Empire is honored to have produced the 27th Annual Webby Awards at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

For the second consecutive year, Empire booked Roy Wood Jr. (from the Daily Show & White House Correspondents Dinner) to host and he kicked off the show with another tech-savvy monologue that addressed the rise of A.I., among other issues.

As always, the Webbys honored a variety of the internet’s best including SZA, Sharon Horgan, Anderson Cooper, Hoda Kotb, Toby Nwigwe, and many more. The Webbys are the Internet’s highest honor, and the show is renowned for allowing winners just 5 words for their acceptance speeches. Nevertheless, this year’s winners showed that 5 words is sometimes all you need.

After a roaring round of applause for Webby Artist of the Year, SZA, she took the stage and used her 5 words to ironically say “The internet scares me. Thanks!”.

The show also included poignant moments highlighting how the internet helped bring greater attention and continued dialogue to serious social issues such as the killing of George Floyd and the oppression of women in Iran.

Following the show, attendees headed uptown to Marquee for the highly anticipated afterparty where Empire presented DJ Jazzy Jeff to spin and keep the dance floor packed.

Empire produced nearly all aspects of the event from the Red Carpet, the show itself, and the afterparty. Partners this year included Special Guest, who led on all things design, and Sunshine Sachs, who worked to create a buzzy Red Carpet and Media Room.

Empire is honored to have been chosen to produce every live Webby Awards event since 2005, and we consider the Webby Awards team part of the Empire family.

The full show is available to view here.

​

FOX’s Upfront at New York City’s Manhattan Center broke new ground by blending presentation with celebration for over 1,000 attendees. The event reimagined the traditional Upfront format, emphasizing connection and engagement over the usual theater-style approach.

At the heart of the experience was a striking 360-degree full-service bar, dubbed the “pill stage” for its sleek, elongated oval shape, which served as the Upfront’s centerpiece. Complementing it was a massive 70-foot Apex Hero Stage, angled to spotlight speakers and hero content. The design fused Manhattan Center’s classic New York City charm with modern sophistication, creating a timeless yet contemporary atmosphere.

The program boasted an impressive roster of talent, including Gordon Ramsay, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Michael Strahan, Erin Andrews, Carli Lloyd, Rob Gronkowski, and DJ Natasha Diggs. Cabaret-style seating spread across three levels encouraged conversation and connection. FOX’s signature branding was woven throughout the space, with rich blue as the hero color accented by burgundy, gold, magenta, and amber to represent the network’s subdivisions.

Every detail was thoughtfully crafted—from the furnishings to the strategic branding placement—to transform the venue into a stunning, camera-ready backdrop. The result was an unforgettable event that set a new benchmark for the Upfront experience.

‍

Empire was honored to work with VTS, a leading real estate software company, on VTS Accelerate, which took place at Center 415  and brought together 400 employees, investors, and influential thought leaders for two days of keynote presentations, panel discussions, breakouts, and freestyle networking opportunities.

The event’s goal was to offer a better understanding of VTS’ products and their impact, spark inspiration, build connections, and offer tools to navigate the challenges of the industry. The conference content was specifically designed to educate members of the C-Suite and senior leasing and asset management executives on how to integrate data and technology to stay competitive.

Day One of the event provided a full day of stage content from morning to evening, and included keynote sessions, fireside chats, panels, Q&As, breakouts, and concluded with a customer award ceremony. Day Two, attendees returned for a half day of panels and workshops. Guests also experienced the custom-built “Product Zone” and “Activate Zone”, where VTS’ newest software was unveiled.

Attendees enjoyed breakfasts, snacks, and lunches provided by the design-focused and delicious PINCH Food Design. The raw space of Center 415 was transformed with custom fabrication, printed graphics, and thoughtfully-selected furniture. The venue was divided into multiple areas, including two stages, the product zone, the activate zone, registration lobby, and a hospitality space for meals.

The design of the event was produced via collaboration between Empire and These Days, VTS’ creative agency based in London. Working hand-in-hand with the VTS team, Empire managed all aspects of production including fabrication, printing, catering, budgeting, staging, technical production and venue management.

To learn more please visit: https://accelerate.vts.com/

​

Empire was honored to work for the first time with The Legal Defense Fund to produce their 35th National Equal Justice Awards Dinner (NEJAD) at The Glasshouse in New York City.

Founded by Justice Thurgood Marshall, LDF has a significant legacy in promoting civil rights progress and remains committed to actively advancing civil rights today. With a history spanning over eight decades, LDF, alongside its partners, has made substantial strides in enhancing the dignity and citizenship of Black individuals in America.

NEJAD serves as a platform to honor past achievements, recognize ongoing efforts, and inspire continued action. This year's Gala, themed "The Future Is Ours," paid tribute to LDF's core values and foundational narrative.

Upon arrival at the Glasshouse, attendees embarked on an immersive experience on the sixth floor. They were warmly welcomed with a red carpet moment, providing an opportunity to capture their photographs against a branded backdrop. As guests proceeded through an exhibit highlighting impactful LDF work, they were guided to the main cocktail lounge, where they were greeted by an atmosphere adorned with emotive photography, mood-enhancing music, and signature cocktails. This carefully curated ambiance fostered a celebratory and futuristic atmosphere, setting the tone for the evening.

