacross the African continent.

For the closing performance of the Forum, BloombergPhilanthropies called on Empire to provide the right entertainment to end theconference on a high note and reflect Africa, U. S. and New York City Culture.

Empire and Bloomberg worked together to design and present anoriginal collaboration featuring the African Children’s Choir from Uganda, theworld renowned Harlem Gospel Choir and rising star, Randall Haywood, a Juilliard-educated trumpeter.

The final product came together with an inspired renditionof ‘This Little Light of Mine’, a gospel classic performed in an African stylewith a New York City trumpet twist. The closing performance brought theaudience to their feet and provided the perfect ending to this extraordinarygathering.

Empire is a leading supplier of creative talent and originalperformances for international organizations, philanthropies, corporations andprivate individuals.

To Learn more about the U.S. – Africa Business Forum visit http://usafricabusinessforum.bloomberg.org/#/

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Kid Witness News, KWN, is a global video education programsponsored by Panasonic. The KWN program uses video production to stimulatecreativity, build communication skills, and encourage teamwork among childrenin elementary and secondary schools.

This year the Global Awards Ceremony was held in Brazil, thefirst ever in Latin America and during the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. To ensurea smooth and successful event, Panasonic chose Empire Japan to serve asexecutive producer. Empire's role included venue selection, working with localproduction vendors and directing the overall look and feel of the AwardCeremony.

This year, there were seven finalist schools from sixdifferent countries including Brazil, Hong Kong, Germany, Thailand, the UnitedStates, and Vietnam. After a full day of exploring Rio de Janeiro (Sugar LoafMountain, Athlete Villages, & The Media Press Center) the main event would bethe Awards Ceremony.

To commemorate its collaboration with the InternationalParalympic Committee, the Awards Ceremony began with a greeting from itsspecial guest, Sir. Philip Craven, President of the International ParalympicCommittee. Other guests included Mr. Xavier Gonzalez, CEO of theInternational Paralympic Committee; Mr. Duane Kale, Governing Board Member ofthe International Paralympic Committee; Mr. Mark Wallace, the Chief ContentOfficer of the Olympic Broadcasting Services; Mr. Renato Ciuchini, ChiefCommercial Officer, Rio 2016; Mr. Yukihiko Nunomura, Vice Director General,Chief Operating Officer, Tokyo 2020; and Mr. Junich Kawai, Chairman of JapanParalympic Committee.

The Awards Ceremony included awards presented by the specialguests with Regional Head of Panasonic Latin America, Mr. Shigeo Suzuki, presenting the Grand Prix for the Primary Category to Kowloon Tong School inHong Kong for their work “the Bigger Picture", and special guest,President of the International Paralympic Committee, Sir. Philip Cravenpresenting the Grand Prix for the Secondary Category to Assumption SamutpkarnSchool in Thailand for their work "Missing Game".

The following day, the finalist schools had an exciting fullday of shopping and watching the Paralympic Games.

Empire Japan was thrilled to help Panasonic produce yetanother successful KWN Global Awards Ceremony.

For more information about Kid Witness News, please visit http://www.panasonic.com/global/corporate/kwn.html

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TheInternational Bar Association held its annual conference in Washington, D.C.this year. CMS, a law firm located in Frankfurt, Germany, contracted Empire’sNew York City office to produce the reception they host each year on the firstday of IBA conference. CMS had engaged Empire’s Tokyo office to produce thissame event for them in Tokyo the prior year.

Empire’s WashingtonDC-based Senior Producer toured the city with CMS to find a perfect venue, a classicvenue representing both Washington D.C. and the United States. We chose theOrganization of the American States, one of the oldest and most beautiful buildingsin Washington right off the National Mall with views to the Ellipse and the WhiteHouse front Lawn. Typically this is invitation-only, stand up reception hosts 500guests. This year’s rolling reception counted nearly 800 throughout the eveningwith guests from all over the world.

Producinglarge scale events in historic venues in Washington DC bring a host ofchallenges including care for the landmarked facilities, scrupulous observanceof rules and high levels of security. Empire successfully navigated thesechallenges including implementing a staged arrival of busses to facilitate asmooth and efficient electronic check-in and security sweep.

Guestswere directed upstairs to the ballroom where a local jazz band played as guestsenjoyed bountiful buffets a huge center bar. An outside bar under the lights allowedguests to view the historic courtyard at OAS.

Empireworked with CMS to carefully choose the menu offering classic American foodwith many flavors from the Mid-Atlantic region. All food was served in elegant,bite sizes so the international crowd had the opportunity to taste severaloptions of American cuisine. We also featured local beer and Californian wine,serving American flavors.

Empire’sworldwide network of offices and producers facilitate our providing seamlessservice to top tier clients throughout the world including cultural financialand political capitals like New York, Tokyo and Washington DC.

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​Earlier this Fall, Empire was called upon to deliver a special character for a surprise 60th birthday party in New York – the one and only James Bond. Given the birthday boy’s infatuation with the Bond franchise, his family had the idea of surprising him with an appearance from one of the original James Bond. This materialized into the once-in-a-lifetime presence of the legendary Sir Roger Moore.

As the party began, Sir Roger mingled with family members and close friends in a backroom of the venue, while the birthday boy enjoyed his party in the front – without a clue of what his family had in store.

Upon delivering birthday toasts, the family related their loving father and husband to that of the elusive James Bond character – adventures and injuries aplenty. But toward the end of their toasts, they recognized that only a few people in the world could really talk about what it’s like to be James Bond…

Cue the Bond theme music, and out walks the Sir Roger Moore, tuxedo and all, to grant the birthday boy a wish of answering any three Bond he has. To cap it off Sir Roger ended the surprise with a toast in true Bond style, martini in hand – shaken, not stirred.

Empire continues to be a leading provider of A-list celebrity talent appearances, keynote speakers, comedians, host/mcs and headline musical acts for private individuals, organizations and clients of all kinds.

​One the eve of the 2016 Olympic Games, Empire kicked off the festivities by producing two high-profile reception events for Worldwide Olympic Sponsors Panasonic and Bridgestone.

Panasonic’s reception event took place on top Sugarloaf Mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Empire proposed and secured this venue for not only the reception party, but also as a technology showcase called the “Panasonic Stadium of Wonders”, which will be open to the public throughout the Olympic Games. Sugarloaf is also the site of the Empire-produced Panasonic Find-Your-Dreams CityCam web activation featuring Neymar Jr., which can be seen here: http://find-your-dreams-rio2016.panasonic.com/2016/

Guests arriving at the reception via cable car were treated to the vaunted panoramic views of Rio, including Copacabana and Corcovado Christ the Redeemer. Following a dramatic sunset, the party began. Entertainment planned and delivered by Empire included a live Bossa Nova band and performance by 20 Samba dancers and musicians, including the 2016 Queen of the Rio Carnival, Clara Paixão.

At the same time, down on the Copacabana Beach at the famed Copacabana Palace Hotel, Empire helped new Worldwide Olympic Sponsor Bridgestone celebrate their first summer Olympics with live performances by Bossa Cuca Nova and São Clemente Samba School.

Whatmakes a perfect evening? How about a performance by the legendary AndreaBocelli at the world-renowned Sporting Club in Monte Carlo? Empirepresented and produced the beloved tenor as a surprise for nearly 1,000corporate guests on August 31, 2016.

Hisperformance was a surprise to the audience and there was an audible gasp from when Mr.Bocelli was first introduced to the stage. The Maestro then enchanted and thrilledthe crowd with two sets; the first accompanied by piano and a quartet, andthen, after a very quick stage changeover, the second set featured the Maestrobacked by the Orchestra Filarmonica Italiana.

Bocellimesmerized the attendees with classical pieces, and was joined onstage by Alessandra Marianelli andIlaria Della Bidia to duet with him operatic renditions of more mainstream hitssuch as "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" and "I'm InHeaven". As the audience gave Mr. Bocelli a tremendous standingovation, the windows and roof of the Sporting Club opened for the finalsurprise of the evening - an incredible fireworks display over theMediterranean.

Inaddition to his performance, Mr. Bocelli also joined client VIPs for anintimate meet & greet and photo op prior to the show.

Empirehas presented many of the world’s elite performing artists at incomparablevenues in more than 100 countries around the globe. From Andrea Bocelli,Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman, to Jennifer Hudson, Tony Bennett, and NorahJones, Empire is always able to provide classic, elegant headline entertainmentfor sophisticated audiences.

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Ozy Media, in partnership with presenting sponsor,Fusion Media, launched the inaugural OZYFusion Fest, a fresh and unique addition to New York’s busy Summerfestival calendar. Billed as “TED meets Coachella” and “Aspen Ideas + BurningMan,” OZY Fusion Fest was anexperiential festival of ideas that presented music, current affairs, humor,politics, technology, food, art and social interaction in one memorable dayand evening. Although Ozy.com was founded in2013 and boasts a rapidly growing base of over 20 million monthly users, OZY Fusion Fest was in many waysOZY’s coming out party, a chance to celebrate with its diehard readers,and to introduce itself to an entirely new group of fans.

On Saturday, July 23, 2016, over 2,000 attendees descended on CentralPark’s Rumsey Playfield to enjoy over ten hours of thought-provoking and highlyentertaining programming. By the time doors opened at 10:30AM, it was 90degrees in the shade, but a line had already formed of eager guests waiting toget inside.

Once guests entered, they were emerged in the completely transformedRumsey Playfield. In addition to the main stage, a series of large tents eachadorned with custom signage, designed with a colorful graffiti splash andfurnished with colorful seating and displays. Individual spaces included theTown Square Stage, Chef’s Tent, Good Sh*t Bazaar, Intel Theater, VirtualReality Theater, a VIP tent and an Ask OZY station in addition to food &beverage kiosks and open air activity spaces.

On the main stage, the day kicked off with author and thinkerMalcolm Gladwell, delivering an electrifying and very personal speech on thestate of College Admissions in the U. S. Hint: we have a lot of work todo. Columbian musical superstars Choquibtown then brought their Latin /Caribbean grooves to the crowd followed by a hilarious conversation with BroadCity’s Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, moderated by WNYC’s Phoebe Robinson. Asthe afternoon cooled and the sun set the audience danced and sang to hour longsets by Grammy Award performer Andra Day, Wyclef Jean and Black Eyed Peas’will.i.am.

Across the field, the Town Square Tent provided a more intimatesetting and an opportunity for many deep discussions. OZY founder Carlos Watsonled a series of interviews with political heavyweights and thoughtleaders. Former Chief of Staff and republican strategist Karl Rove weighed inon this year’s Presidential election followed by New Jersey Senator Cory Bookerwho discussed the Black Lives Matter movement and his views on the most urgentissues facing the incoming president. Editors Cole Bolton and Ben Berkley of The Onionled their own political panel discussion in their unmistakably irreverentstyle. Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, sat down with LaurenePowell Jobs, founder of the Emerson Collective and will.i.am to discuss theirvisions for the future of philanthropy in education. HBO rising comedystar Issa Rae delivered a multimedia comedy set while other Town Squareparticipants included Grover Norquist, Island Records & Golden Eye ResortsFounder Chris Blackwell, Judy Smith, Beatbox House, artists Kazuhiro Tsuji andZaria Forman and more.

For the foodies in the audience, Chef Alex Guarnaschelli, host ofChopped and founder of Butter Restaurant in New York City, led a series of livecooking demos, curated discussions, and food samplings in the Food and BeverageExperience tent. She was joined by her friends Miroslav Uskokovich, celebratedpasty chef at Gramercy Tavern, as well as Benjy Kirschner, sommelier &owner of Wilson Daniels wine. Chef Guarnaschelli also curated the menusprovided by Summerstage concessions managed by Brooklyn Flea’s Smorgasburg,allowing guests to purchase items that were exclusively available to OZY FusionFest attendees.

In between stage programming, guests meandered through the Good Sh*tBazaar, a live version of OZY’s online content vertical, where unique vendorsand products were showcased alongside prized pieces of art, including KazuhiroTsuji’s famed (and giant) Abraham Lincoln head sculpture. Vendors included theUgly Fruit Guy, a rock n’ roll celebrity stylist, a digital photo booth and a registerto vote station. Lounge furnishings situated in the center of the Bazaarprovided guests with a shaded area to relax while waiting for the next program to begin.

And those lucky enough to have purchased a VIP ticket were able toenjoy a stage-side lounge complete with hosted beer, wine, and food.

As if all of the above wasn’t enough, guests had the opportunity toscreen original films and content by the likes of Bill Gates in the IntelTheater, walk on Mars via a VR experience, watch artworks createdlive in an open air art zone and reimagine what future high schools might belike via the XQ Super School Project.

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​It isn’t easy to entertain a room full of celebrities, but Empire was asked to do just that for a financial services company holding an annual celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe. To fill the bill, we contracted Tom Papa and Sebastian Maniscalco, two of the top comedians touring today.

Tom Papa starred opposite Matt Damon in the Steven Soderbergh film, The Informant, and is the host of the hit SiriusXM show, ‘Come to Papa.’ He was also personally chosen by Jerry Seinfeld, to host the NBC series, ‘The Marriage Ref’. Tom had a recurring role opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus on the CBS series, ‘The New Adventures of Old Christine’ and starred in his own NBC series, ‘Come to Papa.’ He is a regular guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Conan, and The Late Show with David Letterman and regularly opens for Jerry Seinfeld.

Sebastian Maniscalco is the proverbial “next big thing” in the world of comedy. A 2014 American Comedy Award nominee for Best Club Comedian, Sebastian is a frequent guest on networks such as Showtime and Comedy Network, and has made appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers and Conan. Of Sebastian’s performance, our client said "I've never laughed so hard from a comedian in the past. He was so animated and got a cardio work out on the stage.”

Empire recommends, secures, and produces entertainers for special events throughout the world and are proud to have delivered many of the most acclaimed comedy performers including Billy Crystal, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Jim Gaffigan, Kevin James, Dave Chappelle, Brian Regan, Louis CK, Dana Carvey, Seth Meyers, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Broad City and dozens more for our clients' programs.

​Following a successful 2015 run on Abbot Kinney in Venice,CA, online mattress retailer, Casper, opened a second pop-up shop, dubbed the“Casper House” on the “Coolest Street in America.”

Conceived as an illustrated house erected inside a brick andmortar store, this playful concept perfectly integrated Casper’s whimsicalnature while providing practical & cozy areas – in the form of bedrooms -for guests to try out the Casper product line which includes mattresses,sheets, and pillows. The shop also hosted numerous events over the course ofits run such as cocktail events, influencer parties, and even yoga classes! Interiorwalls were built on castors to provide flexibility for the space to functionfor multiple purposes.

The initial 2 month Summer run was so successful that Casperextended the project to 8 months to run through the holidays!

Learn more on Casper's blog here

​Playworks celebrated its 20th year anniversary by raising more than$200,000 at the second annual New York Get in the Game Gala,recognizing Inspiring Leadership Honoree ESPN and Most ValuablePrincipal Heather Foster-Mann of Brooklyn’s PS 133 William A. ButlerSchool. This school year, acclaimed nonprofit Playworks will providesafe, healthy and inclusive play for nearly 900,000 children in morethan 1,800 elementary schools nationwide that reduce bullying,increase physical activity, improve learning and promote social andemotional skills.

The evening featured remarks from Olympic gold medalists Edwin Mosesand Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, a live auction led by CK Swett,entertainment from Grammy nominated artist John Forte andinternational recording artist ELEW, recess games, a friendly pingpong tournament, plus food and drink. Funds raised support theexpanding efforts of Playworks to bring the power of play to everygirl and boy in New York and beyond.

To help make this event a success, Empire produced the fundraiser atthe elegant Tribeca Rooftop venue where we transported guests from theballroom to the playground on the transformed rooftop space.Attendees enjoyed stunning Manhattan views and experienced playthrough sophisticated and immersive activations of traditional recessgames like Four Square, along with life sized installations of Chess,Jenga and Connect 4.

Working closely with Playworks, Empire served as the event producer,managing elements including venue, décor, technical production, andperforming talent. Empire is a leading producer of fundraising eventsand we are honored that Playworks continues to work with us to producesuccessful events.

To support or learn more about Playworks, please visit www.playworks.org

Empire recently worked to provide headline entertainment at an annual user conference that brings together thousands of thought leaders from the fields of business & information technology to solve the world’s most complex business technology problems.

For this year’s conference, the first in Las Vegas, conference producers, Invision Communications, chose Empire as their partner to secure and produce the headline entertainment for the opening night Customer Appreciation Event.

