Our Work

​We’re often call upon to fight for a good cause, but rarely is this statement so literal.

Sixteen incredible men and women took to the ring in a semi-annual, Vegas-style boxing event designed for titans of industries to let off some steam and raise money for charity. Empire Japan was once again proud to produce such an incredible event.

Held at the opulent and prestigious Grand Hyatt Tokyo, over 450 spectators wined and dined as their loved ones, friends, and coworkers boxed it out to see who would come out on top.

Of course, EFN is not just about these 16 epic showdowns. It is an event that gives new hope to children with cancer. With over 10 million yen raised, all proceeds from the event will benefit Shine On! Kids, a certified nonprofit dedicated to supporting children with cancer and other serious illness in Japan and their families. Funds raised from EFN are going to support SOK’s innovative Facility Dog Program, which aims to improve treatment outcome and children’s approach to medical treatment/therapy.

Empire once again proves to be the leading producer of fundraising events and was thrilled to help produce yet another successful Executive Fight Night.​

SmartCities NYC is a newly-minted conference and exposition that explores the intersection of technology and urban life. Presented recently in the revitalized Brooklyn Navy Yard, the inaugural event was sponsored by Microsoft and featured world-renowned speakers, a cutting edge exposition, workshops, panels, parties, and a multitude of public events drawing attendees from around the world.

For the past several years, Smart Cities events have been held globally, bringing together hundreds of local, national, and international organizations from government, academic, public, and private sectors in Barcelona, Istanbul, Kyoto, Casablanca, and Puebla to focus attention on urban innovation and to bring together businesses and institutions interested in finding the best solutions.

Inspired to meet the growing interest in pioneering urban solutions that are defining and transforming cities around the world, Smart Cities was organized around three major concepts – innovation, infrastructure, and inclusion. Smart Cities NYC’ 17 focused specifically on the importance of citizen participation in making cities ‘smart’. With over 250 speakers, Smart Cities covered a broad range of important topics from cybersecurity and cloud computing, to technology for the disabled, mental health, big data, drones, rooftop urban agriculture, shared housing, transportation, and infrastructure.

Some of the noteworthy speakers and participants included: Toni Townes-Whitley, Corporate VP Worldwide Public Sector, Microsoft (tech and education); Miguel Gamiño Jr., Chief Technology Officer, City of New York (civic tech & innovation); Daniel Doctoroff, Founder and CEO of Google’s Sidewalk Labs; Rachel Haot, Managing Director, 1776 (global incubator & seed funding); Robert Wolf, Chairman and Co-Founder, Measure, Drone as a Service (drone solutions); Abby Joseph Cohen, Senior Investment Strategist, Goldman Sachs; Richard Park, CEO, CityMD (tech solutions for healthcare); David Rothkopf, CEO and Editor, FP Group (global foreign policy insight& analysis); Gregory Treverton, Former Chairman, National Intelligence Council (U.S. Intelligence Community); Andrew Right, Former Counselor, U.S. Secretary of Transportation (transportation & infrastructure); Stacey Gillett, Senior Program Officer, Bloomberg Philanthropies; James Ramsey, Co-Founder and Creator, Lowline, and developer Lela Goren of the Goren Group.

The event featured an exhibit hall and B2B trade show that included interactive demonstrations from sponsors ranging from Microsoft, Verizon, Union Point, Boston Properties/Dock72, German Areospace, Victor+Stanley, BMW/Urban X, PBSC Urban Solutions, and the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. At the expo, lead sponsor Microsoft showcased HoloLens - the first self-contained, holographic computer, enabling participants to engage with digital content and interact with holograms in the world around them. Measure: Drone as a Service demonstrated its turnkey drone solutions via the DJI Inspire 2,the first filmmaking drone in the world to integrate HD video transmission.

On the final day Smart Cities NYC ’17 hosted STEAM AHEAD, a day of citizen engagement to help New Yorkers access the information they need to better prepare them for the demands of the modern workforce. From challenging high school students to think big with moonshot projects, to creating employment opportunities for our country’s veterans, to helping people seek meaningful careers in technology, STEAM AHEAD brought companies, nonprofits, and government departments together with members of the community to discuss the challenges and opportunities of work in the 21^st century.

The four-day event culminated in a by-invite-only “Humans of the Year” Closing Night Party, hosted by Smart Cities NYC ’17 media partner, VICE Motherboard, and Prius Prime. Vice Motherboard and Smart Cities NYC invited over 500 guests to enjoy closing night cocktails and custom projection installations in the cavernous Duggal Greenhouse space as well as on the picturesque East River waterfront.

Its placement in the Duggal Greenhouse showcased Brooklyn’s increased standing in the world of technology. And in the past year, the Brooklyn Navy Yard has been host to two tech hubs opening: New Lab, a workspace for manufacturing and design firms, and 1776 NY, a startup incubator.

Empire served as overall producer of Smart Cities NYC and was responsible for project management, production design, technical production, staging, production of digital media content, liaison with all exhibiting sponsors, staffing, catering (through a partnership with the New York Food Truck Association) and café area. Additionally, Empire’s team worked closely with Global Futures, Microsoft, VICE, and other partners to facilitate each partner’s activation and to supervise the overall guest experience.

Empire is proud to have served as producer of the inaugural Smart Cities NYC and to have supported this important thought leadership platform.

