2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
DH16: Session B:
Monetizing Your Entertainment Community - Converting Internet Viewers into Paying Customers:
There are two goals in the strategic planning of a website. The first is to define and reach your audience, creating traffic and the second is to maintain user interest, develop loyalty, and have them return regularly to your site. At the same time, to maintain the financial integrity of your enterprise, you must convert those users into paying customers. Most strategists believe that banner advertising alone is not a viable long term economic plan. Monetizing your community as an e-commerce site is a necessary companion option. In this session we will explore various ideas in e-commerce applications as they apply to web entertainment users and communities.
Yariv Kafri, Vice President Business Development, Gizmoz, Inc.
JP Clement, VP Marketing, Enigma Digital
Paul Stathacopoulos, Director of Product Develoment, Planetweb
Randy Levine, Director, Business Development, NaviSite
Tyrone Lam, President, Buzztime, Inc.
James Thielen, COO/EVP & Interim CEO, NetActive
Jon Brown, VP of Engineering, Activate, Moderator
JP Clement, VP Marketing, Enigma Digital: JP Clement brings over ten years marketing experience to Enigma Digital. Most recently, he was vice president of marketing for Ticketmaster Online, where he developed the first ever marketing plan for ticketmaster.com and was a member of a select senior management team involved in wholesale redesign of ticketmaster.com and citysearch.com. He also pioneered the use of database marketing and other relationship building marketing activities for customer and consumer retention. Prior to his tenure at Ticketmaster Online, Clement worked as an international management consultant at McCaffrey & Company. While there he worked with apparel manufacturer Escada USA and GFT USA, who licenses and manufactures Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and other high fashion designers on strategic marketing projects.JP began his career at General Mills Inc. - Yoplait USA where he worked as assistant marketing manager in the company's Northeast and Central regions. Following this he worked at Chef America as senior product manager and was responsible for developing company wide marketing plans that generated upwards of 30% in increased sales in two of the company's products. He also oversaw all market research and national sales promotions. Previous to his tenure at Chef America, Clement worked as director of database marketing at DFS Group Ltd. JP Clement holds an MBA degree from Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College. He also graduated cum laude from the Institut de Management International de Paris, with a Master of Science in International Management (MSIM) program and a Bachelor of Science in International Management (BSIM).
Tyrone Lam has more than eight year's experience in the Interactive TV industry. He joined NTN Communications in December 1994 and was promoted to vice president and general manager in September 1997; a year later he was appointed to the position of executive vice president of the company. In December 1999, Lam, who previously ran NTN Communications' hospitality division, was appointed to president of BUZZTIME, Inc., NTN's wholly-owned Internet subsidiary that owns one of the world's largest trivia game show libraries and offers the unique "TV Play-Along" sports game. Under his direction, the BUZZTIME.com™new game Website was officially launched in May 2000.
Before joining NTN, Lam managed sports and games development for EON Corporation, a pioneer in the interactive television industry formerly known as TV Answer. Previously, Lam served in several sales and marketing management positions within the software industry. He is the former chairman of the Interactive Services Association's Interactive Television Council and has published several articles on interactive television, sales and marketing strategies. Lam received a Bachelor's degree in political science from Virginia Tech.
James Thielen, COO/EVP & Interim CEO, NetActive: Jim Thielen came to NetActive from positions with the American Red Cross and Eastman Kodak Company. With proven domestic and international business experience, he brings to NetActive a broad understanding of business operations for several large businesses. Mr. Thielen has a consistent track record of leading multi-functional business operations focusing on growth of revenues and earnings and development of new business models. He is a member of the Alumni Advisory Council for the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester. His educational background includes a B.S. degree from the University of Minnesota and an MBA from the University of Rochester.
Randy Levine, Director, Business Development, NaviSite, Streaming Media Division: As the Director of Business Development for NaviSite’s Streaming Media Division, Randy Levine is responsible for all relationships and alliances involving streaming media for NaviSite. Before joining NaviSite, Mr. Levine was Vice President of Business Development at ClickHear, Inc., where he was responsible for sales, as well as strategic alliances and partners. Mr. Levine played an integral role in the acquisition of ClickHear by NaviSite. Prior to joining ClickHear, Mr. Levine was Director of Strategic Relationships for StarMedia Broadband after it’s merger with Webcast Solutions. Besides overseeing all business relationships for WebCast Solutions, Randy played the leading role in the merger of WebCast Solutions and StarMedia to create StarMedia Broadband. Mr. Levine began his professional career as a political consultant, where he managed, and raised funds for, many successful local and congressional campaigns throughout the United States.