Well Dunne! for July 1, 2009

Vegas’ KLAS has two hires to share. TITO BURGA is the new Art Director, and his background is international. Work in Madrid, Japan and now the good ol’ USA. Writing and producing at the Vegas CBS affil is MARIO MENDEZ, who has done similar creative things for two Vegas stations – KVBC and KUTV. They both report to one of the bestest of the best, CSD LEE MINARD. Well Dunne! everybody.

Cool story on Turner’s marketing plans for launching the new show Dark Blue. Click here.

Hmmm…why are they trying to mess with my Nyquil?

Have a safe and happy 4th. See ya after the grill cools off and all the pool towels dry.

Think About This: "All that is required now is that you continue to till the soil of your soul. Just as you would not neglect seeds that you planted with the hope that they will bear vegetables and fruits and flowers, so you must attend to and nourish the garden of your becoming." ~ Jean Houston

Well Dunne! for June 29, 2009

The entertainment marketing community lost another sweet soul. This is what the Scripps people have released:

Mr. JEFFREY SEARS, vice president of creative services at DIY Network, died June 28 in Knoxville, Tenn., of injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident. A 12-year Scripps Networks veteran, Mr. Sears worked on the promotions team at HGTV before assuming his position at DIY Network.

JOHN LANSING, president of Scripps Networks, credited Mr. Sears with being one of the architects of DIY Network’s success. “His special talent and creativity can be seen in the unmistakably compelling on-air personality of DIY in recent years,” Mr. Lansing said. “This news hits all of us hard, and especially those who knew Jeff and worked closely with him.”

Mr. Sears is survived by his wife, Joan, and teenage son, Connor.

Well Dunne! for June 25, 2009

Hey lighting guy….shine that spotlight over here. Time for a little recognition. In today’s TV marketing environment, especially on the station side of things, it’s particularly difficult to get truly creative concepts approved and on the air. But when it DOES happen, it’s a thing of beauty. Such is the case with the stations winning PROMAX accolades. Hats off to the following station efforts, which either won a Gold, Silver or Bronze last week in NYC: San Francisco’s KPIX, Boston’s WBZ/WSBK, Dallas’ WFAA, Dallas’s KXAS, Chicago’s WLS, Dallas’ KDFW, Minneapolis’ WCCO, DC’s WTTG and Memphis’ WHBQ. Let’s put a brighter light on Augusta, GA’s WAGT. Market # 114 scores a hit in the branding/image category. Kudos to one and all. And check out that DFW market…the new apex of creativity in the world of TV promo.

And yes, that was Well Dunne Talent's ED GREEN voicing the awards show. He's great. You should hire him. End of commercial. Keep reading.

Loyal Kaspar did a fab job on the latest Tattoo Highway promo for A&E. Here’s a screen grab from the spot. Always so amazed at the exciting graphics going on today.

Has the global ad market reset, leaving local TV stations in the dark and radio out of the picture all together? Ballmer: Global ad market has "reset".

Love to hear good news. Lord knows we need it more than ever. Let me know what good things are going on with your creativity via Facebook , Twitter or Linked In.

Think About This: “There is no such thing as can't, only won't. If you're qualified, all it takes is a burning desire to accomplish, to make a change. Go forward, go backward. Whatever it takes! But you can't blame other people or society in general. It all comes from your mind.” ~ Jan Ashford

Well Dunne! for Monday, June 22, 2009

PROMAX wrapped up with a dazzling Awards Show, voiced by ED GREEN. OK, that’s my Well Dunne! Talent plug for the day…relax and read on. Now that those in attendance are back at their office, head clear….The award winners are here.

Who won one of the highly coveted guitars that STEPHEN ARNOLD MUSIC was giving away on the PROMAX floor? Find out tomorrow. Got a call in right now.

I think it’s so cool when someone who was on staff resigns, starts their own shop and gets to rep their former employer. It’s what JEFF PRYOR, former EVP/Corporate Communications with MGM, did. In his case, he didn’t begin a company – he went back to one he had begun. Priority PR is his LA based agency. Well Dunne! Jeff.

TV is THE brand builder, baby. The net can’t seem to do it alone. So stop counting TV out, people.

CBS sees the future of the biz one way…NBC another. Read about it here and then let me know what you think.

News? Of course you have it. Share it. Now go have a great day.

Think About This: “Be brave enough to live creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can't get there by bus, only by hard work, risking, and by not quite knowing what you're doing. What you'll discover will be wonderful: yourself. “ ~ Alan Alda

Well Dunne! for June 18, 2009

Congrats to the BDA Winners! Well Dunne! Talent’s MITCH PHILLIPS, who was the announcer at the event, says it was a great show. Well Dunne! to one and all. Who won? Try this, it's been hit or miss getting it to work, but this is the site.

