2009 TIME Person of the Year Event
Each Year, TIME releases a special issue devoted to the Person of the Year. This iconic issue highlights the individuals who have most affected the events of the year and made the greatest global impact. To support this tradition, each year Time Magazine holds a high level event at its New York Headquarters where Managing Editor, Richard Stengel, hosts a discussion with influential individuals about whom should be recognized as the year's Person of the Year. The 2009 was designed as a cocktail reception followed by a staged discussion. The program included former Mayor of New York and 2001 Time Magazine Person of the Year, Rudy Giuliani, Cardiac Surgeon, Author, and Host of the Dr. Oz Show, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Editor-at-Large of O Magazine, Gayle King, Top Chef Judge, and Founder & Co-Owner of Craft Restaurants, Tom Colicchio, ABC News and The View Host, Barbara Walters, and Mayor Luke Ravensthal of the City of Pittsburgh, the youngest Mayor of a major American City.
The lively discussion and audience Q & A focused on potential 2010 Persons of the Year ranging from the Twitter Guys and the Federal Reserve's Ben Bernanke to the Iranian Voter and Nancy Pelosi. For this elegant and chic affair, Empire worked with TIME's events team to design and install a lounge-style cocktail reception area featuring black lacquer central bar and serving trays, an image gallery of past Time Person of the Year Magazine covers and lounge furnishings.
With a dinner party feel, cabaret style seating was set; black linen cocktail rounds with Time red florals, and a branded stage setting and backdrop. In addition to design and decor elements, Empire worked with the guests and presenters to stage manage a flawless program.
Empire is a leading producer of high-profile media events.
Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