Working closely with the Invision team, Empire supported an artist selection process and was able to quickly deliver multi-platinum selling and Grammy-award winning artists The Goo Goo Dolls. Fresh off their new record release, the Goo Goo Dolls delighted the crowd of approximately 4,000 attendees with all their classic songs including Iris, Slide and Broadway, as well as a mixture of new music from their latest release.

The Goo Goo Dolls performed on a massive stage in the tiered Grand Garden Arena, underneath a monumental projection wall. DJ Ravi Drums played a warm-up DJ set prior to the band taking the stage. The band also participated in a VIP meet & greet.

Empire and Invision worked closely on all creative, logistic and production details to ensure a smooth experience for the client and band and to promote the best possible experience for the attendees.

Empire is a leading resource for delivering and producing headline talent for corporate conferences worldwide, and a proud to partner to organizations like Invision Communications.

For the fourth consecutive year, Empireserved as producer of the Fragrance Foundation Awards, the fragrance industry’spremier event celebrating outstanding achievement and creativity.

Held at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall,the evening began with guest arrivals and an elegant cocktail reception inAlice Tully Hall’s outdoor sunken plaza and soaring glass atrium. Amidst aseries of freestanding walls, printed with the designs, guests mingled andsipped champagne while VIPs walked the red carpet and posed for the pressphotographers in a tent on West 65^th Street.

Once seated in Alice Tully Hall, theevening’s host, critically acclaimed actor, producer and comedian, AlecBaldwin, kicked off the star-studded award program in his signature style. Hishumorous opening monologue covered the Fragrance industry and this year’snominees to current affairs and politics.

Notable program participants included Hall ofFame Honoree and CEO of L Brands, Leslie Wexner, as well as the LifetimeAchievement Perfumer, Vice President of International Flavors and Fragrances,Sophia Grojsman.

Celebrity presenters included Lionel Richie,Adriana Lima, Petra Nemcova, Karolina Kurkova, Laverne Cox, Eric Dane, JosephineSkriver, Meg Ryan, Nacho Figueras, Leigh Lezark, Jessica Stam, Natasha GregsonWagner, Tracee Ellis Ross, Stella Maxwell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and more.

Following the seated Awards program, guestswere seated for an elegant, sit-down dinner in the Alice Tully Hall atrium andoutdoor plaza - the perfect summer night dining experience. Leigh Lezark &Geordon Nicol of the Misshapes DJ’d throughout the meal.

The evening ended with an after party held atthe Lincoln Restaurant. The guests danced to music by the fashion-favorite DJ,Mia Moretti, as they sipped their cocktails and visited various food stations.

The Fragrance Foundation Awards bringtogether virtually every luxury and consumer brand in the fragrance industry includingEstée Lauder, Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford, Burberry, Giorgio Armani, Tory Burch,Marc Jacobs, Victoria’s Secret, Michael Kors, Givenchy, Elizabeth Arden, LVMH,Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Hermès, Lancome, Zegna,Clinique, and Gucci.

Empire is a leading producer of events, awardshows and programs for the luxury brand, fragrance, cosmetics and fashionindustries.

Philanthropist and supermodel Petra Nemcova and the Happy Hearts Fund team called on Empire once again to produce their 2^ndAnnual Fight for Education gala in the renowned Hammerstein Ballroom. On June 16, leaders from finance, sports, and fashion gathered to support the Happy Hearts Fund mission to rebuild safe, resilient schools in areas impacted by natural disasters.

The action-packed evening was kicked off by internationally-acclaimed tenor James Valenti and soprano Jessica Fishenfeld singing the National Anthem. After the moving performance, veteran sports announcer Mark Fratto invited Petra to the ring to thank the guests for their attendance and lead a traditional ten-bell salute, honoring the passing of Muhammad Ali.

The night proceeded with six fights featuring amateurs in finance representing Blackrock, Deutsche Bank and Oppenheimer, among others. Models Hind Salhi and Arlenis Sosa also showcased some exciting boxing in support of the cause. The last bout consisted of acclaimed professional MMA fighters Nick Pace and Julio Arce.

In between the action, auctioneer Patrick Tully led the live auction of eight lots, including a trip to Monaco and Cannes to experience the famous Formula E-race on the Monaco Grand Prix F1 track, and a special VIP package to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. As a compelling finale to the event, Ms. Petra “Trouble” Nemcova surprised guests by taking on comedian Dane “Kiss The” Cook in an entertaining fight using cupcakes, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup.

Throughout the elevated evening, the nearly 400 guests were treated to a three course meal of caprese salad, chargrilled filet of beef, and family style desserts for a sweet finish, all catered by Abigail Kirsch.

Over $1.1 million was raised as a result of the Fight for Education gala, continuing the exciting annual tradition benefiting the Happy Hearts Fund.

Empire was proud to be a part of this creative fundraising event, having been the producer of Happy Heart’s annual events for the last 6 years and is a leading producer of not-for-profit events globally.

To learn more about the Happy Hearts Fund, please visit www.happyheartsfund.org.

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The team behind the Lowline has been working for the past several years to generate support and awareness for their vision to convert an historic underground trolley terminal on Manhattan’s Lower East Side into a subterranean public park. Using breakthrough solar technology for natural sunlight illumination and plant growth with cutting-edge design, the Lowline will be the world’s first underground park, adding a much needed acre of green space to the neighborhood.

In October 2015, the Lowline opened the Lowline Lab, a long-term laboratory and exhibit open to the public, designed to showcase the power and potential of the technology to grow and sustain a wide variety of plant life. Located inside an abandoned market on the Lower East Side just two blocks from the proposed site of the future park, the Lowline Lab serves as a prototype, letting the public preview what's to come. Over 60,000 visitors have come to date and dozens of free community based programs have been held.

In June 2016, the Lowline held its inaugural spring benefit at the Lowline Lab, to raise funds and welcome guests into an underground, other worldly garden experience.

Guests were greeted by scantily clad nymphs in body paint and ivy, tempting them to drink tequila spiked elixirs from flower-covered watering cans before moving deeper into the Garden of Eden. An interactive cocktail hour allowed guests to pour their own drinks from irrigation wall taps, where specialty cocktails were surrounded by plants, herbs and spices. Guests could also add basil, mint and lavender to add infusions and garnishes to their drinks.

The evening included a seated dinner where attendees enjoyed a DIY style meal featuring an “interactive salad” that required chopping their own vegetables and an entree that encouraged guests to eat with their hands and serve each other from the family-style dishes. The appetizing menu was created and curated by Chef John Fraser of Nix, Narissa and Dovetail.

The program featured speeches by Lowline co-founders Dan Barasch and James Ramsey and honored Openbox’s Marquise Stillwell and Lowline Young Designer student Nasir Mouzon-Cooley. CK Swett hosted the live auction, garnering over $50,000 in proceeds for auction lots that included a trip to Tuscany and a video message from singer/songwriter Sia.

Amber Martin, vocalist and comedic performance artist, closed out the program with an original three song jaw- dropping performance with chosen musical and comedic vignettes from her fascinating repertoire of characters. The audience could not keep their eyes off of her. DJ Sammy Kim created the playlist for the evening.

Empire is honored to serve as the Lowline’s event producers since 2013 and proud to support the creation of the world’s first underground park.

To learn more about the Lowline, visit http://thelowline.org/

​Now in its fourth year, The Architizer A+Awards are the definitive global architectural award program with more than 100 categories and over 300 judges. The gala event in New York City is the signature architectural event during the city’s design week, NYCxDesign, and falls just before the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF). Comprising diverse and innovative global projects from starchitects to emerging firms, this year’s winners represent the best new architecture, interiors, and products from across the globe. For the second year in a row, Empire was at the helm to ensure this event was a success.

The ceremony was hosted again with charisma and charm by John Gidding from HGTV's "Curb Appeal: The Block", and kicked off with a phenomenal and impassioned speech about the Architecture industry by Architizer CEO Marc Kushner. “The A+ gala is more than just a party. It represents a moment for us to stand up and champion our art, recognizing the transformational role that architecture plays in our lives,” says Architizer CEO Marc Kushner.” This year we are expanding the fame, creating an even wider set of categories, celebrating the buildings and structures that impact our world, as well as the products and material used to create them.” Over 500 luminaries from the world of architecture and design entered the industrial-style space to a red carpet and step & repeat, where event sponsor MINI showed off one of its spectacular new models. Guests enjoyed cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres by Cloud Catering while enjoying the ambient music played by DJ Javier Peral.

Attendees also enjoyed watching an extraordinary demonstration of the artistry of a watchmaker from partners Audemars Piguet, sipped on cocktails at a customized Sunbrella designed bar, and saw contest-winning architectural designs, all created in LEGO.

This year's biggest winner was Studio Gang, which was named Firm of the Year, and other special achievement awards were presented to Penda, Paul Goldberger, and Samsung, among others. A moving tribute to the late and brilliant architect Zaha Hadid was the highlight of the night and all were inspired by her legacy.

Empire is a premier producer of some of the world's most prestigious award ceremonies, including The Webby Awards, The Fragrance Foundation Awards, and was honored to be chosen as Architizer's production partner for the 2016 Architizer A+Awards.

What do Kim Kardashian, Jessica Alba, Lena Dunham, The Onion, Kanye West, Making a Murderer, and #BlackLivesMatter all have in common? They were the big winners at the 20th Annual Webby Awards, produced by Empire Entertainment in New York City.

For the 12th consecutive year the Webbys chose Empire to produce what many hail as “the Oscars of the Internet.” The show is renowned for its tradition of allowing its winners only 5-word acceptance speeches, and this year spawned some true classics including “Break The Internet” winner Kim Kardashian (“Nude selfies until I die!”), Entrepreneur of the Year Jessica Alba for the Honest Company (“Guts. Heart. Passion. Drive. WiFi.”), and Artist of the Year, Kanye West (“I can’t stand short speeches”).

Parks & Recreation’s Nick Offerman hosted the awards, setting the tone with his sardonic wit, and advising the attendees that this year’s Webbys would be the last, as he had been informed that one of the winners had actually broken the internet. Offerman then advised the crowd to "celebrate these Webbys as if they truly might be our last, because, God knows, if Donald Trump becomes President and gets his tiny, tiny hands on our internet, we may never get to do this again.” Later in the show, Offerman introduced his wife, Megan Mullally, and the couple presented the Agency of the Year Award in hilarious fashion.

Other presenters and winners included documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, VICE Founder Shane Smith, YouTube personality Tyler Oakley, and Director Spike Lee, who presented the award for Social Movement of the Year to #BlackLivesMatter. For the show’s finalé, the Webbys chose to honor Prince, who performed live at the Webbys in 2006 after receiving that year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. With the stage bathed in purple light, Erykah Badu sang Prince’s “Ballad of Dorothy Parker,” followed by a video of Prince’s own 5-word acceptance speech “everything you think….is true”.

As in past years, the evening was a mix of profound creativity, innovation, irreverent humor, gravitas and emotion, reflecting the diverse nature of the Internet as a medium.

Following the awards. the audience moved to the Highline Ballroom for the annual Webby awards after party which featured a performance by Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon and music by Funkmaster Flex.

Empire is honored to have produced some of the world’s leading awards programs, including The Webby Awards, The Gotham Awards, The Fragrance Foundation Awards, The Architizer A+ Awards, and The Film Society of Lincoln Center Chaplin Awards.

​South Korea’s leading tire company, Kumho Tire, recently opened its first US-based manufacturing plant in Macon, Georgia, a $450 million dollar project. To celebrate the new 3 million square foot facility, they asked Empire to produce the Grand Opening Ceremony. 300 guests including Kumho Tire executives, state and local government officials, and local business representatives attended this historic event to celebrate the successful inauguration of the largest plant to open in Macon, Georgia, in 40 years.

The Chairman of Kumho Asiana Group, Park Sam-Koo, gave the keynote address giving deep appreciation for welcoming Kumho Tire to Georgia. Nathan Deal, the Governor of Georgia, added his thanks and support of this new plant. Also in attendance were State Senator Sanford Bishop, County Mayor Robert Reichert, Kumho Tire CEO Lee Han-Seob, and Cliffard Whitby of the Macon-Bibb Industrial Authority.

After the speeches, all major state, local, and company officials gathered on stage for a ceremonial ribbon cutting followed by a tree planting ceremony of hackberry trees nearby the entrance of the building. Once all ceremonies were over all the guests got a special opportunity to take a tour of the new and operating tire plant. The event ended with a buffet for the general guests and a luncheon for the VIP.

Empire provided all the production and event services required to make this historic day a success including tenting, technical production, scenic and stage design, branding and printing, catering, talent, staffing, and stage management. Working closely with our clients partners and benefactors, Empire continues to excel in building brand awareness and high-end ceremonies for global conglomerates and corporations worldwide.

Screenvision Media is the premier provider of in-cinema advertising in movie theatres nationwide. For this year’s Screenvision Media Upfront the company chose the theme, “Impact Like No Other,” to represent its ability to deliver impact before, during and after the movie to advertisers. The upfront would seek to demonstrate how Screenvision connects the in-theater experience and brands to every part of the moviegoer’s journey, driven by data and technology, interactivity and integration.

To bring the "Impact Like No Other" theme to life, Empire developed designs and worked closely with Screenvision Media to transform Skylight Moynihan Station into a fully immersive theater and “after party” experience for its high-level attendees.

The evening began with guests entering through a movie theater “lobby,” complete with movie trailers and animated content on screens supplied by Christie Digital and Cinema Scene. Guests moved into a full size re-creation of a movie theater, complete with a concession stand, for a presentation given on the best advertiser medium available: a massive, 40’ screen. After compelling remarks by Screenvision Media executives including CEO John Partilla, EVP of National Sales, Katy Loria, CMO John McCauley and SVP of Sales Christine Martino, Loria closed by inviting guests to a “Party Like No Other.” At that exact moment, drapes were lifted to reveal four Star Wars Stormtroopers who emerged and led guests into the after party space. As guests streamed through the portals, they entered in to a Hollywood-style after-party, complete with a screening room, crystal chandeliers, a 16’ square bar, innovative catering by Pinch Fopod Design, and interactive movie sets inspired by some of 2017’s most anticipated feature films including Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “Kong: Skull Island” (release date: March 10, 2017), Warner Bros. Pictures’ “LEGO® Batman Movie” (release date: February 10, 2017), and Marvel's “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (release date: May 5, 2017). Within each set were a series of custom guest activities including a photo booth based on a giant recreation of a crashed helicopter for “Kong: Skull Island” and a Record-your-own-voice-over booth for “LEGO® Batman.”

A showcase of the upcoming movie slate was produced by Screenvision Media programming partner, Bitesize TV. Timeplay created a customized interactive game experience in the “screening area”, 40 Foot Solutions produced other on-screen elements for the show, and Christie Digital and Cinema Scene provided interactive video walls throughout the entire event space. In addition, SITO Mobile, Shazam and Mobiquity Networks provided state-of-the-art location services utilizing a combination of beacons, geo-fencing and data capabilities throughout the event to demonstrate the power of data and audience targeting in real time.

Working closely with Screenvision Media’s marketing and creative team, Empire conceived of this experiential and immersive way to tell their story to their advertising customers and to provide a memorable experience for the influencers in attendance. Empire was responsible for all event details including concept ideation, venue acquisition, layout and set design, catering, staging, sound, lighting, graphics, furnishings, carpet, catering, technical production, staffing and coordination with movie studios.

Empire is a leading producer of innovative Upfronts, Newfronts, and other mission critical business-to-business events.

The Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation hosted its 4th annual Tom Ridge Awards on Thursday, May 19, at the Sheraton Times Square. Named after former Pennsylvania Governor and the nation’s first director of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, the Awards honored the outstanding achievement of Federal Agents in the various branches of the Justice and Homeland Security departments including the FBI, DEA, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshals, ATF, CBP and others.

The evening began with a VIP cocktail reception and red carpet where Special Agents in Charge of their respective agencies took photos with Governor Ridge and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Dick Wolf. As the cocktail reception came to a close, the DEA Pipe and Drum Corp and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Honor Guard began a bagpipe procession, leading guests into the Metropolitan Ballroom to take their seats for dinner and the Awards ceremony.

Following a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem, performed by Ariel Kendall, the awards ceremony began with each branch’s award presented by a celebrity presenter and a Special Agent in Charge to a worthy recipient. A silent and live auction was presented by host Bill McCuddy and managed flawlessly by 501 Auctions with mobile bidding.

