To kick-off the opening night of Art Basel in Miami, Florida, Mastercard collaborated with Empire to bring Mastercard’s Taste of Priceless experience to life for Mastercard’s senior leadership, clients, and guests at the 1 Hotel South Beach. During the event, Mastercard presented the two original Taste of Priceless macaron flavors in the colors of Mastercard’s iconic interlocking circles that perfectly embody the key attributes of the company’s brand personality as well as its symbol. Conceived by Kreëmart, and crafted by Ladurée, the macaron flavors of Passion (red) represents the company’s energy and commitment to helping people get closer to the things that they love. And Optimism (yellow) signifies its confidence and efforts to making the world a better place. Together, they champion Mastercard brand’s platform to Start Something Priceless.

In addition to the flavorful brand expression, Empire continued to creatively present Mastercard’s multisensory identity into to a tangible “Priceless” experience for event guests through sound, touch, and sight with a custom-designed interactive video wall including Mastercard’s sonic brand and floral arrangement symbol.

Earlier this year, Mastercard removed its name from its logo, leaving only the iconic symbol of two overlapping circles; debuted a global sonic identity that’s being heard around the world; and reimagined its culinary strategy by opening its first permanent restaurant, Bistro by Mastercard, in the Rome International Airport, and its flagship restaurant, PRICELESS, with a pioneering, fully-immersive restaurants-in-residence model at Spring Studios, in New York City.

Prior to this event, Empire was proud to collaborate with Mastercard at The New York Times Food Festival by building out a custom-designed immersive experience where Mastercard featured the taste of Priceless. Festivalgoers were invited to look for Mastercard’s signature red and yellow colors onsite in Bryant Park and visit the Mastercard tent for a first taste of Passion and Optimism; Mastercard holders were also treated to additional “Priceless Surprises.”

Available first in New York City, Mastercard cardholders will soon be able to purchase the custom macarons on priceless.com with pickup available from Ladurée’s SoHo location. Additional pickup locations in the U.S. and internationally are slated for Q4 2019.

Created by Josh Littlejohn MBE, Co-Founder of the Scottish charity and sandwich shop Social Bite, the 2019 World’s Big Sleep Out campaign hosted over 50,000 people sleeping out on the same night in dozens of cities around the world to raise money and awareness about homelessness and internationally displaced people. Empire was thrilled to produce the New York flagship event featuring Will Smith in the heart of New York City, Times Square.

The event was run in partnership with the Institute for Global Homelessness (IGH), UNICEF USA, Malala Fund, Coalition for the Homeless, and Social Bite. This year’s Sleep Outs took place in iconic locations such as Times Square (New York) and Trafalgar Square (London), along with the major cities of Edinburgh, Dublin, New Delhi, Los Angeles, and many others.

Empire was proud to support the cause and produce the Sleep Out in Times Square, working closely with the Times Square Alliance, The Mayor’s Office of Citywide Events, SAPO, NYC Parks Department, NYPD, and many others who helped ensure the event’s success and safety. Hundreds of people slept in sleeping bags, generously donated by Modell’s Sporting Goods, across four Broadway plazas spanning from 43rd to 47th Streets, braving the below-freezing overnight temperatures.

To kick off the event, a live program featured performances by Broadway star Jeannette Bayardelle, local New York City buskers, pianist James Matthews, On Site Opera, The War & Treaty, and Jay Buchanan. Comedian Dulcé Sloan hosted the program and charity partners such as UNICEF USA, Breaking Ground, Coalition for the Homeless, and Ali Forney Center. Additionally, New York City Public Advocate, Jumaane Williams, and Manhattan Borough President, Gale Brewer, gave speeches in support of the Sleep Out.

The program ended with a bedtime story from award-winning actor Will Smith, who performed a rendition of the iconic “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” theme song.

On Sunday morning, participants arose from their sleeping bags at 5:30 AM with a sense of what it means to be homeless in New York City. The sleeping bags have since been donated to nonprofit organizations including Coalition for the Homeless, The Bowery Mission, and The Church of St. Francis Xavier.

Empire is a leading producer of nonprofit events and we are honored to have played an integral part of this campaign.

