Need to plan an activation, gala, book launch, virtual conference, pet's birthday? Hate programming and party planning and want to throw it to the experts? We’re here to help!
Here are a few of our favorite case studies:
Eyes on Iran: Woman Life Freedom exhibit at the Four Freedoms State Park
IRL, NYC, art, celebrities
For Freedoms’ and Vital Voice's major art activation had Hillary Clinton, Jon Batiste, a dozen artists, lots of media commitments - and, one week out, no producer. The collective was planning to make a big statement in support of the Woman Life Freedom movement, but needed help with coordinating all the (many) moving parts.
Grey Horse stepped in to run all logistics and onsite production, from the macro (staging, AV) to the micro-but-essential (tent design for maximum vibes, bringing in the correct Persian pastries and tea). We worked closely with everyone from the Secret Service to the NYC Parks Department to ensure a safe and secure environment for our VIP guests and speakers, then got out of the way and let them make their impact. Outsourcing their production let the organizers and artists put their focus where it made the biggest difference: supporting the women of Iran.
UNICEF Film Premiere: Vaillante
IRL, NYC, nonprofit, art
UNICEF created Vaillante to explore the issue of child marriage, which affects millions of girls and women across West and Central Africa - and to showcase how young people can be part of the solution if empowered to take action. This original fictional series was produced in West Africa, so UNICEF needed a media, PR, and distribution partner willing to work across multiple regions, countries, and languages to get the widest audience possible.
To get the attention of the New York media and celebrate with their staff, they asked Grey Horse to produce a gala premiere screening, their first major event post-Covid. We arranged an introduction from the brand-new UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell, as well as a post-screening panel discussion with model Didi Stone, actor Mouna Loueke, and subject-matter experts on child marriage. After the screening, we produced a reception for guest and staff to network and further discuss the important issues raised in the film.
Wagyu Dinner Party
IRL, NYC, dinner party
When Grey Horse was introduced to the Wagyu Council and asked to produce a dinner for fans, we knew we needed to do something special to show off this rare ingredient. We brought in a chef with expertise in Japanese techniques, and then let him have fun in a premium event space overlooking New York City.
Dozens of small plates showcased the best of Japan, and were presented beautifully on an island surrounded by flowers. We were thrilled with the amount of mingling and connections that this untraditional format allowed, and the diners were thrilled to watch Chef Abe work and to learn more about the wagyu tradition as he turned out his incredible food.
Guggenheim Book Launch Gala
book launch, IRL, NYC, celebrities, music
In a world where polarization has torn communities apart, author and CNN commentator Sally Kohn wanted to call attention to her research in her new book, The Opposite of Hate, with a media-savvy launch.
Grey Horse raised over $250,000 in sponsorships from brands like Tinder, Lifetime, and Hint Water to mark the release of The Opposite of Hate. The gala was hosted at the iconic Guggenheim Museum in New York and attended by media luminaries like Katie Couric. The Resistance Revival Chorus, made famous by their emotionally-charged performance at the Women’s March, headlined the evening’s entertainment.
Co-hosted by Shonda Rhimes and Katy Perry, the event was held to benefit the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Getty, The Hollywood Reporter and other media outlets were on hand to enjoy and cover the festivities. Called the “party of the year” by Cosmopolitan’s Laura Brounstein, this 500 person gala was one of the most ambitious book launch events in recent memory.
Virtual workshops for the Google News Initiative
virtual, interactive, professional development, journalism
When GNI and Chalkbeat launched their Local News Field Guide as a resource for journalists and news entrepreneurs, the appeal was obvious—but getting it in front of industry pros (and newbies) proved to be a challenge. They realized that live events would be the best way to generate buzz about the Guide.
Grey Horse planned and executed a series of virtual workshops around four of the Guide’s main topics. We planned the user journey, format, guests, platform, schedule, and resources, using survey feedback and community input to focus on what journalists most wanted to know. We also used a social- and newsletter-based marketing strategy to attract a wide range of viewers who were new to Chalkbeat and GNI’s offerings.
Our workshop series featured 11 panelists from major news and philanthropy brands. Hundreds of people logged in from every part of the United States as well as Europe, Africa, and South America. The live events saw a high level of interaction and questions in the chat, and the recordings are now entering a second life as YouTube content with hundreds of views.
The New City virtual conference
virtual, interactive, celebrities
The New City: Navigating the Future, a How-to, a multi-day event series on forging a new future through artistic imagination, was presented virtually by the interdisciplinary futurist organization Visions2030. After producing a series of salons and their full-day SalonFest event, Grey Horse was asked to tap our networks and produce a three-day content line-up of fascinating thinkers, innovators, and creators, in a number of fields including art, technology, architecture, and social justice.
We curated talent including Andrew Yang, Sir David Adjaye, and Karenna Gore, and secured logistics and technology. This inaugural conference was a great success, hitting our goals of 500+ attendees, utilizing cutting-edge virtual platforms, and finishing without a single program or scheduling hitch. Most importantly, we received great feedback from attendees and speakers on their user experiences and especially on how interesting and useful the content and ensuing discussions were.