What Were Producing

MAC Spring Influencer Trip

MAC Spring Influencer Trip

Tokyo, Japan

February 2019

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.

Virgin Voyages Press Conference & High Tea

Virgin Voyages Press Conference & High Tea

New York City

February 2019

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 102nd 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.

Row 7’s CHEFS x BREEDERS Dinner​

Row 7’s CHEFS x BREEDERS Dinner​

New York City

January 2019

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/

Empire Delivers Seal to Perform for a Tech Power Crowd During CES

Empire Delivers Seal to Perform for a Tech Power Crowd During CES

Las Vegas, NV

January 2019

Among the many events that happen in Las Vegas during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), MediaLink’s annual Executive Dinner is among the top tickets in town for the tech power crowd. Working closely with the teams from MediaLink and Diversified Production Services, Empire delivered Grammy Award-Winning artist, Seal, who performed an incredible 45-minute set made up of Standards classics (from his 2019 Grammy nominated album) such as “I Put a Spell on You,” and all of his greatest hits including, “Kiss From a Rose,” “Killer,” “Fly Like an Eagle,” and “Crazy,” which made the guests demand an encore!  

Alongside MediaLink’s Chairman and CEO, Michael Kassan, approximately 500 guests were in attendance. They included Katie Couric, Arianna Huffington, Pamela Drucker Mann, Bob Pittman, Martin Sorrell, Gary Vaynerchuk, and top executives from AT&T, Xandr, Adobe, Samsung, Unilever, Hulu, Google, and more.

Empire is a leading provider of celebrity talent and headline entertainment for corporate events and has worked extensively at the Consumer Electronics Show.

Salesforce World Tour Tokyo

Salesforce World Tour Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan

December 2018

For the sixth year in a row, Empire's Tokyo office served as producer of the leading Japanese IT event for Salesforce Japan.

Salesforce.com hosted over 10,000 attendees for a one-day event at one of the largest event and conference centers in Tokyo, the Tokyo Big Sight, further expanding upon the size of this annual event.

This year’s keynote speakers included Parker Harris (Co-Founder & CTO Salesforce) and Shinichi Koide (Chairman, President & CEO Salesforce Japan) along with illustrious speakers from various companies.

This year’s exhibition hall also highlighted the growth of Salesforce with the further increase to over 90 companies. It also contained several of the 10 simultaneous breakout sessions within the expo hall making the area a constant buzz of action and communication between speakers, booth staff and guest, through the course of the day.

Empire’s Tokyo-based Asia division was responsible for all event design, production, and management, including technical production and coordination, and continues to support Salesforce in showcasing the latest in technology and cloud services. ​

Bryant Park’s Tree Lighting Skate-tacular with host Alan Cumming

Bryant Park’s Tree Lighting Skate-tacular with host Alan Cumming

New York City

December 2018

Among the many events that happen in New York City during the holidays, the Tree Lighting Skate-tacular at Bank of America Winter Villageat Bryant Park is among the most exciting and magical.  

Working closely with the Bryant Park team, Empire negotiated for and secured Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor, Alan Cumming.

Working from an original Christmas tale, for which he contributed ideas, Alan acted as the narrator of the event and read a story to a little girl. This story was punctuated with a series of live, on-ice performances by Olympic and World Champion skaters including Johnny Weir, Meagan Duhamel, Eric Radford, Kaetlyn Osmond, and Jeremy Abbott.

The massive Christmas tree was lit just as Alan and the girls and a song together and the show concluded with an immense fireworks display and the opening of the rink to free skating to thousands of New Yorkers, courtesy of Bank of America.

Approximately 5,000 people were in attendance and the show was also livestreamed on a variety of digital platforms.

Empire is a leading provider of celebrity talent and headline entertainment for public and civic celebrations and events.


Forbes JAPAN CEO Conference

Forbes JAPAN CEO Conference

Tokyo, Japan

November 2018

When Forbes Japan sought to commemorate the top CEOs in Japan, they once again turned to Empire to help them design and execute the perfect celebration.

Held at the beautiful Palace Hotel Tokyo, this event hosted around 300 CEOs from all across Japan. The Award Ceremony theme, “Best Visionary Story 2018”, gathered young enterprise managers, entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders that push Japan’s economy into the next generation.

For this year's conference, a gala dinner was held for the first time following the special panel sessions and award ceremony to continue the celebration.

The ranking was featured in the magazine's November 2018 issue.

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

Techonomy

Techonomy

Half Moon Bay, CA

November 2018

Founded in 2011, Techonomy Media has created a platform to host conversations at the highest level about the role of technology in our economy and society, the pace of change, and what that means for us and our world—all while advocating for greater understanding through the publication of editorial content and video journalism across a variety of platforms including online, print, and through conferences and events.

For the fourth year in a row, the Techonomy annual flagship conference took place at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Half Moon Bay, California, where 250 guests participated in three days of engaging and interactive keynote presentations, panel discussions, townhalls, and live debates.

To evolve and reinvigorate this future forward program, Techonomy turned to Empire to redesign and refresh the look and feel of the event. Working with a bold new color palette and brand design by branding agency, Oberland, Empire created new space designs that optimized the attendee experience while preserving harmony with the venue’s existing architecture and decor.

To optimize the utilization of the Ritz-Carlton’s main ballroom and create variety throughout the day’s presentations, Empire provided a stage design that allowed for one central, main stage and two smaller flanking stages. The side stages were angled to maximize sightlines and each was stage backed with a large format LED screen, which showcased content, slides, and image magnification when the main stage was live. When a featured taping of NPR’s live debate show, Intelligence Squared, was added to the program, the three-stage format was a natural fit, and truly enhanced the presentation of the debate.