To learn more about Smart Cities NYC visit http://smartcitiesnyc.com

​Action Carting treated their customers and investors to a night of"BAM!" at Emeril's flagship restaurant in New Orleans. Guests were treated to some of the celebrity chef's most famous Cajun & Creole dishes including his BBQ Shrimp, Crawfish Boudin, and Banana Cream Pie.

Local music legend, Kermit Ruffins, delivered an unforgettable headline performance, kicking off the night with his signature catch phrase “We partyin’ ya’ll!”

Voodoo priestesses roamed the party dabbing love and money potions on guests, and local fortune tellers held court in a candlelit wine cellar for anyone seeking a glimpse into their future.

Guests were also invited to sample a variety of Bourbons, curated by Emeril’s in-house expert, which paired nicely with the nearby gumbo and chowder station.

With a line around the block full of eager attendees, there was no better place to be in New Orleans!

Playworks celebrated their third annual New York Get in the Game Gala, recognizing Most Valuable Principal, Sandra D’Avilar of Brooklyn’s PS 9, and Most Inspiring Leader, Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, President Emerita of the Robert Wood Foundation.

This school year, the acclaimed nonprofit Playworks has provided safe, healthy and inclusive play for more than 65,000 girls and boys in 110 schools across New York and New Jersey. This is just the first stop on their road to reach 200,000 kids here in our region by 2020 with safe and healthy play to reduce bullying, increase physical activity, improve learning, and promote social and emotional skills.

The evening featured remarks from Executive Director of Playworks, Kim McCall, Founder and CEO Jill Vialet, a live auction led by Pat Tully, entertainment from international recording artist ELEW, recess games, a friendly ping pong and basketball tournament, plus food and drink. Funds raised support the expanding efforts of Playworks to bring the power of play to every girl and boy in New York and beyond.

To help make this event a success, Empire produced the fundraiser at the elegant Tribeca Rooftop venue where we transported guests from the ballroom to the playground on the transformed rooftop space. Attendees enjoyed stunning Manhattan views and experienced play through sophisticated and immersive activations of traditional recess games like Four Square and Switch, along with life-sized installations of Scrabble, Jenga, and Connect 4.

Working closely with Playworks, Empire served as the event producer, managing elements including venue, décor, technical production, and performing talent. Empire is a leading producer of fundraising events and we are honored that Playworks continues to work with us to produce successful events.

To support or learn more about Playworks, please visit www.playworks.org

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Empire has been producing The Webby Awards since 2005, and this year was one of the best yet.

Empire secured comedian and actor Joel McHale to host the 21st annual Webbys and his opening monologue set the tone for the evening: irreverent, hilarious, and at times, poignant. He also reminded winners of the show’s unique “five words or less” acceptance speech rule, warning them that if they were to speak more than five words, “we use the same security as United Airlines”.

As always, the Webbys honored a variety of the internet’s best. Winners included Artist of the Year, Solange, Best Actress, Gillian Anderson (presented her award by her X-Files co-star David Duchovny), and Best Actor, Steve Buscemi, who received his trophy from comedian and actor Louis C.K.

Other winners and presenters included political commentator, Van Jones, multi-Grammy Award-winning rap musician, Residenté, The Women’s March Co-Chairs Carmen Perez, Linda Sarsour, and Bob Bland, New York Times Crossword Puzzle Editor, Will Shortz, and YouTube Creators for Change ambassadors, Franchesca Ramsey, Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, and Humza Arshad.

The event was once again held at Cipriani Wall Street and featured a colorful and exciting set design created by David Korins, the Tony-nominated scenic designer of Broadway’s “Hamilton” and “War Paint”.  After a standing ovation for the Founders of the Women’s March ended the show on a high note, attendees enjoyed a fantastic afterparty at Highline Ballroom, where Empire presented Questlove to spin and keep the dance floor packed.

Empire is honored to have worked with The Webby Awards for 13 consecutive years. The 21^st Annual Webby Awards are now available to watch online here.

Now in its 9th year, the Shorty Awards continue to honor the best influencers, celebrities, brands, and agencies on social media across Snapchat, Periscope, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and other platforms. In order to keep up with the competition’s growth, the Shorty Awards upgraded to the PlayStation Theater in the heart of Times Square in New York City for the ceremony.

Nearly 800 influencers, brands, agencies, and guests packed the theater for the ceremony, which featured a cocktail reception, a seated dinner, and an afterparty at Refinery Rooftop. The staged event streamed live on YouTube to over 60,000 viewers internationally, as fans all over the globe tuned in to watch their favorite social media stars.

Tony Hale (Arrested Development and Veep) hosted the show and kept the audience entertained while presenters including Casey Neistat, Bill Nye (The Science Guy!), Skai Jackson, Kaitlyn Bristowe, Kelsey Darragh, and Shay Mitchell gave out the awards. Mitchell and Nye even won their own categories of Best Actress and Best in STEM, respectively.

This was the most competitive show to date, as over 5 million votes poured in from fans allover the world, a record for participation. Winners of the signature Whale-Tail Trophy included Gaten Matarrazo, Doug the Pug, Gigi Gorgeous, Chrissy Teigen, BTS, Mara Wilson, and many more! Karlie Kloss was the esteemed recipient of the inaugural Shorty Phenom Award for Kode with Klossy, a summer camp where she works to inspire young girls across America to pursue their interest in computer sciences.

Rising star and R&B/hip-hop artist Lizzo amazed the crowd with energetic performances of her songs “Scuse Me,” “Phone”, and “Good as Hell.”  