To support or learn more about The World’s Big Sleep Out, please visit: https://www.bigsleepout.com/

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Empire was proud to help Bvlgari Japan host the 4th BVLGARI AVRORA AWARDS, a high-profile gala event, in Tokyo. Launched in 2016, the annual awards are the culmination of a year-long program that focuses the spotlight on extraordinary Japanese women who shine in their fields and are an inspiration to women throughout Japan. Through a unique Recommender-Awardee engagement, an Awardee is nominated each month throughout the year and their story shared in a series of videos and articles. Their achievements are recognized and celebrated when they come together for a memorable evening that has become the highlight of Tokyo’s annual event calendar.

The 2019 BVLGARI AVRORA AWARDS was held at the Maihama Amphitheater in front of a large media contingent and audience of over 2,000. Awardees who walked the “Golden Carpet” included Marathon runner and Olympic Gold Medalist, Naoko Takahashi, actress Sonoya Mizuno, singer Ayaka Hirahara, actress Koyuki, and Seven Summit mountaineer, Marin Minamiya. They were congratulated by Bvlgari Global CEO, Jean-Christophe Babin, and numerous celebrities including Koki, Rola, Hikari Mori, Rila Fukushima, Mika Ahn, and Maggy. The AWARD presentations included powerful performances by singers Ayaka Hirahara and Crystal Kay.

Empire is honored to have produced the BVLGARI AVRORA AWARDS since its inception in 2016, and to be a part of fulfilling BVLGARI’s vision for this important movement. As the AWARDS continue to grow and evolve, we look forward to working together to further build their reach, recognition and impact.

Digest Video: https://vimeo.com/379715695

Medidata, the global leader in the digital transformation of life sciences and a Dassault Systèmes company, hosted their 14th Annual NEXT Conference at Spring Studios in New York City, welcoming more than 2,000 attendees.

Medidata NEXT, “Where Science Meets Technology Meets the Future,” is the premier conference in the field where like-minded professionals, developers, data scientists, researchers, executives, and Medidata product experts connect, learn, and inspire each other.

Medidata took over every available space at Spring Studios, filling the venue with multiple sessions about the hottest topics on precision medicine and new ways to develop new therapeutics. An “Innovation Lounge” was created where attendees could fill up their coffee, grab a bite to eat, and network among sponsors and colleagues. Custom-built product demos showcased Medidata’s current suite of solutions for biotech and pharmaceutical companies that enable them to bring new therapies to market more efficiently and effectively.

Composed of overlapping general sessions and six distinct breakout tracks, Empire was tasked with optimizing the space for both large and small audiences for various sessions. Among the solutions deployed was a production design that allowed for the general session space to be converted into two separate, fully-equipped breakout session spaces and back again multiple times over the course of two days. Accomplishing this technical engineering feat while ensuring flawless execution required detailed planning and advance technology design.

Empire and Medidata’s marketing and event teams worked together seamlessly to bring the Medidata brand to life across every inch of Spring Studios. Bold, expressive signage stretched across the exterior, interior walls, and a series of bright LED screens, presenting Medidata’s brand and projecting a visual identity that reinforced their position as the leading innovator and disruptor in Life Sciences.

Empire is proud to collaborate with Medidata on this annual, top-tier business event.

To learn more about Medidata NEXT and to view highlights of NEXT 2019, please visit: https://youtu.be/6dxYr9sd5cQ  

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Endeavor's annual Gala brought together 500 network members, including global entrepreneurs, top investors, and international industry leaders. Empire was proud to once again support this year’s gala to raise critical funds to support the high-impact entrepreneurship movement around the world.

The Gala  took place at Spring Studios in New York City's trendy Tribeca neighborhood. At cocktails, guests enjoyed hors d'oeuvres served on innovative hand-carried serving vessels by Pinch Food Design and a full bar featuring a selection of white, red, and sparkling wine provided by Bacchus Wine Fund.

After, guests made their way upstairs to a seated dinner in the massive, minimalist studios. The dinner program included keynote remarks by Endeavor Global Chairman, Edgar Bronfman Jr., and Co-Founder and CEO, Linda Rottenberg. Dan Schulman, President and CEO of PayPal, was presented with the High-Impact Leader of the Year award and participated in a fireside chat. New this year, The Linda’s, honoring Endeavor Entrepreneurs who most embody the Endeavor spirit of “dreaming crazy, scaling up, and paying it forward,” were announced and presented a custom award created by an artisan from Endeavor Entrepreneur company, Artemest.

