​South Korea’s leading tire company, Kumho Tire, recently opened its first US-based manufacturing plant in Macon, Georgia, a $450 million dollar project. To celebrate the new three million square foot facility, they asked Empire to produce the Grand Opening Ceremony. 300 guests including Kumho Tire executives, state and local government officials, and local business representatives attended this historic event to celebrate the successful inauguration of the largest plant to open in Macon, Georgia, in 40 years.

The Chairman of Kumho Asiana Group, Park Sam-Koo, gave the keynote address giving deep appreciation for welcoming Kumho Tire to Georgia. Nathan Deal, the Governor of Georgia, added his thanks and support of this new plant. Also in attendance were State Senator Sanford Bishop, County Mayor Robert Reichert, Kumho Tire CEO Lee Han-Seob, and Cliffard Whitby of the Macon-Bibb Industrial Authority.

After the speeches, all major state, local, and company officials gathered on stage for a ceremonial ribbon cutting followed by a tree planting ceremony of hackberry trees nearby the entrance of the building. Once all ceremonies were over, all the guests got a special opportunity to take a tour of the new and operating tire plant. The event ended with a buffet for the general guests and a luncheon for the VIP.

Empire provided all the production and event services required to make this historic day a success including tenting, technical production, scenic and stage design, branding and printing, catering, talent, staffing, and stage management. Working closely with our clients, partners, and benefactors, Empire continues to excel in building brand awareness and high-end ceremonies for global conglomerates and corporations worldwide.

The Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation hosted its 4th annual Tom Ridge Awards at the Sheraton Times Square. Named after former Pennsylvania Governor and the nation’s first director of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, the Awards honored the outstanding achievement of Federal Agents in the various branches of the Justice and Homeland Security departments including the FBI, DEA, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshals, ATF, CBP, and others.

The evening began with a VIP cocktail reception and red carpet where Special Agents in Charge of their respective agencies took photos with Governor Ridge and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Dick Wolf. As the cocktail reception came to a close, the DEA Pipe and Drum Corp and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Honor Guard began a bagpipe procession, leading guests into the Metropolitan Ballroom to take their seats for dinner and the Awards ceremony.

Following a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem performed by Ariel Kendall, the awards ceremony began with each branch’s award presented by a celebrity presenter and a Special Agent in Charge to a worthy recipient. A silent and live auction was presented by host Bill McCuddy and managed flawlessly by 501 Auctions with mobile bidding.

For the finalé of the evening, a tribute video played as Creator and Executive Producer of Law and Order, Dick Wolf, was honored on stage with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Actors Yaya DaCosta and Nick Gehlfuss, stars of Dick Wolf’s latest television drama, Chicago Med, presented the award to the esteemed producer. Governor Ridge and FEHSF Chairman, Richard Kendall, then joined them on stage for closing remarks.

To learn more about the Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation and the Tom Ridge Awards, and to support their work, please visit here. ​

SONY Pictures’ digital entertainment network, Crackle, once again partnered with Empire to produce their 2016 Upfront. With an exciting lineup of both new, original programming and returning series, Crackle had much to present.

The Upfront took place at the New York City Center and opened with welcoming remarks by SONY Pictures Television’s President of Worldwide Networks, Andy Kaplan.

Next, an opening video featuring the League of Freedom from the television series SuperMansion led to remarks by Executive Producers Seth Green, Zeb Wells, Matt Seinreich, and Bryan Cranston.

Crackle Senior Vice President of Digital Media Sales, James Smith, then took the stage, emphasizing that “Because we’re Sony, we’re not just talking product placement, those are a given and we can do those all day long, we’re talking about custom storylines, talent inclusions, and technology-based experiences like 360 & VR.”

SONY Pictures Television’s SVP of Digital Networks, Eric Berger, appeared on the program to give remarks including the introduction of a new, “break-free advertising” sponsorship model, with additional comments by Jonah Goodhart, CEO of MOAT. Eric Berger also presented Crackle’s programming slate accompanied by many of Crackle’s biggest stars and show runners including Kate Bosworth, Christian Cooke, and Dennis Quaid.

Among the many announcements of the day, Crackle also announced that it will create original VR narrative content. The first will be a special episode of SuperMansion. Crackle will also create original VR content with sponsorship opportunities to be viewable on PlayStation VR, Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard, and smartphones.

To close the event, Crackle introduced two new original series – “Snatch” and “StartUp” – and invited the “StartUp” cast members Adam Brody, Edi Gathegi, and Otmara Marrero to discuss the show.

In addition to securing the venue, designing the spaces, managing event logistics, catering, and managing the program, Empire provided all staging and technical production support.

Empire continues to set the industry standard for producing outstanding presentations for clients seeking to communicate their mission, motivations, and value proposition to key customers. Empire is proud to have served SONY Pictures Television and Crackle on this year's Upfront.