We’re proud to partner with The Shorty Awards for our third year and we wish a huge congratulations to all the winners this year!

Watch the Shorty Awards Here

​Empire was proud to once again serve 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 most influential people in the world. To celebrate this highly anticipated release, 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 2017 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 John Legend, Demi Lovato, Viola Davis, Ava DuVernay, Raed Al-Saleh, Bernard J. Tyson, and George Church as well as Time Inc. President & CEO, Rich Battista, TIME Editor-In-Chief, Nancy Gibbs, and Time Inc. Senior Vice President of News, Luxury and Style, Meredith Long.

Among the notable attendees this year were Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Margot Robbie, Trevor Noah, RuPaul, Samantha Bee, Ashley Graham, Leslie Jones, Megyn Kelly, Katie Couric, Rebekah and Robert Mercer, Lindsey Vonn, Tom Perez, and Naomi Campbell.

The gala featured an extensive red carpet on two floors, an elegant cocktail reception over which was flown a ‘photo chandelier’ of TIME 100 honorees, a seated dinner and program that combined remarks, musical performances, toasts by some of the evening’s honorees, and an afterparty with DJ Mick. This year’s gala event was sponsored by Citi, Johnnie Walker, and Aston Martin.  

As one of the world’s most high-stature events, the TIME 100 draws extensive global media coverage which this year included 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 from the attendees themselves.

With the world watching through such extensive coverage, 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.

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

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

At the southern end of the Japanese Alps, 1,400 meters above sea level, lays Achi Village, also known by the Ministry of Environment, “the best place in Japan to see the stars".

Beginning in 2012, the “Sky Night Park Tour” was created. Bringing in a total of 100,000 people, visitors ride a gondola lift where they can enjoy activities that mix the beauty of the stars with the allure of science and technology. Empire Japan teamed up with a visual artist and enra’s very own creative director, Nobuyuki Hanabusa, and produced this year's tour.

Using the existing gondola lift the visual artist created a spacestation-like atmosphere. With his visual and audio creativity the tour took spectators on a 15-minute journey through the infinite universe. Beyond mere production of computer graphics, Mr. Hanabusa, with support of Empire, created anew “Sky Night Park Tour”.

The 2017 DEEP SPACE TOUR will be from April 15 to October 21. During this period, Empire Artist super group enra will also be performing a special program for this engagement.

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For the first time ever, all five networks comprising AMC Networks – AMC, BBC America, IFC, Sundance and WEtv – came together to present a single upfront under the umbrella of AMCN. This year’s ambitious event featured a multi-room staged experience and a star-studded dinner for over 600 VIP guests.  

Upon arriving at Skylight Clarkson North, guests were immediately transported into the world of AMCN. An elegant arrival hall featuring key art of programming across all five networks led guests into the smart and sophisticated cocktail reception. Guests enjoyed savory hors d’oeuvres and prosecco until Scott Collins, President of AMC Networks Ad Sales, delivered welcome remarks and revealed the dinner.

On cue, drapes pulled open to reveal a massive, elegant dining room to the awestruck guests. Two giant, towering high resolution LED video walls, each 64’ in length, flanked the room, and a sea of tables sparkled custom-designed centerpieces of bell glass-enclosed lights. While dining on the gazpacho and mini lobster roll amuse bouche, provided by Abigail Kirsch, President & GM of AMC, and SundanceTV's Charlie Collier spoke about the upcoming programming on both networks while visual content adapted to the unique screens illustrated each point in perfect synchronization. Collier called Walking Dead star Norman Reedus to stage to time how long he could speak without mentioning the show (about 12 minutes).  

After Collier’s remarks he welcomed Sarah Barnett, President & GM of BBC America, to the stage where she shared breathtaking, immersive footage from Planet Earth 2 and other exciting news. Collins then returned towel come with fanfare nearly 60 of the stars from across all AMC Networks, who made their way into the room and joined the guests at each table. Among others, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Peet, Hank Azaria, Elijah Wood, Steve Buscemi, Carrie Brownstein, Norman Reedus, Kendra Wilkinson, Fred Armisen, and Mama June dined with guests and rotated tables between courses.

Following dinner, Marc Juris, President & GM of WEtv, and Jen Caserta, President & GM of IFC, both shared news about their respective networks’ upcoming slate and announced new partnerships and acquisitions. Collins then welcomed guests to yet another revealed space, the afterparty lounge, where guests took photos with their favorite AMCN celebs. Throughout the afterparty, guests enjoyed cocktails mixed with theatrical flair, danced to music spun by DJ Jon Black, and shared photos taken on a social media green screen photo booth where they dressed in AMC Networks programming-inspired costumes, like servers at Los Pollos Hermanos with talent like Romeo Miller.

MediaVillage journalist Simon Applebaum wrote of the event, “While other cable-distributed channels dropped out of the 2017 New York Upfront scene, AMC … bounced back with yet another unforgettable presentation.This time, however, AMC was joined by the other networks in its fold – IFC, BBCAmerica, SundanceTV and WEtv… To quote a Broadway song classic, ‘some enchanted evening.’ High-quality in all the key aspects, and kudos to all the talent for letting attendees get to know them.”

Empire was proud to continue our long-term partnership with AMC Networks and serve as overall event producer, provide concept, design, technical production, décor, and execution of all aspects of this very special upfront event.

