SHOWTIME® continues to be a pioneer in LGBTQ-inclusive programming and has carried on making these often overlooked stories accessible to the masses through their hugely popular revival, The L Word: Generation Q.  This reboot has something for everyone by bringing back some of the original show’s favorites as well as a new, younger cast to relate and empower this new generation of queer youth.

This winter, SHOWTIME® called on Empire again to help promote the third season of The L Word: Generation Q by enhancing a series of 10 weekly viewing party events in New York City and Los Angeles leading up to the season finale. Empire sent brand ambassadors, L Word swag, and custom-made neon signs to each location. The wedding-themed finale viewing parties featured additional enhancements including temporary tattoos, a photo booth, and even a wedding cake for guests to enjoy afterwards.

At Henrietta Hudson in New York City and The Semi-Tropic in Los Angeles, fans were treated to surprise attendance from many of the show cast including Jacqueline Toboni, Jamie Clayton, Jordan Hull, and Rosie O’Donnell, as well as appearances by celebrities such as Chrishell Stause and Fletcher. SHOWTIME®’s enhancements to the weekly viewing parties brought in record attendance at the bars, peaking at around 650 total guests for the finale episode watch parties in New York City and Los Angeles.

The third season of The L Word: Generation Q is available on-demand on SHOWTIME™.

Photo Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/SHOWTIME®

Nearly a year after bringing John Legend to Vietnam for the inaugural VinFuture Prize, Empire delivered Grammy Award-winning artist Christina Aguilera for her first-ever performance in Vietnam. The second annual VinFuture Prize award ceremony took place on December 20, 2022, at the historic Hanoi Opera House before a live audience of 250 VIPs including the Prime Minister of Vietnam, Phạm Minh Chính. It was broadcast live throughout Southeast Asia and the world on Vietnam Television (VTV). Christina Aguilera’s show-stopping performance included her hits “Beautiful" and “The Voice Within“ with her band, and for the finale, an intimate performance of “A Million Dreams”. The event also featured the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra with acclaimed Conductor Honna Tetsugi and traditional Vietnamese ballet performances.

The VinFuture Prize Foundation is an independent and non-profit organization in Vietnam. The Foundation was established with the vision of catalyzing meaningful changes in the everyday lives of millions of people by honoring transformational technological innovations at a global scale. https://vinfutureprize.org/ The first global award of its kind from Vietnam, the VinFuture Prize, presented US $4.5 million to international scientists to support breakthrough scientific research and technological innovation. In addition to the Grand Prize, three special prizes recognized female innovators, and outstanding achievements in emerging fields and developing countries. In addition to artist booking and contract negotiation, Empire advanced all technical and creative aspects of Christina Aguilera’s participation for the event, including staging, sound, lighting, LED screen graphics, teleprompter, run of show, schedule, and dressing room hospitality. Empire also provided consulting on all matters regarding artist interactions with press and media, television interviews, press releases, broadcast/livestream, and music licensing concerns. Working with our long-time partners in Vietnam, Empire coordinated all air transportation, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, visa acquisition, and local sightseeing excursions.

Empire Entertainment is proud to deliver global musical artists for events in new markets such as Vietnam and beyond.

Endeavor was able to hold their annual Gala after a two-year hiatus. The gala brought together 500 network members, including global entrepreneurs, top investors, and international industry leaders, to celebrate 25 years of Endeavor. Empire was proud to support this year’s gala to raise critical funds to support the high-impact entrepreneurship movement around the world.

This year’s gala took place at Glasshouse, which features floor-to-ceiling views of New York City and the Hudson River. At cocktails, guests enjoyed hors d'oeuvres served on innovative serving vessels and specialty cocktail bars featuring a selection of hand-crafted cocktails provided by Codigo and Casa Lumbre. After, guests proceeded through an experiential hallway into the main area for the seated dinner in the massive, designed space with table centerpieces, screen content, flown lighting, and printed collateral—all mirroring Endeavor’s colorful themes.

The dinner program included keynote remarks by Endeavor Global Chairman, Edgar Bronfman Jr., and Co-Founder and CEO, Linda Rottenberg. This year, the Gala featured a candlelight performance by Fever composed of string musicians amongst a backdrop of thousands of candles, and The Multiplier Effect recital featuring spoken word by Marco Fisbhen and percussion by Roger Squitero.

