Our Work

Third Way, the national think tank, in conjunction with the Black Economic Alliance and Winston Fisher, gathered Democratic officials, strategists, constituency leaders, campaign staff, and influencers from early and battleground states to chart the way to win in 2020.

Opportunity 2020, The Way to Win, was held in June 2019 at the Gaillard Center in Charleston, South Carolina, and built on Third Way’s 2018 strategy session in Columbus, Ohio, where Democrats coalesced around a message of economic opportunity that delivered the House majority and helped rebuild the Blue Wall. Empire installed environmental branding throughout the venue to create a sense of place for all attendees so that everywhere they turned, carefully-curated images would remind them of their goals for 2020. These included a 3D display at the ballroom entrance, scrolling images on built-in screens, and strategically placed banners and graphic walls.

Third Way Opportunity 2020 kicked off with a plenary session in the smaller of the two ballrooms set in a theater arrangement supplemented with soft seating for networking and a custom stage branded for the event. The two-hour plenary featured presentations and panel discussions with University of South Carolina Director of the Center of Education and Equity of African American Students, Dr. Jennifer Reed, Senator Chris Coons, and New Mexico Governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham. Immediately following the session, attendees moved upstairs to the Galleria for an opening reception.

The next day, the plenary was held in the large ballroom where Empire built a three-tier amphitheater to create a more intimate setting for the presentations. Presenters and moderators included Executive Director of the Black Economic Alliance, Akunna Cook, Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, Congressman, Joe Cunningham, President Obama’s 2012 campaign manager and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Jim Messina, and former Obama White House Communications Director, Jen Psaki.

The conference wrapped with a reception on the roof deck of the nearby Dewberry Hotel.

The Peter G. Peterson Foundation, based in New York, is a non-partisan organization dedicated to addressing America’s long-term fiscal challenges to ensure a better economic future. Founded by Peter G. Peterson and led by Chairman and CEO, Michael Peterson, the Foundation works with leading policy experts, elected officials, and the public to build support for solutions to put America on a sustainable fiscal path. The Peter G. Peterson Foundation engages in grant-making, partnerships, and research to educate and involve Americans across a variety of perspectives.

While the Peter G. Peterson Foundation presents several events throughout the year, the Fiscal Summit is their marquee event. Empire’s Los Angeles based team (formerly Peak XV) has been producing the Fiscal Summit since its inception.

The Fiscal Summit brings together leaders, experts, and policymakers to discuss how to build a sustainable fiscal future to put America on a path for prosperity, leadership, and growth. In 2019, the headlining speakers included Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, interviewed by CNN Senior Congressional Correspondent, Manu Raju, and Director of the OMB and acting White House Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney, interviewed by CNBC Correspondent, Eamon Jamers.

Other notable speakers included Congressman John Yarmuth (KY), Congressman Kevin Brady (TX), Senator Heidi Heitkamp (ND), and Director of the Congressional Budget Office, Phillip Swagel.

The event kicked off with a cocktail reception in the POV Lounge and Terrance of the W Hotel overlooking DC and the Washington Monument. Peter G. Peterson Foundation CEO, Michael Peterson, welcomed guests and gave a quick synopsis of the next days’ schedule.

The conference was held at the Newseum in Washington DC and consisted of panels and presentations in the main plenary room on the 7^th floor followed by lunch and additional discussions on the 8^th floor. Both rooms were webcast and included interactive polling and online Q&A to the moderator via a private email system.

After the main conference concluded, a special session called “The Solutions Initiative” was hosted on the 7^th floor, which had been rearranged during the lunch hour. This session brought together leading think tanks from across the political spectrum to put forward comprehensive plans to set America on a stronger, more sustainable fiscal path. The Solutions Initiative session provided attendees an opportunity to learn more about the initiative and interact directly with the plans’ authors about their policy choices, recommendations, and tradeoffs.

This special session included speakers from seven Centers and Institutes and was moderated by Jeff Holland from the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.

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Red Bull Japan was recently looking to produce a television documentary about Japanese technology that spoke to its youthful audience, highlighting how Japanese products like the Technics SL1200 turntable contributed to the birth of hip hop and the Sony Walkman led to the “Personal bubble phenomenon.”

Empire’s staff film producer/director, Bruce Nachbar, worked with Strategy SET, a Tokyo-based creative agency, to produce and direct a film that told the story of the cultural upheaval brought about by these technologies, and how music creation and consumption were changed forever.

The 44-minute long, feature documentary included interviews with artists, historians, and many of the players who witnessed the transformation first-hand as well as vintage footage and music.  

Check out Playing it Old School: How Japan changed the world at:

https://www.redbull.com/int-en/films/AP-1PB6VN4ZH1W11

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Empire produced a wedding celebration for a Russian client at the historic Plaza Hotel. The bride and groom welcomed over 200 guests from Russia and around the world to the iconic New York hotel for an elegant evening punctuated by performances from the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Affiniti NYC, and Gloria Gaynor, among others.

The evening began with an elegant cocktail reception in the Palm Court. In spectacular formal attire, arriving guests enjoyed caviar and champagne under palm fronds and a domed glass ceiling as the Todd Londagin trio played jazz standards.  

Suddenly the enormous mirrored panel doors swung open and guests moved into the Terrace Room for the wedding ceremony. The Terrace Room had been transformed with hydrangeas and peonies and the room glowed with thousands of candles lit as the wedding party entered to a string and woodwind ensemble for the ceremony. At the top of the steps stood a huge floral Chuppah.