For the finalé of the evening, a tribute video played as creator and executive producer of Law and Order, Dick Wolf, was honored on stage with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Actors Yaya DaCosta and Nick Gehlfuss, stars of Dick Wolf’s latest television drama Chicago Med, presented the award to the esteemed producer. Governor Ridge and FEHSF Chairman, Richard Kendall, then joined them on stage for closing remarks.

To learn more about the Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation and the Tom Ridge Awards, and to support their work, please visit here. ​

SONY Pictures’ digital entertainment network,Crackle, once again partnered with Empire to produce their 2016 Upfront — anannual presentation to advertisers and media. With an exciting lineup of bothnew, original programming and returning series, Crackle had much to present.

The Upfront took place at the New York CityCenter, and opened with welcoming remarks by SONY Pictures Television’s Presidentof Worldwide Networks, Andy Kaplan.

Next, an opening video featuring the League ofFreedom from the television series SuperMansionled to remarks by executive producers Seth Green, Zeb Wells, Matt Seinreich,and Bryan Cranston.

Crackle Senior Vice President of Digital MediaSales, James Smith, then took the stage, emphasizing that “Because we’re Sony,we’re not just talking product placement, those are a given and we can do thoseall day long, we’re talking about custom story lines, talent inclusions, andtechnology based experiences like 360 & VR.”

SONY Pictures Television’s SVP of DigitalNetworks, Eric Berger, appeared on the program to give remarks including theintroduction of a new “break-free advertising” sponsorship model, withadditional comments by Jonah Goodhart, CEO of MOAT. Eric Berger also presentedCrackle’s programming slate accompanied by many of Crackle’s biggest stars andshow runners including Kate Bosworth, Christian Cooke, and Dennis Quaid.

Among the many announcements of the day,Crackle also announced that it will create original VR narrative content. Thefirst will be a special episode of SuperMansion.Crackle will also create original VR content with sponsorship opportunities, tobe viewable on PlayStation VR, Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard, andsmartphones.

To close the event, Crackle introduced two neworiginal series – “Snatch” and “StartUp” – and invited the “StartUp” castmembers Adam Brody, Edi Gathegi, and Otmara Marrero to discuss the show.

In addition to securing the venue, designingthe spaces, managing event logistics, catering and stage managing the program,Empire provided all staging and technical production support.

Empire continues to set the industry standardfor producing outstanding presentations for clients seeking to communicatetheir mission, motivations and value proposition to key customers. Empire isproud to have served SONY Pictures Television and Crackle on this year's Upfront.

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AMC Networks is comprised of AMC, BBC America, Sundance, IFC, and WeTV. During the past several years AMC and Empire have partnered to create large-scale, groundbreaking Upfront events worthy of their extraordinary programming. This year, AMC opted to host a series of intimate, bespoke culinary events in New York and Chicago designed to present a ‘tasting menu’ of AMC Networks’ award-winning programming. Each event would be intimate, elegant and create a conversation between the guests, the programming and the network hosts.

Five of the sidefronts took place at Chefs Club, a trendy SoHo restaurant created in partnership with Food & Wine magazine that welcomes culinary masterminds into their state-of-the-art chef’s kitchen. AMC Networks took full advantage of this unique space to provide guests a once in a lifetime culinary experience, with menus curated and prepared by some of the world’s best-known chefs including: Jean-Georges Vongerichten; winner of several James Beard Awards and owner of Michelin star-rated restaurants, Mario Batali; known for Iron Chef America and The Chew, Alex Guarnaschelli, executive chef at Butter Midtown, star of Iron Chef America, judge on Chopped, and author of Old-School Comfort Food; Marcus Samuelsson, known for his popular Harlem restaurant, Red Rooster, and his roles on Iron Chef America, and Tom Colicchio, recipient of five James Beard Awards, head judge on Top Chef, and owner of Gramercy Tavern, Craft and Colicchio & Sons.

Each event commenced with a cocktail hour and passed hors d’oeuvres during which AMC Networks executive leadership and ad sales teams mingled with advertisers and agency personnel. Following cocktails, guests were seated for welcome remarks, a personal introduction to the meal by each chef and a brief speaking program. Arlene Manos, President of National Ad Sales, Josh Sapan, President & CEO of AMC Networks, Charlie Collier, President & GM of AMC, and Scott Collins, EVP of Ad Sales, teased new programming coming to AMC, BBC America, Sundance, IFC, and WeTV. Guests also had the opportunity to preview new shows such as "Feed the Beast", "The Night Manager" and AMC’s hotly anticipated "Preacher" on screens positioned throughout the dining room.

In addition to the five sidefronts at Chefs Club, additional events were held at the offices of one of New York’s biggest media agencies, and another at Morgan’s on Fulton in Chicago.

Empire was proud to work closely with AMC Networks to create these exclusive culinary experiences. Empire served as overall producer of the event series, secured the venues, contracted and worked with each chef on menu and logistics, provided technical production and décor, and executed all needs for the programs.

Empire is a leading producer of standout upfront events and key business-to-business presentations of every kind.

In 2016, Microsoft launched a new conference, Microsoft Envision, with the goal of bringing together business leaders and decision makers from across several industry sectors to discuss trends and technology that are helping enterprises succeed in a fast changing world.

For the opening keynote, Empire delivered astronaut Captain Scott Kelly for his first public appearance following his historic 340-day journey in space aboard the International Space Station. Captain Kelly joined Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for an introductory conversation, as well as Microsoft CMO Chris Caposella later in the program for a ‘fireside chat’ in front of an audience of approximately 6,000 attendees. Throughout his on-stage appearance, Captain Kelly discussed how Microsoft’s augmented reality technology, Hololens, was used on the ISS and the challenges of living in space for a prolonged period of time.

On the conference’s second day, Empire helped the Microsoft Envision content team deliver a series of eight concurrent “State of the Industry” panel discussions on the topic of how technology is transforming business. Each panel included industry luminaries, established business leaders, disruptors, academics and industry association figures to bring broad perspective to the discussion. Industry panels were held for Government, Finance, Sports & Entertainment, Retail & Consumer Packaged Goods, Health Care, Travel & Hospitality and Professional Services. Among the 40+ participating panelists, notable figures included Former Senior Advisor to President Obama, Daniel Pfeiffer; Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for the NFL, Michelle McKenna Doyle; and the 18th Surgeon General of the United States, Regina Benjamin. Empire worked closely with the Microsoft Envision team to research, contract, coordinate and deliver all speakers for these panels.

To close out the inaugural Microsoft Envision, multiple Grammy-award winning band Train brought the attendees to their feet at a final night party that ended the conference on a high note. Train frontman, Pat Monahan, delighted the crowd by taking selfies on attendees phones during his performance, and inviting two lucky attendees on stage to belt out Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing.’

For more information on Microsoft Envision, please visit: www.microsoft.com/en/envision

Online mattress retailer, Casper, opened their first-ever pop-up shop on the “coolest block in America” on Abbot Kinney. The intimate shop offered curious customers the opportunity to test out the available online-only mattress and simultaneously provide insight into what a brick and mortar solution could look like for Casper.

An eye-catching mural on the front facade of the shop drew in local passers-by and also acted as a billboard on the popular Venice thoroughfare. As guests entered, they were greeted in the foyer by Casper staffers who scheduled 15-minute “naps” or trials for any interested customers and offered insight into Casper’s history, brand, and answered any questions. Guests were then invited to take a private nap on the Casper mattress in a custom-created canopy tent. Following the trial, guests were invited to a sunny patio space to relax & reflect on their experience and enjoy light refreshments.

The experiment was so successful that Casper extended the store’s run by 50%.

Visit here for more.

On the evening of April 4, 2016, a rainbow ribbon installation hung above guests while bikes filled with larger-than-life,multicolored flowers paired for a vibrant cocktail hour. Spring Studios wasbuzzing with bright attire including multihued,patched suits, a couple of inventive wigs and hair extensions, and even a paircurly rainbow horns.

Working in tandem with the New Museum, Empire booked Shamir – aLas Vegas native with killer vocals that perfectly match this year’s theme.Shamir delivered an electro-pop disco performance, including his hit single“Hot Mess.” He also exclusively debuted his unreleased track from his newalbum, “Demon”, and performed it for the very first time at the gala.

DKNY served as the main sponsor for the gala, which raised $2million for the museum. Following a live auction of paintings with Simon dePury in all his glory, over $300,000 was raised.

Throughout the night, legendary DJ Stretch Armstrong kept guestsentertained, including DKNY’s creative directors Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yichow, Mia Moretti, Jeff Koons, Casey Fremont, Cynthia Rowley, Swizz Beats,Michael Stipe, Ugo Rondinone, John Giorno, and Massimiliano Gioni.

For this colorful engagement, we proudly served as entertainmentproducer, including talent buying, talent management, on-site management, andtechnical oversight. Now in our third consecutive year of producing this event,we are grateful that New Museum continues to choose to partner with us todeliver quality results.

To learn more orjoin, please visit http://www.newmuseum.org

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​A Fortune 300 financial services firm had its annual incentive program in Nashville in April 2016 and asked Empire to recommend entertainment for each night that would fit in with the "Music City" setting.

The first night was at the storied Grand Ole Opry, and Empire presented country legend Vince Gill. Gill showed why he has been the recipient of 20 Grammy Awards, mesmerizing the crowd with his virtuoso guitar playing and soulful vocals on classics such as "Bread and Water" and "Threaten Me With Heaven". And his storytelling between songs had the audience hanging on every word.

For the second night, Empire brought in the youngest Grammy Award winner ever - - LeAnn Rimes. Rimes alternately rocked the crowd with hits like "Can't Fight The Moonlight" and a cover of Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee" and also had the attendees in the palm of her hand with ballads including "How Do I Live" and "Amazing Grace".

And for the final evening, Empire encouraged the client to bring in an artist with country roots, but who has more of a pop/rock vibe. And 9-time Grammy winner Sheryl Crow fit the bill, performing cuts with a country flair like "The First Cut is The Deepest" and "Strong Enough", but also tearing the roof off with rockers like "Every Day Is A Winding Road", "All I Wanna Do", and even a blistering cover of Led Zeppelin's "Rock & Roll".

Empire contracts headline entertainers for special events worldwide, and has presented and produced dozens of Grammy Award winners for our clients' programs around the globe.

The setting: An outdoor stage on the beach at the idyllic Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Cancun, Mexico. The purpose: An incentive program for one of the world’s leading communication technology companies. The perfect headline entertainment: Multiple Grammy winning band, Train.

Train’s participation in the event was a secret until the moment they were announced onstage to the excited audience of approximately 200 guests & spouses. Once onstage Train did not disappoint. Their eighty-five minute set included all of their biggest hits including “Drops of Jupiter,” “Meet Virginia,” “Hey Soul Sister,” and “Drive By,” as well as several covers including, “Ramble On,” and “Don’t Stop Believing,” which included inviting 2 guests up on stage to sing along with lead singer, Pat Monahan.

Throughout the show, Pat took “selfies” with the audience, and threw several t-shirts into the crowd, including one that he had signed onstage by all band members. In addition, following the performance, Pat graciously greeted and talked with VIPs, taking photos with all of them.

For this incentive program, Empire worked closely with the client’s production company, Swift Smart Solutions, to identify talent candidates, negotiate the performance contract, and facilitate the development of a working production and logistical plan. The collaboration with Swift further included all technical requirements for a stage, sound, lights and video on the beach, as well as freight into and out of Mexico, local musician’s union requirements and work permits.

Empire is a leading provider of headline entertainment for corporate meetings & events and is deeply experienced in overcoming the challenges of presenting headline entertainment outside of the United States.

Hailed as the Oscars of social media, the Shorty Awardshonor the best influencers, celebritiesand brands on popular social media platforms such as Snapchat, Periscope,Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and more. The 8^th Annual Shorty Awards returnedthis year to The TimesCenter on Monday, April 11. Streaming live on YouTube toover 100,000 viewers, the event highlighted popular digital talent, animals,blogs and content, alongside traditional celebrities.

Mamrie Hart, ranked #2 on Buzzfeed’s list of “10 YouTubersTo Know,” hosted this year’s program, while Pitch Perfect 2’s Flula pumpedup the show as the house DJ. Presenters ranged the gamut from internet starssuch as Hannah Hart, Rhett & Link, Lele Pons and Frankie Grande toAmerica’s favorite weatherman, Al Roker, Fuse TV’s Chris Gethard and LMFAO’sRedfoo.

The competition was fierce this year with over 3.4 millionvotes, nearly double that of last year. Winners of the signature Shorty Awardswhale tail included Jimmy Fallon, Misty Copeland, Katie Couric, Adele, JiffPom,Baddie Winkle, Lindsey Sterling, Kevin Hart, Hannah Hart, Casey Neistat andSnapchatter of the Year – DJ Khaled. Not to mention Pizza Rat walking off withthe Shorty Award for GIF of the Year.

International R&B sensation Nico & Vinz hit thestage for a special musical performance with their hit song “Am I Wrong” andnew track from DJ Spinking “League of Your Own.” Once again, the entire programwas simulcast to a separate viewing party downstairs where guests were able tonetwork while enjoying the delicious caterings of Cleaver and Co, beer fromSixpoint and signature cocktails in teal wax-dipped glasses from Maker’s Mark. Winnersfrom this year’s brand and organization competition accepted their trophies ontheir very own stage where they were invited to record their acceptancespeeches as well.

We’re proud to partner with The Shorty Awards for our secondyear and we wish a huge congratulation to all the influencer and brand winnersthis year!

WATCH THIS YEAR'S SHORTY AWARDS HERE.

​Initiated by philanthropist and businesswoman Shari Arison of the Ted Arison Family Foundation in Israel over 10 yearsago, Good Deeds Day has grown into a global movement of doing good and thepower of doing good deeds. For this years 10^th anniversary event, Empirewas engaged to manage partnership & sponsorship development in NorthAmerica as well as to produce the national flagship event at Herald Square, directlyin front of corporate partner, Macy’s.

The flagship event took the form of astreet fair at which 20 not for profit organizations and corporate partnershosted good deed-related activities on site. Each participating organization wasgiven its own-tented space with tables, chairs, and uniform signage in whicheach organization offered a different participatory good deed. JessicaSeinfeld’s GOOD+ Foundation hosted a sorting and bundling clothing projectwhere participants created wardrobe packets for children of families in need.Stand with Us partnered with the Israeli Consulate and made sandwiches thatwere delivered to a nearby homeless shelter. The event also featured a steadystream of speakers and performances on a main stage throughout the day. DavidArison, head of global relations for the Arison group kicked off the dayencouraging everyone to participate and do a good deed, no matter how big orsmall. Actor, musician and environmental activist Adrian Grenier spoke aboutMobile Kitchen Classroom, an organization that empowers high school students toactively contribute to the creation of a healthy and sustainable food culture.New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also stopped by to take photos and show hissupport for the 10^th anniversary events.

As the day progressed, emcee JamesDonahower kept stage programming light and engaging, while highlighting eachnot for profit and corporate partner and driving home the purpose of the day. Theall day event also featured performances by Jessica Sweetman, JudahFriedlander, Harlem Samba and more. DJBeco Dranoff kept the energy up in the crowd between performances and during activities.Empire delivered several sponsors including Macy’s, Scholastic Book Fairs, KINDSnacks and VH1 Save the Music Foundation who were on site with innovativeactivities to offer to participants. More than 33,000 schools nationwide hostedScholastic book fairs good deed initiatives throughout the months of April andMay, 500 children’s books were donated on site at the NY event by Scholastic toencourage people to host read aloud, KIND hosted a guided meditation and sharedKind products as well as hosting a KIND wall of good thoughts, while VH1 brought music instruments for people topractice and play on. The NYPD estimated that the Good Deeds Day Flagship eventhosted more than 8,000 people, with many more stopping by to snap a photo andupload their post to social media. Additionally, Empire supported social mediamarketing efforts, engaging influencers like Bill Gates who tweeted about GoodDeeds on the day.

In addition to strategic partnership andsponsorship development throughout the year, Empire was responsible for thedesign and execution of the street fair event including securing Herald Square,providing all tenting, staging and production, security, staffing, onsitemanagement and talent coordination. Empire also worked with reelworks.org ayouth filmmaking charity, and the Good Deeds Day team to create a NorthAmerican public service announcement (PSA) that ran on partner websites and on JewishBroadcast Service.

Good Deeds Day’s 10^thanniversary brought more New Yorkers to participate than ever before and Empireis proud to have had the opportunity to produce this milestone event.