Endeavor celebrated the achievements of Martin Migoya, Mudassir Sheikha, Nadine Hachach-Haram, Peter Njonjo, and Songe LaRon by presenting them with The Lindas award. This spectacular dinner segment was catered and serviced by Pinch Food Design.

After dinner, guests moved through a starlit tunnel to the High-Impact afterparty in the cocktail space, which had been transformed into an upscale lounge featuring music by DJ MICK.

Empire and the Endeavor team collaborated closely to ensure that the organization’s mission was showcased at the Gala in addition to highlighting entrepreneurs in their network. This year, guests had the opportunity to try their hand at a wheel of fortune to win prizes consisting of products from Endeavor Entrepreneurs. A secluded networking space featuring decor by Bearaby and Havenly allowed guests a retreat to speak with one another and foster these important entrepreneurial relationships. Attendees were able to document their time at the gala with a photo booth provided by Mashbooths. Attendees experienced an interactive projection activation brought to life by Rise New York & Partners, mapping the Endeavor multiplier-effect while the DJ spun.

Empire is a leading producer of innovative not-for-profit galas and is proud to support Endeavor Global’s work. Endeavor is transforming the economies of 40+ growth markets by helping entrepreneurs scale, create jobs, and multiply their impact by becoming outstanding role models, mentors, and investors to the next generation of founders.

To learn more, visit www.endeavor.org

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To celebrate all that Dartmouth alumni, friends, and family have done to make The Call to Lead capital campaign an audacious success, Dartmouth continued to collaborate with Empire to produce the event series titled “Give a Rouse", convening the Dartmouth community and thanking them for their contributions and support.

Following the inaugural event of the series at New York City’s Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Give a Rouse Tour continued on to four more shows around the nation: Wang Theatre Boch Center,  Boston; Warner Theatre, Washington D.C.; Moonlight Studios, Chicago; and August Hall, San Francisco. Hosting over 1,300 guests, the cross-national event was a huge success.

Each event followed a similar format, with adaptations and localizations for each city. Upon arrival, guests were met with a Dartmouth-themed exterior presence and live music. Guests registered at Dartmouth-branded, wooden check-in desks and then entered a theater space to enjoy the program.

The 45-minute stage program included monumental screen projections, a series of videos that told the story of A New Day at Dartmouth and summarized the achievements of The Call to Lead comprehensive campaign. The program paid tribute to Dartmouth’s outgoing President, Philip J. Hanlon, and re-energized the community about how Dartmouth’s future leaders will shape a better world.

The conclusion of the stage program included a multimedia effects sequence that combined video projection, animated special effects, remote-activated light-up bracelets, and theatrical lighting to emphasize the idea of Dartmouth “greenlighting” the future.

Excited guests wearing bracelets lit in green exited the theater program to attend the afterparty. Guests mixed, mingled, and networked while enjoying a curated menu of food and drinks; a live jazz band; and multiple activities including ping-pong on green and white tables, a photo booth, an interactive social media wall, and a variety of Instagram-worthy backdrops including a sculptural installation of large-scale letters spelling out “Dartmouth.”

Empire worked closely with several Dartmouth departments, faculty, alumni, and volunteers, as well as many creative, communications, production, and events partners to plan and execute the events. Empire’s role included concept development, venue acquisition, registration, run of show and program development, scripting, screen content production, technical production, catering, permitting, security, scenic, décor, budgeting, staffing, and guest logistics & experience.

Empire is honored to work with Dartmouth to help them scale their unique educational model around the world. The Call to Lead has raised over $3 billion overall to realize three overarching goals: advancing Dartmouth’s distinctive educational model to its fullest potential; making discoveries that improve the human condition; and preparing students for lives of wise leadership. To learn more about The Call to Lead: a Campaign for Dartmouth, visit: https://calltolead.dartmouth.edu/

Empire is a leading producer of high-level events, both on and off campus, for Ivy League schools and many of the world’s leading educational institutions.