After the smashing of the glass, a Russian violinist struck up a lively song of celebration as guests followed the wedding couple to the Grand Ballroom which had been transformed into a vision of old Hollywood glamour, with lighting and florals that accented the decadent gold interiors.

Empire secured the world-renowned Duke Ellington Orchestrato perform for the newlywed’s grand entrance into the ballroom. The 17-piece orchestra crooned American jazz classics as guests enjoyed a seven-course meal and numerous toasts from the wedding party. Two Russian hosts emceed the evening in English and Russian.

Towards the end of dinner, Gloria Gaynor, the soulful disco singer, was welcomed to the stage by the cheering guests and performed a full set including her hits “I Will Survive” and “Never Can Say Goodbye.” Her soulful voice and classic hits had guests on their feet throughout the performance. Affiniti NYC closed out the night with modern dance classics, keeping guests on the dance floor into the early hours of the morning.

Empire worked closely with The Plaza and a team of florists, lighting designers, and engineers to orchestrate every moment of the wedding. Photo's credited by @vertdegris

Empire is a leading producer of both corporate and private concert events.

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For the seventh consecutive year, Empire served as the producer of the Fragrance Foundation Awards, the fragrance industry’s premier event celebrating outstanding achievement and creativity.

Held at the iconic David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, the evening began with guest arrivals and an elegant cocktail reception in the theater’s soaring marble lobby. A delicate fragrance created exclusively for this year’s awards by the Lifetime Achievement Perfumer scented the lobby while guests walked the red carpet, mingled, and sipped champagne. A breathtaking floral backdrop made with real peonies, irises, and roses served as an interactive photo-op indoors.

For the second year in a row, comedian and actor Jane Krakowski, hosted the main program. Once guests were seated in the theater, Jane kicked off the star-studded awards with a humorous opening monologue and medley of songs covering the fragrance industry and achievements since the prior year.

Notable program participants included Hall of Fame Honoree, Tom Ford, Lifetime Achievement Perfumer, Dominique Ropion, and Fragrance Industry Game Changer, Laura Slatkin.

Celebrity presenters and attendees included Michelle Pfieffer, Henry Golding, star of Crazy Rich Asians, Carine Roitfeld, Bebe Rexha, Maria Borges, Nick Youngquest, Luma Grothe, Jason Wu, Hilary Rhoda, Hannah Bronfman, and Maye Musk, among others.

Following the awards program, guests ascended a gorgeous marble staircase to the David Koch Promenade for a seated dinner for over 500. The evening ended with an afterparty held on the terrace of the promenade, overlooking the iconic Lincoln Center fountain where guests danced to music by DJ Coleman.

The Fragrance Foundation Awards bring together virtually every luxury and consumer brand in the fragrance industry, including Estée Lauder, John Varvatos, Coach, Dior, Coty, Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford, Giorgio Armani, Bottega Veneta, by Killian, Jo Malone, Maison Margiela, Victoria’s Secret, BYREDO, Viktor & Rolf, LVMH, Puig, Chanel, Chloé, Marc Jacobs, Versace, Lancôme, diptyque Paris, L’Oréal, Revlon, NEST, Bvlgari, and YSL.

Empire is a leading producer of events, award shows, and programs for the luxury brand, fragrance, cosmetics, and fashion industries.

Empire proudly produced the 5th Annual World Connect Benefit Dinner at Chelsea Piers’ waterfront venue, Current.

World Connect invests early-stage funding in grassroots, locally designed and led projects that drive transformative, self-sustaining development in the most under-resourced areas of the world. World Connect success stories were integrated throughout the event with enlarged photos and informational signage explaining their mission connecting the attendees to opportunities to support specific initiatives.

A handpan performer welcomed guests into a vibrant, waterfront space where bold and colorful activations were featured. Vinyl decal paths on the floor guided guests from point to point, designed to tell stories of various World Connect initiatives and their impact. Some paths led to beautiful imagery from their sites, while others led to experiential stations where guests could purchase items made by World Connect-supported businesses and sample their handmade products.

There was also a Portal, which was a livestream media room for guests to interact live and in real-time with two World Connect project leaders on site in Lagos during the cocktail hour. Music by the World Guitar Duo, Jason and Elysa Hochman, played music while guests enjoyed cocktails overlooking gorgeous views of the Hudson River.

Guest entered the dinner room where tables were set with beautiful glass globe centerpieces set amid nests of greenery and fairy lights. These were surrounded by white, modern candles warming the room with a grounding energy.

The thoughtful stage program featured the Executive Director, Pamela Nathenson, Board Chair, George Biddle, and Dinner Co-Chair, Christoph Becker, who shared the powerful impact of what World Connect can achieve with minimal funding.

The program’s feature was an incredible conversation between Dinner Co-Chair, Clara Bingham, and honored guest, Chief Theresa Kachindamoto, who was the first female Chief of the Dedza District in Malawi, overseeing over 900,000 people. Chief Kachindamoto has successfully annulled over 5,000 child marriages, encouraging children to go back to school. World Connect has launched three projects in her district–a primary school with $3,000, a reforestation project with $3,000, and a maternity house with $10,000.

The evening helped World Connect raise $600,000 which will launch 135 projects across the globe to catalyze locally-led development. To learn more about World Connect and to donate or get involved, visit https://www.worldconnect.global

Empire is proud to support World Connect and their global initiatives to connect the world.