​

adidas has a long history in Japan and is currently the number one sports apparel brand in the country. So it was a natural choice for adidas Japan to host a globally-facing celebration of the iconic Originals line. And adidas Japan’s choice was to have Empire Entertainment Japan handle all aspects of production, from event concept to execution and media production.

adidas Japan wanted a large-scale interactive event where the public could experience Originals connections to the Past, Present, and Future. Empire took that concept one step further and came up with idea of KOSATEN, Japanese for Intersection. The ten-day event would explore how Originals lives at the intersection of culture.

An integral part of the overall plan was to leverage social media before, during, and after the event to drive awareness and excitement. Empire Japan produced a high-energy teaser, a pre-view video, daily digests, and a wrap-up video to contribute to the buzz. This content was distributed worldwide on adidas’ social media feeds as well as the feeds of major influencers involved with the event.

The week-and-a-half event kicked off with a private showing for the media followed by an invitation-only, celebrity-driven Opening Night Party. Famous faces from the worlds of sports, fashion, music, and culture explored the exhibits and danced the night away – click HERE for the Opening Night Party Video.

As soon as they entered the hyper-modern space in the heart of Harajuku, Tokyo’s fashion epicenter, they were greeted by a massive three-story video installation hanging from the ceiling. From there they were led on a journey through three levels of encounters with the brand: over 500 pairs of the rarest vintage adidas athletic shoes, brought over with their collectors from Europe expressly for the occasion; a giant installation allowing you to feel like you were entering the interior of the latest adidas show, with walls constructed of Prime Knit and a floor made out of Boost; and a glimpse into the future with live 3D printing showcasing how, soon, shoes can be made just for you.

Each day, Empire produced a Talk Show at the event space that included some of the biggest pioneers and global influencers in adidas`s lineup. From tennis legend Stan Smith to hip hop legend D.M.C, each speaker spoke about their experiences with the brand and how it continues to influence them in their everyday lives. Other speakers included Markus Thaler (Adidas ZX Model Pioneer), Top Japanese comedians, RG (Razor Ramon), Anthony (Matenrou), Akaba (Saru-Gorilla), Ueda (Good Walkin), Shigeyuki Kunii (Mita Sneaker Creative Director), MATSU (Exile), GENKING (Top Model), MALIA (Top Model), Poggy (UA Creative Director), and Genvey Yamaguchi (World Famous Obi Artist).

Over the course of 10 days, the exhibit became a trending topic across numerous social media channels, press outlets, and fashion influencers.

Empire once again proves to be the leading producer of global fashion brand events and was thrilled to help adidas Japan produce yet another successful adidas event.

AMC Networks is comprised of AMC, BBC America, Sundance, IFC, and WeTV.  During the past several years, AMC and Empire have partnered to create large-scale, groundbreaking Upfront events worthy of their extraordinary programming.  This year, AMC opted to host a series of intimate, bespoke culinary events in New York City and Chicago designed to present a ‘tasting menu’ of AMC Networks’ award-winning programming. Each event would be intimate, elegant, and create a conversation between the guests, the programming, and the network hosts.

Five of the sidefronts took place at Chefs Club, a trendy SoHo restaurant created in partnership with Food & Wine magazine, that welcomes culinary masterminds into their state-of-the-art chef’s kitchen. AMC Networks took full advantage of this unique space to provide guests a once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience, with menus curated and prepared by some of the world’s best-known chefs including: Jean-Georges Vongerichten; winner of several James Beard Awards and owner of Michelin star-rated restaurants; Mario Batali, known for Iron Chef America and The Chew; Alex Guarnaschelli, executive chef at Butter Midtown, star of Iron Chef America, judge on Chopped, and author of Old-School Comfort Food; Marcus Samuelsson, known for his popular Harlem restaurant, Red Rooster, and his roles on Iron Chef America; and Tom Colicchio, recipient of five James Beard Awards, head judge on Top Chef, and owner of Gramercy Tavern, Craft, and Colicchio & Sons.

Each event commenced with a cocktail hour and passed hors d’oeuvres during which AMC Networks executive leadership and ad sales teams mingled with advertisers and agency personnel. Following cocktails, guests were seated for welcome remarks, a personal introduction to the meal by each chef and a brief speaking program. Arlene Manos, President of National Ad Sales, Josh Sapan, President & CEO of AMC Networks, Charlie Collier, President & GM of AMC, and Scott Collins, EVP of Ad Sales, teased new programming coming to AMC, BBC America, Sundance, IFC, and WeTV. Guests also had the opportunity to preview new shows such as "Feed the Beast", "The Night Manager", and AMC’s hotly anticipated "Preacher", on screens positioned throughout the dining room.

