Empire Produces the 2015 TIME 100 Gala featuring Kanye West and Tim McGraw
For the 7th consecutive year, Empire was proud to serve as the producer of the TIME 100 Gala, which took place at the Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Each year, TIME publishes the TIME 100: a list of the most influential people in the world. To celebrate this highly anticipated release, TIME hosts an exclusive gala event in New York City attended by current and past TIME 100 honorees. With its extraordinary mix of world leaders, innovators and celebrities, the TIME 100 Gala is recognized as one of the world’s most high profile annual events. Participants and performers at this year’s TIME 100 included Kanye West, Tim McGraw, Lee Daniels, Misty Copeland, Jorge Ramos, Chanda Kochhar, Obiageli Ezekwesili, Time Inc. Chairman & CEO Joe Ripp, TIME Editor Nancy Gibbs, and TIME Publisher Meredith Long.
The TIME 100 was once again attended by a global who’s who of icons from industry, culture, sports, fashion and politics. Some of those in attendance this year included Elon Musk, Bradley Cooper, Diane von Furstenberg, Lorne Michaels, John Oliver, Julianne Moore, Emma Watson, Samantha Power, Jeffrey Tambor, Seth Meyers, Christopher Nolan, Karlie Kloss, Adam Silver, Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, Amy Schumer, Kim Kardashian West, Harvey Weinstein, Julianna Margulies, Naomi Campbell, Martha Stewart, Lindsey Vonn, Jill Soloway, Faith Hill, Brian Chesky, David Koch and Laverne Cox.
The gala featured red carpets on three floors, an elegant cocktail reception, a seated dinner and program that combined remarks, musical performances, toasts by some of the evening’s honorees, and an after party presented by Citi. This year’s gala event was sponsored by Citi, Chivas Regal 25, and Toyota.
As one of the world’s most high-stature events, the TIME 100 draws extensive global media coverage which this year included NBC’s Today Show, CBS This Morning, FOX, Entertainment Tonight, E! News, Access Hollywood and many others. BizBash Media named the TIME 100 the #1 Media Event of the Year of 2014.
With the world watching through such extensive coverage, the production of the TIME 100 requires precision execution. Empire was proud to work closely with the TIME team to deliver a flawless evening.
Empire’s responsibilities as producer included event design & décor, talent booking & coordination, venue and catering logistics (provided by Great Performances), technical production, Internet stream facilities, stage management, staffing, front of house logistics, security and sponsorship activations.
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
