National Geographic Channel Celebrates its 5th Anniversary

Since the New York launch of their channel in 2003, the National Geographic Channel has partnered with Empire to produce and manage numerous unique events including the New York and Chicago Upfronts, public press events at Chelsea Piers and the Central Park Zoo, and the multi-character "Adventure Squad" street marketing team. Therefore, it was no coincidence that they called on Empire to produce an elegant reception to celebrate the National Geographic Channel's launch on high definition television and to mark the 5th Anniversary of the channel's inception. The reception was held at the Explorers Club, renowned for its century-old tradition of being the meeting point for a professional society of select explorers and scientists worldwide, most notably, astronaut Neil Armstrong and Sir Edmund Hillary – the first mountaineer to reach the summit of Mt. Everest.

Amidst the club's stately features of dark varnished wood, imported stone fireplaces, polar bear taxidermy and oil paintings depicting explorations to the North Pole, Empire delicately integrated technical production elements and a décor scheme that enhanced the National Geographic Channel brand without overwhelming the space. Upon arrival at the club, guests entered through an 8-foot-high doorway recreation of National Geographic's signature yellow border, consisting of yellow gerbera daisies and green foliage. Once inside, a Eurasian hawk and a pair of Blackfoot penguins greeted guests as they nibbled on passed hors d'oeuvres and sipped cocktails. On the terrace, which was tented and draped with flowing red & yellow silk, guests shot photos of themselves on a green screen with NGC-themed backgrounds and interacted with a mix of exotic creatures including a Lemur, young Alligator, Siberian Lynx, Armadillo, and a Slow Loris.

The event was co-hosted by ADWEEK Magazine, featured remarks by President Laureen Ong and looping high definition video footage of NGC programming, and attracted NGC talent including Explorer host Lisa Ling, Explorer-in-Residence Bob Ballard and the Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan. Empire coordinated and managed every aspect of the event including venue, catering, décor, live animals, lighting, video plasmas, audio, staging & security.In the words of the client, the party was "A fun, classy event which once again drove home to key constituencies that NGC is a young powerhouse on the move."