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Empire produced the Lowline’s 2nd-ever Underground Garden Party to celebrate the closing of the Lowline Lab in the Lower East Side. The Lowline Lab is a one-of-a-kind testing space for the Lowline’s technology and vision. Since opening in October 2015, the lab welcomed over 100,000 visitors from across New York City and from around the world and numerous to preview the Lowline protoype as well as its numerous the organization’s research, community outreach, and cultural programmings. The Lowline Lab opened its doors one last time, after being open for a year-and-a-half, to welcome guests to commemorate the Lowline’s accomplishments and the future of the project.

As guests entered a lush green entranceway they were welcomed to vines, branches, bromeliad plants, and handmade kokodama balls suspended from the ceiling, artfully installed by the talented John Mini Landscaping team. Guests enjoyed wine and cocktails sponsored by Reyka Vodka and Palm Bay Wines, and hors d’oeuvres made by Pinch Catering Designs. Under the overhead solar canopy and throughout the space, dancers, including the talented Mirror Man contortionist, presented by Vance Garrett Productions mingled with guests.

Another design element of the evening included an LED lighting tube installation along the walls, suspended from the hanging greenery, and on tabletops to create a dramatic lighting statement highlighting the Lowline’s fusion of technology and vision for an underground oasis. Following cocktails, a seated dinner inspired by the Lowline’s edible plants was served. The fun menu designed by Pinch included an Underground Tin Garden featuring fresh sushi tuna, beets, and micro greens sponsored by Gotham Green that guests were invited to trim themselves. For their main course, guests enjoyed an elegant Radiant Cod dish using roasted root vegetables and trout roe.

The program featured speeches by Lowline co-founders Dan Barasch and James Ramsey, and Padma Lakshmi, who presented the evening’s honoree, Jolie Hunt, CEO of Hunt & Gather and Lowline Board Member. Jolie Hunt later took a moment to recognize the current Young Ambassadors of the Lowline Young Ambassadors Program—an innovative, 6-month long program that seeks to enhance youth education surrounding science, technology engineering, arts, and math (STEAM), as well as provide communication and leadership skills. To end the dinner portion of the event, Jolie Hunt led the evening’s pledge moment to raise funds to support the future of the Lowline.

Immediately after the stage program, Pinch presented guests with gourmet ice cream cones for a sweet segue to the afterparty using innovative ice cream flavors provided by experimental ice cream shop based in NYC, Ice + Vice. To continue the celebration, DJ ?uestlove took to the stage spinning for an additional 150 guests who joined in the festivities. Empire is honored to serve as the Lowline’s event producers since 2013 and proud to support the creation of the world’s first underground park.

To learn more about the Lowline, visit http://thelowline.org/

Target partnered with Empire to produce their Financial Community Meeting – an annual presentation to analysts and media where Target reported on their 2016 earnings and shared an overview of plans for the future.

Attendees were greeted with breakfast before being seated for opening remarks by John Hulbert, Target VP of Investor Relations. The first portion of the presentation featured CEO, Brian Cornell, COO John Mulligan, and CFO Cathy Smith, focusing on investments in the business for the long-term. These include the enhancement of digital and in-store experiences alongside the evolution of stores and supply chains, and the introduction of new exclusive brands across the apparel and home departments.

For the second portion of the presentation, Michael E. McNamara (EVP, Chief Information and Digital Officer), and Mark Tritton (EVP and Chief Merchandising Officer), joined the other executives onstage to field questions from the audience. Guests then proceeded downstairs for a luncheon and the opportunity to network with the Target leadership team.  

Following the stage program, Target conducted a separate Q&A for the media. CNBC was also onsite for an exclusive interview with CEO Brian Cornell.

The brand messaging and aesthetic were most prominent in the custom stage backdrop accompanied by sleek, white theater seating in the Main Ballroom.  

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

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For the sixth year, Empire teamed up with visionary artist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist will.i.am to produce the annual TRANS4M Gala, benefiting his i.am.angel Foundation. This year’s gala honored Marc Benioff, Chairman and CEO of Salesforce, a pioneer of cloud computing and creator of the 1-1-1 model of philanthropy which leverages its resources to improve communities around the world. The evening was co-hosted by Ron Conway, Laurene Powell-Jobs, Sir Richard Branson, Van Jones, Lyn and Norman Lear, Ken Hertz, and Polo Molina.

The i.am.angel Foundation supports charitable activities and educational programs providing college scholarships (i.am scholarship), college preparation (i.am College Track), and opportunities in STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math)—all part of will.i.am’s commitment to TRANS4M-ing his hometown neighborhood of Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles.

More than 350 supporters gathered at will.i.am’s studio and headquarters known as “The Future” for an intimate evening that showcased the Foundation’s programs and students. i.am.angel Foundation donors enjoyed cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and musical surprises by the Printz Trio as they made their way through The Future’s space, engaging with students in a variety of demonstrations related to i.am.angel Foundation’s STEAM programming.

After cocktails, guests made their way to Milk Studios, which was transformed into an elegant dining room with long rustic wooden tables juxtaposed with the venue’s steel and urban vibe. Flourishes including hanging greenery, pin-spotted tabletop florals, and flickering candlelight for a warm yet forward-looking style.

The program included heartwarming student testimonials, an education and philanthropy conversation between will.i.am and Marc Benioff, and a guest appearance by the Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti. As the evening progressed, auctioneer Abra Annes took the stage and led guests to bid on VIP experiences that ranged from a safari at Richard Branson’s Mahali Mzuri Lodge in Kenya to meeting Chris Rock at The Total Blackout Tour.

