9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Track IV:
The Value of Celebrity Brands in Brand Integration
Celebrity brands are forging new relationships with Fortune 500 Companies with a much greater complexity than the original endorsements and licensing deals. From top tier TV commercials, Oscars’ gifting suites, Sundance Film Festival’s gifting retreats, goodie bags at all of the major award shows to full-fledge branding strategies driven by celebrity brands, Hollywood is impacting how consumer products are introduced to some very competitive marketplaces. A panel of top tier brands, celebrities and Hollywood deal experts discusses current and future values of celebrity brands in brand integration.
Benjamin R. Mulcahy, Partner, Entertainment & Media Group, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP
Ken Hertz, Senior Partner, Goldring Hertz & Lichtenstein LLP
Ken Solomon, Chairman and CEO, Tennis Channel
Robert Hollander, President, Brand Sense Partners
Rick Dees, Legendary Radio Personality and Industry Executive
Mariana Danilovic, Managing Director, Hollywood Portfolio, LLC, Moderator
Additional speakers to be announced
Ken Solomon, Chairman and CEO, Tennis Channel: Solomon's indust
ry experience is extensive. As president of Universal Studios Television, now Studios USA Television, he oversaw asset development and distribution activities on a worldwide basis for primetime network, cable, syndication, and made-for-television movies. His administration pioneered the first ever network licensing of an original series simultaneously across multiple platforms with "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" to NBC and USA Network. Additionally, "Law & Order" won the primetime Emmy for best drama during his tenure. As co-head of DreamWorks Television, Solomon helped lay the groundwork for what would be the landmark DreamWorks SKG Studio, working to create and build its extensive television operations in domestic and international markets. This included worldwide first run program development and production, domestic sales and marketing. Before joining DreamWorks, Solomon held two high-ranking positions at News Corp., including executive vice president of network distribution at Fox Broadcasting, where he was charged with leading the campaign to level the playing field among all broadcast networks, including among other major accomplishments, the "broadcast affiliate" wars. To this end, the network acquired the NFL and NHL sports franchise rights, securing Fox's ascension from the ranks of fledgling program service to top-rated broadcast network. His campaigns resulted in more than two dozen NBC, ABC and CBS affiliates moving to Fox. After News Corp's historic acquisition of New World Television, which was comprised of mostly CBS affiliates, Solomon oversaw the group's transition to Fox affiliation. Additionally, he was integrally involved in the launch and early development of the FX cable network, News Corp's first foray into basic cable. His career at News Corp. began as executive vice president and general sales manager for Twentieth Century Fox Domestic Television, managing the company's first run and off-net marketing and distribution strategies. Solomon's experience also includes the positions of vice president-eastern regional manager at Disney's Buena Vista Domestic Television and eastern division manager for Paramount Domestic Television. He most recently served as founding president of iBlast, where he was responsible for building the nation's largest and farthest-reaching digital content broadcast distribution network, with 246 stations covering 93 percent of U.S. television households. Solomon was involved with the National Association of Television Programming Executives (NATPE) for five years, serving on the board and the executive committee. He was named Humanitarian of the Year in 1998 by H.E.L.P. Group, one of the largest and most influential children's charities in the Western United States.Kenneth Hertz, Senior Partner, Goldring, Hertz & Lichtenstein: Hertz, m
anaging partner in the Beverly Hills law firm of Goldring, Hertz and Lichtenstein LLP, specializes in representing talent in the entertainment industries. The firm’s clients include Will Smith, Destiny’s Child, Beyonce Knowles, Christina Aguilera, No Doubt, Hillary Duff and Alanis Morissette. Prior to joining the firm, Hertz was vice president, music -- business and legal affairs -- for The Walt Disney Company. Hertz is also a principal in Membrain, an entertainment marketing strategy consulting firm that consults a number of firms engaged in businesses operating in the entertainment content, technology and marketing industries (including Hasbro, Alliance Entertainment, BMG and The Estate of Elvis Presley, Def Jam and Paul Frank Industries). Hertz is a frequent speaker on the subjects of entertainment, convergence and technology, and has been an instructor at UCLA’s Anderson Graduate School of Management. Hertz is also active in various causes and in December 2002 he, and his partner Fred Goldring, received the ACLU’s Bill of Rights Award for their extraordinary commitment to social justice.Benjamin R. Mulcahy, Partner, Entertainment & Media Group, Sheppard,
Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP: Benjamin R. Mulcahy represents studios, writers, and independent production companies in various aspects of television and motion picture development, production, finance and distribution, including negotiating, drafting, and offering advice on all above-the- line and below-the- line agreements, development deals, first-look agreements, rights acquisition agreements and options, feature film distribution agreements, negative pick-up agreements, production services agreements, television series distribution and licensing agreements, and financing documents, reviewing chain of title, and performing diligence on television, motion picture and other intellectual property libraries in connection with major entertainment industry mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Mulcahy has represented such television networks and motion picture production companies as Showtime Networks Inc., Telemundo, Focus Features, ABC Cable Networks and Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, among others. As one of the founding members of Sheppard Mullin's Advertising Practice Group, Mr. Mulcahy also represents and counsels advertisers, prominent web site operators, and advertising and marketing agencies in preparing endorsement and sponsorship agreements, licensing and protecting intellectual property rights, reviewing and clearing advertising copy for use in on- line and off- line media, structuring gift certificate and rebate programs, complying with privacy concerns, preparing advertising agency and media agreements, and advising clients in complying with state and federal regulations governing some of the highest profile contest and sweepstakes promotions in the country. In representing clients in their online initiatives, Mr. Mulcahy prepares website development agreements and online privacy and terms of use policies, provides legal clearance for online content, negotiates online hosting, ad serving, and ad insertion order agreements, advises clients in complying with state and federal privacy legislation such as CAN SPAM and COPPA, and prepares and negotiates non-disclosure agreements and interactive marketing and promotion alliances. In connection with his advertising practice, Mr. Mulcahy has represented such companies as New Line Cinema, The Walt Disney Company, Paramount Pictures Corporation, Miller Brewing Company, the Game Show Network, Lions Gate Entertainment, Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment, Jenny Craig, Inc. and The Marketing Store Worldwide. Mr. Mulcahy has been ranked as one the country's leading attorneys by The National Law Journal. The publication named Mr. Mulcahy to its annual "40 Under 40" list of leading lawyers under the age of 40.Robert Hollander, President, Brand Sense Partners: With over 25 years of experience in marketing, licensing and merchandising, Robert has served in numerous high-profile leadership roles for sports and entertainment companies and organizations. He is at the helm of Brand Sense Partners, where he oversees all the agency's operations and charts strategy for the agency's long-term growth. Previously, as vice president of marketing for the Atlanta Committee for the 1996 Olympic Games (ACOG), Robert produced record retail sales exceeding $1.5 billion. Prior to joining Brand Sense, Robert was president of WHN, an internet e-commerce provider for consumer products and entertainment licensors such as Fox Broadcasting, Coca-Cola, Salt Lake City Olympics, MTV, ABC, Comedy Central, and NBC. He also held the position of president for Championship Auto Racing Teams Licensed Products (CART). Robert holds a bachelor of science degree in industrial management from Georgia Tech.