For the first co-ed Cruise Collection fashion show, Giorgio Armani has chosen Tokyo in homage to the designer's affinity with the Japanese culture and aesthetic. Hidetoshi Nishijima, Uma Thurman, Honami Suzuki, Takumi Saito, Kento Yamazaki, Tadao Ando, Moka Kamishiraishi, and Tomoyasu Hotei (HOTEI) were some of the famous faces who took their front row seats at the fashion show. To close the show, a longtime favorite, Ai Tominaga, one of the country’s most well-known models, walked the runway.

Empire was contracted to support id creations, a Shanghai-based international production house, with the livestream production of the event on Instagram. Thousands of followers watched the show live on Instagram and over 20,000 post event on IGTV.

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Celebrating its 11th anniversary, the Shorty Awards continue to honor the best influencers, celebrities, brands, and agencies on social media, across Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and other platforms. The show returned to PlayStation Theater in the heart of Times Square in New York City for the ceremony.

Over 800 influencers, brands, agencies, and guests packed the theater for the ceremony, which featured a hot pink carpet, cocktail reception, seated dinner, and an afterparty at the W Times Square hotel. The staged event livestreamed on YouTube and Twitter to over 211,000 (and counting!) viewers internationally, as fans all over the globe tuned in to watch their favorite social media stars.

Comedian and actress Kathy Griffin hosted the show and kept the audience entertained with her trademark comedy from both the stage and the audience during a crowd interaction bit.

Helping keep the show lively throughout, well-known presenters included Jay Shetty, Shangela, Mamrie Hart, Denzel Dion, Eva Gutowski, and Sean Evans.

This was the most competitive show to date, as over 7 million votes poured in from fans all over the world, a record for participation. Winners of the signature Whale-Tail Trophy included Shantell Martin, March for Our Lives, Ryland Adams, Shane Dawson, and Shorty’s very own host, Kathy Griffin.

Recognized this year for their contributions to the world, Phenom Award recipients included Kevin Love (Athlete), Marsai Martin (Entertainment), March for our Lives (Changemakers), and Terry Crews (Activism).

New Orleans-based band and 2017 NPR Tiny Desk Contest winners, Tank and the Bangas, brought down the house performing four hits from their new album Green Balloon, including "Nice Things" and "Ants" to finish out the night.

Empire is proud to partner with The Shorty Awards for our fifth year and we congratulate all the 2019 winners, as well as an even larger congratulations to eleven successful years of the Shorty Awards!

Empire is excited to announce that the production team behind Solve at MIT, Peak XV Global, joined the company this month. The team has produced Solve at MIT, Solve’s annual flagship event, for the past three years and just completed the 2019 event.

Solving the world’s most pressing challenges is no small goal, but that is exactly what Solve at MIT aims to do. Each year, Solve launches four challenges and convenes more than 550 leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs from around the world on MIT’s campus to develop solutions to those challenges. Along with partnership building and intensive working sessions, Solvers gain access to more than $1 million in funding for their solutions.  

Attendees from more than 28 countries are treated to plenary discussions featuring MIT President Rafael Reif, U.N. High-Level Commissioner Alaa Murabit, Inter-American Development Bank President, Luis Alberto Moreno, Schmidt Family Foundation President, Wendy Schmidt, and Crate and Barrel CEO, Neela Montgomery. This year, the opening plenary featured a moving performance by poet and musician, Lyla June, followed by a lively reception at the MIT Museum.

Over the course of three days, our team created an environment across multiple buildings on MIT’s campus conducive to information sharing, networking, and partnership building. Arriving Solvers were greeted by a full-building graphic on the windows of the iconic Kresge Auditorium. During the evenings they were invited to curated salon dinners to further their solutions and networking within the Solve community.

Our team designed plenary rooms to accommodate a variety of content, from live performances, to custom video content, to Solvers presenting their challenge solutions. This year we designed a custom wall installation in MIT’s Media Lab where five Scribit robots drew artwork for Solve attendees to enjoy throughout the conference. We designed multiple conference venues to create an intimate feel for networking while enveloping the Solve community in a branded environment and creating a seamless, multi-day experience.

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For the fifth consecutive year, Screenvision Media called on Empire to produce their Upfront to demonstrate the power, emotional impact, and multifaceted reach of cinema advertising to their audience of media buyers and planners.

Screenvision Media asked Empire to strategically conceptualize and design an elegant event that would show media buyers why cinema advertising plays a critical role in any advertising campaign.

Traditionally held the week prior to network upfronts, the decision was made to present this event during the week of network upfronts to draw the most prestigious clientele. The chosen venue was the storied motion picture theater now known as the Ziegfeld Ballroom and the theme would be Inside Cinema.

Guests arrived at the Ziegfeld and were welcomed to the space with a striking champagne tower. Guests were served movie theatre popcorn as they took their seats in a theater over which hung custom-made, oversize crystal and LED chandeliers in the art deco design of the movie house.

The stage presentation was led by Screenvision Media CEO, John Partilla, CRO Katy Loria, and EVP Christine Martino. To help drive their key messaging, renowned cinema stars Hilary Swank and Vince Vaughn joined them on stage to discuss the impact cinema has on moviegoers.

In addition to announcing their 2020 10-pack offering, Screenvision Media also unveiled their newest initiative, a partnership with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, where they will work alongside studios in the earliest scripting stages to promote gender equality in movie roles. As part of this initiative, Screenvision introduced a new content segment in their Front + Center pre show, where Geena Davis will introduce a special look at upcoming films that receive a ‘GD-IQ Check’.

To conclude the presentation, Idina Menzel, star of Frozen and Frozen 2, performed her hits “Defying Gravity,” and “No Day But Today.” During her finale performance of “Let It Go” from Frozen, Menzel invited several guests to join her on stage.