As attendees mingled and celebrated the power of their community. A moving performance by the young faces of Brooklyn United Drumline signified the end of the cocktail reception and led the audience of over 600 guests into the dining room to take their seats for dinner.

Angela Vallot, Co-Chair of LDF's Board of Directors, took the stage to address the audience and introduced the evening's esteemed host, Sade Baderinwa of ABC News. Baderinwa welcomed guests and then invited Janai Nelson, LDF's President, to share her perspective on the profound meaning of "The Future Is Ours."

Subsequently, honorees were recognized, with attorney Fred Grey receiving the prestigious Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award, followed by the acknowledgment of the National Equal Justice Award recipients: the Emerson Collective (presented by Geoffrey Canada), Nike, Jordan, and Converse brands (presented by Carmelo Anthony), as well as Vista Equity Partners' CEO, Robert F. Smith (presented by Spike Lee.)

The award ceremony culminated in a performance by the acclaimed, Grammy Award-winning singer Ledisi, who performed her music as well as that of Nina Simone.

After a brief close to the evening, the festivities continued as attendees adjourned to the lounge/bar area for an unforgettable future-themed after-party with DJ Trauma.

Empire was proud to serve as overall producer for the event, handling multiple aspects including run of show and creative narrative (with Paul Oakley Stovall), technical design & production (with Studio Productions), decor (with Red Maple Leaf), content and video production (with Januari1 Films), catering (by Olivier Cheng), venue liaison, guest experience, and registration (led by Advance NY).

Together the evening created a memorable and impactful experience, furthering LDF’s mission of advancing equal justice and civil rights for all.

​Empire was proud to produce an exclusive Keith Urban performance one of the world’s top corporations during an incentive trip to Chicago.

The concert took place at The Chicago Theatre with a private headline concert by four-time Grammy winner Keith Urban. Keith and his band brought the audience together for this special evening and performed all his greatest hits including “Brown Eyes Baby,” “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” and “One Too Many”.

Guests were treated to an open bar throughout the historic venue and premium access to some of the best seating in the house. VIP attendees won an exclusive meet & greet with Keith prior to the concert, where they were able to memorialize this exciting night.

Empire was responsible for securing the artist and advancing all logistical and production elements at The Chicago Theatre to support the performance.

Empire is a leading provider of headline music & entertainment for corporate events and celebrations around the world.

Empire presented Sheryl Crow for a corporate group in Salt Lake City, just a week after the Grammy-winner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sheryl thrilled the attendees with mega-hits including “If It Makes You Happy”, “Soak Up The Sun”, “All I Wanna Do”, “Every Day Is A Winding Road”, and many more.​

Empire had the pleasure of supporting the revered whisky brand, The Macallan, in bringing to life an immersive experience, "The Path to the Incomparable", at Roppongi Hills in Tokyo.

The event offered guests the opportunity to learn about the distillery’s rich history and commitment to cask quality through projection mapping and interactive exhibits in the Experience Area.

The Bar Area provided guests the chance to indulge in the "Double Cask" while taking the virtual reality tour of the Macallan distillery and capturing their experience with the Glambot camera.

The opening party featured a special performance by Japanese performer MIYAVI, inspired by The Macallan Double Cask. Other notable artists performed throughout the course of the multi-day event.

Empire is thrilled to have supported The Macallan in delivering this benchmark event that immersed guests in the world of exceptional whisky. The success of "The Path to the Incomparable" at Roppongi Hills demonstrates the power of experience design in creating unforgettable moments for brand enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

Empire is a leading producer of experiential consumer-facing events.

​

Empire once again served as producer to Target Corporation for their Target Financial Community Meeting, an annual presentation by the company’s leadership to analysts and media. Target announced their 2023 growth plans, earnings, and recent accomplishments, along with strategies for continued growth.

After a networking breakfast, Target CEO Brian Cornell took the main stage to provide financial perspective for the upcoming year, highlighting updates on Target’s partnerships with Apple, Starbucks, and Ulta Beauty, as well as growth in the company’s owned brands such as Good & Gather and All In Motion.

At the conclusion of the presentation, Target’s leadership team engaged in an Investor Q&A segment which was immediately followed by a smaller Q&A session with media only.

Additionally, Target leaders had one-on-one live broadcast interviews where they further discussed Target’s financial performance and plans.

As in past years, Empire worked closely with Target’s team to plan and execute each component of the event. Empire oversaw permitting, venue management, technical production, programming, budgeting, creative design and catering. Empire also managed new accessibility such as virtual and in-person American Sign Language Interpreters.

Empire is proud to work with leading corporations like Target to present their important business communications events.

As part of a unique collaboration with Vietnamese singer Hà Anh Tuấn, Empire delivered the Grammy Award-winning artist Kitaro as the special guest performer for a two-night concert event in Ninh Binh, Vietnam.

