conductor presentation booklet
TRANSCRIPT
“ Storytelling is the creative demonstration
of truth. A story is the living proof of an
idea, the conversion of idea to action.”
— ROBERT MCKEE
C O N D U C T O R B R A N D P R O G R A M M I N G
Consulting | Ideation | Storytell ing | Production | Distribution | Metrics©2007 conductor
Who is Programming Your Network?
The Power of Storytelling
Conductor Brand ProgrammingTM
Conductor Services
The Conductor Orchestra
What We Deliver
Select Case Studies
Contact Information
TABLE OF CONTENTS
“ Customers must recognize that you
stand for something.”
— HOWARD SCHULTZ, STARBUCKS
C O N D U C T O R B R A N D P R O G R A M M I N G
Consulting | Ideation | Storytell ing | Production | Distribution | Metrics©2007 conductor
THE POWER OF STORYTELL ING
When you strip it all away, we are defined by the stories we tell,
and the stories that are told about us.
And brands are no different.
But who IS your brand? What is its history...its creation myth...
its passions and reasons for being that can deepen its relevance
to consumers and build preemptive, long-term relationships?
What is its current and future journey in the marketplace?
And how can you enlist consumers to join that journey and,
in the process, drive the success of the brand and enrich
consumers’ lives? And how do you take that story and program
it across the media that matter to your best audience?
Conductor can deliver the answers to these questions because
we’ve built the most robust combination of brand strategists and
long-form, multi-channel storytellers in the business, all focused
on driving sales of your brand.
WHO IS PROGRAMMING YOUR NETWORK?
J&J and Unilever bow out of the Upfront.
Consumers take command of their media consumption.
$112 billion (1/3) of U.S. advertising is wasted.
(Briggs/Stuart, “What Sticks”)
CMO and agency turnover accelerate.
Yet it’s the best time to leapfrog your competition and connect
deeply, preemptively, and profitably with your consumers.
That’s because the new media landscape has made every
brand a network...a network of reach and influence that can
efficiently deliver anytime, anywhere, any-screen content
where, how and when the consumer wants it.
This is not about taking ads and distributing them onto every
screen the consumer sees.
It’s about programming your brand with relevant, immersive,
engaging content on the right screen, at the right time, to
the right person, in the right state of mind.
It’s about Brand ProgrammingTM.
And it’s why brands come to Conductor.
“ In the end, there are three things about a great story:
1. People want to hear it.
2. People want to tell it.
3. People want to participate in it.
If people want to hear, tell or participate in your story,
then you are sharing your brand conviction with them;
brand conviction means brand customers.”
— DAVID POLINCHOCK, ENTERTAINMENT MANAGEMENT
C O N D U C T O R B R A N D P R O G R A M M I N G
Consulting | Ideation | Storytell ing | Production | Distribution | Metrics©2007 conductor
CONDUCTOR SERVICES:
Conductor “owns the problem” of deeper, more profitable
engagement with consumers at every stage of our work:
Consulting
Brand Story Foundation development/facilitation, including
Brand Storytelling BriefsTM, Brand Storytelling MapsTM,
Brand Fame FootprintsTM, and various forms of strategic,
integration and orchestration counsel, a la carte or bundled
Ideation
Brand Story creative development, from multi-media
marketing programs to pure-play entertainment
Storytelling
Brand Story BiblesTM, Brand PlaysTM, and multi-channel
Brand Programming architecture and recommendations
Production
Pre-production and multi-channel prep/planning/budgeting;
physical production, from film and TV to digital, books,
magazines and wireless
Distribution
Multi-channel distribution, including third-party media,
studio, network and publishing partnerships and
optimization
Metrics
LBETM proprietary brand programming metrics suite
synched with brand’s existing goal-setting and
metrics models
CONDUCTOR BRAND PROGRAMMINGTM
Conductor has deep experience selling and telling the
stories of brands, from film franchises like Spider-Man to
original web series and video games for Unilever’s AXE
deodorant.
We have marketed 1000’s of feature films, 100’s of
consumer and B2B brands, and lived in and blended the
Hollywood and Madison Avenue cultures for over 25 years.
Our creative process is driven by the best storytellers
in the world: screenwriters, directors and film and TV
producers who understand the difference between
“:30 second spots” and “hours of emotional immersion
and impact.”