The evening continued with cocktail reception/afterparty where guests created their own cinema-inspired gifs with two custom-created photo booths.

Empire was responsible for event details including concept ideation, venue acquisition, layout and scenic design, catering, production, scripting, screen graphics, décor, staffing and talent booking.

Empire is proud to work with Screenvision Media to reach advertisers with a high-impact, experiential upfront.

Empire is a leading producer of innovative Upfronts, Newfronts, and other mission critical business-to-business events.

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The 23rd Annual Webby Awards was held at Cipriani Wall Street. Honoring the best of the internet, the show is renowned for limiting award recipients’ speeches to five words or less. Host Jenny Slate, from Parks & Recreation, Big Mouth, and Obvious Child, set the tone with a hilarious opening monologue before getting into the awards. Presenters and winners at the event included Michael Douglas, Tracy Morgan, Issa Rae, Tierra Whack, Hasan Minhaj, and many more. Empire produced the event for the 15th consecutive year.

As always, winners’ five-word speeches alternated from poignant (Monica Lewinsky’s anti internet-bullying “Unbelievably grateful. Click with compassion.”) to protest (climate change activist Greta Thunberg’s “Act now or face disaster”), to spur-of-the-moment irreverent (Michael Douglas holding up his trophy and saying “My kids think it’s hilarious”).

The Webbys also took time out to reflect on the fact that 2019 is the 50^th Anniversary of the birth of the internet by inviting Vint Cerf to the stage to say a few words. Widely heralded as one of the very small handful of people who invented the internet, Cerf was thoughtful about just how far the technology has come in such a short time, and the incredible impact it has as “a mirror of our society”.

The Webbys took a new approach this year in order to distribute the best moments from the show. The night’s highlights, five-word speeches, and biggest moments were shared in real-time, with #Webbys, across Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The show was optimized for social sharing from how the show was filmed, to how the stage was built, to a partnership with Instagram, and beyond, in order to ensure people across the Internet were able to experience the best moments of the show as they happened.

Empire is proud to maintain longstanding relationships with our clients and is honored that the Webbys have chosen us as their production partner since 2005. You can view the 23rd Annual Webby Awards in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOtdiLaK2N4

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Empire was proud to recently serve as producer of Smile Train’s 20^th Anniversary gala titled “It Starts with a Smile.” Over 500 people gathered at Capitale in New York City to celebrate Smile Train’s two decades of empowering local medical professionals and supporting comprehensive cleft care for more than one million children worldwide.

During the program and seated dinner, which was hosted by ABC’s Ginger Zee, Smile Train CEO, Susannah Schaefer, delivered moving remarks about the huge impact that proper care has on a child with a cleft. Chairman of Smile Train’s Medical Advisory Board, Dr. Larry Hollier, Miss Universe Organization President, Paula Shugart, and Top Chef’s, Graham Elliot, were all honored for their philanthropic efforts, while retired NBA player, Dikembe Mutombo, was recognized for his humanitarian work. The program also included a moving tribute to Smile Train Founder, Charles B. Wang. Other program highlights included appearances by Miss Universe 2015, Pia Wurtzbach, Miss USA 2015, Olivia Jordan, and a lively auction conducted by Paul Florez.

Guests arrived at the landmark Stanford White building to see a beautiful photo backdrop adorned in greenery. Interviews took place on the red carpet while others enjoyed cocktails at crystalline design-inspired bars that displayed rotating imagery of children helped by Smile Train. Additionally, an LED background interactive photo activation allowed guests to choose to be pictured in a variety of locations around the world where Smile Train supports cleft programs.  

Inside the grand ballroom, large, heart-warming photos of Smile Train beneficiaries from around the world flew from the soaring skylight roof. Stunning decor included luminescent centerpieces with gorgeous geode designs and bars covered in matching images. Ambient screens with moving visuals were set up as backdrops behind each bar to ensure the room was glowing throughout.

Alexa Ray Joel, Christie Brinkley, and Billy Joel’s daughter performed classic covers to end the dinner program, and later in the evening, Rev Run and DJ Ruckus raised the roof with a dance party of old-school music.

Empire is a leading producer of fundraising galas and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

We are grateful for the opportunity to support Smile Train’s incredible work by producing Smile Train’s 20^th Anniversary Gala. To learn more and donate, visit smiletrain.org.

Following the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by The Walt Disney Company, Fox Corporation embarked on a bold new path of growth with its retained divisions: Fox News Media, Fox Sports, Fox Entertainment, and Fox Television Stations.  

As part of this new journey, Fox Corporation convened an Investor Day event as a platform for the company’s top leadership to share the company’s new strategic direction with the global financial community. The Investor Day event would need to present the company’s future vision flawlessly to this critical audience. Empire was entrusted to serve as the producer of all aspects of event. Working closely with Fox’s Los Angeles-based Creative Services and Special Events team and the New York-based Operations and Finance teams, the team secured the auditorium at historic One Madison Avenue building. Empire transformed the 110-year-old space into a future vision of innovation with a set that included a custom LED stage and scenic screen surrounds showcasing three large LED walls (with design direction by David Korins Design). The program, which included both a live conference and a livestream transmission, began with Chairman Rupert Murdoch who welcomed the audience before turning the stage to Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Lachlan Murdoch. Following remarks by Lachlan Murdoch, Chief Operating Officer, John Nallen, took the stage before handing it off to the heads of the four divisions of Fox Corporation. CEO of Fox News Media, Suzanne Scott, CEO & Executive Producer of Fox Sports, Eric Shanks, CEO of Fox Entertainment, Charlie Collier, and CEO of Fox Television Stations, Jack Abernathy, each presented their divisional plans and performance in multi-media presentations that featured multiple videos and extensive animated graphics for each portion. After a short break, the audience was treated to a panel discussion with the commissioners of Major League Baseball, Rob Manfred, and the National Football League, Roger Goodell, who shared their insights on relationships the leagues have with FOX Sports.