In the months prior, Kitaro collaborated with Hà Anh Tuấn to rearrange and record five songs for an upcoming digital release. The track list includes Kitaro’s classic songs “Koi” and “Silk Road” with new lyrics written in Vietnamese for the project. The other three songs are hits by Hà Anh Tuấn: “Một Mình Một Sớm Ban Mai”, “Xuân Thì”, and “Tháng Tư Là Lời Nói Dối Của Em”. The collection is expected to release globally in mid-2023 with versions in Vietnamese, English, and Japanese.

Nearly 12,000 attendees made pilgrimage to the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital in the beautiful mountainous region of Ninh Binh for Hà Anh Tuấn’s sold-out concert series THE GLORIOUS HORIZON, featuring Kitaro’s first-ever show in Vietnam.

Following Hà Anh Tuấn’s performance of Kitaro’s “Koi” & “Silk Road”, a 40-foot high globe rotated 180-degrees to reveal the master himself. Kitaro’s show-stopping performance included his well-known compositions “Aqua” and “Matsuri”, for which he played both synthesizer and taiko drums.

Backed by the 34-piece live band, including the Saigon Pops orchestra, Kitaro also performed his arrangements of the three hit songs by Hà Anh Tuấn. As a final surprise song for Kitaro, Hà Anh Tuấn presented the master’s song “Caravansary”, with new Vietnamese lyrics and featuring the rapper Đen Vâu.

As part of his visit to Ninh Binh, Kitaro joined the environmental organization RỪNG VIỆT NAM to unveil a reforestation and wildlife protection project at Cúc Phương National Park. After a brief press conference deep within the national park, Hà Anh Tuấn and Kitaro spent the morning planting trees for future generations.

In addition to artist booking and contract negotiation, Empire advanced all technical and creative aspects of Kitaro’s participation for these events, including staging, sound, lighting, run of show, schedule, rehearsals, and hospitality. Working with our long-time partners in Vietnam, Empire coordinated all air transportation, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, and visa acquisition.

Empire also provided consulting on all matters regarding music arrangement and production, live video recording, content release and distribution, licensing, interactions with press and media, interviews, and press releases.

Empire is proud to develop unique collaborative projects between global musical artists for events in new markets such as Vietnam and beyond.

The FISU World University Games Winter is an international collegiate multi-sport competition held biannually. In January 2023, Empire was proud to produce the ceremonies of the 31st World University Games in the historic Herb Brooks Arena, bringing together teams from more than 50 countries centered around the theme of Saving Winter.

The Opening Ceremony began with an ancestral welcome and land acknowledgement by Theresa Bear Fox, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, and Oneida Indian Nation. Following the opening address, the parade of Nations began. The lively parade set to a bespoke musical composition included 1,500 athletes from 50 nations and featured dancers from the Joffrey Ballet School and skaters from the Skating Club of Lake Placid.

Following the parade, Christopher Kinney, a bobsledder who competed in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, sang a moving rendition of the National Anthem. Welcome speeches were made by Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games Organizing Committee James Mckenna, FISU President Leonz Eder, and New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, who declared the games officially open.

As the lights dimmed, dancers from the Joffrey Ballet School and aerialist Sarah Sporich set the stage for the torch relay featuring Environmentalist, Bill McKibben; FISU alumnus and Adirondack Park Commissioner, Art Lussi; and Olympians: Jim MIller, Andrew Weibrecht, Mark Grimmette, and Billy Demong.

The creative portion of the show was divided into three segments. The first, Gathering in the Light, featured a diverse group of skaters from American Ice Theatre wearing custom costumes from designer Liz Vandal. Skating cameraman Jordan Cowen captured their modern movements and a quick-change costume element midway through the song. The second segment, Sharing in the Light, was an elegant and moving piece backed by a set piece featuring the mountains of the Adirondacks. Aerialists Angela Kim and Pawel Walczewski wowed the crowd with their acrobatic feats 40 feet above the ice. The third segment, Celebrating Winter, featured five 40-foot tall kabuki trees native to the region, an uplifting skating performance by American Ice Theatre, and the daring moves of aerialist Sarah Sporich. At the end of Celebrating Winter, the audience watched as the hydro-electric powered cauldron was lit to signify the start of the Games.

The Closing Ceremony celebrated the 11 days of competition while also paying tribute to Torino, Italy, the host of the next FISU University Games Winter in 2025. The ceremony welcomed back Christopher Kinney to sing the National Anthem. Remarks were made from James McKenna, President of Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games Organizing Committee; Robert Rodriguez, New York Secretary of State; and Leonz Eder, Acting President of the International University Sports Federation. The Mayor of Torino, Stefano Lo Russo, welcomed the world to join him in Torino and introduced Pinguini Tattici Nucleari, an Italian rock band who made their US debut. Theresa Bear Fox and representatives of the Akwesasne Nations returned to close the circle opened 11 days prior, extinguishing the sustainable cauldron and honoring the heritage of this very special area, bringing the ceremonies and Games to a close.

​