Amazon Upfront
With a portfolio spanning blockbuster entertainment, live sports, creator driven content, and data powered advertising innovation, Amazon Upfront 2026 called for an experience that could bring the scale and ambition of the platform to life in a cinematic way for more than 2,500 advertisers, executives, creators, and industry tastemakers live and countless tuning in livestream.
Inside the Beacon Theatre, a custom designed stage built to “Deliver” the signature Amazon experience set the tone for a fast paced presentation that moved audiences through the many worlds of Amazon. Diplo opened the show with a live DJ set before a 90 minute program featuring appearances and performances from Kacey Musgraves, Oprah Winfrey, Tierra Whack, Ice Spice, Shaboozey, NFL MVP Matthew Stafford, Michael B. Jordan, and a finale appearance by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Blending live entertainment, advertising, and cultural conversation, the experience brought together Prime Video, Twitch, Wondery, Amazon MGM Studios, Sports, and emerging advertising technology into one cohesive story designed to immerse attendees in the full Amazon canvas.. From the Beacon stage to pre-produced content integrations like Paige DeSorbo’s “Ad Breaks,” every element was designed to move the audience seamlessly between platforms, personalities, and storytelling worlds.
In collaboration with Amazon, we led the creative and technical execution of the production from end to end, including scenic conception, stage design, onstage graphics, technical production, pre-shot segments, livestream and broadcast support, talent contracting and management, and backstage and stage movement logistics. Working across Amazon, Studios, and Sports, we helped deliver a seamless, high energy production that reflected the scale, speed, and cultural reach of the Amazon brand itself.
Just like Amazon, Empire delivered.
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Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
