The 2013 Bravo Upfront Party
The Bravo Upfront Party has become one of the most highly anticipated upfront events in the industry. Bravo once again enlisted Empire Entertainment to produce their Upfront Party, held at SIR’s Stage 37. After check-in, guests were whisked into a room and met with a 16-ft wide curved LED video screen. To their surprise, a popular "Bravolebrity", Curtis Stone, appeared in the room to welcome them to the event and to introduce a short sizzle video of Bravo’s upcoming programming.
The video also featured a look at the past “Summer by Bravo” promos and an introduction to this year’s Summer promo and Upfront Party theme, desert island. Doors then opened to reveal a fantastical desert island paradise party filled with luxurious thatch roof lounge cabanas, 14’ high palm trees and Bravolebrities galore, including the ladies of every "Real Housewives" franchise, each member of "Shah’s of Sunset", "Vanderpump Rules", "Top Chef" hosts Tom, Gail & Padma, Andy Cohen, Patti Stanger, Tabatha Coffey, Jeff Lewis and Jenni Pulos.
It was truly an amazing turnout of Bravo star power. In keeping with the evening’s desert island theme, giant stone “Bravo Island Heads” were carved in the likeness of "Flipping Out" design maven Jeff Lewis and "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Nene Leakes. Sand mansions were sculpted for properties featured on "Million Dollar Listing" and "Flipping Out."
Guest interactions included a custom "Real Housewives" video for which guests recorded their own sassy voiceover and video to be craftily edited into the opening credits of "The Real Housewives" city of their choosing. Guests could also get their hair and makeup done under the watchful eye of Tabatha Coffey, consult with Patti Stanger on their love lives, upload a gif of themselves styled by Brad Goreski and shot with the Shah’s, or get a drink served by Jax and Tom, the bartenders from "Vanderpump Rules." Pinch Catering passed hors d’oeuvres throughout the night and set up stations with a delectable assortment of rice paper rolls suspended on copper wires, fresh cut sashimi and juicy bao-style buns filled with salmon, beef or vegetable tempura.
DJ Earworm, known for video mashups including “United State of Pop,” spun music throughout the evening and cut in video clips of Bravo’s most memorable on-air moments, expertly sliced into pop music. Empire Entertainment worked closely with Bravo’s Trade Marketing, Creative and Press teams and served as overall event producer and designer for the program. Empire’s responsibilities included overall design & management, coordination of custom scenic, decor, audio/visual, catering, activities, venue, red carpet, travel coordination for talent, graphic design, printing, permits and security.
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