Chief Investor Relations Officer, Joe Dorrego, led a Q&A period, and Chief Financial Officer, Steve Tomsic, presented the company’s overall financial performance.

In addition to the main stage program and livestream, Empire also designed and staffed the registration, lounge, and reception areas, all based on the new Fox Corporation visual design.

The flawless program came off not only on time and on budget but was, in the words of the client, “An Awe-inspiring feat.” Empire has been proud to serve Fox for over 15 years and is a major production resource to many of the world’s largest media and entertainment companies.

Empire was happy to contribute to a surprise-filled retreat in California for over four hundred people. Attendees from the global law firm did not know the theme of the retreat, or who would speak or perform. La Quinta Resort in California served as a perfect venue for the outdoor concert where Empire delivered Grammy Award-winning world musicians, Gipsy Kings, to perform under the stars.

A stage was built in the breathtaking desert-setting on the tennis courts at La Quinta, and the energy in the air spoke to the theme of the retreat: INSPIRE ~ EVOLVE ~ THRIVE. Featuring original members, Nicolas Reyes and Tonino Baliardo, Gipsy Kings played an outstanding and lively 75-minute set made up of greatest hits including, “Bambaleo,” “Volare,” “Hotel California,” and “Baila Me,” moving the feet of everyone in attendance.

Attendees from the firm spanning twenty offices around the world, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, were in attendance alongside their corporate and transactional partners.

Empire is a leading provider of celebrity talent and headline entertainment for corporate events.

Empire recently partnered with Reelworks.org again to produce their 2019 Gala, honoring the change-makers whose accomplishments help young film and media makers envision a future where their voices are heard, and their stories matter. Reel Works is one of the nation’s leading media and filmmaking not-for-profits, matching teens 1:1 with professional filmmaker-mentors to help them build vital skills of literacy, leadership, and self-confidence.

This year's gala celebrated the passionate and diverse individuals pioneering change in the industry by honoring four change-makers: comedian, actor, and television host of Netflix’s Patriot Act, Hasan Minhaj; Academy Award-winning costume designer for Black Panther, Ruth E. Carter; President of Will Packer Productions, James F. Lopez; and Worldwide CEO of Grey Group, Michael Houston. A special announcement also highlighted the support from Netflix and the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment to create diverse training programs for Reel Works students.

The evening began with a guest reception in the historic Capitale, adorned with Corinthian columns, Venetian glass, marble mosaic floors, and 65-foot vaulted ceilings. After guests enjoyed cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres, they made their way into the ballroom for the program and dinner.

Empire managed the stage program working with Reel Works and the evening’s host, Nore Davis. Davis is a stand-up comedian and actor, who has appeared on Last Week Tonight, Conan, 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, and Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. There were also moving testimonials by Reel Works students and presenters such as Prashanth Venkataramanujam, Emmy-nominated writer and Executive Producer and Co-creator of Patriot Act; Da’VineRandolph, Tony-nominated actress and singer; and Steve Pamon, President & COO of Parkwood Entertainment.

The enthusiastic Charles Antin took the stage as the live auctioneer, helping to raise more than $350,000. The evening wrapped with the F. John Outcalt Award for Outstanding Filmmaking, awarding Faith Mora and her film, My Coming Out Story, out of five outstanding young finalists.

Event sponsors included Empire, HBO, Viacom, Samsung, Will Packer Productions, Sloss Eckhouse Law, Netflix, Grey Advertising, and Bloomberg Philanthropies, among others.

Empire is proud of our continued partnership with the Reel Works organization.

If you are interested in learning more about Reel Works, or would like to explore engaging Reel Works Productions for a project, please visit: http://www.reelworks.org/​

For the 10th year, Empire was proud to serve once again as the producer of the TIME 100 Gala, which took place at the Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Each year, TIME publishes the TIME 100: a list of the world’s most influential people. To celebrate this highly-anticipated issue, TIME hosts an exclusive gala event in New York City attended by current and past TIME 100 honorees. With its extraordinary mix of world leaders, innovators, and celebrities, the TIME 100 Gala is globally recognized as one of the most prestigious annual events.

As in past years, the 2019 TIME 100 was attended by a who’s who of global icons from industry, culture, sports, fashion and politics. Participants and performers at this year’s Gala included Taylor Swift, Khalid, Dwayne Johnson aka “The Rock”, Sandra Oh, Hasan Minhaj, Maria Ressa, and Fred Swaniker, as well as Editor-in-Chief and CEO of TIME, Edward Felsenthal, Mia Tramz, and Dan Macsai.

Among the notable attendees this year were Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, Glenn Close, Brie Larson, Rami Malek, Emilia Clarke, Gayle King, Naomi Campbell, Ryan Murphy, Alex Morgan, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, Adam Rippon, Trevor Noah, Julianne Moore, Martha Stewart, Arianna Huffington, Martha Hunt, Jane Goodall, Janet Mock, Lee Daniels, Tarana Burke, Yalitza Aparicio, Lynn Nottage, and Chip and Joanna Gaines.