We have expertise in the development, packaging and
producing of TV shows, motion pictures, web series,
infomercials, multiple digital programming formats and
advertising in all traditional and emerging formats.
Every Conductor brand programming initiative is built on a
firm strategic foundation and thoroughly integrated across
all appropriate media and marketing communications. These
usually include entertainment publicity, PR and promotion,
and can also include direct marketing and publishing efforts
online and offline.
“ Consumers are anxious to be engaged
by marketers in a more satisfying and
compelling way.”
— WALKER SMITH, PRESIDENT, YANKELOVICH
C O N D U C T O R B R A N D P R O G R A M M I N G
Consulting | Ideation | Storytell ing | Production | Distribution | Metrics©2007 conductor
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE TALENT: THE CONDUCTOR ORCHESTRA
Entertainment industry veterans: Producer/directors,
development executives, show writers and runners.
Marketing/advertising veterans: Top-tier global advertising,
promotion, digital and direct marketing experts.
Financial management veterans: Merchant and
investment banking, agency operations and financial
management expertise.
Who is in Conductor’s Orchestra?
Industry and marketing analysts and business vertical experts;
A-level film directors & writers, film & TV producers, show-
runners, front-of-camera and behind the camera comedic
talent and management; brand and entertainment graphic
and design talent (print, 2D & 3D designers); film studio
executives, production designers, agents and packagers;
digital strategists and producers; entertainment publicity
specialists, entertainment TV strip program producers;
informercial producers and DRTV media experts; celebrities;
media strategists, planners and buyers; brand and custom
publishing specialists; entertainment legal, structured finance
and distribution partners.
WHAT WE DELIVER
Business, marketing and brand strategic syntheses, analyses
and leadership; brand storytelling foundation briefing and
mapping documentation; Brand Story BiblesTM and Brand PlaysTM,
scripts and screenplays; teleplays, web series, films, TV shows
and specials; DVD and VOD content; events, corporate films
and retail storytelling; direct response programming, media
and metrics; books, magazines, web sites and micro sites;
proprietary and partnered/secondary consumer research and
accountability metrics.
The Conductor Difference
No one has the network, talent access, history, cases and
success stories of Conductor.
“ Ten Tips for creating captivating brand stories1. Nurture your brand story both inside and outside
the company.
2. Listen to your consumers’ stories.
3. Speak with an authentic human voice.
4. Try writing your brand strategies in story-form
instead of boring bullets.
5. Use humor whenever you can.
6. Tell your story with imagination.
7. Put your heart into it. Your story needs heart.
8. Have a sense of proportion.
9. You can’t control all aspects of your brand story,
no matter how hard you try.
10.Your brand story must have integrity.” — DENNIS BRUCE
C O N D U C T O R B R A N D P R O G R A M M I N G
Consulting | Ideation | Storytell ing | Production | Distribution | Metrics©2007 conductor
CONDUCTOR BRAND PROGRAMMINGTM
SELECT CASE STUDIES Stouffer’s During Dinner
National Hockey League Relaunch
Miller Genuine Draft Ozwald Boateng
Unilever AXE Unlimited
Ford Fox “24” Program Launch
Spider-Man Franchise Launch
C O N D U C T O R B R A N D P R O G R A M M I N G
Consulting | Ideation | Storytell ing | Production | Distribution | Metrics©2007 conductor
Challenge
Move Stouffer’s Multiserve frozen dinners (e.g., lasagna) from the
back of the freezer to top of mind as an easy, accessible family meal
solution.
Solution
Build word of mouth and “Mom talk value” of the brand through
“During Dinner,” a package of immersive, multi-media stories
around the dinner time experience served up at a dedicated site,
www.duringdinner.com. All stories center around Anne Callaway,
a mother of three, and the comedic trials and tribulations of
feeding and connecting with her family around the dinner table.
The campaign employs multiple forms of online and offline media
and a cross-platform ABC/Disney partnership deepens consumer
engagement. A promotion producing consumer-generated video
dinner time stories is a key traffic driver, with the winning family’s
video earning them a Disney dream vacation for 15 and a screening
on ABC Family.