BVLGARI JAPAN hosted the BVLGARI AVRORA AWARDS Golden Carpet and Awards Ceremony at the newly built Ariake Arena (created for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games). Empire is proud to have produced the event for the sixth time and to be a part of fulfilling BVLGARI’s vision for this important movement.

The BVLGARI AVRORA AWARDS shine a spotlight on the achievements and activities of inspiring women who possess unparalleled creativity, intellect, and talent in a range of areas, celebrate the way they live, and bestow them with awards. This celebrated format has been successfully reproduced by BVLGARI around the globe, including in China, Europe, and South Korea.

In attendance for the star-studded event were 400 VIP guests and 5,000 public spectators, including awardee/model, Hikari Mori, global music sensation, Miyavi, and actress/model & BVLGARI ambassador, Kōki. Also in attendance, as well as gracing the stage for an enthralling musical performance was actor, artist, and BVLGARI ambassador, Tomohisa Yamashita.

The grand scale of the arena location was enhanced by a 120'-wide screen with a 3-story high dynamic Kinesys motion-controlled central LED screen. The event’s afterparty included performances from renowned DJ’s AmiAya and a 360-degree projection mapping that completely immersed the guests in a world of dynamic beauty and color fitting of BVLGARI and the many honored guests.

As the AWARDS continue to grow and evolve, we look forward to being a part of the team that further builds their reach, recognition, and impact.

evian, the premium natural mineral water brand renowned for its annual limited-edition bottles in collaboration with top designers, has forged a significant partnership with Balmain, the historic fashion house in Paris. United by a shared vision of "dreaming of the future," these two brands, deeply rooted in the French heritage, have announced the release of a limited-edition glass bottle.

To commemorate this collaboration, a three day event, "Dream our future together," took place at CÉ LA VI Tokyo.

The Empire team devised a strategy to enhance both brands' iconic status and the shared passion in sustainability credentials. The objective was to create engaging and shareable content for the media, influencers, and the public, fostering social buzz. This initiative aimed to cultivate a community of media and influencers to support future communications.

The launch party welcomed guests from the media and over 30 influencers. The event featured an exhibition of the "Tree of Dreams" made from the limited-edition bottles, a photo booth, and curated drinks using evian water. Attendees, all dressed in white to complement the event's theme, witnessed a tree-of-dreams light-up ceremony for the festive season. evian's management thanked attendees, and guests added to the festive spirit by sharing their dreams on evian-bottle wishing cards.

For the next two days, the “Tree of Dreams” and the wishing cards continued to be displayed in CÉ LA VI Tokyo, allowing guests to savor curated drinks and experience the innovative collaboration between two leading French brands.

The successful events received extensive media coverage and buzz.

Empire’s comprehensive scope of work included strategy planning, PR planning, invitation management, influencer casting, creative concept development, construction, audio, visual, lighting, and overall event management.

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Empire was honored to work with Ketch to launch the Privacy Matters Conference at the Public Hotel in New York City.

This ethically-minded conference, hosted by Jonathan Joseph, Ketch’s Head of Solutions and Marketing, focused on how companies can be more mindful in their usage of consumer data in a progressively digital world. The daytime conference began with a networking breakfast, including a Ketch-branded coffee bar, and an opening session featuring remarks from Ketch CEO, Tom Chavez. A series of main stage sessions and panels took place throughout the duration of the day featuring presenters such as TedX speaker, Linnette Attai, UM Worldwide’s Chief Privacy Officer, Arielle Garcia, and President and Chief Operating Officer of MMA Global, Lou Paskalis. A case study on Data Stewardship by Ketch’s Director of Sales, Diego Mejia, and DISH Network’s Senior Privacy Counsel, Coleman T. Lechner, and Head of Data, Measurement, & Analytics, Kemal Bokhari, closed out the morning session and led the attendees into a catered lunch by the Public Hotel.

After lunch, the data privacy education continued with sessions featuring speakers from organizations such as Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, Connecticut Attorney General's Office, SafeGuard Privacy, Loeb & Loeb, IAB Tech Lab, Network Advertising Initiative (NAI), 6sense Revenue AI, Sandals Resorts, Publicis, Digitas, and Habu. In the evening, attendees headed over to Hotel Indigo's 15th floor bar, Mr Purple. This posh spot with terraces served hors d’oeuvres & cocktails to the data-conscious crowd into the night. Empire’s scope of work included overall project and production management, talent booking, technical production, venue management, programming, development, and creative design. Empire is proud to have worked with Ketch to produce their Privacy Matters Conference.