The Gala featured an extensive red carpet on two floors, an elegant cocktail reception featuring music by Peter and the Master Keys (over which was flown a ‘photo chandelier’ of Time 100 honorees), a seated dinner and program that combined remarks, musical performances, and toasts by some of the evening’s honorees, and an afterparty with Questlove. This year’s Gala was sponsored by Cadillac, Citi, JaneWalker by Johnnie Walker, Amazon Alexa, and United Airlines.  

The TIME 100 drew extensive global media coverage including NBC’s Today Show, CBS This Morning, FOX, Entertainment Tonight, E! News, and Access Hollywood. Additionally, the TIME 100 generates extraordinary digital reach through TIME.com, online bloggers, and social media sharing by the attendees.

With the world watching, the production of the TIME 100 requires the highest caliber of precision planning and flawless execution. Empire was proud to work closely with the TIME team to once again deliver a flawless and extraordinary evening.

As Producer, Empire’s responsibilities include event design, talent booking and coordination, staging and technical production, venue and catering logistics coordination (catering provided by Great Performances), broadcast and media facilities, stage management, staffing, front of house logistics, security and sponsor activations.

Empire is proud to continue our 10-year history with the TIME 100 Gala.  

http://time.com/5573035/time-100-2019-gala/

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Empire was honored to produce ArtBall, which raised funds for Amref Health Africa, the largest Africa-based and African-led healthcare organization, at A/D/O in Brooklyn. This year’s ArtBall honored Zanele Muholi, a South African artist and visual activist focused on the LGBTQ+ community.

Upon arrival, guests entered through a curated gallery featuring over 30 artworks by artists from across the African continent that were up for auction. Each piece was available on Artsy prior and during the event, and 100% of the proceeds went to Amref. The VIP portion of the program included passed hors d’oeuvres and a special discussion with Zanele Muholi, moderated by Kimberly Drew. Among the many noteworthy guests were honorary host and artist, Shantell Martin, and Broadway's Féla star Adesola Osakalumi.  

After the VIP event, the party kicked into full-swing as over 600 general admission guests arrived in their impressive African attire. Open bars flowed with Hendricks, Tito’s, Espolon, and other spirits while guests enjoyed African diaspora-inspired snacks provided by Brownsville Community Culinary Center.

The centerpiece of the evening was an educational activation—a replication of a classroom structure designed in the spirit of the Wamba Girls’ School in Kenya. The classroom was staged with a chalkboard, desks, and “Dignity Kits” stuffed with school supplies, hygiene products, and more, with each item laid out out as an example of what a small donation could provide for a child. The wooden walls were lined with facts and photos from Amref’s work. A polaroid station was set up just outside the structure so attendees could write notes and send their photos to the girls from the Wamba Girls’ School in Kenya. Docents led guests through a guided tour of the classroom to fully explain Amref’s important work.

Global CEO of Amref, Dr. Githinji Gitahi, delivered a moving speech about celebrating life, noting that some come for the “art", while others come for the “ball", encouraging all to have fun and celebrate while being mindful of the cause for which the audience were gathered.

The night was led by emcee Young Prince, and an amazing mix of Afro beats and other dance music was provided by DJ Tao, Rich Medina, and Juls. Guests spent the night getting down on the dance floor until the very last second of the event.

Empire was proud to design and produce a successful fundraising gala for Amref Health Africa, supporting the inspiring initiatives they achieve.

Amref Health Africa provides health care solutions that are for Africans, by Africans. To learn more please visit https://www.amrefusa.org

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Empire was thrilled to to work once again with Samsung on their annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest. The nationwide competition motivates students to use S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to approach solutions to real-world issues impacting their communities. Participating students from the Top 10 schools flew to New York City from all over the country to pitch their ideas to a panel of carefully selected judges.

After months of hard work, problem-solving, and preparation, the finalists kicked off the trip pitching at Samsung 837. After welcoming remarks, the students began presenting their ideas and prototypes in front of the panel of esteemed judges. Their youthful genius was revealed through a variety of innovative solutions developed using S.T.E.M. disciplines, all of which displayed qualities of empathy, safety, forethought, and kindness.

The next day was filled with buzzing energy as the students experienced New York City from a personalized bus tour and had lunch and a milkshake at Mom’s kitchen before heading over to the Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum, where the students, along with SFT alumni, teachers, and partners presented onstage, and at tables in Hangar 3 as part of the first Solve For Tomorrow STEMFair.

The day was full of interviews with the finalists, presentations by former contestants, and interactive displays of each prototype. A break in the program allowed students and teachers to explore the museum on private tours. When the group returned to the Hangar, the space had transitioned into a reception and awards ceremony, where, after dinner, the three winning schools were announced. Each of the ten national finalist schools were awarded $50,000 in Samsung technology, and the top three winners each won a total of $100,000 in Samsung technology.

In addition to the student programs, this year marked the premiere of the first-ever Teacher’s Academy programming. These programs demonstrate the ways teachers can ignite a passion for S.T.E.M. in their classrooms through fun, educational, hands-on projects like the Hot Air Balloon experiment demonstrated by previous teacher contestants. A panel discussion took place to further explore ways to engage youth in S.T.E.M. education. Programs for the teachers were held at Samsung 837 and on the beautiful campus of Columbia University.

Empire was humbled to again collaborate with Samsung Solve for Tomorrow to produce the final events at Samsung 837, Columbia University, and the Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum.

To see more of the students’ work, click the link below:

https://www.samsung.com/us/solvefortomorrow/

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Target once again called on Empire to produce their 2019 Financial Community Meeting. Target reported on their 2018 earnings and growth as well as their plans for the remainder of 2019 and beyond.