Results
The program launched February 19, 2007. General and online media,
combined with PR and entertainment publicity coverage on programs
like The View and EXTRA, have driven site traffic beyond goals and
Nestle norms, and visitors are viewing an average of 8.5 pages per
visit. Most important, the Stouffer’s multiserve business is ahead of
its sales goals as of May 1, 2007.
CONDUCTOR CASE STUDY:
STOUFFER ’S DURING DINNERTM
C O N D U C T O R B R A N D P R O G R A M M I N G
Consulting | Ideation | Storytell ing | Production | Distribution | Metrics©2007 conductor
Challenge
Relaunch the NHL brand on a very limited national budget, and
reinvigorate the business of hockey after an unprecedented year-
long labor lock-out. In the process, reignite passion for the sport
amongst fans, players and business partners. Core business goal:
Exceed previous full-season in-arena attendance.
Solution
Go deep inside the warrior soul of the sport and bring it to life
through a classic tale of redemption and honor, seen through the
eyes of a warrior rising to the occasion for his homeland. The
brand programmingTM was delivered in 5-chapter cinematic story
distributed across multiple TV, digital, transit and retail outlets:
from league-level :30s on national TV to localized versions for each
of the 30 league teams shown in arenas and on local TV, to in-
cinema trailers and theatrical co-promotions with NBC, to extended-
length mini-movies on airlines, corporate partner sites and in-retail
TV networks. Extensive print and radio advertising, along with PR
and publicity efforts broadened the campaign’s reach, particularly
among key female audiences (a surprisingly important part of
the franchise).
Results
National and local press coverage of the campaign was
extraordinary, both in the U.S. and Canada. Individual teams and
national partners (including NBC) gave the campaign unprecedented
financial support. Most importantly, league revenue goals were
exceeded, and ticket sales topped previous records across the
league. Commissioner Bettman continues to credit the campaign as
a critical relaunch success catalyst. Awards included a BrandWeek
Marketing Idea of the Year, and 17 Tellys in multiple categories for
excellence in film production.
CONDUCTOR CASE STUDY:
NHL RELAUNCH
C O N D U C T O R B R A N D P R O G R A M M I N G
Consulting | Ideation | Storytell ing | Production | Distribution | Metrics©2007 conductor
Challenge
Help re-establish Miller Genuine Draft premium franchise leadership
and position the brand as an upscale alternative to imports,
wine and spirits. Accomplish this through a summer 2006 “brand
programming™ event” that would galvanize distributors and create
“news” around the brand during the key summer selling season.
Solution
Conductor partnered with Reveille Productions (producers of
13 current on-air series, including “The Office” on NBC and
“Ugly Betty” on ABC) to deliver a 3-part story linking the passion
and craftsmanship of Miller brewmasters and an emerging UK
design star. Conductor told the story by integrating MGD into
Reveille’s “House of Boateng” series on Sundance Channel, and
activated the Boateng/Miller partnership through major press
attention. The 8-part docudrama chronicled British fashion designer
Ozwald Boateng as he endeavors to break into the US market.
Included in the story arc was Ozwald’s trip to the Miller Brewing
Company, where he became immersed in the MGD brand culture
and was briefed to design special 2007 brand packaging. Conductor
developed and executed the business partnership between Boateng
and Miller, the brand programming™ on Sundance Channel, and the
activation and press coverage of the partnership.
Results
The high-profile impact of the integrated program launch and
PR amplification paid out the campaign within a week. The launch
event at LA Museum of Television & Radio generated significant
national TV coverage and buzz, and significant enthusiasm among
key MGD distributors, retail customers and stakeholders who
attended the event.
CONDUCTOR CASE STUDY:
MILLER GENUINE DRAFT
C O N D U C T O R B R A N D P R O G R A M M I N G
Consulting | Ideation | Storytell ing | Production | Distribution | Metrics©2007 conductor
Challenge
Accelerate already-white-hot U.S. growth of AXE in the face of
Gillette’s $100mm clone entry (TAG) through the launch of the new
UNLIMITED fragrance. Connect more deeply with the male youth
market than had been possible through traditional advertising.