Check out the highlights video, producedby reelworks.org at:

https://app.frame.io/f/XDYNEp5j

To learn more about Good Deeds Day or toget involved in 2017 plans, please visit

www.gooddeedsday.org

​On the eve of the nation’s first 2016 presidential primary in New Hampshire, the Bernie Sanders campaign contacted Empire to assist them in presenting an inspiring public concert and rally at the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore Center. The catch: we had only 72 hours to plan and execute this historic event. Undeterred by the impossible time frame or the impending blizzard, Empire worked quickly to arrange the deliverables necessary to make the show happen.

The incredible lineup included performances by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Young The Giant, Fantastic Negrito, Big Data, Matt Nathanson, Jon Fishman of Phish and Kat Wright & Friends and was hosted by Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Emily Ratajkowski. Senator Bernie Sanders was then introduced by this star-studded group and delivered a powerful speech to the crowd of thousands of students, teachers, parents and children, encouraging them to be part of the political process, and to get out and vote. Sanders’ speech was well received and culminated with an original, never-before-played live song by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Feel the Bern. The entire star-studded lineup then joined them on stage for a sensational finale.

Empire Entertainment partnered with C3 Presents to produce the concert, providing all technical coordination, lighting, audio, video projection and playback, show calling communications and onsite talent wrangling services. Working in tandem with the Bernie Sanders campaign and C3 Presents, Empire was able to deliver this one-of-a-kind performance supporting Senator Sanders in the hours leading up to the New Hampshire Primary. .

Empire is a non-partisan company that supports political campaigns, social and environmental rallies, not-for-profit fundraisers and activations with headline talent, production, technical and design expertise.

Once again, the Grammy Awards had Los Angeles buzzing with high-profileevents. For the fifth year, Empire was called upon by the visionary artist,entrepreneur and philanthropist will.i.am to produce the annual TRANS4M Gala,benefiting his i.am.angel Foundation. This year’s Gala honored Producer NormanLear and was co-hosted by Marc Benioff, Ron Conway, Laurene Powell-Jobs, Seanand Alexandra Parker, and Dean Kamen. The foundation supports transfomation andrevival in will.i.am’s hometown of Boyle Heights in east Los Angeles byproviding opportunities in STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering,Arts and Math) and college readiness.

On the evening of February 11, 2016, over 200 supporters gathered atwill.i.am’s studio and headquarters known as ‘The Future’ for an intimateevening that showcased the Foundation’s programs and students. i.am.angel’s donorsenjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres as they made theirway through The Future’s space, engaging with students in a variety of demonstrationsrelated to i.am.angel’s STEAM programming.

Students showed off their innovative technology projects including a solarcar, catapult, hand-built robots and ESRI maps. Guests also had the opportunityto view and bid on work by artist Janne Kyttanen,best known for his revolutionary work with 3D printing. In addition, “Made ofJapan”, a 3D-printed light sculpture, was available for guests to bid on. Thiswork was originally created as the centerpiece for Onitsuka Tiger’s multiaward-winning Electric Light Shoe campaign and features a network of Tokyo-inspiredstreets and highways.

After cocktails, guests made their way to Milk Studios, which had been transformedinto an elegant dining room with long rustic wooden tables. Flourishes includinghanging greenery, pin-spotted tabletop florals, and flickering candlelight gavethe space a warm yet forward-looking style.

Cynthia Erenas, an i.am.angel success story, kicked off the program andwarmed the stage with her heartfelt tribute to will.i.am for his commitment toSTEAM education. will.i.am,was joined on stage by i.am College Track SiteDirector Silvestre Vallejo, i.am.angelDirector of STEM Lilly Kam, STEM Academy of Boyle Heights Teacher Leo Magallon,and their students.

As the evening progressed, auctioneer Zack Krone took the stage and ledguests to bid on a 3D Printed FashionMasterclass, tickets to the GRAMMY Awards and After-Party, an autographedguitar from Sting, a private tour of DEKA Research and Development Facilitywith Dean Kamen, yoga with Russell Simmons, and tickets to the taping of TheTonight Show with Jimmy Fallon with a backstage tour with The Roots.

The evening’s highlights also included aperformance by the first lady of neo soul, Erykah Badu, and an intimateconversation between the evening’s honoree, Norman Lear, and Touré that coveredMr. Lear’s seven decade career. Guests wrapped up the evening by dancing thenight away with DJ Adam 12.

Empire is honored to continue our long-term partnership with thei.am.angel Foundation and to serve as producer of this exclusive event.

For more information on this innovative foundation, please visit www.iamangelfoundation.org

On Saturday, February 27, Empire was proud to workwith Ebony and Apple iTunes to present Celebrate Black Hollywood on the eveof the Academy Awards.

This inaugural event took place within the historical and repurposed Studio A, located within the brand new industrial co-working space,the NeueHouse Hollywood, which occupies the landmarked 1938 CBS Radio Building.

Following a packed red carpet and guest check-in via iPads,a brief and moving speaking program waspresented to the room full of black actors, directors, producers, writer,executives, and entertainment industry veterans.

The program included remarks by Linda Johnson Rice, Chairmanof the Johnson Publishing Company, Bozoma Saint John, head of global consumermarketing, iTunes and Apple Music at Apple, and EBONY magazine Editor-in-chief,Kierna Mayo.

Following the executive remarks, actor Anthony Anderson, starof Black-ish, took to the stage to share his experiences in Hollywood, andintroduced Nate Parker, the writer, director, producer and star of The Birth of a Nation, which premieredat the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and set a new record for selling price. Parker spoke aboutBlack Hollywood banding together to win success at its own terms.

After a celebratory toast, celebrity DJs Nick Cannon andD-Nice kept the room dancing until the wee hours of the morning.

Empire Entertainment is a leading producer of high-profileevents and is proud to have been chosen to support this remarkable event for EBONYMagazine, The Johnson Publishing Company, and Apple iTunes.

For additional editorial coverage, please visit http://www.ebony.com/photos/entertainment-culture/embracing-black-hollywood#axzz41lmU0wKA

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Over the last 10 years, charity: water has redefined thetypical fundraising gala through its signature event, charity: ball. They constantlyutilize new technologies to bring their work to life and inspire guests to give,which has resulted in bringing clean water to hundreds of thousands of peopleover the years. In line with the organization’s model, 100% of every dollarraised at the gala goes straight to the field to bring more people clean water. The 2015 charity: ball was no different.

charity: water hosted its first ever black-tie, sit-downdinner at the legendary Temple of Dendur at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Uponarrival, guests mingled in the Great Hall amongst charity: water’s hallmarkbeautiful photographs from the field in Ethiopia. Following cocktail hour,everyone made their way through the Egyptian galleries to dinner at The Templeof Dendur in The Sackler Wing. A stunning backdrop, thanks to lighting fromFrost Lighting and décor by Van Vliet and Trap.

Taking advantage of the seated dinner format, charity: waterfocused its energy on a brief and impactful stage program. Scott Harrison, theorganization’s Founder and CEO, welcomed everyone to the 10th anniversary event with an overview of the evening to come, preparing guestsfor a special experience. Pushing the boundaries once again, charity: waterpresented the largest simultaneous Virtual Reality viewing of a special filmthey produced about a girl from Ethiopia named Salem, thanks to support fromsponsors Verizon and Samsung. The 8-minute video brought you directly into thefield where you experienced firsthand the struggle of life with dirty water andthe difference one well makes for a whole community.

Following the viewing, professional auctioneers from Christie’stook the stage to lead another new iteration of charity: water’s unique liveauction. Similar to years past, guests were invited to pledge donations byswiping their RFID bracelets programmed and provided by Connect&Go. Asalways, the auction didn’t consist of expensive prizes or elaborate trips, butsimply the opportunity to bring communities across the globe life’s mostbasic need—clean water. Whereas in years past it was an individual experience,this year the auction fostered a communal concept where individual pledges combinedto create their tables’ cumulative amount, creating a bidding competitionamongst the tables. Real-time graphics were projected on the wall of the museumthanks to our partner L&M, tracking the donations visually. As certain fundraisinglevels were reached, guests were treated to surprise champagne toasts. Celebratingthe $2.4 million raised and 243 villages that will receive clean water, theevening culminated in a special guest performance by Zach Williams, front manfor the Lone Bellow.

Overall, CBX was one for the books and we’re honored tocontinue to partner with charity: water and help make whatever difference wecan.

To learn more about their work or to get involved pleasevisit http://www.charitywater.org/

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On December 2, 2015, EBONY Magazine presented the 4th annualEBONY Power 100 Gala, honoring the nation’s 100 most influential AfricanAmericans and celebrating the 70^th Anniversary of the publication.

This year’s Ebony Power 100, livestreamed on ebony.com, tookplace at the historic Beverly Hilton's International Ballroom and washosted by Johnson Publishing Company Chairwoman, Linda Johnson Rice, and CEO Desirée Rogers.

Following red carpet arrivals and an elegant VIP cocktail reception, the 500+ guests were seated for adinner program emceed by television and movie star Arsenio Hall. Attendeeswere entertained by a wide array of musical performances, each one representingthe music industry over the past 70 years. Performers included child phenom,Bobby Hill (who recently serenaded the Pope), Jidenna, who wowed with hits like“Classic Man", vocalist Judith Hill (whose forthcoming album is produced byPrince), and a rousing finalé performance by none other than George Clinton andthe Parliament Funkadelic.

DJ Kiss performed throughout the event and spun at the post-reception in the InternationalFoyer and Terrace.

Celebrities and A-listers in attendance included Zendaya andJesse Williams (who graced the cover of the annual issue), as well as AnthonyAnderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Tina Knowles, Loretta Devine, Holly RobinsonPeete, Ledisi, and Verdine White of Earth Wind & Fire. Harry Belafonte, who also appeared on the cover, sent a heartfelt video tribute for the occasion.

The Ebony Power 100 was presented by Nationwide Insurance, with othernoteworthy sponsors and partners including United Airlines, Cadillac, Hennessy, HiltonWorldwide, Twitter, and Home Depot.

Empire was honored to once again serve as event producer forthe Ebony Power 100, responsible for venue selection, décor, production, talentbooking & coordination, registration, livestream, videography, eventlogistics and onsite management.

Empire is a leading producer of branded entertainment and broadcastand non-broadcast, celebrity-driven media events.

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After their successful inaugural gala fundraiser in 2013 honoring Karl Lagerfeld, and their second event in 2014 recognizing the career of Stella McCartney, the Lincoln Center Corporate Fund (LCCF) chose to honor the creative directors of the culturally iconic and internationally recognized fashion house, Valentino, with their Women’s Leadership Award. To produce this prestigious event, the LCCF turned to us for the third year to design and produce the evening.

Held again at Alice Tully Hall, the evening began with a red carpet and VIP cocktail reception. Twenty five pieces from Valentino’s Fall 2015 Collection were on display in the lobby, providing guests with a rare, up close view of the one-of-a-kind dresses. The couture was showcased in custom-designed display units, produced in Italy and installed specifically for this event.

Guests then moved into the theater, where Glenda Bailey, the editor of Harper’s Bazaar, Diane Kruger and Keira Knightley spoke about the Valentino designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, who took over the label in 2008, shortly after the retirement of the company’s founder, Valentino Garavani. Ms. Knightley presented the duo with the awards by Lalique, but not before Valentino co-founder, Giancarlo Giammetti, jumped on stage for an impromptu toast.

To close the program, Bruce Willis took the stage to introduce Debbie Harry, who performed some of her most well-known Blondie hits. Ms. Harry performed alongside a Juilliard string quartet for a unique rendition of her classic songs.

Following the stage program, guests re-entered the Alice Tully Hall lobbies, which had been transformed from the reception space in to a seated dinner for 350 guests, designed in a classic black and white palette, which allowed for a glamorous backdrop to Valentino's designs.

To learn more about the Corporate Fund and to donate please visit http://www.lccorporatefund.org.

We were honored to be involved in another program at Lincoln Center in support of the arts and continue our work with esteemed fashion and luxury brands.

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The Coalition for the Homeless has been working tirelessly for over three decades to provide aid to homeless and at-risk New Yorkers. More than 3,500 men, women and children receive assistance each day through the Coalition’s direct initiatives, which include providing housing, emergency food & clothing, crisis services, job training and special programs for kids such as Camp Homeward Bound.

On Tuesday, November 17, 2015, the Coalition for the Homeless hosted their 21st annual ARTWALK NY, bringing together more than 800 Coalition supporters, artists, collectors, art-lovers and celebrities in the Flatiron’s Metropolitan Pavilion for an evening of festivities including a live and silent auction of over 100 pieces of donated contemporary art.

For the sixth consecutive year, Empire Entertainment served as overall producer of ARTWALK NY. Artists Patricia Cronin and Deborah Kass were honored for their contribution to contemporary art, and Richard Gere and Alec and Hilaria Baldwin were honored for their continuous philanthropic support of the Coalition over the years.

To the delight of the partygoers, the evening’s program started off with a bang when Alec Baldwin jumped onstage to offer up Richard Gere as the first “item” for sale starting at a mere $50,000. Later, when the real live auction began, Sotheby’s Aileen Agopian auctioned off a stunningly curated selection of art pieces donated by some of the world’s most celebrated artists, including Jenny Holzer, Deb Kass, Glenn Ligon, Ed Ruscha, Patricia Cronin and Andy Warhol.

The evening, generously sponsored by Tiffany & Co., began with hors d’oeuvres by Pinch Food Design and libations graciously provided by VDKA 6100 Peroni, Slope Cellars and Grace Hightower and Coffees of Rwanda. Several of New York’s best restaurants, including Michael’s, The National, Palma, The Odeon, Tijuana Picnic and David Burke Kitchen provided tasting stations.

Throughout the night, guests bid on and purchased works from established and emerging artists while grooving to tunes spun by DJ May Kwok.

Working closely with Coalition for the Homeless’ events team and title sponsor Tiffany & Co., Empire Entertainment served as executive producer of the event and was responsible for aspects ranging from event design, layout, production and logistics to décor and restaurant coordination.

To learn more about the Coalition for the Homeless or to get involved and donate, visit www.coalitionforthehomeless.org

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Fast-growing sleep startup Casper approached Empire to assist them with their latest marketing activation, The Nap Tour. To showcase their award-winning mattress while providing naps to those in need of rest, Casper built a custom trailer called the “Napmobile", complete with four luxurious sleep pods, each containing a Casper mattress, dimmable lighting, privacy shades and recorded bedtime stories. The Napmobile made stops between September and November in seven major cities: Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Nashville, Atlanta, and Miami.

Empire took the lead on identifying the locations for each city and executing all strategic scouting and permitting logistics. For such a unique activation with a sizeable footprint, there was considerably planning involved in accommodating space for the installation, while capturing high foot traffic appropriate to their target demographic. Empire's scope of work ranged from preparing multiple location options with Casper prior to tour to the execution of all required permits, security, insurance and logistic considerations for load-in/load-out. Locations were unique to each city and examples span from renting out private parking lots in Boston and Philadelphia; obtaining city permits for public parks and plazas in New York and D.C.; contracting private empty lots in Williamsburg and Miami; and participating as a vendor at the Atlanta Arts Festival.

During the Nap Tour, the campaign gained more attention than we had expected from local passersby in each city as well as from those following Casper on social media. Each activation day saw an average of 300 - 400 nappers in addition to multiple indirect impressions. The program was also picked up by local press outlets covering the eye-catching installations.

Empire is proud to serve leading brands with innovative event marketing activities and branded installations in the U.S. and around the world.

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Empire recently worked with Fitch Ratings to present the third edition of the Why? Forum, an exclusive thought leadership forum. This year’s Why? Forum focused on emerging markets, featured presenters such as Dr. Condoleezza Rice and Fareed Zakaria, and took place at the new Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. As with past Why? Forum events in New York and London, this year’s Why? Forum explored the ‘reasons behind the rating’, focusing on emerging markets, the global economy and investment risks and opportunities around the world.

Empire worked closely with Fitch and its branding firm Addison to design the insightful and engaging stage program and to the transform the minimalist space into a Fitch-branded environment.

Fitch Group CEO Paul Taylor kicked off the Forum welcoming guests and introducing the afternoon’s Leader Panel. Moderated by renowned journalist Dr. Fareed Zakaria, the informative and riveting panel also featured economist Austan Goolsbee, Retired Citigroup Vice Chairman Bill Rhodes and Fitch Rating’s James McCormack. Topics ranged from income inequality and anticipated Federal Reserve and Central Bank moves, to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and changing demographics.

Following an audience Q&A with the Leader Panel, Paul Taylor returned to the stage to introduce the afternoon’s keynote speaker, former Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Dr. Rice covered subjects including U.S. immigration policy, the Middle East, Russia and China. Afterward, Dr. Zakaria returned to the stage to lead a candid conversation with Dr. Rice.

