Unique insights and actionable ideas from The Darnell Works Agency’s daily quest for greatness.
Roger Darnell 
..Challenge.. From all reports, the feature film (and marketing) phenomenon that is known as “The Blair Witch Project” began with a group of dedicated, talented and resourceful filmmakers who were intent on using every asset at their disposal to make a successful film under their banner of Haxan Films.
by Roger Darnell ..Challenge.. Although modern studio films often have a marketing budget that exceeds $20 million, the marketers behind “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” had to make due with only $1 million. The executive team included IFC Films’ Bob Berney, producers Paul Brooks, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, plus Cynthia Rhea and her colleagues … Read moreMarketing Case Study: “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”
Last updated in 2006: Elite U.S. Commercial Production Company Elevates Position, Delivers Award-Winning Work for Top U.S. Agencies
“Strategic Two-Year Public Relations Campaign Designed and Executed by The Darnell Works Agency Helped Tool Maximize and Expand Its Success”
See also: TOOL MEDIA COVERAGE
Since 1995, Santa Monica-based Tool of North America has established itself among the leading U.S. commercial production companies, representing top commercial directors including Erich Joiner, Tom Routson, Oscar-winning cinematographer Bob Richardson and several other creative all stars. During the time the DWA campaign was in effect (April 2004 through May 2006), Tool also operated satellite company Paranoid Projects: Tool, which provided U.S. representation for directors Poiraud and Francois Vogel.
Executive Summary
Among many high-profile accomplishments during DWA’s two-year tenure as the PR agency of record for Tool of North America and Paranoid Projects (2004-2006), Francois Vogel’s HP “Picture Book” campaign was named Adweek’s Campaign of the Year for 2004… and also landed him in Creativity Magazine’s feature that year on the world’s hottest emerging directors. The public and media relations campaign diligently promoted commercial projects of the highest order, from top agencies, major brands, and Tool’s all-star roster of directors.
I posted a piece a couple of weeks back about the many folks I’d heard from who were beginning new careers and starting their own new ventures. So, in considering what may be of the most interest to you, I thought I’d come back to this topic and share a few more great resources. Regardless of your area of interest, there is a wealth of truly great advice to be found online.
When I invented this blog five months ago, I sought to investigate the intersections of marketing, science, technology and entertainment with the objective of unearthing some practical, actionable data that would be readily useful. It’s my pleasure to dig deeper into the field of science today with a pointer to the website for Project Exploration.
Read moreClick along with a scientific expedition, right now…
As a follow-up to my “Technology bridging teens’ socialization needs article” today’s Research Brief from MediaPost Communications encapsulates a new report from Forrester Research closely examining how young people communicate. Reviewing the Research Brief and Forrester’s summary for the report, which tabulates findings from a recent survey of Canadians and Americans aged 12 to 21, reiterates the need for those wishing to reach today’s youths to understand how technology factors into these individuals’ daily lives, and the importance of appropriately “talking the talk”. Among the reports’ gems are facts that reveal that two-thirds of respondents have computers, MP3 players top their wish lists, 94% have some type of device for playing games, half prefer game play to TV, and more than half seek and rely upon friends’ and familymembers’ advice before making purchases. The size of this group, in full, is estimated at 73 million.
Last year, San Francisco ad agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners hatched an idea for its clients at Hewlett Packard’s Digital Photography division which has led to some truly phenomenal results. Collaborations with the talented French director Francois Vogel, which began in 2003 in the development of another award-winning television commercial entitled “You”, produced a new … Read moreCase study on TV’s most beloved ad campaign…
Thank goodness for Ode Magazine. With the mission of telling stories about real people making positive change in the world, each piece posted to its website earns scores of thankful acknowledgements from readers around the globe. Editor Jurrian Kamp boldly states that each contribution is well researched, well written and inspiring. Do you agree?
Soon after graduating from college, I landed a job as a production coordinator on the small, unpaid crew of the no-budget debut feature of an ambitious filmmaker. The film was to be shot in 35mm Cinemascope, had a very accomplished DP, production designer and first assistant director, but the lack of budget was a major … Read moreProduct placement business, small and big…
In a strategic marketing plan that I put together for a client last year, I wrote that the term Marketing refers to a great many activities, including market research, brand management, customer service, sales, promotions, public relations and advertising. Drawing on extensive research, I also emphasized the need to unify those activities around a common strategy, driven by a thorough, up-to-date understanding of a company and its brand. I just read several stories from the special report in the July issue of CMO Magazine entitled The Sales-Marketing Culture Clash. I recommend reading the report, and this definition of Marketing from Wikipedia.