Doors were opened to guests an hour prior to the start of the meeting, giving them time to dine on a catered breakfast and mingle with their peers. Opening remarks were briefly given by John Hulbert, Target’s EVP of Investor Relations. John was followed by Target CEO, Brian Cornell, who spoke on the company’s successes and growth from the past year, as well as where he would be driving Target in the future. Brian was followed by CFO Cathy Smith and COO John Mulligan, who spoke on the investments Target has made and will make, ongoing innovations that build on the durable model they have created over the past two years, and improvements that have been made and will continue to be made to their guest fulfillment services. The presentation was brought to a close with Brian Cornell, once again, taking the stage to sum up what they had spoken on that morning and to reaffirm Target’s goals for the future.

Immediately following remarks by Cornell, Hulbert, Smith, and Mulligan, CNN tweeted a link to an article that commented ‘Target had its best year [in 2018] since 2005', which truly captured the feeling in the room.

After the presentation, Cornell remained onstage for a Q&A segment where guests were given the opportunity to personally interact with Cornell and all of the other Target Leadership Team.

Following the general attendee Q&A session, select media personnel were invited to enjoy a casual lunch spread followed by a more intimate on-the-record Q&A session between the media & Cornell.

In addition to the remarks given by the Target Leadership Team, Cornell participated in one-on-one interviews with CNBC, Bloomberg, and Yahoo! Finance to further discuss their successes.

Empire worked closely with the Target Creative team to bring the brand to life in a very sleek and modern aesthetic. Guests were seated in white chairs at white tables with a Target-red agenda for the meeting, adding a splash of color to the room. Empire also fabricated a custom-built, 5-foot high by 20-foot long frosted plexiglass stage scape with a white Target bullseye to act as the backdrop onstage.

In addition to the room and stage design, Empire managed all technical aspects of the program, as well as catering, venue logistics, and permitting.

Empire is proud to once again collaborate with Target, a Fortune 50 company, to create and execute this top-tier business communication event. ​

When BALMUDA, Japan’s award-winning appliance and computer accessories manufacturer, wanted to find ways to increase their awareness to the general public, Empire was called upon to deliver.

Held at the Daikanyama T-site Gallery, Empire created an intimate pop-up shop offering curious customers the opportunity to experience BALMUDA products. This included special announcements, workshops, and live talk-shows. The three-day pop-up attracted around 3,000 people.

Empire is a proven leader of executing innovative, consumer-facing brand marketing projects across the world.​

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Known as Asia’s largest global sports media property, ONE Championship, with the help of Empire, produced the “Nielsen Presents: A New Era of Sports in Japan” conference in Tokyo.

Held at the beautiful Palace Hotel, this invitation-only conference featured exclusive data and insights about the market from Nielsen, as well as a series of engaging keynotes and panel discussions on how top sports rights holders, media, technology, and brand executives are working to usher in a new era of sports to Japan. With Japan playing host to some of the world’s largest sporting events over the next couple of years, all eyes are on Japan as it takes front and center of the global sports stage.

After the conference, the venue was transformed to a gala dinner, bringing in World Champions athletes, celebrities, and VIP guests.

Empire is proud to produce business conferences for some of the world’s leading global sports media property worldwide.

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After a 10-year hiatus, Project Runway will return to Bravo revamped and better than ever with a new host, mentor, and judges. Airing it’s 17^th season premiere, this culturally iconic television show features 16 designers showcasing their talent for fashion design in a nail-biting reality experience not to be missed. Bravo Media called on Empire to produce a highly glamorous bash to welcome the show back to its originating network.  

The momentous premiere was celebrated by the show’s judges Karlie Kloss, Christian Siriano, Brandon Maxwell, Elaine Welteroth, and Nina Garcia at Vandal in New York City. Drawing inspiration from the venue’s decor featuring world-renowned street artists, Empire designed five rooms with creative and bold activations for the 250 guests to explore. Upon entry, guests were immersed in a funhouse-inspired checkered room with Bravo’s Project Runway logo stretching across the wall in black and white. Once inside, a hallway of dress forms inspired by those used in the show drew guests into the main event spaces.

Red carpet festivities and guest arrivals were accompanied by custom stenciled cocktails and passed hors d’ouevres. A velvet curtain entrance to the next room revealed a runway with an eye-catching LED arch and floor-to-ceiling images of the judges. Among the activations were two live art performances; The Bumby’s anonymous “Fair and Honest Appraisal of Your Appearance,” and Once Upon a Laurén & Jen Mussari live-painted custom, branded make-up pouches.

Another room installation featured a full-size bar cart adorned in florals and foliage, the perfect backdrop for a celebrity and influencer photo op. The cart, surrounded by accessory walls filled with metallic heels, boxes, and notions, transported guests to the work room familiarly seen on the program.

In the main party room, guests enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres and food stations inspired by street food from Chile and Barcelona. DJ Hannah Bronfman kept the crowd dancing all night long, especially the contestants!

Before screening the never-before-seen clip of Season 17, NBC Universal Lifestyle Networks’ President, Frances Berwick, and new Project Runway host, Karlie Kloss, gave brief remarks about the show while guests continued the fun until the end of the night.

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

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

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When adidas Japan wanted to make a statement at Atmos Con, one of Japan’s largest sneaker conventions, they call upon Empire Japan to help design and execute the perfect booth experience.

Held at Hikarie Hall Shibuya, Atmos Con brought out thousands of sneakerheads for a multi-brand retail experience featuring some of the globes most coveted kicks. This included Nike Sportswear, Asics, Manhattan Portage, Fila, Puma, and Reebok Classics.