At the conclusion of the stage program, Nate Silver, founder of the website FiveThirtyEight, gave a brief presentation recapping the prior night’s elections and forecasting the upcoming 2016 Presidential Elections. In summary, don’t always trust the polls.

For this unique program, Empire served as overall producer, helping to secure the keynote speaker and panelists, handling all technical production, scenic and staging, catering, and guest logistics. Empire also worked to negotiate approvals for the use of footage, photos, digital and social media content for press and web purposes.

To learn more about this innovative series, check out the Why? Forum website at www.whyforum.com

On November 5, 2015, Empire Entertainment once again served as producer for Keep a Child Alive’s Black Ball at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Generously sponsored by Jynwel Charitable Foundation Limited, Microsoft and Givenchy Parfums, this year’s 12th annual Black Ball featured extraordinary performances by Alicia Keys, Lenny Kravitz, Wale and LION BABE and was emceed by comedian, actor and director, Chris Rock.

Hosted by Keep a Child Alive’s co-founder and 15 time Grammy Award-winning artist, Alicia Keys, who was joined by close friend and comedian, Chris Rock, who served as emcee, keeping everyone in stitches throughout the program. “It’s the funniest I’ve seen him. You can definitely tell he’s prepping for those Oscars,” said one guest of Rock, who has been named to host the Academy Awards on Feb. 28, 2016.

The Black Ball was once again designed by Creative Director Earle Sebastian, who chose an Afrofuturism theme for this year’s elegant cocktails, dinner and stage design. Design elements included a kinetic soft wall that undulated to a series of oscillating fans and a neon-lit Soweto Sound System created with New York-based design studio Mogollon.

A proud Alicia Keys and Keep a Child Alive CEO, Peter Twyman, took the stage early in the evening to deliver inspiring remarks about the power and potential of young people living with HIV and an impassioned plea for support.

This year’s Black Ball honored Patrice Motsepe and Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, individuals who are transforming African communities by addressing issues of social and economic inequality and envisioning a future when all Africans can realize their full potential.

A star-studded guest list of over 700 came out to support Keep a Child Alive’s mission with guests including Clive Davis, Gayle King, Tyson Beckford, Carmelo Anthony, Lewis Hamilton, Nigel Barker, Padma Lakshmi, and Mr. Brainwash.

Guests dined on a delicious dinner designed by guest chef Marcus Samuelsson and catered by Creative Edge. This year’s Black Ball raised $3.8 million dollars through table/ticket sales, sponsorships, donations, pledges and a live auction hosted by CK Swett. The live auction featured a selfie with Chris Rock, a visit to the set of Fox’s hit TV show, Empire, an extremely rare hand-crafted bottle of Rémy Martin’s Louis XIII Cognac, and an original painting by Kehinde Wiley. The Black Ball has raised over $28 million since its humble beginnings in 2004.

After the auction Alicia Keys and her band put on an electrifying concert performance that, true to Black Ball tradition, featured several amazing musical guests.

Neo-soul duo LION BABE joined Keys to open the concert with an old school classic, “Tell Me Something Good.” Rapper Wale then came out to perform “Lotus Flower Bomb,” segueing into a duet with Keys on “What You Won’t Do for Love.”

Grammy Award-winning rocker Lenny Kravitz took the stage next, pumping up the crowd with “Let Love Rule,” “American Woman” and “Are You Gonna Go My Way?”

Moments after the concert ended, Swizz Beatz and DJ Runna took to the stage to DJ the Afterglow party, keeping all the guests dancing into the early hours of the morning.

Empire has been proud to serve as the Producer of the Black Ball since its inception in 2004 and to partner with Keep a Child Alive and Alicia Keys to grow it into one of New York’s most anticipated, annual fundraising events.

To learn more about Keep a Child Alive and support their mission, please visit www.keepachildalive.org. #KCABlackBall

A leading technology company hosted its premierevent for developers around the world at Spring Studios in New York City with asimultaneous live broadcast online reaching over 340,000. A platform forannouncements about the future of its tools and services in the DevOps era, theevent generated unprecedented engagement from the developer and IT communitiesworldwide.

Spring Studios, a photo studio and recent additionto NYC’s trendy Tribeca neighborhood with a modern design and 22’ floor-to-ceilingwindows overlooking the Hudson River, provided the perfect setting for an eventdedicated to vision, collaboration and the boundless possibilities of the cloud.

To balance the sun-filled window backdrop with theneed to beautifully illustrate data-driven content, three large-scale,high resolution LED screens were custom-built to fit within the existing windowframes. This view was then “extended” along the sides of the room with large-scaleNew York City-scapes encased in custom-built plexi panels, echoing the windowframes. This design delivered the visual wow! factor required while alsoensuring the data-driven content was presented with uncompromised clarity.

The visual aesthetic and brand messaging wereintegrated into every aspect of the event. Guests received their first taste oftechnological innovation at registration, where an animated floor of LED tiles welcomedguests to the event. The lunch space décor echoed the keynote walls, with asuspended plexiglass panel installation that spanned the length of the room. Afternoonbreakout sessions offered custom content tracked to attendees’ variedinterests and needs, and “Inspiration Stations,” located throughout the eventspace showcased insights into how the company’s partners and clients are using theirproducts in real-life applications.

A live production studio built on site streamed theKeynote event as well as post-interviews and discussions to the global online developercommunity.

From registration, breakfast and keynote to lunchand evening cocktails, every element of this program was custom-designed tocommunicate exacting brand values and messaging and to deliver a high-touchguest experience.

Empire is a leading producer of conferences and top-tier B-to-B eventsworldwide.

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The acclaimed American Museum of Natural History in New York City seemed the only appropriate backdrop for this celebratory event in which the world’s largest private equity firm marked its 30th Anniversary.

Over 1,500 employees came together in the famed Milstein Hall of Ocean Life (more commonly known as the Whale Room) to memorialize their accomplishments with a custom-created menu and bar experience, an energetic DJ and an interactive photo booth, always a guest favorite. The room was transformed by custom floor-to-ceiling branded banners and backdrops highlighting the company’s achievements thus far. Soaring floral arrangements, reflective linens and sleek furniture fit perfectly with the water-themed space.

In keeping with the light mood of the fete, the company’s Founder and CEO took the “world’s largest selfie” during his stage remarks, capturing an image of all of the employees with his beloved flip phone (aided by cutting-edge technology that actually captured a 360° image of the entire room by piecing together live and pre-captured shots). The image was immediately projected on large screens in the space, prompting amusement from the crowd about their not-so-tech savvy leader.

After the remarks and just as the festivities were ramping up, the top 75 partners and advisers in the firm, accompanied by their spouses, quietly headed upstairs to the Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda (also known as the “Dinosaur Room”) for an elegant and intimate seated dinner. Once the filet mignon and desserts (customized with chocolate-sauce written notes) were enjoyed, it was time to dance! Guests enjoyed a live band while taking in the elegant décor, including soft lighting highlighting the existing architecture as well as the refined florals, linens, and lounge furniture.

The custom evening was one to remember, fit only for a firm that is one of the fastest-growing in its industry and managing over $365 billion in assets.

In our first collaboration with Chicago-based ContextMedia, Empire produced a very successful and high-energy cocktail reception at the newly opened One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the Western hemisphere. With soaring panoramic views of New York City, guests mingled and danced while engaging with ContextMedia’s technology platforms throughout the space. We effectively utilized a panoramic-shaped venue to keep guests involved in every part of the space and turned an average Wednesday night into a bumping dance party.

ContextMedia is a health information services company, building digital media technologies to deliver lifestyle education to patients to improve health outcomes. The company empowers healthcare professionals to engage patients while curating content personalized for each member office. It is the fastest growing company in the industry impacting over ten million patient visits each month.

This event was meant to engage their New York City-based clients and introduce them to ContextMedia’s technologies in a fun and accessible setting. Upon reaching the 102^nd floor, guests were welcomed with themed cocktails, buffet-style stations and impressive and creative hors d’oeuvres.

As guests entered the room, they were greeted with an interactive wall of screens. Built specifically for this event, the wall allowed guests to see the technology first hand and customize their experience. Smaller interactive screens were also placed throughout the space to allow guests to engage with the product.

Entertainment began with DJ Irie getting everyone out on the dance floor and the event really hit its stride when Questlove took the stage. He is best known as the drummer and front-man for the Grammy-winning band The Roots, the in-house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He has produced for artists including Elvis Costello, Common, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Bilal, Jay-Z, Nikka Costa, Al Green and John Legend.

The photo booth was also a big hit throughout the night as guests incorporated our fun props and costume pieces into their pictures.

Empire is proud to produce conferences and events for some of the world's leading healthcare and technology companies.

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After receivingfive standing ovations in five shows, enra has closed the curtain on asuccessful first US Tour. With five unique venues in five cities, five publicperformances, and five unique audiences, enra earned glowing reviews for theperformances and received numerous invitations to return. Presenters andaudiences alike praised enra, and American audiences in Birmingham,Memphis, Knoxville, Durango, and Detroit roseto their feet to shower the group with applause.

Monthsof careful preparation went in to producing enra’s longest tour to date. Fromsecuring visas and tax documents for the group members with an eye for futureprojects, detailed advance planning, to arranging expert in-personmanagement on the ground, Empire was there at every stage to ensure that thetour would not only go smoothly but also be a success for everyoneinvolved.

enra’smembers received a warm welcome everywhere they went and performed inbeautiful venues. "That was amazing!" was the general reaction from enthusiastic crowds. The tour also included three separate educationalevents for local students who were thrilled have a rare chance to learn fromenra’s multi-talented expertise.

Markedby its financial success, technical perfection, resourceful management, andthrillingly positive audience response, the tour was a total victory for enraand for Empire. We extend our deepest thanks to the supporters of enra andeveryone that made it possible.

On Saturday, October 17, 2015, Empire produced About.com’s Expert Conference for the third consecutive year at the IAC Building in NYC.

The conference gathers together hundreds of About.com’s experts - - the writers who deliver the content on the site, on topics ranging from travel, health, and tech, to sandwiches, etiquette, and women’s hairstyles. The site is visited each month by approximately 90 million users.

CEO Neil Vogel impressed the experts once again with his no-nonsense, cut-to-the-chase manner of addressing all issues head-on. External speakers this year included Joy Bauer, nutrition expert for the Today show, and Brian Stelter, Senior Media Correspondent for CNN. Presenters made good use of the fantastic, and enormous high-resolution video wall at the IAC Building (120’ Wide x 11’ High), including powerful and eye-catching content throughout the day.

Following several presentations in the main theater area, guests then broke into three separate groups for more intimate and interactive breakout sessions. Attendees also enjoyed breakfast and lunch breaks catered by Abigail Kirsch.

Empire managed all aspects of the About.com conference, providing stage management, registration, TPA procurement, technical direction, catering management, décor, and more. Empire is proud to produce business conferences for some of the world's leading technology companies.

In October 2015, for the third consecutive year, Empireproduced the Lowline Anti-Gala to help raise funds surrounding the project’sgoal to create the world’s first underground park in New York City’s historicLower East Side.

Upon its completion, the Lowline will completely transforman abandoned trolley terminal below Manhattan’s Delancey Street into a fullyfunctioning, public green space. Through next-generation solar technology, theLowline plans to redirect natural sunlight underground to enablephotosynthesis, thus creating and sustaining plant life under the bustling streetsof New York.

This year’s Anti-Gala, the organization’s annual fundraisingevent, came on the heels of the major opening of the project’s newestdevelopment; the Lowline Lab. Funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign thatraised over $200,000 from thousands of donors, the Lab operates as a workingprototype and technological showcase that is open to the public until March2016. There, guests can learn about the innovative technology that will light theLowline, and get a glimpse of what it will feel like to be within anunderground oasis.

To celebrate the Lowline Lab’s inaugural weekend, Empire workedclosely with them to conceptualize a ‘Building the Lowline’ construction theme,taking place inside the historic Angel Orensanz synagogue. This was completewith “construction workers” dressed as if on a job site, using flashlights tocheck out the area and directing guests as if on an actual construction site.The menu was handcrafted in the style of a construction worker’s diet, with guests noshing onpotato samosas, kebabs, hot dogs and even pigeon cooked “under a brick”created by Chef Gabrielle Hamilton and Neuman’s Catering. Furthermore, thecenterpieces were made out of cinderblocks and bars were constructed with herb garden-covered palettes used for specialty cocktails.

Throughout the evening, remarks were delivered by co-foundersDaniel Barasch and James Ramsey; while Lowline supporters Josh Sirefman and NewYork State Senator Daniel Squadron introduced this year’s honorees,Councilwomen Margaret Chin, and Board Chair, David Barry.

Notable attendees at this year’s gala included artist TomSachs, filmmakers Spike Jonze, Megan Ellison and actresses Laura Prepon andRose McGowan. To close out the evening, renowned DJ duo The Misshapes took tothe stage to spin a great mix of music that kept everyone around for a livelyafterglow.

Empire is proud to serve as the Lowline’s producers for theirannual event, creating a custom-themed event to reflect the organization’svision of creating the world’s first underground park.

To learn more about the Lowline, visit www.thelowline.org.

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Every five years, this cutting-edge company hosts a multi-day event that includes a major product andinnovation exhibition at the Jacob Javits Center, keynote remarksfrom its worldwide Chairman & CEO, and a gala dinner for over 1,000 of itstop customers and business partners at the New York Marriott Marquis in the heart of Times Square.

This year, Empire was challenged to create a Gala evening based on the client's theme of new impossible innovations and to produce the keynote session justhours earlier in the Broadway Ballroom of the New York Marriott Marquis.

Empire’s solution, developedover the course of many months of collaboration, was to create an evening that fused performances andsurround projection technology to take the audience on an impossible journey: travelingthrough time to experience Times Square in the past, present and future. Eachera would be represented with a live performance segment that reflected itsculture, music, imagery, energy and technology.

Following the afternoon’sflawless keynote address by the company's Chairman & CEO, Empirequickly transformed the ballroom into an elegant gala environment, surroundingthe room with over 300 feet of HD projection surfaces and replacing the theaterseating with black dining tables adorned with a red glass cubes.

Following a welcome by host andemcee James Donahower, he introduced the concept of time travel through Times Square. Asurround projection environment of an animated Times Square of the 1920s, completewith sound effects, was dramatically revealed to the audience.

Then, as jazz music began toplay, a spotlight illuminated a single point on stage as a female jazzsaxophone player, Chelsea Baratz, soloed the sounds of Summertime as the billboards slowly flickeredaround her. Next the music shifted to anupbeat rendition of the Charleston and a cast of 1920s-attired flappers enteredto dance the steps of the jazz age. As the performance built in energy, thedynamic tap dance duo of Grimes & Fleming performed their fast-movingtandem tap routine as a finalé of film footage of dancers andwater fountains was projected on all screens. At the end of the1920s/1930s performance and as guests enjoyed their dinner, the animated skyscape of Times Square returned to thescreens and slowly evolved to 1950s to a soundtrack from those years.

After dinner, the emcee returned to set up thenext segment, highlighting some of the major technological and cultural changesof the 1950s and 1960s. As he finished his remarks, the sounds of the Drifter’s1964 hit Under the Boardwalk beganto play as doo wop a capella group the Tee Tones appeared on stage. Next up thescreens shifted to reflect the Broadway show marquees of the time as vocalistsand a cast of costumed dancers entered to perform selections from Pippin (Magic To Do) and Hair: the Musical (Age of Aquarius) as the screens projectedanimations of the 1960s Flower Power movement. In the finale for thissegment, a solo vocalist performed Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World as the Times Square screens recreated thelive broadcast of the first manned lunar landing.

Following dessert service, the emcee took thestage one final time, setting up the Times Square of the future. Thisperformance began with vocalist Kelly Levesque singing an original compositionentitled Future Mood surrounded byan HD projection of the earthrise from space. Next up, violinist Sarina Sunoperformed a fast-paced classical electronica piece as the animated screencontent reacted to the sounds of her LED-lit, electronic violin. As a fittingconclusion to the evening, Levesque took the stage again to perform Love Can Move Mountains and Reach. This time, Kelly wore a floor-length gown covered with hundreds of mirror tiles as she was lit by a seriesof carefully placed lasers in a hazed room, creating the effect of a halo oflaser beams in all directions. Many of the audience members reached for theirphones to photograph the spectacular finalé.