The evening finished with a high-energy performance by The Original Black Eyed Peas and afterparty beats provided by DJ Ali Shaheed.

Empire is honored to continue our long-term partnership with the i.am.angel Foundation and to serve as producer of this exclusive event.

For more information on this innovative foundation, please visit iamangelfoundation.org

Every year, salesforce.com brings together businesses and technology leaders who are focused on opportunities in cloud-based and mobile computing from Japan to Tokyo for two full days of sessions, expos, and events. Empire's Tokyo office recently produced the Japan edition of this leading technology event for the fourth year in a row.

Salesforce.com hosted over 10,000 attendees over the course of two days at the Prince Park Tower and Toranomon Hills Forum venues in Tokyo. Additionally, sessions were livestreamed to an audience of over 1.2 million.  

This year’s keynote speakers included Adam Blitzer and Chief Scientist Dr. Richard Socher, with special performances by the Yoshida Brothers (a world famous Shamisen duo). There was also a special session on day one, which featured four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Kaori Yoshid and her Olympic coach, Kazuhito Sakae. The second day featured a special session in which Japanese major league baseball player, Norichika Aoki, was invited to talk with Shinichi Koide, Salesforce Japan’s CEO.  

This year’s exhibition hall was completely redesigned and rebranded, representing a substantial evolution from the prior year and a new experience for the audience. The Toranomon Hills Forum, the hub for developer experts, was also redesigned and rebranded as a Developer Forest.

Empire’s Tokyo-based Asia division was responsible for all event design, production, and management, including technical production and coordination.

Empire is a leading producer of global conferences and events in the Asian region and serves as the partner of choice for some of the world’s most sophisticated technology companies to produce their premier business events.

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EBONY Magazine presented the 5th annual EBONY Power 100 Gala, honoring the nation’s 100 most powerful and influential African Americans, along with Lifetime Achievement recipients, Earth, Wind and Fire and Cicely Tyson, and Ebony Icon Award recipient, Nile Rodgers.

This year’s Ebony Power 100 took place at the historic Beverly Hilton's International Ballroom and was hosted by the CEO of Ebony Media Group, Cheryl Mayberry McKissack, the Chairman Emeritus, Ebony Media Operations, Linda Johnson Rice, Editor-In-Chief of Ebony, Kyra Kyles, The Chairman of Ebony Media Operations, Michael Gibson, and The Vice Chairman of Ebony Media Operations, Willard Jackson.

Following red carpet arrivals and an elegant cocktail reception, the approximately 600 guests were seated for a dinner program emceed by actor, comedian, and director, Cedric the Entertainer. Attendees were entertained by a wide array of musical and dance performances. Performers included child dance phenom and star of Black-ish, Miles Brown, neo-soul duo, Lion Babe, and a rousing finalé performance by Nile Rodgers and Chic, which included a livestream to Facebook Live for the world to see.

DJ D-Nice performed throughout the event and spun at the post-reception in the International Foyer and Terrace.

Celebrities and A-listers in attendance and showcased on the stage included Jimmy Jam, Skai Jackson, Regina King, Issa Rae, The Preachers, and Craig Robinson.  Additional attendees included Simone Biles (who graced one of the four covers of the annual issue), as well as Holly Robinson Peete, Kelly Rowland, Kathy Ireland, Pam Grier, and Matthew Knowles, and more.

First Lady Michelle Obama (who along with the rest of the Obama family appear on this year’s Ebony Power 100 list) also sent a heartfelt video tribute for the occasion.

The Ebony Power 100 was presented by Nationwide Insurance, with other noteworthy sponsors and partners including United Airlines, Cadillac, and Hilton Worldwide.

Empire was honored to once again serve as event producer for the Ebony Power 100, responsible for venue logistics, décor, production, talent booking and coordination, registration, livestream, videography, event logistics, and onsite management.​

To capitalize on Empire's expansion in Asia, Empire opened a Hong Kong office to focus on the fast-growing Hong Kong, Macao, and China markets. Among this office's first projects was the production of a special incentive program in Hong Kong to reward over 1,100 top distributors from Japan.

The massive program held in the The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre consisted of an award ceremony and gala dinner followed by a memorable Boyz II Men concert.

Hong Kong-themed videos created by Empire dynamically opened the ceremony, and over 80 guests made speeches on the stage throughout the program. At the finalé of the gala diner, Boyz II Men took the stage to perform a 60-minute show that included their hit “End of the Road”, “I’ll Make Love”, and “Water Runs Dry”. After this unforgettable experience, the international guests left the venue full of excitement.

Empire’s Hong Kong office provided turnkey event production services including the venue scout and coordination, design, logistics, catering, stage management, and international artist coordination to ensure a smooth experience for the client and to promote the best possible experience for the attendees.

With the opening of Empire's Hong Kong office, Empire builds upon it's existing presence in the Asia region and expands our ability to support major projects for clients-based both in Asia and around the world. Please contact us for your next projects in Hong Kong and China.  

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Empire delivered Daughtry as the surprise performer for Samsung Hope for Children’s annual Holiday Appreciation Mixer. In addition to hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and the opportunity to preview virtual reality and other technology installations at Samsung 837, Samsung’s not-for-profit foundation partners were treated to an intimate acoustic duo performance by American Idol star, Daughtry. Daughtry performed popular songs such as “Home", “Crawling Back to You”, and “Life After You” before ending with a touching rendition of “Silent Night” to celebrate the holiday season. During the set, Chris Daughtry engaged the audience in a fun 360-degree photo using the Samsung Gear 360 camera.