Audience seating for the general session was comprised of comfortable and functional tiered seating, offering the guests who would spend upwards of 18 hours in the room over the course of the conference the option of relaxed lounge seating, upright theater-style chairs with side tables for coffee and water, and elevated “classroom-style” table and chair options for those taking notes on laptops.

For the meals, a clear, open span tent was positioned near the conference center overlooking sweeping ocean views. Empire curated a variety of furniture groupings to emulate a restaurant-feel. An assortment of banquettes, king’s tables, high tops, and bar-style runner tables were rearranged from meal to meal to maintain interest, encourage networking, and optimizing flow for each unique meal.

Furniture was added or removed on a function-by-function basis based on attendance to maintain the intimacy and bespoke nature of the event.

Many of Techonomy’s attendees and thought leaders remarked that this year marked a next-level experience and the client was thrilled with the results.

Empire was proud to work with the Techonomy Media team to deliver an extraordinary event.

To learn more about the Techonomy 18 Conference visit here

The 24th Annual ARTWALK NY Benefiting Coalition for the Homeless

The 24th Annual ARTWALK NY Benefiting Coalition for the Homeless

New York City

November 2018

For the ninth consecutive year, Empire served as producer of ARTWALK NY–New York City’s foremost annual art auction fundraiser, benefiting the Coalition for the Homeless.

More than 750 Coalition supporters, artists, collectors, art-lovers, and celebrities gathered at Spring Studios for a night filled with more than 100 pieces of contemporary art in a silent and live auction.

The evening was generously presented by Italian fashion house Max Mara. This year, artists Marina Adams and Stanley Whitney were honored for their contributions to contemporary art, and Suzanne Siano was honored for her continued philanthropic support of the Coalition over the years.

During the live program, Aileen Agopian auctioned off a spectacular selection of artworks courtesy of some of the world’s most renowned artists, including Jenny Holzer, Kenny Scharf, Ed Ruscha, and the night’s honorees, Marina Adams and Stanley Whitney.

The evening began with hors d’oeuvres by Spring Place and cocktails graciously provided by Perrier-Jouët, Tito’s Vodka, Hendrick’s Gin, Qui Tequila, Stella Artois, and Ramona. Tasting stations were provided by a selection of New York’s best restaurants, including ACME, MIMI, The Odeon, Colonia Verde, Manhatta, Noted Tribeca, Brodo, Claudette, and Untitled. Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream offered several of their delectable unique flavors and Counter Culture with Everyman Espresso served up Americanos, espresso, and cappuccinos.

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

ARTWALK NY, the Coalition’s largest annual fundraiser, supports their many programs that provide permanent housing, job training, emergency food and clothing, crisis services, and youth programs to over 3,500 homeless New Yorkers each day.

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

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

Dartmouth’s The Call to Lead Capital Campaign Celebration Events

Dartmouth’s The Call to Lead Capital Campaign Celebration Events

Multiple Cities

November 2018

Following the successful spring launch events produced by Empire in New York and San Francisco for Dartmouth College’s $3 billion capital campaign, The Call to Lead, Dartmouth’s leadership once again turned to Empire as their creative and production partner for a multi-city tour to expand the campaign’s reach and to promote its vision, impact, and progress.

These regional events, focusing on both campaign impact and Dartmouth’s 250th anniversary, are meant to re-ignite ties between Dartmouth’s alumni and their alma, mater and to further promote Dartmouth’s strategic priorities locally, nationally, and around the world. The first four stops on the tour—in the fall of 2018—were Stamford, CT, Chicago, Boston, and Seattle.

Each event followed a similar format, with adaptations and localizations for each city. Upon arrival, guests were met with a Dartmouth-themed exterior presence and live music experience. Guests registered at branded, wooden “Call to Lead” check-in desks and then entered a theater space to enjoy a program. Décor included wooden chairs dressed with Dartmouth green cushions and hung with individual college pennants. The program began with a viewing of the “March of Time” video counting down the 249 years of Dartmouth’s history. Speakers included Chair of the Dartmouth Board of Trustees, Laurel Richie, and Dartmouth College President, Philip J. Hanlon, who delivered updates on the campaign and gift announcements that were customized for each location. Each program also featured two student-faculty pairs of presenters who highlighted the experiential learning and collaborations that help define the Dartmouth experience.

At the finalé of the stage program, a musical performance led to a reveal of a Dartmouth-themed reception. This featured replicas of major Dartmouth landmarks surrounded by a backdrop of the New Hampshire forest custom-printed in high-definition on scenic drape. Custom scenic pieces representing Dartmouth Hall, Baker Tower, and other campus landmarks filled the space, which also included intimate areas for curated conversations. A focal point of the reception space was a giant, free-standing bar inspired by the iconic Moosilauke Ravine Lodge. This centerpiece featured a canoe bar back and wooden roof with panoramic screens displaying high definition campus imagery through each of the four seasons. Each reception featured a trio of live musicians providing background music and an interactive photo-booth.

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

The Call to Lead aspires to raise $3 billion overall to realize three overarching goals: advancing Dartmouth’s distinctive educational model to its fullest potential; making discoveries that improve the human condition; and preparing students for lives of wise leadership. To date, more than 81,600 donors have committed a total of $1.84 billion to the campaign through gifts of all sizes.

Dartmouth will present multiple regional campaign and 250th anniversary celebrations through November 2019.

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

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