Empire was excited to partner again with New Heights, a non-profit sports-based youth development and educational organization, to produce their 6th annual GameChangers Ball. The gala took place at the newly renovated Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The venue features a variety of sports facilities, classrooms, offices, and community spaces.

The gala began with a cocktail reception and live jazz performance by KingKlavé. Guests were treated to signature cocktails upon arrival and were invited to pose with friends at the photo booth.

At the close of the reception, attendees were ushered into the Ballroom by New Heights volunteers where they gathered on the facility’s basketball courts to enjoy a seated dinner from Abigail Kirsch. The room integrated existing basketball hoops into the overall stage and room design to complement the organization’s sports-driven mission.

Once guests were seated, New Heights Executive Director Ted Smith greeted attendees from the stage and invited speakers, alumni, and award recipients to join him in sharing how New Heights has positively impacted their lives. The program concluded with a live auction from Auctioneer Bobby D with items such as golf with NFL pros and courtside basketball game tickets available to be won.

Working closely with New Heights, Empire served as the overall event producer, managing elements including venue, catering, décor, programming, and technical production. Empire is a leading producer of fundraising events and has been proud to serve leading not-for-profit organizations and foundations for nearly three decades.

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athenahealth is a leading cloud-based healthcare technology company that connects clinicians, patients, payers, and partners in differentiated ways. athenahealth’s Thrive Summit is an annual event that brings together more than 2,000 of the brightest minds in healthcare for three days of keynote presentations, panel discussions, intimate breakouts, and freestyle networking opportunities, all with one simple goal in mind: Let’s thrive together to create healthcare as it could be.

It was no small feat. Empire brought this mission statement to life at the massive Austin Convention Center in Austin, TX. Working within more than 150,000 square feet of blank space, Empire crafted hundreds of networking areas, 60+ custom partner booth opportunities, a stunning Keynote stage fit for a 2,000-person audience, and a central athenahealth hub showcasing the brand’s products and services. Every element of the event was crafted in the inviting and accessible experience athenahealth strives to deliver to its customers. Empire designed every aspect of the event to bring the digital brand to life and connect attendees.

From the “Connection Lounge” filled with soft seating for casual conversations to the “Coaching Café,” where attendees could schedule 1:1 meetings with athenahealth representatives, to the lively Expo Hall mini-stages that offered TedTalk-style content, each space was created with the intention for anyone from senior leaders to prospective customers to feel welcome and excited to be a part of athenahealth.

Working hand-in-hand with the athenahealth team, Empire managed all aspects of the creative design and development, production, fabrication, budgeting, staging, talent coordination, technical production, and venue management.

To learn more please visit: https://www.athenahealth.com

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Across three cities and over the span of one month, Empire produced three private concerts for a major anniversary of one of our corporate clients in Chicago, Deer Valley, and Palm Springs.

The series opened with Alicia Keys at the Chicago Theater on Wednesday, September 21, followed by a stand-up set from Jerry Seinfeld at the Montage Deer Valley a month later on Sunday, October 22. The series was brought to a close with an astounding performance by Stevie Wonder at The Show Theater at the Agua Caliente Resort on Thursday, October 27.

Alicia Keys’ 90-minute set for approximately 1,000 guests included some of her best known hits including Fallin’, This Girl is on Fire, and Empire State of Mind, among many others. Prior to the performance, Alicia participated in an intimate meet and greet in one of the sponsored lounges for the client’s executives and guests.

Legendary standup comedian Jerry Seinfeld brought the roughly 250 guests in attendance to fits of laughter with a 45-minute set packed with jokes about family life, vacationing in the mountains, and some on-the-spot improvisations with the audience.

Ending the anniversary event series with a bang, Stevie Wonder wowed 1,200 guests with an almost two-hour set of his classics including Superstition, Sir Duke, and I Wish. Wonder and his full band received a standing ovation from the crowd after the unforgettable performance.

Empire contracted all artists and handled all aspects of logistics and onsite management and provided technical supervision for all shows.

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