After dinner, guests moved downstairs to the Gala afterparty High-Impact Night sponsored by Dell in the cocktail space, which had been transformed into an upscale lounge featuring music by Hannah Bronfman.

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 the first-ever Endeavor Store was introduced, featuring products from Endeavor Entrepreneurs. A live plant lounge with hundreds of plants was powered by Endeavor Entrepreneur company, Bloomscape, adding an impactful décor element to the space. Guests experienced an interactive, live art activation as Italian artisan, Maria Giannini, from Endeavor Entrepreneur company, Artemest, created unique paper marbling alongside attendees. Guests could also share their Endeavor story in a recording studio using state-of-the-art microphones from Endeavor Entrepreneur company, Antelope Audio.

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 35+ 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, visitwww.endeavor.org

Empire once again partnered with Techonomy to help produce their ninth annual flagship conference in Half Moon Bay, CA. Techonomy Media uses this annual event as a platform to host pioneering conversations on the subject of technology’s influence on our socioeconomic status and culture.

Each day of the conference kicked off with morning activities ranging from coastal bike tours and surfing to early morning yoga and golf.

This year’s three-day conference focused on topics including Starting Up to Challenge Amazon, Investing and Entrepreneurship for a Warming Planet, Why AI Has to be Humble, and Turning Tech Toward Humanity.

Innovative professionals and industry leader speakers included Jane Long, Senior Contributing Scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund, and Casper Klynge, Tech Ambassador at Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who spoke on the topic of Will Geo-Engineering Become Necessary and What Silicon Valley Means to Diplomats.

As in years past, the visual design of the event was carefully curated. Décor and furniture selections were inspired by this year’s theme, "Reset + Restore", which drew inspiration from the Year of Hygge, the Danish lifestyle trend that focuses on qualities of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment and well-being. Coastal Hygge accents underscored the vast, sweeping views of the Northern California coastline, surrounding the venue.

Attendees were invited to choose from among several dinner parties on the first night, each focused on a specific theme. Themes included Superminds for Climate Change; Life at Work: Culture, Balance & Humanity; A Geek Dinner: Cutting Edge Tech (AI, Quantum, etc.); and Super Human: Health & Wellness.

Techonomy Media advocates for a greater understanding through the publication of editorial content and video journalism across a variety of platforms including online, print, and through its conferences and events.

To see more about this year’s conference visit https://techonomy.com/2019/11/techonomy-2019-full-webcast/

Empire is a leading producer of forward-thinking conferences and head-of-state and C-level thought leadership programs.

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The Coalition for the Homeless held the 25^th annual ARTWALK NY at Spring Studios, bringing together more than 750 art lovers, celebrities, artists, collectors, and Coalition supporters for an evening filled with over 100 pieces of contemporary art in a silent and live auction.

Empire was proud to serve as overall producer for ARTWALK for the 10th consecutive year. The evening was generously presented by Italian fashion house Max Mara. This year, artist Katherine Bernhardt was honored for her contribution to contemporary art, and Michael Platt, Co-Founder and CEO of BlueCrest Capital Management, was honored for his philanthropic support of the Coalition.

Aileen Agopian auctioned off a stunning selection of art pieces courtesy of some of the world’s most renowned artists, including Jenny Holzer, Ed Ruscha, Louise Fishman, and the night’s artist honoree, Katherine Bernhardt.

The evening began with cocktails graciously provided by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Stella Artois, Hendrick’s Gin, Milagro Tequila, Flor de CanaRum, Hudson Whiskey, Monkey Shoulder, and Glenfiddich. Tasting stations were provided by a selection of New York City’s best restaurants, including Indochine, Claudette, Café Luxembourg, Cafeteria, Empire Diner, Houseman, Colonia Verde, Jay’s Brooklyn, and Wild Ink.

Throughout the night, guests bid on and purchased works from established and emerging artists while listening to upbeat tunes spun by DJ Mia Moretti and DJ Elle Dee.

The Coalition for the Homeless has been developing and implementing cost-effective strategies to end mass homelessness in New York City for close to four decades. The Coalition works tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of more than 3,500 homeless and at-risk men, women, and children each day by providing emergency food and clothing, housing, crisis services, job training, and programs for homeless youth.