In addition to the five sidefronts at Chefs Club, additional events were held at the offices of one of New York City’s biggest media agencies, and another at Morgan’s on Fulton in Chicago.

Empire was proud to work closely with AMC Networks to create these exclusive culinary experiences. Empire served as overall producer of the event series, secured the venues, contracted and worked with each chef on menu and logistics, provided technical production and décor, and executed all needs for the programs.

Empire is a leading producer of standout upfront events and key B2B presentations of every kind.

Microsoft launched a new conference, Microsoft Envision, with the goal of bringing together business leaders and decision makers from across several industry sectors to discuss trends and technology that are helping enterprises succeed in a fast-changing world.

For the opening keynote, Empire delivered astronaut Captain Scott Kelly for his first public appearance following his historic 340-day journey in space aboard the International Space Station. Captain Kelly joined Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for an introductory conversation, as well as Microsoft CMO Chris Caposella later in the program for a ‘fireside chat’ in front of an audience of approximately 6,000 attendees. Throughout his on-stage appearance, Captain Kelly discussed how Microsoft’s augmented reality technology, Hololens, was used on the ISS and the challenges of living in space for a prolonged period of time.  

On the conference’s second day, Empire helped the Microsoft Envision content team deliver a series of eight concurrent “State of the Industry” panel discussions on the topic of how technology is transforming business. Each panel included industry luminaries, established business leaders, disruptors, academics, and industry association figures to bring broad perspective to the discussion. Industry panels were held for Government, Finance, Sports & Entertainment, Retail & Consumer Packaged Goods, Health Care, Travel & Hospitality, and Professional Services. Among the 40+ participating panelists, notable figures included Former Senior Advisor to President Obama, Daniel Pfeiffer; Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for the NFL, Michelle McKenna Doyle; and the 18th Surgeon General of the United States, Regina Benjamin. Empire worked closely with the Microsoft Envision team to research, contract, coordinate, and deliver all speakers for these panels.    

To close out the inaugural Microsoft Envision, multiple Grammy award-winning band Train brought the attendees to their feet at a final night party that ended the conference on a high note. Train frontman, Pat Monahan, delighted the crowd by taking selfies on attendees phones during his performance, and inviting two lucky attendees on stage to belt out Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing.’

For more information on Microsoft Envision, please visit: www.microsoft.com/en/envision

​Initiated by philanthropist and business woman Shari Arison of the Ted Arison Family Foundation in Israel over 10 year sago, Good Deeds Day has grown into a global movement of doing good and the power of doing good deeds. For this years 10^th anniversary event, Empire was engaged to manage partnership and sponsorship development in North America as well as to produce the national flagship event at Herald Square, directly in front of corporate partner, Macy’s.

The flagship event took the form of a street fair at which 20 not-for-profit organizations and corporate partners hosted good deed-related activities on site. Each participating organization was given its own tented space with tables, chairs, and uniform signage in which each organization offered a different participatory good deed. Jessica Seinfeld’s GOOD + Foundation hosted a sorting and bundling clothing project where participants created wardrobe packets for children of families in need. Stand with Us partnered with the Israeli Consulate and made sandwiches that were delivered to a nearby homeless shelter.The event also featured a steady stream of speakers and performances on a main stage throughout the day. David Arison, head of global relations for the Arison group, kicked off the day encouraging everyone to participate and do a good deed, no matter how big or small. Actor, musician, and environmental activist Adrian Grenier spoke about Mobile Kitchen Classroom, an organization that empowers high school students to actively contribute to the creation of a healthy and sustainable food culture. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also stopped by to take photos and show his support for the 10^th anniversary events.

As the day progressed, emcee James Donahower kept stage programming light and engaging, while highlighting each not-for-profit and corporate partner and driving home the purpose of the day. The all-day event also featured performances by Jessica Sweetman, Judah Friedlander, Harlem Samba, and more. DJ Beco Dranoff kept the energy up in the crowd between performances and during activities. Empire delivered several sponsors including Macy’s, Scholastic Book Fairs, KINDSnacks, and VH1 Save the Music Foundation, who were on site with innovative activities to offer to participants. More than 33,000 schools nationwide hosted Scholastic book fairs good deed initiatives throughout the months of April and May, 500 children’s books were donated on site at the NY event by Scholastic to encourage people to host read aloud, KIND hosted a guided meditation and shared Kind products as well as hosting a KIND wall of good thoughts, while VH1 brought music instruments for people to practice and play on. The NYPD estimated that the Good Deeds Day Flagship event hosted more than 8,000 people, with many more stopping by to snap a photo and upload their post to social media. Additionally, Empire supported social media marketing efforts, engaging influencers like Bill Gates who tweeted about Good Deeds on the day.  