Using one of the brands most intriguing and exciting products, the “4D”, an installation was created featuring three separate sections of the product all divided by a mesmerizing LED glass partition. The three sections included the latest ZX4000 4D, Alphahedge 4D, and some of the previously released 4D models.

Empire Japan handled all aspects of production, producing yet another successful event with adidas Japan.

To welcome their brand new product line, MAC, Empire Japan helped create a two-day spring collection preview in Tokyo.

Around 40 beauty influencers from more than 10 countries gathered during fashion week and were the first to experience the brand new MAC product line. The two-day MAC spring collection preview was filled with many instagrammable moments and exciting events around the corner.

Held at the Terrada Warehouse Case B, our influencer guests entered into a colorful lobby with four distinct doors. Each room introduced a unique new product—the art library room, the mirror sakura room, the outer space room, and the cloud room— and took our influencers to four different worlds. Make-up demonstrations, lip workshops, drinks, and specifically-designed treats also gave guests an excellent opportunity to experience and learn about the new MAC product line.

Some of the influencers were also invited to YouTube Space Tokyo to have a special make-up video created for their own YouTube channel.

Empire was responsible for the hotel coordination, transportation arrangements, logistics, venue sourcing and coordination, model casting, operation staff management, backstage management (hairstylist, seamstresses), special catering curations, giveaway productions, photography of both events which involved documenting and taking beauty portraits, video production of the event, influencer’s beauty demonstration, and talk session videos.

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For the official launch announcement of the new cruise line venture, Virgin Voyages, Sir Richard Branson and the Virgin Voyages team turned to Empire to produce an event that could support such epic news. Expanding the industry, Virgin Voyages is unlike any other cruise line to date.

To announce this exciting new endeavor, Virgin Voyages held Press Conference and High Tea events for the media and travel industry insiders–First Mates, as Virgin Voyages prefers to call them–to kick off sales for the world’s most unique and energetic ship, the Scarlet Lady.

This momentous announcement called for an equally stunning venue and program. On the 102^nd floor of the One World Observatory, Empire created a sparkling, branded atmosphere that perfectly expressed the Virgin Voyages brand while leveraging the 360-degree views of New York City.

Empire brought the Virgin Voyages brand to life by fabricating a whimsical red and white-striped ship hull and purple mirrored backdrop that acted as a branded entry statement and social media-worthy photo op. Colorful striped window clings throughout the space further emphasized the originality and playfulness of the Virgin Voyages brand.

Both the Press Conference and High Tea featured conversations between Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson, Tom McAlpin, Virgin Voyages President & CEO, Dee Cooper, Virgin Voyages’ SVP of Design, Nirmal Saverimuttu, Virgin Voyages’ Chief Commercial Officer, and Stacy Shaw, Virgin Voyages’ VP of Sales and Business Development. The morning’s press conference was moderated by Brian Kelly, The Points Guy, and the afternoon High Tea was kicked off by Aarti Thiagarajan of Mother, Virgin’s agency of record.

Video content showed flyover renderings of how The Scarlet Lady will come to life in early 2020, and highlighted immersive theatrical performances that will set the Virgin Voyages cruises apart from industry standards—truly ‘an epic sea change for all’!

Empire was thrilled to partner with Virgin Voyages on these groundbreaking events that effectively delivered the force of the announcement while also giving attendees a sense of the enjoyment to come.

Empire is a leading producer of launch events, campaigns, and announcements, and is proud to support innovative ventures like Virgin Voyages. To learn more, visit here.

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Empire was proud to produce CHEFS x BREEDERS, a Dinner from the Ground Up, to celebrate Row 7, a seed company co-founded last year by chef Dan Barber, plant breeder Michael Mazourek, and seedsman Matthew Goldfarb. This inventive seed-to-table dinner at Pioneer Works, visual artist Dustin Yellin’s non-profit cultural center in Brooklyn, featured world-renowned chefs, plant breeders, writers, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and friends of Row 7 for a conversation celebrating the future of food.

The collaborative menu featured new and experimental vegetables—all bred for deliciousness—prepared by renowned chefs including Dan Barber, Daniel Humm, Dan Kluger, Christian Puglisi, Heinz Reitbauer, Ana Sortun, Daniela Soto-Innes, Alex Stupak, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The chefs worked side-by-side in a built-from-scratch kitchen to serve more than 300 guests.

As each course was served, three large screens surrounding the transformed space showed live footage of each chef preparing and plating their dishes, transitioning into live watercolors by artist Leanne Shapton. As guests enjoyed each course, animated versions of the paintings by video artist Austin Switser filled the screens. These surround videos added vibrant color and light that reflected the future-forward work of Row 7. Floral designer Emily Thompson created sculptural floral and root installations throughout the space to create contrast and juxtaposition of materials in the space.

In addition to remarks by Barber and co-founder and breeder, Michael Mazourek, various Row 7 friends and collaborators gave toasts between each course, including writer Adam Gopnik, Martha Stewart, poet Kevin Young, and farmer activist Karen Washington.

Row 7 brings chef and breeders together to create vegetables to develop flavorful, disease-resistant crops and to push forward the conversation surrounding the intersection of seed conservation and innovation. Row 7 is “grounded in the notion that deliciousness might just change the world.”

Empire was proud to work closely with Row 7 to create this inventive dinner. Empire served as overall producer, providing technical production, lighting, screen content, scripting, and graphics, partnering with Raduno on culinary logistics and hospitality.

Empire is a leading producer of standout culinary events and experiences.

https://www.row7seeds.com/