The client was delighted with the outcome ofthe evening, and this original production entertained this highly critical audience.

To create this one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetimejourney through performance, Empire worked with a wide variety of creative,scenic, talent, music and technical partners that included LIVE LAB and manyothers.

Empire is one of the world’s leading creatorsand producers of original live media and events on behalf of leading corporation andbrands.

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When one of the world's leading insurance companies hosted an incentive program in Crete in September 2015, they planned a fantastic evening outdoors, themed around the feel-good movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and they came to Empire for the entertainment that would fit the theme. While ABBA has been defunct for decades, Empire recommended and contracted the next best thing: Bjorn Again, the ABBA tribute band. Dressed head-to-toe in costuming that helped define the original band, the group had the attendees on their feet performing classics such as "Dancing Queen" and "Waterloo". On a raised stage with the Mediterranean Sea and the stars as their backdrop, the band was a highlight of a fantastic event.

Empire is proud to consistently be able to recommend entertainers who fit our clients' event themes, as well as their budgets, and to have presented headline performers in over 40 countries around the globe.

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​Empire produced a business conference and farewell dinner for over 500 guests for a leading Japanese healthcare company in Dubai. The company was visiting Dubai to hold an incentive tour for top sales employees over a period of several days. Guests had a chance to enjoy a wide range of activities including a deep look into the local Arabian culture with camel tours into the desert.

Empire worked closely with a local agency to make this event happen over a two day period. During the first day a business conference was held where next year’s goals were announced and action plans for the upcoming year were laid down. The challenge was that the venue needed to be transformed from a business conference venue to a gorgeous farewell dinner venue in just one day. A larger stage and extravagant light fixtures needed to be placed with all settings from the previous night readjusted to a party atmosphere.

The farewell party included a dance performance, where company staff members reenacted a popular performance of the popular Japanese vocal group Exile on stage. The Empire team put together a full lighting system which transformed the venue into a concert hall bringing everyone to their feet. We also produced a fashion show as part of the evening festivities, which had over 20 models, once again done by company employees.

Empire’s success in Dubai showcased yet again our ability to produce the highest quality events anywhere in the world.

​Looking to have the Season 2 premiere of the hit TV show EMPIRE match the energy and grandeur of its enormous fan base, FOX knew the event needed to take place in New York City.

The renowned Carnegie Hall was perfect venue for the premiere, lending a juxtaposition between the elegant and classic musical landmark and the current pop culture and hip hop theme of the show.

Because of the enormous popularity of the show, a 100’ long press wall, tent, and gold carpet were installed on 7th Avenue, allowing the large cast their own moments to shine. The carpet was well-attended, with appearances by show creator Lee Daniels, and cast members including Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Trai Byers, Jussie Smollett, and Gabourey Sidibe, as well as other celebs including Mariah Carey, Rosie O’Donnell, Gail King, and Naomi Campbell.

Following the carpet, 2,500 lucky fans enjoyed an advanced screening of the highly-anticipated first episode of Season 2 followed by a live Q&A session with all of the cast. Rounding out the stage presentation were energetic performances by cast members Jussie Smollett (Jamal Lyon), Bryshere Gray (Hakeem Lyon), and Serayah (Tiana Brown). Fans at home were able to watch a live broadcast of both the Q&A and performances.

After the screening, 450 guests including cast, FOX executives, and sponsors from Lincoln and Pepsi moved upstairs to the recently opened Weill Terrace Room to celebrate the success of another season. Located on the 9th and 10th floors of Carnegie Hall, the after party offered sweeping views of midtown New York, which guests enjoyed while lounging on furniture designed to recreate an elegant yet homey living room. A warm gray and neutral palette was accented by candles and florals in deep greens, creams, and browns.

Heard over the excited chatter, DJ Natasha Diggs got the crowd dancing on the 10th Floor while a playlist curated by Lee Daniels kept the party going on the 9th Floor. Comfort food and cocktails were provided by Stephen STARR Catering and was rounded out with birthday cake for Taraji P. Henson.

Empire is honored to continue our long-standing working relationship with the FOX Broadcasting team and look forward to supporting more upcoming events.

On September 17, 2015, Empire was honored to serve as theproducers of the star-studded, 14^th annual Samsung Hope for ChildrenGala, which took place within the Grand Ballroom and the Hammerstein Ballroomat the Manhattan Center in New York City. The Hope for Children Gala is Samsung’s principal cause-marketingevent dedicated to supporting children’s health, education, and sustainability.

The evening kicked off with a star-studded blue carpet, packedwith celebrities and athletes including Demi Lovato, Mark Messier, TaraLipinski, Tony Bennett, Henrick Lundqvist, Katrina Bowden, Dascha Polanco, JimGaffigan, and Meredith Viera.

Once inside, the 700 guests were invited to enjoy a cocktailreception in the Grand Ballroom, which featured interactive elements for theguests to enjoy, along with a large-scale orchid chandelier display over acenter bar. Following cocktails,guests were invited into the Manhattan Center for dinner. On their way in, theywere treated to another impressive floral display featuring thousands of callalilies blanketing the ceiling

The seated dinner program featured many participants andperformers including emcee, Josh Lucas, Students from Exploringthe Arts Frank Sinatra School inBrooklyn, The Roots, Rob Thomas, Ingrid Michaelson, Boomer Esiason, NickCannon, Demi Lovato, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America,Gregory Lee, and President & COO of Samsung Electronics America, Timothy Baxter.The centerpiece of the evening’s program was Ben Stiller presenting Samsung’sChampion of Hope Award to Brad Pitt and the Make it Right Foundation for theirwork rebuilding New Orleans' Lower 9^th Ward after hurricaneKatrina.

While the Gala took place downstairs, for the first timeever, Samsung invited Galaxy Owners to attend a pre-reception in the GrandBallroom, where they interacted with the latest Galaxy devices and had thechance to win a variety of prizes. Guests enjoyed refreshments, music curatedby DJ Nick Cannon and anexclusive live performance by electro-pop duoIcona Pop that was broadcast live to YouTube via the GalaxyNote5. Following the pre-reception, consumers joined Gala guests in theHammerstein Ballroom for Demi Lovato’s memorableperformance.

The Samsung Hope for Children Gala raised a record $2 million. This included over $80,000 from the Silent Auction,Text to Donate, Blue Box Raffle and Charity Buzz. Charity Partners included the Boomer Esiason Foundation, Christopher& Dana Reeve Foundation, Exploring the Arts, Make It Right, Many Hopes, OnlyMake Believe, Sidewalk Angels, Staten Island Museum Foundation, StillerFoundation, and the United States Olympic Committee.

Empire was proud to work closely with the Samsung team todeliver a flawless evening for such a worthy cause. To learn more aboutSamsung’s Hope for Children visit http://www.samsung.com/us/hopeforchildren/

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With the 75^th Anniversary of the brand rightaround the corner, Coach wanted to showcase their first runway collection forNew York SS16 Fashion week in an impactful and memorable way.

Empire was engaged by Coach and KCD Worldwide, the leadingfashion public relations and production agency, to lend expertise inpermitting, labor & union relations, and site-specific logistical planningand management. Empire and KCD worked in close collaboration with Coach overseveral months to select and secure the site, design a plan and make theproduction a reality.

The decision was made to bring the show home – to the futuresite of the new Coach headquarters currently being built at 30th Street and 11th Avenue in the new Hudson Yards development. A large, openconcrete rooftop, located adjacent to the High Line and just a short walk fromthe new Coach tower, proved to be the ideal location to build an event spacethat would impress audiences and blend seamlessly into the natural beauty ofthe High Line.

Construction, tenting, scenic and technical teams workednon-stop for almost a month to construct a beautiful two-story glass box tent. The Friends of the Highline andthe NYC Parks Department granted Coach permission to use the High Line as aguest entryway and a one-of-a kind, one-day only bridge was built to facilitatedirect access to the tent from the High Line.

Empire also worked to develop a unique guest entry plan. A nearbylot was transformed into a Coach-branded drop off point where high-profileattendees were chauffeuredto the show in special Coach taxis. Guests strolled along the High Line andtook in the view of the enormous glass tent in the Fall afternoon sun. After making their way inside, guests weregreeted with scenic elements designed by Stefan Beckman to bring the windswept Americanprairie feel of the High Line indoors. Guests walked over the mirrored runway and took their seats on amulti-level wooden polygon bleacher built into the center of the tent,surrounding by planters and greenery that perfectly matched the look and feelof the High Line.

Over 500 guests attended the nine minute long show includingAnna Wintour, Chloe Grace Moretz, Mariel Hemingway, and numerous fashion buyers,members of the media and tastemakers and celebrities from around the world. The collection, largely centered onmulti-colored floral patchwork dresses inspired by designer Stuart Veversvision of a wardrobe for “a magpie girl who goes onroad trips, picking up Western things, but who also might steal from hergranny’s closet on the Upper East Side". Nearly 40 models showcased almost 50 different looks styledby Karl Templer to a soundtrack DJ’d live by Steve Mackey.

Voguecalled the Coach show one of the New York Fashion Week’s best shows.

The completeshow can be viewed at: http://www.coach.com/shop/womens-spring-2016

Empire helped a private client present an unforgettable weekend ofheadline concert performances for family and friends at an undisclosedlocation on the coast of Montenegro and aboard a mega-yacht docked in theAdriatic Sea.

The first night’s concert showcased global guitar sensations Rodrigo y Gabriella, whose riveting acoustic duo set was as captivating as itwas mesmerizing. The pair of guitar wizards, who were raised on thrash metal inMexico City and who have performed at the White House and the GlastonburyFestival, rocked the audience for over an hour and concluded with an intimatejam circle with the audience sitting just inches away. Set at a beachside café, the stage was positionedbeneath a climbing hillside of olive groves that Empire lit to create a magicalsetting for the concert.

The second night was a dance party featuring a German groupcalled The Baseballs. The full band with several vocalists, dressed inperfect 1950s rockabilly attire, performed a series of energetic covers of songslike Rihanna’s “Umbrella” in the 1950s rock n’ roll style.

On the final evening, the client presented The Tenors onthe rear deck of a 200 ft yacht moored off the Coast. The quartet of polished vocalists serenaded theaudience with a mix of opera and pop music covers that left themspellbound by the fusion of music and the spectacular sunset views of the Montenegromountain range.

For this project, Empire secured all performers, handling international logistics with artists traveling fromthe UK, Mexico, Amsterdam, Germany, Canada and the United States, and overcamesignificant technical challenges to stage three flawless shows on thewaterfront and at sea.

Empire is the world’s leading producer of headlineentertainment for intimate audiences and bespoke, private concertexperiences. With a track record ofproductions in over 90 countries with many of the world’s most celebratedartists, Empire delivers the capability, experience and adaptability to surpassclient expectations throughout the world.

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In late summer 2015, Empire was called upon to recommend and contract some of the most interesting keynote speakers in the world for an insurance company's annual incentive program. The client wanted someone to headline the slate who would not have been seen by their attendees before. Empire was quick to recommend Malala Yousafzai, the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner who was singled out and shot by the Taliban for her belief that Afghan girls (and women around the world) are entitled to an education. In a conversation moderated by former White House correspondent Ann Compton (also recommended by Empire), Malala inspired the attendees with her incredible story of surviving the shooting and how it only strengthened her resolve to fight for equal rights for women worldwide.

While Malala was a very tough act to follow, the following morning Empire delivered futurist Ray Kurzweil to address the conference guests. Called “the restless genius” by The Wall Street Journal and “the ultimate thinking machine” by Forbes, Kurzweil wowed the audience with his predictions about artificial intelligence and the possibility that humans may soon be immortal due to exponential advances in technology. And to follow Kurzweil's fantastic thoughts on the triumphs of the human brain, Empire brought in Nando Parrado to amaze the attendees with the triumph of the human spirit. One of the survivors of the plane crash chronicled in the book and movie "Alive", Parrado told his story of walking 150 miles out of the Andes to save himself and many of his rugby teammates more than two months after the accident occurred.

Empire also arranged for CNN National Security Commentator Mike Rogers to talk about ISIS and other threats to US national security, as well as a political-economic debate between conservative economist, television personality, and newspaper columnist Lawrence Kudlow, and American economist Austan Goolsbee who served as the youngest member of President Obama's cabinet.

Empire recommends and contracts keynote speakers for special events around the globe, and is honored to have presented and produced luminaries such as Bill Gates, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Robert Redford, Kevin Spacey, several US Presidents including Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Ralph Lauren, and hundreds of others.

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​Kid Witness News, KWN, is a global video education program sponsored by Panasonic. The KWN program uses video production to stimulate creativity, build communication skills, and encourage teamwork among children in elementary and secondary schools.

This year the Global Awards Ceremony was held in Singapore, the first ever in Southeast Asia and during its 50th year of Independence. To ensure a smooth and successful event, Panasonic chose Empire Japan to serve as executive producer. Empire's role included venue selection, working with local production vendors and directing the overall look and feel of the Award Ceremony.

For this year, there were seven finalist schools from seven different countries including China, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States. After a full day of exploring Singapore (Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, Gardens by the Bay, The Merlion) the main event was be the Awards Ceremony.

To commemorate its new theme “Sports”, the Awards Ceremony began with presentations from its Special Guests. Mr. Hawazi Daipi, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Manpower of Singapore, Mr. Ng Ser Miang, Member of the International Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Finance Commission, Mr. Duane Kale, Governing Board Member of the International Paralympic Committee and Mr. Mark Wallace, the Chief Content Officer of the Olympic Broadcasting Services.

The Awards Ceremony included awards presented by the special guests wirh Managing Director of Panasonic Asia Pacific, Mr. Toru Nishida presenting the Grand Prix to Montfort College in Thailand for their work “Blind’s Diary".

The following day, the finalist schools participated in an exciting workshop seminar conducted by the Chief Content Officer of the Olympic Broadcasting Services, Mr. Mark Wallace. Students learned about the long preparation period, the various cameras and techniques used to smoothly broadcast the Olympics.

Empire Japan was thrilled to help Panasonic produce yet another successful KWN Global Awards Ceremony.

For more information about Kid Witness News, please visit http://www.panasonic.com/global/corporate/kwn.html

On August 26, Empire presented two hit-packed performances by nine time Grammy Winner, Sheryl Crow, for a corporate audience at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Approximately 5,000 guests of all ages packed the house for the private shows by the country rocker.

The audience was on their feet as Sheryl and her six-member band performed her greatest hits including, “All I Wanna Do", "A Change Would Do You Good", “Soak Up The Sun", “Everyday is a Winding Road", "Strong Enough", and an amazing encore of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll".

Empire was responsible for proposing, negotiating, contracting, and advancing all logistical elements for Sheryl Crow. Empire Entertainment is a leading provider of talent for corporate events and celebrations around the world.

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To celebrate the conclusion of the 2015 Waste Expo in Las Vegas, theleading waste removal company in the tristate area, Action Environmental Group,invited their partners, clients, and friends to a luxurious evening inside theChairman’s Salon at the Wynn Hotel.

The newly renovated space offered the perfect setting for thiselegant, supper-club-inspired affair. Against a backdrop of jazz standardsperformed by the female-led Groovin’ High Orchestra, guests were served world- class food & beverages, entertained by sleight of hand magicians, and hadthe opportunity to sample some of the world’s finest cigars.

As the evening drew to a close, friends, family, and a select fewclients made their way to a private poolside bungalow at Surrender, the chicnightclub at the Wynn Encore. Guests sipped on champagne as they danced intothe wee hours of the morning to the popular EDM duo Major Lazer.

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For over 100 years, Partnership with Children has worked to“strengthen the emotional, social and academic skills of at-risk children tohelp them succeed in school, society and life.” The organization works withover 17,000 of New York City’s public school students in over 40 schools acrossall five boroughs. Many of Partnership with Children’s students are at highrisk of academic failure and dropping out of school.

To celebrate the organization’scommitment to youth education and gain further support for their mission,Partnership with Children partnered with Empire to produce their annual SpringGala. Taking place at threesixty in New York City’s TriBeCa neighborhood, theGala included a cocktail reception, seated dinner and stage program includingexecutive remarks, honorees, performances and a live auction. The event’s leadsponsors included Marty and David Hamamoto, NorthStar Realty Finance Corp.,MacAndrews & Forbes, Royalty Pharma and Verizon Foundation.

Upon entering the venue, guestswere greeted into the cocktail reception through the sounds of a live jazztrio. Within the cocktail area, Empire designed fully branded Partnership withChildren vinyl graphics placed across the walls, enabling guests to educatethemselves on the organization’s work, story and commitment to improving thelives of New York City’s youth.