Empire is a leading provider of top tier musical entertainment and talent for corporate clients, production companies and private interests, and was proud to partner again with Daughtry on another successful event.

Our favorite online mattress retailer, Casper, opened their first-ever New York City storefront at 106 Spring Street in Soho, just in time for the holidays to offer curious customers the opportunity to try out the brand’s innovative line of sleep products. The innovative pop-up shop, dubbed the Casper House, is the third iteration of the concept, following successful runs in Los Angeles and London.

Conceived as an illustrated house that “fell” from the sky to “land” inside a brick and mortar store, this playful store showcased Casper’s whimsical nature and provided practical and cozy areas – in the form of bedrooms - for guests to try out the Casper product line. A mammoth undertaking, we designed and built the four-bedroom house in just three weeks!

Upon opening, shoppers were invited inside to peruse the brand’s wares and schedule 15-minute “trials”, and wander through the house to discover its hidden gems as they queued for naps in one of the four bedrooms. From the mouse hole in the hallway, to the “secret room” accessed through the bookcase, visitors were greeted with playful surprises around each corner, allowing for a creative and fun shopping experience.

Casper House was open from November 2016 through February 2017.

See more on Casper's blog here.

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Since 1981, the Coalition for the Homeless has developed and implemented humane, cost-effective strategies to end mass homelessness in New York City. Every day, the Coalition works to ameliorate the suffering of more than 3,500 men, women, and children by providing housing, emergency food and clothing, crisis services, job training and special programs for kids such as CampHomeward Bound.

The Coalition for the Homeless hosted their 22nd annual ARTWALK NY, bringing together more than 700 Coalition supporters, artists, collectors, art-lovers, and celebrities in the Flatiron’s Metropolitan Pavilion for an evening of festivities including a live and silent auction of more than 100 pieces of donated contemporary art.

For the seventh consecutive year, Empire served as overall producer of ARTWALK NY. This year, artist Kenny Scharf was honored for his contribution to contemporary art, and Mike De Paola was honored for his continuous philanthropic support of the Coalition over the years.

Aileen Agopian auctioned off a magnificent selection of art pieces donated by some of the world’s most celebrated artists, including Jenny Holzer, Wade Guyton, Louise Fishman, Ed Ruscha, and honoree Kenny Scharf.

The evening, generously presented by Italian fashion house Max Mara, began with hors d’oeuvres by Pinch Food Design and cocktails graciously provided by VDKA 6100, Morris Kitchen, Peroni, Illegal Mezcal, and Perrier. A selection of New York’s best restaurants, including Indochine, DB Bistro Moderne, Wildair, Sessanta, Rouge Tomate, The Odeon, Bar Bolonat, and Momofuku Nishi provided tasting stations. Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery, Morgenstern’s Finest IceCream, and Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolate offered luscious sweets, and CounterCulture poured espressos and lattes.

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

Working closely with Coalition for the Homeless’ events team and title sponsor Max Mara, Empire served as executive producer of the event and was responsible for aspects ranging from event design, layout, production, and logistics to décor and restaurant coordination.

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

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Microsoft hosted its premier event for worldwide developers at Spring Studios in New York City with a simultaneous live broadcast online, reaching over a million viewers. A platform for announcements about the future of its tools and services in the area of Application Innovation, Microsoft unveiled a series of products and partnerships that strengthen the company's Azure cloud platform for building intelligent, cross-platform apps and services. Led by Microsoft Cloud and Enterprise Group EVP, Scott Guthrie, among the day’s many press-worthy announcements was Microsoft’s move to open source development by joining the Linux Foundation.

Spring Studios and Spring Place, a photo studio / private membership club and recent addition to New York City’s trendy TriBeCa neighborhood, provided the perfect setting for an event dedicated to collaboration and intelligence. To balance the sun-filled space with the need to beautifully illustrate data-driven content, three large-scale, high-resolution LED screens were custom-built to fit within the existing window frames. This view was then “extended” along the sides of the room with large-scale scrim-covered walls to help communicate Microsoft’s themes of openness and flexibility.

The visual aesthetic and brand messaging were integrated into every aspect of the event. Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they walked through an immersive animated LED light-strand “forest” before check in. The lunch space décor included custom-built suspended scrim partitions, echoing the keynote walls, to create intimate restaurant-style spaces. Bursts of color brought Microsoft‘s brand to life against the clean white surfaces. Afternoon breakout sessions offered custom content tracked to attendees’ varied interests, and customer images displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of their products.

Every element of this program—from registration, breakfast, and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails—was custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience.

Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft to create and execute this top-tier business communication event.

To view excerpts of Microsoft Connect(); // 2016, visit https://connectevent.microsoft.com

Click here for a time-lapse video of the event: https://vimeo.com/201861428​

Empire partnered with Reel Works again to produce their 2016 Benefit Gala, Celebrating Women in Media. Reel Works is one of the leading digital media educators in the United States and the only filmmaking program that matches teens 1:1 with professional filmmaker-mentors to tell their stories and have their voices heard. It’s a powerful combination that changes young New Yorkers' lives by allowing them to present their unfiltered voices.

