Is sales marketing’s spouse, or its offspring?

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.

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Technology bridging teens’ socialization needs…

Terril Yue Jones has filed a detail-laden piece for the Los Angeles Times from her San Francisco post entitled “24/7, Teens Get the Message,” which sums up the many ways in which today’s teens are fulfilling their ancient instincts to socialize. The story draws in so many statistics it makes one’s head spin, validating the vast extent to which the story’s subject teenagers are embracing computers and mobile technology devices to connect to friends and groups, notch themselves upward on the ever-important ladder of popularity and deal with the other highs and lows of growing up. In other words, for an increasing number of teenagers, these communication-enabling technologies play pivotal roles in virtually all of their day-to-day activities.

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Shifting release paradigms in the movie business…

Among the many people I know who are involved in the marketing of major motion pictures, Nicole Sperling’s Hollywood Reporter article “Simultaneous movie, video plan irks theater owners” is sounding an alarm.

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Case Study: Troika Design Group


Last updated on Aug. 30, 2004: 2004 Public Relations Campaign Set Prestigious Tone for Troika Design Group

“Showcased Spectacular Achievements and Unique Market Position”
See also: MEDIA COVERAGE

Troika Design Group was a multidisciplinary, award-winning design company in Hollywood consisting of designers, producers, animators, editors and conceptual thinkers who specialized in network branding, promotional and advertising campaigns and show packaging. The DWA public relations campaign ran from February through August of 2004.

Executive Summary
At the beginning of 2004, DWA was retained by Troika Design Group as the PR agency of record to package news and pursue targeted editorial opportunities. Beyond earning online and print recognition throughout the international design, advertising and entertainment industries, Troika also earned three 2004 Gold BDA Awards and one Silver for their work for KCET, DIRECTV and Fine Living Network.

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Case Study: Endless Noise

Lasted Updated on June 1, 2003: Grammy-Winning Composer Leverages Past Recognition and New Achievements to Successfully Relaunch Commercial Music and Sound Design Company

“Strategic Public Relations Campaign Designed and Executed by The Darnell Works Agency Helps Endless Noise Command Uncommon Success”

Endless Noise: a Hollywood-based commercial music and sound design company serving the global advertising industry’s most prestigious agencies.

Executive Summary
As the PR agency of record for Grammy-winning producer and composer Jeff Elmassian from 2001 to 2003, DWA was charged with successfully relaunching music and sound design company Endless Noise. In 2002, the company earned a Gold Clio Award, an International ANDY Award, an International Monitor Award, AICP Show recognition and the London International Advertising Award for Best Sound Design (to name but a few) for their phenomenal work on Nike “Freestyle,” then went on to earn the 2003 Cannes Lion for Excellence in Music, recapture its second-straight D&AD Silver Award for Use of Music in TV and Cinema Advertising Crafts, and also score an International Andy Award in the TV category and a One Show Awards Bronze — all for their work on Nike “Before.”

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Case Study: POPcast

Last updated on Apr. 15, 2001: POPcast Claims Streaming Media Market Space, Earns Partners and Investors, Expands Into Europe

“Public Relations Campaign Designed and Executed by Roger Darnell Supports 15 Months of Successful Growth ”
See also: MEDIA COVERAGE

POPcast Communications Corp. was a streaming-media production services company, and a systems developer specializing in enterprise and consumer videomail solutions.

Executive Summary
While represented by DWA as PR agency of record, POPcast Communications landed new CEO, expanded into Europe and across the U.S., closed $11-million round “A” with Telesystem Ltd. and Intel Capital, forged alliances with Intel, Microsoft, British Telecom, JVC, Cisco and others and presented at leading U.S. and international events. Total coverage generated exceeded 60-million impressions.

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Case Study: Crest Digital


Lasted Updated on March 1, 1999: Film, Television, Music Industry, Airline In-Flight Entertainment… Crest National Does It All

“Public Relations Campaign Secures Successful Optical Media Launch and Dramatically Extends Film & Television Post Developments”

Crest Digital: A Hollywood-based provider of motion picture film lab and extensive post-production services since 1961 (including large-format telecine, subtitling, mass audio and video duplication and fulfillment), which had recently launched a full-service optical media operation.

Executive Summary
Back in 1998, Roger Darnell helped Hollywood-based Crest Digital partner with the Women in Film International Summit, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, AFI Worldfest, IFP/West, the Slamdance Film Festival and many others while reaching millions through a balanced cross-media marketing campaign. Campaign media highlights included strategic coverage in American Cinematographer, Billboard, Daily Variety, Film&Video, Game Developer, Millimeter, New Media, The Hollywood Reporter, and other top media outlets.

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