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​