This year's gala began with a VIP reception in the historic Capitale—adorned with Corinthian columns, Venetian glass, marble mosaic floors, and 65-foot ceiling. Honorees Dr. Stacy Smith, Director of the Media, Diversity, and Social Change Initiative at USC’s Annenberg School, Karen Horne, Senior Vice President of Programming Talent Development and Inclusion for NBC Entertainment and Universal Television Studios, and Mona-Scott Young, CEO and Founder of Monami Entertainment, mingled with guests and all were invited to enjoy cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres before to making their way into the ballroom for the program and dinner.

Empire managed the stage program working with New York City-based actor, stand-up comedian, and writer, Naomi Ekperigin. Ekperigin has been listed as one of "7 Reasons Why SNL Should Hire a Black Woman"on Buzzfeed.com and one of "8 Black Comediennes Who are Ready forn SNL" by Essence Magazine. Together we were able to highlight the work of honorees, chair members, and students.

As the evening progressed, the enthusiastic Charles Antin took the stage as the live auctioneer, helping to raise a record $480,000. The evening wrapped with the F. John Outcalt Award for Outstanding Filmmaking winner announcement and special musical performance by Diana Gordon, the songwriter named “the mind behind one of 2016’s most memorable lyrics”: “He better call Becky with the good hair” from Beyoncé’s “Sorry”.

Event sponsors included Empire Entertainment, NBC Universal, Annenberg Foundation, Samsung Hope for Children, BBDO, HBO, Comedy Central, VH1, and Viacom.

Empire is proud of the continued partnership with the Reel Works organization and our contribution to making the evening the most successful benefit dinner to date.

If you are interested in learning more about Reel Works please visit: http://www.reelworks.org/​

To kick off the fifth season of hit docuseries Vanderpump Rules, Bravo Media wielded the power of the sexy series and social media to draw huge crowds of loyal fans to a one-night-only bar crawl in New York City, attended by eight of the show’s cast members. Empire was thrilled to partner with Bravo Media to plan and execute this experiential consumer event.

Vanderpump Rules follows the sexy aspiring actor/model waitstaff of Los Angeles restaurant SUR through the drama at work and off-hours. The bar crawl event, aptly-named VanderCrawl, attracted close to a thousand fans to the Meatpacking District, eagerly queueing up on the sidewalk hours in advance for their chance to meet the Bravolebs and to sip drinks prepared by them.

VanderCrawl kicked off at newly-opened restaurant/club, Kola House, and featured Tom Sandoval as guest bartender, mixing his SUR-inspired cocktail “Hot Pink”, a peach vodka and grapefruit elixir, while DJ Lily Vanili spun tunes for the crowd. Fellow cast members including Stassi, Scheana, Kristen, Tom Schwartz, and Katie chatted with fans and VIPs including latest Bachelorette, Jojo Fletcher, and her fiancé, Jordan Rodgers.

Fans followed the Bravolebs down the street to The Tippler, the second stop on VanderCrawl, for more revelry, as well as the chance to try bartender Ariana Madix’s cocktail, “Pinky’s Lemonade,” also inspired by SUR. DJ Jon Blak mixed upbeat pop hits as the Bravolebs snapped countless selfies with fans and handed out purple #PumpRules shades and branded t-shirts.

The escalating party continued around the corner at the third and final destination, No. 8, the latest hotspot by nightlife maven Amy Sacco of Bungalow 8 fame. Vanderpump Rules’ bad boy Jax Taylor was on full display as he served his SUR-inspired cocktail “Cape Fizz” from the head of the horseshoe-shaped bar.

Fans and Bravolebs had a blast that night with fans asking for a VanderCrawl 2.0 and Vanderpump Rules cast member Scheana tweeting, “I cannot get over how EPIC the #VanderCrawl was last night”. (More fan/Bravoleb photos and tweets can be viewed at #VanderCrawl)

In addition to the fans that joined the VanderCrawl, press including the New York Times, E! News, and PageSix came along for the ride, publishing play-by-play rundowns of the epic evening.

Empire is a leading producer of experiential events and innovative event marketing in New York City and across the country.

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Bulgari Japan launched the BVLGARI AVRORA AWARDS in order to recognize and celebrate women who have made an exceptional contribution to Japanese society. Named for Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn, the Awards aim to inspire all women in Japan by drawing attention to Japanese women of intelligence, talent, creativity, and generosity who naturally bring out the radiant qualities of those around them, and shine a fresh light on society as a whole.

From initial concept through to the star-studded inaugural Awards event in Tokyo, Empire assisted Bulgari by facilitating the planning, creation, and execution of every facet of the Aurora Awards. Launched on International Women’s Day, a series of print and film interviews with the participants were published throughout the year to promote each Awardee's inspiring message to women throughout Japan.

The culmination of the year was the dazzling BVLGARI AVRORA AWARDS ceremony hosted by Bulgari Global CEO, Jean-Christophe Babin, and produced by Empire at Tokyo Midtown and the Ritz Carlton. The 10 Inspiring Women and their Recommenders, together with over 100 top celebrities and media, walked the Golden Carpet and later participated in a gala party where Awardees shared their stories in diverse fields from charity and business, through to music, cinema, and the arts. The highlight of the evening was a private concert from acclaimed guitarist, Tomoyasu Hotei, staged in tandem with a stunning Bulgari jewelry show.