During the dinner, Partnershipwith Children honored Mark Dowley – Chief Strategy Officer, MacAndrews &Forbes, Marianne Gambelli, Executive Vice President and Chief InvestmentOfficer, Horizon Media and Kenneth Mortenson, who received the Anne VanderbiltAward for Leadership. Interspersed with inspiring video content produced byReelWorks, further remarks were made by Partnership with Children’s Executive Director,Margaret Crotty.

Renowned auctioneer CK Swett then tookto the stage in an effort to raise funds for Partnership with Children’sprograms. During the auction, former Partnership with Children student RickySaunders spoke about his experience with the organization, and their ability tohelp him graduate high school and become the first male in his family to attendcollege.

By the end of the evening, over$100,000 was raised in just five minutes, with $1.16 million in total fundsraised. To close out the night; a live funk/soul performance was provided byNew York City natives Herve Alexandre and the S.F. crew with the accompanimentof a live dance troupe.

Empire is honored to work withinspiring organizations such as Partnership with Children, and is proud toserve as a production partner to help raise awareness and funds toward theirimportant cause.

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In conjunction with the imminent premiere of Bravo’s first comedy series, Odd Mom Out—a scripted series about New York City’s Upper East Side—Empire was asked to produce a private screening to showcase its premiere episode. Taking place at the Florence Gould Theater in midtown Manhattan, the event hosted approximately 200 guests and included red carpet festivities and a cocktail hour prior to the screening's start.

Attendees of the screening included the Odd Mom Out cast, Bravo executives, industry influencers, and television stars, all gathering to celebrate Bravo's first development in the scripted comedy space.

After the screening, all guests were driven to the after-party, held at the chic and elegant Casa Lever. Here, attendees were able to enjoy a beautiful New York City evening within both the venue’s indoor and outdoor spaces, enjoy Odd Mom Out-themed cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres. In the outdoor garden, a massive #ODDMOMOUT lighting and foliage display served as the backdrop, making for the perfect photo opportunity to commemorate the evening’s festivities.

DJs Natasha Diggs and Ankia kept the party grooving through a variety of dance tracks old and new. The party was still going strong well past midnight — the mark of a truly successful event.

Odd Mom Out officially premiered to the public on June 8th and has received glowing reviews from critics and fans. The show can be viewed on Bravo Monday nights at 10:00pm EST.

Empire is proud to work with our partners at Bravo Media to create and produce innovative premieres, marketing stunts and Upfront events.

For more on Empire’s past work with Bravo Media, please click here.

For the 3rd consecutive year, Empire served as The Fragrance Foundation’s producer of the Fragrance industry’s premier event, the Fragrance Foundation Awards.

Held at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the perfect early summer evening began with guest arrivals and a cocktail reception in Alice Tully Hall’s outdoor sunken plaza and soaring glass atrium. Amidst a series of walls artistically printed with striking images of honeybees, guests mingled and sipped champagne while VIPs walked the red carpet and posed for the press photographers in a separate tent on West 65th Street.

Once seated in Alice Tully Hall, the evening’s host, critically-acclaimed actor, producer and comedian, Alec Baldwin, kicked off the star-studded award program with both humor and elegance.

Notable program participants this year included Hall of Fame winner and Group President of The Estée Lauder Companies, John Demsey, as well as Lifetime Achievement Perfumer, Firmenich Master Perfumer, Annie Buzantian.

Rock singer Bryan Adams graced the audience with a performance of “Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman,” and closed with a spectacular rendition of “Summer of 69.” Guests let out exuberant cheers and left in awe of his fantastic vocals and charismatic stage presence.

This year’s celebrity presenters included Johnny Weir, Jasmine Tookes, Taylor Hill, Prabal Gurung, Hilary Rhoda, Russell James, Sophia Bush, Kendall Jenner, Zachary Quinto, Anja Rubik, Sally Hershberger, Alexandra Richards, Danielle Brooks, Victor Cruz, Kellan Lutz and Emma Willis.

The dinner after party was held in the Alice Tully Hall atrium and outdoor plaza, creating the perfect summer night cocktail experience.

The evening ended with a sweets truck provided by Sweetery NYC distributing aromatic coffee and Fragrance Foundation gift bags filled with luxurious cosmetics and perfume.

The Fragrance Foundation Awards brings together virtually every luxury and consumer brand in the fragrance industry including Estée Lauder, Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford, Burberry, Giorgio Armani, Tory Burch, Marc Jacobs, Victoria’s Secret, Michael Kors, Givenchy, Elizabeth Arden, LVMH, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Hermes, Lancome, Zegna, Clinique and Gucci among others.

Empire is a leading producer of events and programs for the luxury brand industry, as well as a leading producer of award shows.

Empire congratulates all of the 2015 Fragrance Foundation Award winners.

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After several years of hostinga traditional gala, Petra Nemcova and the Happy Hearts Fund team decided to puta spin on their annual event. In June 2015, they called on Empire to producethe first annual Fight for Education martial arts fight night, presented byGlory (an international kickboxing promotional company) benefiting the HappyHearts Fund. This year’s event focused on helping Nepalese children and schools.

The matches, hosted andcurated by Glory, took place in the renowned Hammerstein Ballroom in New YorkCity. A theme of dramatic black and gold was carried out throughout the spacewith VIP lounge suites, complementary screen graphics, and gold boxing gloves placedthroughout.

The action-packed show waskicked off by internationally-acclaimed tenor James Valenti singing theNational Anthem. After the moving performance, Brian Kilmeade, New York Times bestselling author andhost of Fox New’s Channel’s Fox andFriends, welcomed the crowd and invited Petra to the ring.

After Petra graciouslythanked guests for their attendance, it was time to fight!

Announcer Conor Hall andauctioneer Patrick Tully took turns introducing the action: six bouts offighting and six live auction lots, including a meet and greet with fightingchampion Manny Pacquiao. As a compelling finale to the event, the last boutconsisted of lightweight champion Robin van Roosmalen defeating Steve Moxon.

Continuing the elevated “fightnight” experience, over 300 guests were treated to bar snacks of truffleparmesan dusted popcorn and double toasted pretzel rods and heartier offeringsincluding cowboy style ribeye steaks, Dijon roasted chicken, and sweet potatosteak fries, rounded out by passed desserts for a sweet finish, all catered byAbigail Kirsch.

Empire was proud to be apart of this creative fundraising event and is a leading producer ofnot-for-profit events globally.

To learn more about theHappy Hearts Fund, please visit www.happyheartsfund.org.

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When Toshiba America sought to commemorate the milestone of its 50thanniversary in the United States, they turned to Empire to help them design andexecute the perfect celebration.

Held in the R Lounge of the Renaissance Hotel overlooking both TimesSquare and Toshiba’s massive Toshiba Vision LED billboard, which is viewed by millionsduring the annual New Year’s Eve Ball Drop, this intimate event hosted VIP customers and senior Toshiba leadership from across America.

Empire’s knowledge and experience serving Japanese clients through both itsNew York and Tokyo headquarters, along with our familiarity with presentingevents to C-level business audiences made us the perfect partner for thislaunch.

Empire’s design team transformed the R Lounge space into a ToshibaAmerica branded environment. Guests were welcomed by a series of hostesses whogreeted guests, checked them in on Toshiba tablets and led them to aphoto receiving line with senior Toshiba America executives.

Inside the reception, the VIP guests enjoyed premium sake, wine andcocktails and passed delicacies while interacting with displays showcasing thebreadth and scope of Toshiba’s products, including a solar-powered hydrogengenerator which creates clean energy to power homes and businesses. Allof the showcases demonstrated Toshiba’s Leading Innovation under the banner of“Human Smart Community”— a concept that speaks to technological advance whilemaintaining commitment to human values and sustainability.

A 60-second countdown played on Toshiba Vision LED billboard and monitorsthroughout the space indicating it was time for guests to move into the R Loungeoverlooking a busy Times Square at sunset. Cyber Illusionist Marco Tempest tookthe stage as the evening’s emcee and welcomed a series of speakersincluding Masaaki Osumi, Chairman & CEO, Toshiba America, TaizoNishimuro, Adviser to the Board Toshiba Corporation, Richard Parsons, SeniorAdvisor Providence Equity, Scott Maccabe, President of Toshiba America BusinessSolutions and His Excellency, Reiichiro Takahashi, Ambassador & ConsulGeneral of Japan to the United States.

At the conclusion of remarks, Marco took the stage and performed aseries of illusions entitled “Anniversary” in which he used augmented realityand other technologies to make magic for the audience. As a finalé to the stageprogram, Marco invited two audience members to join him onstage. Next he calledout to the audience to shout out their own lucky numbers, which he then wroteonto a board for all to see. The audience volunteers then added up the numberson Marco’s board and read the number aloud: 201563. When Marco asked if thatnumber had any special meaning, he then inserted a comma showing that the numberwas actually the day’s date: June 3, 2015 and the date of Toshiba’s 50th Anniversary.The audience was even more amazed when Marco gestured to theToshiba Vision Billboard, displaying the same number in agrand reveal moment.

Following the performance, guests remained in the glass-enclosed RLounge and enjoyed cocktails while watching their candid photos appear on theToshiba Vision billboard overlooking Times Square.

Empire is proud to serve Toshiba America on this occasion of its 50thAnniversary. Empire has had presence in Japan and Asia and for over two decadesand we opened our Tokyo office over 10 years ago, allowing us to serve bothAsia-based clients around the world as well as to support global businesseswith their events and projects throughout Asia.

Empire recently partneredwith Radical Media to produce a sensorial exhibit for a luxury fragrance brand.From May 5-17, the exhibit, located in New York City’s Meatpacking District,brought visitors on a journey through the creation, cultivation, composition,abstraction and revelation of the renowned fragrance.

Throughout its two-weeklong lifespan, the experience hosted over 13,000 visitors and became a trendingtopic across numerous social media channels, press outlets and among fashion,retail and luxury brand industry influencers.

Approaching the venuefrom the street, guests came face-to-face with a massive LED wall that wrappedaround the venue’s busy corner at 10thAvenue& 14thStreet. Once inside, guests were greeted by impeccably dressed hostswho informed them about the brand’s history and the immersive experience ahead.

Guests interacted with aseries of experiences representing five chapters of the fragrance: Creation,Cultivation, Composition, Abstraction and Revelation. These five chapters wererepresented by a series of beautiful mosaics, reflecting pools of water atopLED video surfaces, interactive soundscapes, an anamorphic, touch sensitivelight sculpture and a scent experience.

Upon completing theexperience, guests were ushered into the Social Lounge, where they couldcustomize and mail their own postcards and sample a variety of fragrances.

Empire was responsiblefor managing guest experience and all front of house logistics throughout theevent, ensuring that each and every guest’s experience met the brand’s highstandards. Empire also hired, trained and managed the staff of hosts torepresent the brand for the entirety of the exhibit.

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Screenvision is the nation’s leading seller ofin-theater advertising, providing marketers and brands the opportunity topresent their message on motion picture screens across America. During the 2015Upfront season, Screenvision sought to differentiate its value proposition tokey advertisers with a memorable experience that communicated a simple message:that the ideal atmosphere of movie theaters, coupled with superior audiencedemographics yield maximum impact for advertisers.

Working with Empire, Screenvision’s Upfront event, entitled “Lights!Camera! Impact!” took the company’s annual presentation out of theexpected movie theatre setting and into a transformed Skylight at Moynihan Station.

The evening began with guests entering through a movietheater “lobby,” complete with animated movie posters on screens supplied byChristie Digital and a concession stand with branded popcorn boxes and soda. Nextthey were escorted into a re-creation of a movie theater for a presentationgiven on the best advertiser medium available: a large, immersive movie screen. After compelling remarksby Screenvision executives, EVP of National Sales, Katy Loria, and SVP of SalesChristine Martino, Loria closed by telling guests that “now it’s YOUR chance toget into the movies.” At that exact moment, drapes were pulled back by ushersto reveal a full working soundstage behind the screen with three busymovie sets, complete with actors, directors and crew, costumes, props andscripts.

To demonstrate the impact that only cinema advertising can deliver, Screenvision invited audience members to physically become a part of themovies with guests choosing from three sets: the western-themed Perfect Posse, a superhero-themed Maximum Impact and the last representingthe sci-fi genre with Ultimate Atmosphere.The next day, guests were emailed their final “movies” which had been editedovernight to include an opening title sequence and sound effects.

Working closely with Screenvision's marketingand creative team, Empire conceived of this innovative way to tell Screenvision’sstory and to provide an immersive experience. To keep the Upfront messagingcohesive and on brand, the three themes were represented throughout the event,including in the movie trailers, posters, photo booth green screen backdrops, sets,drink menus, food stations, and all supporting graphics.

Empire was responsible for all event details including conceptideation, venue acquisition, layout and set design, staging, sound, lighting, graphics,furnishings, carpet, catering, technical production, casting, costuming, andmovie script development.

Empire is a leading producer of innovative Upfronts,Newfronts, and other mission critical business-to-business events.

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Every other year, the New Museum, Manhattan's museum solely dedicated to contemporary art, celebrates a meeting of the cultural and urban minds with their IDEAS CITY Festival. This year's theme, "The Invisible City", was inspired by the Italo Calvino novel Invisible Cities and included a series of thought-provoking talks, solutions, and unique ideas in the quest to bring light to the otherwise unseen.

On the first day of the festival, the IDEAS CITY Conference included world-renowned visionaries' takes on the theme through a series of keynotes, panels, in-depth discussions, and screenings at Cooper Union's Great Hall. Speakers included political activist Lawrence Lessig, Micah White of Occupy Wall Street fame, and a mayoral panel with Annise Parker (Houston), Carmen Yulín Cruz (San Juan), and Svante Myrick (Ithaca) to name a few. The Conference concluded with a keynote from Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, The Honorable Julián Castro.

Day two utilized NoLIta's Old St. Patrick's Cathedral Basilica and Aula (aka "the old gym"). In the Basilica, the Municipal Art Society, Architizer: Pitching the City presented five original projects representing the next big idea for cities, followed by a late-night screening of The Dent by Basim Magdy. In the Aula, a Performative Conference in Nine Acts ensued with an unforgettable opening by Jordi Enrich Jorba wherein guests entered through a repurposed hot-air balloon. The night commenced with Bob Holman emceeing an evening of spoken word by artists like Penny Arcade, dance battles by Battlefest, and immersive video and sound installations by Ursula Scherrer.

Empire was honored to partner in the Museum's third year of the Conference and first-ever Performative Conference. Empire's support included technical and stage management of both the Cooper Union's Great Hall and St. Patrick's Cathedral, oversight of set design and construction, sound, lighting, video playback and technical direction. Empire also managed talent logistics for Friday's event and creative support.

IDEAS CITY is a showcase example of Empire's capability to act as a partner on all types and sizes of programs, including multiple-day festivals.

For more information on IDEAS CITY, visit www.ideas-city.org.

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The Cannes Film Festival is considered the most prestigious filmfestival in the world. Held annually in Cannes, France, it celebrates thefinest works of film and has been a catalyst in launching the careers of someof the greatest artists of our generation.

At the Cannes Film Festival 2015, movie fans saw Dheepan takehome the Palme d’Or, but attendees and those watchingat home also caught a glimpse of the Empire produced performance group enraperforming their new piece “FILMS” during the closing ceremony. The Japan-based group created the piece specifically forthe Cannes Film Festival and worked diligently crafting their performance for theevent, which became a muchtalked about attraction at the festival.

Empire was honored to be a part of the Cannes Film Festivalduring its 2015 closingceremony, producing enra’s new piece that was performed infront of some of film’s greatest talents including the Coenbrothers and Guillermo delToro.

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Empire produced 19th Annual Webby Awards on May 18, 2015. This marked the 11th consecutive year Empire has partnered with Recognition Media on the annual event, which celebrates excellence on the Internet and famously limits winners to acceptance speeches of just five words.

"This is the only awards show where the descriptions of the awards are longer than the speeches," said comedian and host Hannibal Buress.

As usual, the show included some funny and irreverent moments, such as when Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's Ellie Kemper accepted for Best Actress and used her five words to say, "So excited. Live-streaming my pants." Or when Chelsea Peretti, accepting for Outsanding Comedic Performance quipped, "The Internet must be stopped."

The ceremony had its more serious touches as well. "Create change, like a girl," said account executive Shaina Holtz, accepting the Agency of the Year award on behalf of Leo Burnett Toronto. And in a heartfelt tribute to the late New York Times media columnist David Carr, CNN's Brian Stelter closed with: "David, thank you for the spice."

