Empire produces CoreMedia Systems 20th Anniversary Concert featuring O.A.R.
On May 24, 2012 Empire Entertainment was proud to serve CoreMedia Systems as producer of their high-profile charity concert and auction to celebrate their 20th Anniversary. Sponsor donations went to the Good Tidings Foundation, a children's charity that looks to equally support arts, education, athletics and dreams for youth from communities of need in the San Francisco Bay Area. The event took place at the historic Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City and featured performances and collaborations by The Knocks, platinum recording artist O.A.R. and the Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem. The rock-concert-like energy was paired with cocktail hour as more than 1,000 sponsors and guests from the direct response media industry gathered to support Core’s lasting commitment to giving back.The host of the event, CoreMedia Systems, Inc., develops and supports CoreDirect, the industry’s most widely used direct-response media management software. The system is used by more than 100 direct response agencies and marketers to plan, buy, manage, measure and optimize direct response media campaigns. Glenn DeKraker, the company’s founder and CEO, proudly stated, “Thanks to our supportive clients, we’ve been able to celebrate other milestones in our company history by helping charities like Keep a Child Alive, Shine on Sierra Leone and Bono’s Project Red. For our 20th anniversary, I can’t think of a more deserving recipient from the direct response advertising community than the Good Tidings Foundation.”Empire Entertainment transformed the century-old former opera house into a sleek, modern lounge. Both the exclusive VIP-Sponsor lounge and the main floor were furnished with stylized white settees and end tables lit from the interior. While guests mingled to the music of DJ duo The Knocks, the crowd savored Pinch’s notable hor d’ouevres, which floated above the audience suspended from balloons or dangled from racks of hooks carried between servers. Guests participated in a silent auction, sporting Yankees ace, CC Sabathia signed Jersey, a volleyball signed by two-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh, “The Boat House” painting by famed artist LeRoy Neiman, NY Yankees Scout Seats and a Gibson Guitar signed by Allman Brothers’ Warren Haynes.The American rock band and Platinum recording artist O.A.R. took to the stage to the tumultuous excitement of the young, roaring crowd who eagerly mouthed along the words to a mixture of the band’s well-known classics, such as “City on Down,” “King,” “Takin on the World,“ and “Poker.” The band even performed a cover of U2’s classic “Sunday Bloody Sunday” before inviting the Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem on stage with them for the group’s evocative, soulful sound on “War Song,” and “Heaven.” Finally, guests hit the floor as The Knocks took back over the turntables and spun a wild after party with everyone on their feet.Empire Entertainment served as overall event producer, coordinated all logistics, catering, décor, talent coordination, technical production, security and onsite management.Empire was proud to partner with CoreMedia Systems to support the Good Tidings Foundation.To learn more and donate to the Good Tidings Foundation, please visit www.goodtidings.org. You can learn more about CoreMedia at www.coremedia-systems.com.
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