Rick Dees, Legendary Radio Personality and Industry Executive: Raised i
n Greensboro, North Carolina, Dees began his career on a dare. A fellow student challenged him to audition for a local radio program. He did, got the job and has been on the air ever since. His ingrained sense of the absurd and fervent love of comedy have rocketed him to the top of the ratings in every city in which he's worked. His is a familiar voice each weekend on the internationally syndicated "Rick Dees Weekly Top 40." The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 reaches over 70 million people a week. The syndicated show is heard on over 350 radio stations in the USA, over 125 countries and 27 ships at sea. Rick has been honored with many awards for his accomplishments, including his own star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame. He wrote and recorded "Disco Duck," which became an unexpected runaway hit, hitting #1 and selling more than four million copies. That platinum record also earned him a People's Choice Award. Subsequent albums, "I'm Not Crazy", "Rick Dees' Greatest Hit (The White Album)" and "Put it Where the Moon Don't Shine" have proven successful follow-ups to his Grammy-nominated "Hurt Me Baby, Make Me Write Bad Checks." For the past eleven years, Dees has been named Billboard Magazine's "Number One Radio Personality in America." In the motion picture "La Bamba," Rick portrayed Ted Quillen, the young man who helped launch the career of Richie Valens. Rick was the character Rocket Rick in "Jetsons: The Movie." His television credits include appearances on "Roseanne," Married With Children" and "Burke's Law," as well as the host of the ABC-TV late night program "Into The Night", and the popular syndicated series, "Solid Gold." Rick is also known for his character voices for animated children's programs including "The Flintstones," for which he provided the voice of "Rock Dees." Rick is married to Julie Dees, one of the nation's most talented voice artists and comediennes. The couple lives in the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, with their son Kevin.Mariana Danilovic is the founder and Managing Director of Hollywoo
d Portfolio, LLC, a developer, owner and operator of cable networks, digital media companies and television programming. The Company focuses on fundraising from institutional investors and brand integration through Fortune 500 companies. Through Hollywood Portfolio, Ms. Danilovic launched the luxury eco media and lifestyle company by extending a sustainable fashion brand to home, beauty and lifestyle products. Mariana also developed the Eco Your Life television show with Jane Sparango, former Producer of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and the Boom cable network, an entertainment channel for baby boomers. Previously, Ms. Danilovic was the Chief Executive Officer of Women in Technology International (WITI), an international events planning and media company that managed forty (40) chapters worldwide and organized three major conferences each year. During her tenure, WITI’s primary source of revenue was sponsorships from Fortune 500 companies, including Daimler-Chrysler, Dell, Eli Lily, GE Capital, IBM, Intel, Raytheon, Texas Instruments, Visa International and many others. Prior to WITI, Ms. Danilovic was the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Digital Media Incubator, LLC, which provided venture, later stage private equity, and business development services to digital media, film, music, technology, television, video, and convergence companies. Ms. Danilovic also founded and directed the Digital Media Incubator at KPMG LLP. This group developed numerous entertainment and digital media companies, including CatchTV, Digital Entertainment Network, E-Poll, Enband, FirstLook.com, Market Wire, mySMART, QSTV, Tonos, Thirsty, WalkThisWay. The strategic investors in these ventures included Intel, Hewlett-Packard, LG Electronics and Cox. The group successfully facilitated the sale of the Well to the Salon prior to its initial public offering. The companies Ms. Danilovic developed at KPMG LLP received first round institutional funding from such well-known venture capital firms as Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia Capital, Hummer-Winblad, Constellation Partners, Softbank and North Star Ventures. Prior to joining KPMG, Ms. Danilovic headed business development for Peter Guber’s Mandalay Entertainment. She also was part of the management team for the $60 million media fund at Sony Pictures Entertainment that made investments in companies worldwide. Ms. Danilovic also worked with Michael Milken’s Knowledge Exchange and at the Twentieth Century Fox International Television Group. Prior to attending business school, Mariana worked in Product Management as well as Mergers and Acquisitions for Transamerica and SunAmerica. Ms. Danilovic currently serves on the Board of Directors of VIC Network, and she previously served on the Board of Directors of Tim Draper’s Zone Club, California Culture Net, and was a member of former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan's Digital Coast Roundtable. Mariana earned a Masters in Business Administration from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA, and a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from University of California, San Diego.