Working closely with the Coalition for the Homeless’s event steam and title sponsor Max Mara, Empire served as executive producer of the event and was responsible for event design, production and logistics, décor, and restaurant coordination.

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

Bravo Media hosted the first ever BravoCon, a three-day orchestrated production bringing together 80+ “Bravolebrities” and 10,000 fans who can’t get enough of them. The immersive experience included 50 live events consisting of panels, photo ops, live tapings. and parties that allowed for interactions with Bravolebrities from every franchise. Top-tier Bravo talent and producers shared stories and connected with their superfans in a way that had never been done before.

The robust programming schedule was held across three venues–Skylight Modern, Union West, and Manhattan Center. In addition to the live events, Bravo provided experiential activations at all their venues which gave attendees an inside look into their favorite shows.

In addition to all that came with a pass to BravoCon, Bravo offered premium buy-up experiences for purchase catered to their biggest fans. Within Union West, there was a separate, private restaurant built for 80+ guests to enjoy. The meals included Top Chef Dinners, a Southern Charm Brunch, and a Bravopalooza Brunch. Empire was engaged to manage the F&B and overall operations of each experience.

On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening, the three most recent “Top Chef” Winners designed a custom menu for two seatings. The chefs mingled with restaurant-goers while they enjoyed their entrees and Bravo-themed cocktails.

On Saturday morning, five cast members from “Southern Charm” wined and dined with guests who came dressed in their best southern flair. Among the brunch options, Chicken and Waffles was the most popular dish.

On Sunday Morning, a mix of top-tier Bravolebs from “The Real Housewives” franchise, “Summer House”, “Southern Charm”, “Vanderpump Rules”, and “Below Deck” had the opportunity to engage with their most dedicated fans over Bloody Marys and Mimosas at the Bravopalooza Brunch.

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

Empire is a leading producer of branded events and premieres for television, motion picture, and other media and entertainment clients.

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Empire served as the producer of The Studio Museum in Harlem’s annual Gala for the second year, with artistic direction by Red Maple Leaf. The black-tie evening took place in the elegant 45,000 square-foot, glass-enclosed River Pavilion that features stunning views of the Hudson River serving as the perfect backdrop for this year’s event. Over 750 artists, philanthropists, cultural leaders, civic leaders, and business leaders attended to celebrate The Studio Museum in Harlem and their important work with artists of African descent locally, nationally, and internationally.

The evening began with a cocktail reception where, upon entering, guests’ attention was drawn to a large statement installation located in the middle of the cocktail space, surrounded by lounge furniture, curated décor, and photo experiences.

To signal the start of dinner, high drapes were pulled back to reveal the impressive views. Guests were invited to the dinner space with a swell in music performed live by AffinitiNYC and were greeted with a striking main stage, equipped with a large LED screen, and centerpieces highlighted by pinspots on each table.

The evening’s program, honoring businessman and philanthropist, Leonard A. Lauder, featured remarks by Gala Co-Chairs, Jacqueline L. Bradley, Kathryn C. Chenault, Carol Sutton Lewis, and Dr. Amelia Ogunlesi; Thelma Golden, Director and Chief Curator; and Raymond J. McGuire, Chairman of the Board. The fourteenth annual Joyce Alexander Wein Prize was presented to Torkwase Dyson, extending the Studio Museum’s mission of supporting experimentation and excellence in contemporary art.

The evening ended with dancing to another live set by Affiniti NYC, and desserts were enjoyed in the transformed cocktail space.

The Gala raised over $3 million in support of the Studio Museum’s operating costs, including key initiatives such as the collaborative, community-enriching In Harlem exhibitions and public programs.

Empire was proud to work closely with the Studio Museum and Red Maple Leaf to deliver a flawless and memorable evening for The Studio Museum in Harlem.

For more information on The Studio Museum in Harlem, please visit https://www.studiomuseum.org

Empire Japan had the chance to work again with Eurasia Group to produce the most elite geopolitical event in Japan. In a continuation of last year's event, a wide range of current global topics were discussed with special guests including Toshimitsu Motegi, Foreign Minister of Japan, Hiroshi Kajiyama, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization, Social Security Reform, and Trans-Pacific Partnership. Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, had the chance to join as a speaker in a fireside chat to discuss Tokyo’s current status leading into the Olympics next year.​​