In addition to strategic partnership and sponsorship development throughout the year, Empire was responsible for the design and execution of the street fair event, including securing Herald Square, providing all tenting, staging and production, security, staffing, on site management, and talent coordination. Empire also worked with reelworks.org, a youth filmmaking charity, and the Good Deeds Day team to create a North American public service announcement (PSA) that ran on partner websites and on Jewish Broadcast Service.  

Good Deeds Day’s 10^th anniversary brought more New Yorkers to participate than ever before and Empire is proud to have had the opportunity to produce this milestone event.

Check out the highlights video, produced by reelworks.org at:

https://app.frame.io/f/XDYNEp5j

To learn more about Good Deeds Day or to get involved in 2017 plans, please visit

www.gooddeedsday.org

Online mattress retailer, Casper, opened their first-ever pop-up shop on the “coolest block in America” on Abbot Kinney. The intimate shop offered curious customers the opportunity to test out the available online-only mattress and simultaneously provide insight into what a brick and mortar solution could look like for Casper.

An eye-catching mural on the front facade of the shop drew in local passers-by and also acted as a billboard on the popular Venice thoroughfare. As guests entered, they were greeted in the foyer by Casper staffers who scheduled 15-minute “naps” or trials for any interested customers and offered insight into Casper’s history, brand, and answered any questions. Guests were then invited to take a private nap on the Casper mattress in a custom-created canopy tent. Following the trial, guests were invited to a sunny patio space to relax and reflect on their experience and enjoy light refreshments.

The experiment was so successful that Casper extended the store’s run by 50%.

Visit here for more.

Working in tandem with the New Museum, Empire booked Shamir – a Las Vegas native with killer vocals that perfectly match this year’s theme – for this year's spring gala. Shamir delivered an electro-pop disco performance, including his hit single“Hot Mess.” He also exclusively debuted his unreleased track from his new album, “Demon”, and performed it for the very first time at the gala.

As for decor and dress, a rainbow ribbon installation hung above guests while bikes filled with larger-than-life, multicolored flowers paired for a vibrant cocktail hour. Spring Studios was buzzing with bright attire including multihued, patched suits, a couple of inventive wigs and hair extensions, and even a pair of curly rainbow horns.

DKNY served as the main sponsor for the gala, which raised $2 million for the museum. Following a live auction of paintings with Simon de Pury in all his glory, over $300,000 was raised.

Throughout the night, legendary DJ Stretch Armstrong kept guests entertained, including DKNY’s creative directors Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yichow, Mia Moretti, Jeff Koons, Casey Fremont, Cynthia Rowley, Swizz Beats, Michael Stipe, Ugo Rondinone, John Giorno, and Massimiliano Gioni.

For this colorful engagement, we proudly served as entertainment producer, including talent buying, talent management, on-site management, and technical oversight. Now in our third consecutive year of producing this event, we are grateful that New Museum continues to choose to partner with us to deliver quality results.

To learn more orjoin, please visit http://www.newmuseum.org

​

Hailed as the Oscars of social media, the Shorty Awards honor the best influencers, celebrities, and brands on popular social media platforms such as Snapchat, Periscope, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and more. The 8^th Annual Shorty Awards returned this year to The Times Center. Streaming live on YouTube to over 100,000 viewers, the event highlighted popular digital talent, animals, blogs, and content, alongside traditional celebrities.

Mamrie Hart, ranked #2 on Buzzfeed’s list of “10 YouTubers to Know,” hosted this year’s program, while Pitch Perfect 2’s Flula pumped up the show as the house DJ. Presenters ranged the gamut from internet stars such as Hannah Hart, Rhett & Link, Lele Pons, and Frankie Grande, to America’s favorite weatherman, Al Roker, Fuse TV’s Chris Gethard, and LMFAO’s Redfoo.

The competition was fierce this year with over 3.4 million votes, nearly double that of last year. Winners of the signature Shorty Awards Whale Tail included Jimmy Fallon, Misty Copeland, Katie Couric, Adele, Jiff Pom, Baddie Winkle, Lindsey Sterling, Kevin Hart, Hannah Hart, Casey Neistat, and Snapchatter of the Year – DJ Khaled. Not to mention Pizza Rat walking off with the Shorty Award for GIF of the Year.

International R&B sensation Nico & Vinz hit the stage for a special musical performance with their hit song, “Am I Wrong”, and new track from DJ Spinking “League of Your Own.” Once again, the entire program was simulcast to a separate viewing party downstairs where guests were able to network while enjoying the delicious caterings of Cleaver and Co, beer from Sixpoint, and signature cocktails in teal wax-dipped glasses from Maker’s Mark. Winners from this year’s brand and organization competition accepted their trophies on their very own stage where they were invited to record their acceptance speeches as well.

We’re proud to partner with The Shorty Awards for our second year and we wish a huge congratulation to all the influencer and brand winners this year!

WATCH THIS YEAR'S SHORTY AWARDS HERE.