But the standing ovation on this evening was reserved for Pat Quinn, ALS patient and co-founder of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Quinn, who was introduced by Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, accepted the Special Achievement Award and proved once again that five words can be enough to bring the house down when he said: "Every August until a cure."

Empire is honored to be the production partner for The Webby Awards for more than a decade running, and enjoys producing other award ceremonies including the Fragrance Foundation Awards and The Architizer A+ Awards.

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Empire had the honor of producing the 8th annual Internet Week New York Festival once again, which featured an array of events around New York City from May 18-21, 2015. Event headquarters was positioned at the Metropolitan Pavilion for the third consecutive year.

With more than 10,000 visitors over the week and dozens of companies represented, the space was organized to create separate, yet still cohesive, spaces in which to provide concurrent content. Two stages were sponsored by yp.com and USA Today / Gannett, a classroom was sponsored by The Trade Desk, and a lounge was furnished by official design partner, Design Within Reach.

Empire oversaw the Festival headquarters from conception to completion, coordinating registration for the thousands of guests, stage management and producing all of the presentations in the theater and on both HQ stages, and managing all event sponsors from the design of their spaces to all of their needs from load in to load out.

Empire is a leading producer of trade events, expos and event marketing / presence marketing installations with extensive experience in the technology industry.

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Empire produced the Architizer A+Awards at Highline Stages in NYC on Thursday, May 14, 2015. Now in its third year, The Architizer A+Awards are the definitive global architectural award program with more than 90 categories and over 300 judges. The gala event in New York City is the signature architectural event during the city’s design week, NYCxDesign, and right before the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF). Comprising diverse and innovative global projects from starchitects to emerging firms, this year’s winners represent the best new architecture, interiors, and products. A highly-esteemed jury of industry leaders including Yves Béhar, Paola Antonelli, Liz Diller, Joseph Altuzarra, David Rockwell, Rem D. Koolhaas, and Ian Schrager selected the five finalists in each category.

The ceremony was hosted with charisma and charm by John Gidding from HGTV's "Curb Appeal: The Block", and kicked off with a phenomenal and impassioned speech about the Architecture industry by Architizer CEO Marc Kushner. This year's biggest winner was Reiulf Ramstad Arkiitekter, which was named Firm of the Year, and other special achievement awards were presented to SsD, LEGO, 14+ Foundation, and August, among others. Guests entered the spectacular, industrial-style space to a red carpet and step & repeat welcome, where event sponsor Cadillac showed off one of its spectacular new models, the 2016 CT6. Once inside the main space, guests enjoyed cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres while enjoying the ambient music played by DJ Javier Peral. Prior to the awards ceremony, attendees also enjoyed watching an extraordinary demonstration of the superb artistry and technical mastery of a watchmaker from Audemars Piguet Luxury Watches.

Empire is a premier producer of some of the world's most prestigious award ceremonies, including The Webby Awards, The Gotham Awards, The Fragrance Foundation Awards, and was honored to be chosen as Architizer's production partner for the 2015 Architizer A+Awards.

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One recent Saturday evening, Empire produced what we've named “The Night of 3 Ls”: three separate events in one evening featuring Lenny Kravitz in Boca Raton, Lionel Richie in Miami, and Ludacris in New York City.

At the Boca Raton Resort & Club, Lenny Kravitz took the stage with his band in front of a corporate audience of more than 1,200 and performed an hour-long set that included hits such as “American Woman,” “Fly Away,” “It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over” and “Let Love Rule". The highlight of the show came when the entire audience, wearing RFID bracelets that lit up in time to the music, danced with their arms in the air.

At the same time at the Miami Epic Hotel, one of our clients was delivering a heartfelt toast to his wife on the occasion of her birthday in front of a gathered group of friends and family. At the end of his toast he turned to reveal the evening’s biggest surprise— a private concert by Lionel Richie and his trio with his hits including “Hello", “Easy”, ”Brick House”, “All Night Long” and “Dancing on the Ceiling.” The audience danced the entire set and joined Lionel for a meet & greet after the show.

Finally, back in NYC, Empire delivered an extremely special, private concert with Screen Actors Guild, Critic's Choice, MTV, and Grammy Award winner, Ludacris. As soon as the kabuki curtain dropped, and the special guest was revealed and the birthday girl was treated to the concert of her life. As the show began, guests flocked to the front of the stage where Ludacris, performed a 45-minute greatest hits set including “Pimpin’ All Over the World,” “Move B*tch,” “What’s Your Fantasy,” “Get Back,” “Money Maker,” and “Stand Up.” At the end of the performance, Ludacris led the crowd in singing "Happy Birthday" as the cake was brought out. Following the show, Ludacris took part in a meet & greet with the family and the guest-of-honor’s closest friends.

Empire’s robust team of headline entertainment producers and global technical production capabilities made it possible to present all three of these demanding concert events flawlessly to very satisfied clients.

Empire is the world's leading producer of headline musical entertainment for private and corporate events.

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SONY Pictures’ digital entertainment network, Crackle, once again partnered with Empire to produce their 2015 TV Upfront— an annual presentation to advertisers and media. With an exciting lineup of both new, original programming and returning series, Crackle had much to talk about.

The Upfront took place at the beautiful Hudson Theater in the heart of Times Square, and opened with welcome remarks by SONY Pictures Television’s President of Worldwide Networks, Andy Kaplan.

Next up, an opening video featuring Michael Richards as Dick Corcoran, a fictitious Crackle executive, led to a surprise reveal of comedian Jerry Seinfeld who took the stage to talk about his Crackle series "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee".With over 100 million streams on Crackle, the Emmy Award-nominated series’ sixth season will feature a star-studded cast including Bill Maher, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Steve Harvey, Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah (the newly named “Daily Show” host) and Jim Carrey.

SONY Picture’s Television’s EVP of Digital Networks, Eric Berger, then took the stage, emphasizing that “Crackle is a smart complement to TV buying that offers you a valuable new audience, a groundbreaking TV-like experience and ad solutions you cannot find anywhere but here.”

Crackle Senior Vice President of Digital Media Sales, James Smith, also appeared on the program stating “With TV reimagined, we’ve overhauled

the old online metrics for engagement. The fact is, most people don’t click on ads, so why use this as the standard for streaming TV? We believe attention and viewbility are much better measures for TV advertising.”

Eric Berger then presented Crackle’s programming slate accompanied by many of Crackle’s biggest stars and show runners including Seth Green, Dennis Quaid and Kate Bosworth.

Among the many announcements of the day, Crackle also announced that it had produced the first ever made-for-digital sequel to a major motion picture and David Spade and Brittany Daniels came on stage to introduce “Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser.”

To close the star-studded event, country hip hop star ‘Colt Ford’ took the stage to perform the hit ‘Diggin’ which is featured on the Joe Dirt 2 soundtrack, in front of a giant projection screen running scenes from the film.

In addition to securing the venue, designing the spaces, managing event logistics, catering and stage managing the complex program, Empire provided all staging and technical production support.

Empire continues to set the industry standard for producing outstanding presentations for clients seeking to communicate their mission, motivations and value proposition to key customers. Empire is proud to have served SONY Pictures Television and Crackle for their Upfront.

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Social media has taken over the Internet, making it easierthan ever to share content with friends, family, fans and the general webuniverse. It has broken down the barriers to fame, leveling the playing fieldfor creative individuals to build remarkable audiences. The Shorty Awards honorthe best individuals and organizations on social media, recognizing thoseproducing remarkable content on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube, Instagram,Vine, and the rest of the social web.

SNL’s Rachel Dratch hosted the 7^th Annual ShortyAwards this year when it returned to The TimesCenter on Monday, April 20. Theprogram kicked off with an opening video that followed Rachel’s pre-show preproutine culminating in a special visit to the master MC himself, Alec Baldwin.The Shortys uniquely gathers Hollywood and Internet celebrities alike withpresenters ranging from Bella Throne, Bill Nye, Emily Kinney and Lucy Devito,to Tyler Oakley, Thomas Sanders and Jimmy Tatro. Some of the night’s bigwinners included Taylor Swift, Hannibal Burress, Conan O’Brien, NASA, BrandonBowen, Jerome Jarre, Michelle Phan and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Following Wyclef Jean’s presentation of Best Band award to HAIM,he introduced a special performance by Panic! At The Disco. The band performedtheir hit “Miss Jackson” and debuted live their newest single “Hallelujah.”However, the best surprise of the night was the acceptance of Best Emoji of theYear by Poop himself! He even stuck around for selfies at the afterparty.

During the live-streamed ceremony, the program was simulcastto a separate viewing party downstairs where guests were able to network whileenjoying the delicious caterings of Cleaver and Co. Once again, Makers Mark andHeineken sponsored the bar and this year Baked by Melissa provided a unique andyummy Shorty branded cupcake whale tail installation. Throughout the event,brand and organization winners were welcome to accept their trophies on a speciallydesignated gallery stage where they were could record their acceptance speechesas well.

Following the event, all guests continued the celebrationheading to URBO for a wild after party. Congratulations to all the individualand industry winners this year!​

Founded in 1991 byJames Houghton, Signature Theatre is the first theater company to devote anentire season to the work of a single playwright. By championing in-depthexplorations of a living playwright’s body of work, the Company delivers anintimate and immersive journey into the playwright’s singular vision. Nownearly a quarter century old and housed in a spectacular Frank Gehry-designedtheatre on West 42nd Street, Signature is among the world’s mostinfluential theater organizations.

Signature onceagain called upon Empire to help produce their annual gala and create anext-level experience through elevated design, a compelling program andflawless execution, all while showcasing their beautiful venue.

This year’s gala paidtribute to playwright and director Tina Landau and philanthropists andlong-time donors John and Amy Griffin. The stage program’s presenters includedEdward Norton and Bill Irwin, ensuring that the presentation was not onlyimpactful and meaningful, but hilariously entertaining as well.

After guests checkedin at the theatre's main entrance on West 42nd Street and VIPs walked the redcarpet, they ascended the staircase to discover the lobby transformed into aformal affair.

Balancing the need topresent an elegant evening without challenging the existing design of thevenue, Empire used linens in a palate of mixed hues of blue and aubergine andcrisp white flowers, complementing the impressive woodpaneling abundant in the space. Thematic event lighting also helped transformthe space for this special night.

During twosimultaneous pre-dinner receptions, guests chatted and enjoyed an array ofcocktails and hors d’oeuvres, while live music provided by classical guitarist,Michael Sheridan, added to the experience. As dinner commenced, guests were guidedto their seats by an accordion performance and song, courtesy of Shaina Taub.

Executive DirectorErika Mallin and Founding Artistic Director James Houghton spoke, followed by amusical tribute in honor of Tina Landau, featuring a medley of compositions fromTina’s shows accompanied by composer Tom Kitt.

Edward Nortonintroduced John and Amy Griffin, citing their many philanthropic endeavors andcontributions to Signature Theatre. To demonstrate the impact of the Griffins’influence on children’s artistic development, child prodigy violinist ClaudiusAgrippa wowed the crowd with his performance of Vieuxtemps violin concerto No.5.

Empire is proud toserve Signature Theatre and to support a variety of leading arts organizationsas producers of their fundraising events.

For more informationon how to support the Signature Theatre, please visit: http://www.signaturetheatre.org/

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The quintessential backdrop of crystal blue waters and blond beaches of Aruba served as the backdrop to an incentive program rewarding an international top performing global sales team. The perfect headline entertainment for the island vibe: the 1.5 million album-selling, blockbuster movie-scoring, sold out worldwide-touring, White House performing, international sensation, Rodrigo y Gabriela.

On Saturday, April 18, a warm and breezy Caribbean night, attendees and their spouses mingled on the private lawn of Aruba’s Ritz Carlton to witness the dynamic duo. Once onstage, their music – an upbeat hybrid of rock, nuevo flamenco with a heavy metal flare – did not disappoint. While mostly original and instrumental, the dynamic performance included a few covers, like Radiohead’s Creep. Following the performance, Rodrigo y Gabriela graciously greeted and talked with VIPs, taking photos.

For this incentive program, Empire worked closely with SWIFT Smart Solutions. SWIFT is a leading producer of large-scale meetings, events and training development for it’s corporate clients and Empire has enjoyed a solid collaboration with SWIFT for over a decade. Empire identified the best possible talent candidates, negotiated the performance contract, and facilitated the production and logistics plan to support the concert while SWIFT handled all technical production, as well as the spectacular Aruba venue selection and design.

Empire is a leading provider of headline entertainment for international corporate meetings and events and is deeply experienced in overcoming the challenges of presenting headline entertainment outside of the US.

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For the 7th consecutive year, Empire was proud to serve as the producer of the TIME 100 Gala, which took place at the Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Each year, TIME publishes the TIME 100: a list of the most influential people in the world. To celebrate this highly anticipated release, TIME hosts an exclusive gala event in New York City attended by current and past TIME 100 honorees. With its extraordinary mix of world leaders, innovators and celebrities, the TIME 100 Gala is recognized as one of the world’s most high profile annual events. Participants and performers at this year’s TIME 100 included Kanye West, Tim McGraw, Lee Daniels, Misty Copeland, Jorge Ramos, Chanda Kochhar, Obiageli Ezekwesili, Time Inc. Chairman & CEO Joe Ripp, TIME Editor Nancy Gibbs, and TIME Publisher Meredith Long.

The TIME 100 was once again attended by a global who’s who of icons from industry, culture, sports, fashion and politics. Some of those in attendance this year included Elon Musk, Bradley Cooper, Diane von Furstenberg, Lorne Michaels, John Oliver, Julianne Moore, Emma Watson, Samantha Power, Jeffrey Tambor, Seth Meyers, Christopher Nolan, Karlie Kloss, Adam Silver, Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, Amy Schumer, Kim Kardashian West, Harvey Weinstein, Julianna Margulies, Naomi Campbell, Martha Stewart, Lindsey Vonn, Jill Soloway, Faith Hill, Brian Chesky, David Koch and Laverne Cox.

The gala featured red carpets on three floors, an elegant cocktail reception, a seated dinner and program that combined remarks, musical performances, toasts by some of the evening’s honorees, and an after party presented by Citi. This year’s gala event was sponsored by Citi, Chivas Regal 25, and Toyota.

As one of the world’s most high-stature events, the TIME 100 draws extensive global media coverage which this year included NBC’s Today Show, CBS This Morning, FOX, Entertainment Tonight, E! News, Access Hollywood and many others. BizBash Media named the TIME 100 the #1 Media Event of the Year of 2014.

With the world watching through such extensive coverage, the production of the TIME 100 requires precision execution. Empire was proud to work closely with the TIME team to deliver a flawless evening.

Empire’s responsibilities as producer included event design & décor, talent booking & coordination, venue and catering logistics (provided by Great Performances), technical production, Internet stream facilities, stage management, staffing, front of house logistics, security and sponsorship activations.​

Empire is often asked what band we think is the "next big thing". When one of the world's leading technology companies asked us just that in 2014, we delivered Jason Derulo before he was a household name. As the followup in March 2015, Empire recommended and contracted Neon Trees, who had the crowd on their feet throughout their high-energy set. Hits such as "Sleeping With a Friend", "Everybody Talks", and "Animal" had the attendees screaming for more. And we predict there will be much more from this band, indeed.

Empire is one of the world's leading provider of headline talent for special events. Whether our clients need a classic artist or a current cutting-edge performer, we pride ourselves on being able to quickly identify the artists who fit your budget as well as your audience demographics.

On March 9th, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Gates Foundation Co-Chair Melinda Gates and Clinton Foundation Vice Chair Chelsea Clinton joined global and community leaders for the event entitled "Not There Yet: A Data Driven Analysis of Gender Equality," featuring the official release of the No Ceilings Full Participation Report and data visualization site NoCeilings.org. Empire acted as the overall event producer handling all technical, staging, scenic and signage aspects as well as the creative framing of the stage program. The event was also streamed live for viewers around the world.

Moderated by Chelsea Clinton, 20 years of global data from the report and NoCeilings.org were showcased through the compelling stories of leaders who are actively advancing the full and equal participation of women and girls in their nations and communities. Storytellers, speakers and validators promoted gender equality, making the point that more must be done both at home and abroad.

The event included participation by women leaders across various industries, including Her Excellency Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, President of the Republic of Croatia; Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia and Malala Yousafzai, 2014 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Co-Founder of the Malala Fund. For more information on the No Ceilings: Full Participation Project, please visit https://www.clintonfoundation.org/our-work/no-ceilings-full-participation-project.

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