Tonight is the PROMAX Awards show, and Well Dunne! Talent’s ED GREEN will be the man behind the mike. Yeah, it’s great fun for everybody. Ed’s voice is one you all might remember from the Lord of the Rings trailers. Cool.

BETH POLISH has been named director of Corporate Innovation for Hearst Corporation and senior vice president of Hearst Interactive Media. In this newly created position, Polish is developing and leading an employee innovation program focusing on inspiring Hearst's nearly 20,000 employees, across more than 200 businesses, to develop their creative business ideas into profitable ventures with the support of the company. Polish has held senior management positions in media, finance, private investment and technology.

Coming on board at Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) is RUSSELL ARONS, whose biz card will read SVP/Worldwide Marketing. She (yes, Russell is a lady…see the picture) comes over from Electronic Arts, the game company, where she handled marketing. At one time, she had another cool title: VP and GM of Barbie at Mattel. Well Dunne! Russell.

Congrats to SCARLETT JUNG, who has a new slot in LA at Capital Records. Besides her voice talents, Ms. Scarlett is now Production Coordinator in the creative services department. I need to ask her if she works in the famous round building in Hollywood. Well Dunne! lady.

Think About This: "A person can do other things against his will; but belief is possible only in one who is willing." ~ Saint Augustine

Well Dunne! for June 16, 2009

As PROMAX kicks off in NYC this morning, station-side creatives are hard at work in their own offices or, sadly, wondering what their next opportunity will be. Cut-backs have done just that, cut a wide swatch through the industry. The word “echo” was used to describe a Top 5 operation where so many have been jettisoned, it was shocking. OK, that said, let’s move on with an eye to the future and a note to be kind to each other. You meet the same people going up as you do going down.

If you ARE at PROMAX, check out MITCH PHILLIPS tonight when he and Judah Friedlander of NBC’s 30 Rock are all about the bda Awards. Mitch is Well Dunne! Talent.

MOLLY KELLY got a boot upstairs. The lovely Irish lass (with that name, how could she not be?) has been named Station Manager for WCIU, WWME and WMEU, the three Weigel Broadcasting stations in Chicago. Molly has been with the group as Director of Marketing and Promotions. Along the way, Molly has been at WOOD in Grand Rapids as well as WISN in Milwaukee. Congrats and Well Dunne! Miss Molly.

While we’re in that neck of America, over in Madison Wisconsin comes word that GRANT FENSTER has been writing and producing Topicals at WKOW, the ABC affil in the state capital of the Badger State. Yes, the one owned by Quincy Newspapers. Before transitioning to promos, Grant was producing the AM News show. Well Dunne!

Freelance Job: Have experience on a Quantel and want some freelance opps? Easy as pie. Go to the Quantel website and check out the Freelancers section. Good luck and keep me posted.

Creativity…the key to success says Harvard.

Think About This: “The next step in human evolution is not inevitable, but for the first time in the history of our planet, it can be a conscious choice. Who is making that choice? You are. And who are you? Consciousness that has become conscious of itself.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

Well Dunne! for June 15, 2009

Heading to PROMAX? I know I said I was, but things just didn’t work out. Nonetheless, you’ll have info and all kinds of updates here. The wonder of modern technology. If you ARE on hand in NYC, give the voices at the Awards shows an extra round of applause. Both are Well Dunne! Talents. Voicing along with emcee Judah Friedlander of 30 Rock at the BDA Show is MITCH PHILLIPS. He’s a doll and a New Yorker at heart. The PROMAX Award voice is ED GREEN, who will help emcee Bob Saget announce all the winners. You need Mitch and Ed, too, you know. Make that next project a ‘for the books” home run. Well Dunne! you two. So proud.

What do you do with 99 Tigers? You brand and promote with them, that’s what. 99 Tigers is the new entity of former Crossroads’ GLENN LAZZARO and DAVID SEELEY, who have formed their own company for on-air promotion, network marketing, and collaborative efforts with affinity agencies. Joining Lazzaro and Seeley at 99 Tigers are BRETT KARLEY, producer, and ASTRA DORF, who will continue to head up marketing for the group. Their recent clients include ABC, CBS, Bravo, Univision, Oxygen, MSG, iVillage, and the United Nations. Also working with the company will be L.A.-based director BILL PRICE. Well Dunne! Tigers.

MARC LUCAS jumps from group creative director to executive creative director at Razorfish. That's him there on the right.

Wrangling creatives can be a lot like herding cats. But the NYT’s recent article about how to do it, via noted game designer Will Wright, is worth the read.

Think About This: "Thoughts lead on to purposes; purposes go forth in action; actions form habits; habits decide character; and character fixes our destiny." ~ Tryon Edwards