Empire was honored to be intimately involved in the successful planning and launch of the BVLGARI AVRORA AWARDS, once again proving its expertise in producing high-profile events around the world. With their success, the Awards are set to become an annual event, and we look forward to more inspiring women and their stories.

For the 4^th consecutive year, Empire produced the Lowline Anti-Gala at the Lowline Lab in the Lower East Side. The Lowline Lab is a long-term laboratory and exhibit open to the public that showcases the solar technology to sustain a variety of plant life. Over 100,000 visitors have come to experience the preview of the urban underground park since its opening.

New York City officials approved plans this past summer to build the world’s first underground park in the Lower East Side. This is a huge step forward for the Lowline to convert a historic underground trolley terminal into a subterranean public space. The Lowline is targeting to open in 2021, and in order to get there they threw their annual Anti Gala fundraiser to help raise crucial funds for the project.

Approximately 225 guests were greeted into the loosely-themed Wonderland event by peculiar characters dressed as a flirtatious Cheshire Cat, slick Mad Hatter, tap dancing Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, sleight-of-hand magician White Rabbit, and Playing Cards painting the roses red while walking through the mysterious fog-enchanted surroundings.

Guests made their way into a seated dinner where they enjoyed a delicious meal by Pinch followed by a performance by Hammerstep—a hip hop, beatboxing, tap-dancing duo—and a burlesque performance.

The program featured speeches by Lowline Co-Founders, Dan Barasch and James Ramsey, and Board Member Jolie Hunt, who hosted the pledge, garnering over $50,000 in proceeds that directly benefitted the building of the Lowline.

DJ JD Samson closed out the event with her cool beats that kept the party dancing into the night.

Empire is honored to serve as the Lowline’s event producers since 2013 and proud to support the creation of the world’s first cutting-edge, underground park. To learn more about the Lowline, visit http://thelowline.org/

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Returning to New York City for the first time in 20 years, the World Chess Championship celebrated the competition with a splashy Opening Ceremony at the iconic Plaza Hotel.

Hosted by actor, director, producer, and chess fan Adrian Grenier, the reception was decked out in a classic black and white theme, a subtle nod to Truman Capote’s famed Black & White Ball held in the same venue 50 years ago.

The highlight of the evening was the introduction of the competitors, Magnus Carlsen of Norway and Sergey Karjakin of Russia. The guests were thrilled to meet the youngest competitors in tournament history, at 25 and 26 respectively, and were privy to the official Draw Ceremony, granting Magnus Carlsen the first move at the next day’s game.

Joining the players on stage were the President of World Chess, Ilya Merenzon, FIDE Vice President, Israel Gelfer, as well as sponsor representatives Michael Stanton (EG Capital Advisors; Member of the Supervisory Board), Andrey Guryev (CEO and Chairman of the Management Board PJSC Phosagro); and Megha Malagatti (Global Communications Director of S.T. Dupont); all of whom enjoyed an intimate VIP reception in a Penthouse Suite immediately prior to the stage program.

Guests were also treated to unique musical performances by Russian pianist Nikola Melnikov and Norwegian violinist Isa Caroline Holmesland (of the Oslo Strings), both of whom came to New York City specifically for the event to symbolically represent the battle between the two players' home countries.

The stage program concluded with one final iconic New York City element, a surprise performance by the world: the famous Harlem Gospel Choir decked out in black and white robes inspired by chess pieces, extending the festive theme of the evening. Guests enjoyed the performance while sipping custom cocktails made with Beluga Vodka, a sponsor of the event.

This year’s World Chess Championship took place at the Fulton Market Building in Manhattan, where after almost three weeks of play, 12 games, and a day of tie breaks, Magnus Carlsen retained his title as the World Chess Champion which he has held since 2013.

For those not in New York City but who still wanted to experience the event, the championship was the first sporting event broadcast in VR.

Additional information about the tournament and upcoming events can at https://worldchess.com/nyc2016/.

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To celebrate the opening of the New Balance flagship store in Harajuku, Tokyo, Empire brought vertical dance pioneer group BANDALOOP.

The perspective-changing dance company presented a graceful and dynamic performance, choreographed for an awe-inspiring activation on the exterior walls of the store. Two dancers presented various performances during the day, the first in the morning before the official opening of the doors as the immersive act stopped busy Harajuku crowds in their tracks for a social media-worthy photo. More exciting Empire-produced performances are soon to come from this boundless and innovative group.​

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Forbes Japan, one of the world's most authoritative business news authorities, celebrated entrepreneurs and startups at their Annual "Japan's Startup of the Year" Award Ceremony. Empire was called upon to produce this special celebration.

Held at the beautiful Tokyo Palace Hotel, this event hosted around 300 managers, investors, and entrepreneurs from 19 different companies across Japan. The Award Ceremony celebrated startups that are pushing the Japanese economy into the future through innovation and entrepreneurial efforts. Finalists were selected by the Forbes Japan editorial team with input from online readers.

The Award Ceremony included awards for the “Japan Entrepreneurs 2017 BEST 10”, “The Rising Star Award”, and the “Most Influential Venture BEST 3”. Ranking first for Japan Entrepreneurs 2017 was Shintaro Yamada, Founder and CEO of Mercari Inc. For The Rising Star Award, the winner was David Uze, CEO of Trillium. And ranked first among the Most Influential Ventures was Soichi Kariyazono of Globis Capital Partners.

The winning startups were featured in the magazine's January 2017 edition.

Empire is the premier producer of some of the most prestigious award ceremonies throughout the world.

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