Solution
A two-part brand programming™ effort: First, an online comedic
web series and seduction guide, lived out and posted online through
the first-ever “vlog” (videoblog). It’s the story of two guys, Evan &
Gareth, who travel the country as “seduction crash test dummies,
taking the hits so others can learn the best moves.” The site is still
live at www.evanandgareth.com. And second, a console-quality,
online multiplayer game of seduction: MojoMaster, where young men
“work their moves” (with help from AXE product power boosts, and
advice from Evan & Gareth) on 100 unique, 3D animated women
(all rated PG-13!) Comprehensive PR, publicity, retail and college
campus activation helped “create a movement” around the product
launch and brand, and multiple online site partnerships drove traffic
throughout the year.
Results
Helped accelerate AXE 2005 share gains, effectively blunting
Gillette’s TAG entry. AXE retained #1 category position and drove
80 percent of all category growth. Millions of consumers spent
hours in self-directed, deep brand experiences online through both
programs. Awards include the Silver Reggie for National Sales
Promotion, Clio Global Advertiser of the Year for the Unilever client
team, and a Gold Brand Communication Award from the CEO of
Unilever for the most effective brand communications effort for
2005 for driving “brand strength and business growth.”
CONDUCTOR CASE STUDY:
UNILEVER AXE UNLIMITED LAUNCH
C O N D U C T O R B R A N D P R O G R A M M I N G
Consulting | Ideation | Storytell ing | Production | Distribution | Metrics©2007 conductor
Challenge
Create an original brand programming™ solution in under a month
that would make powerful use of Ford’s exclusive media buy-out of
the series premiere of FOX’s “24”.
Solution
Conductor created two 3-minute brand programming™ “bookends” to
the show premier featuring Toby Keith and Ford oval-brand vehicles,
eliminating commercial interruptions during the show, a first in the
modern TV era. The stories, entitled “Every Moment, Every Mile”,
played out on a chronological timeline similar to each episode of “24”,
and dramatically demonstrated that Ford products touch more people
in a 24-hour day than any other auto manufacturer, and that “24” is
a metaphor of “An American Ford day.”
Results
AdAge’s annual recall study put both 3-minute films in its top 10
of ALL advertisements aired in 2002, and The Yankee Group and
other analysts continue to cite this effort as a pioneering “branded
entertainment” breakthrough.
CONDUCTOR CASE STUDY:
FORD/FOX “24” PROGRAM LAUNCH
C O N D U C T O R B R A N D P R O G R A M M I N G
Consulting | Ideation | Storytell ing | Production | Distribution | Metrics©2007 conductor
Challenge
Pre-launch strategy, franchise branding and identity, and multimedia
integrated campaign development and execution, including B2B
partner outreach for the Spider-Man franchise. Conductor was
engaged in January 2000, 2 1/2 years prior to the summer 2002
premiere of Spider-Man 1.
Solution
Every story—and every piece of communication—was based on one,
core strategic direction and word: VERTIGO, in both the physical
and the emotional meanings (That is, both the vertiginous viewpoint
in every piece of communication, and Peter Parker’s emotional
choice between “superhero” or “the girl”). From the first-ever web
teaser for a major motion picture, launched 2 years before the
first film premiered, to the branding/identity of the entire franchise
(including the distinctive Spider-Man type font), to the development
and execution of every piece of consumer and B2B marketing
communications for the first film, to the creation and distribution of
a $5mm Conductor-produced teaser trailer in the summer of 2001,
Conductor partnered with SONY Pictures to deliver a strategically-
focused, comprehensive multi-media brand programming™ effort to
introduce and nurture the biggest franchise in SONY’s history.
Results
A $3 Billion franchise, with each of the three films breaking
all previous box office records. A record-breaking 280 global
promotion partners were enlisted for the second film and 310 for
Spider-Man 3, helping ensure an evergreen franchise that is the
foundation of SONY Pictures.
CONDUCTOR CASE STUDY:
SPIDER-MAN FRANCHISE LAUNCH
C O N D U C T O R B R A N D P R O G R A M M I N G
Consulting | Ideation | Storytell ing | Production | Distribution | Metrics©2007 conductor
CONTACT INFORMATION:
conductor
1411 Fifth Street, Suite 200
Santa Monica, CA 90401
T 310.260.9588
F 310.260.9959
www.conductorla.com
Tim Tennant
Tom Cotton
Jordan Rednor
“ If you harness imagination and the principles
of a well-told story, then you get people
rising to their feet amid thunderous applause
instead of yawning and ignoring you.”
— ROBERT MCKEE