Direct-Response Business Looks for Shot in the Arm

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Mercury Media, the largest private direct-response media buyer in the country, went outside the advertising industry to hire its new chief executive.

Ronald Pruett previously was chief marketing officer of Polymedica/Liberty Medical, a diabetes product supply company.

But it’s not that big of a jump: The company was also a big buyer of direct-response TV time.

“It may look like a switch, but there is a natural segue,” Pruett said. “At Liberty, the marketing was TV-centric. At Mercury, we are deep into direct-response TV and we are going to continue in that direction.”

Pruett switched jobs after the publicly traded Polymedica was acquired by Medco Health Solutions.

Santa Monica-based Mercury already has some of the biggest clients in direct-response TV, including BodyFlex, Gold Vault, National Recreational Properties, Time Life Music, Ronco, Netflix and DirecTV.

Pruett said in the economic downturn that marketers who never considered direct marketing are now willing to try it because the link between media spending and sales can be precisely measured.

“The traditional customers are the gadget guys,” he said. “But now a lot more corporations and even electioneers are looking at direct-response television. That opportunity is one of the reasons I joined Mercury.”


Surprise!

When Carl Terzian neglected to plan a 40th anniversary party, his colleagues took care of it for him. But he didn’t know until it happened.

Terzian is widely considered the party planner extraordinaire of Los Angeles. For four decades, his boutique PR firm has followed the same formula: invite select people to attend roundtable breakfasts, lunches or cocktails in order to introduce them to his clients and sign new ones. Terzian organizes 800 events each year at hotels and private clubs in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Francisco. His Rolodex includes nearly 10,000 names, and he has helped about 4,500 clients during his career.

So it was odd that he didn’t set up a celebration to mark his downtown agency’s four decades in business. But not so odd that his associates invited his family, employees, clients and friends to the Regency Club in Westwood last month. And they managed to keep the party a secret from the boss.

“It was a total surprise,” said Jim Goyjer, vice president at Carl Terzian Associates. “We had almost 80 people at the party, and that’s about all the place can hold.”


Kobe vs. Spike

L.A. ad agency 72andSunny has produced a new TV commercial for the NBA Finals that delivers plenty of star power.

The 30-second spot introduces Lakers guard Kobe Bryant as the spokesperson for the “NBA 2K10” video game.

In the spot, filmmaker and New York Knicks fan Spike Lee discusses possible choices for the cover of the video game. Not surprisingly, he shows pictures of Knicks players. But finally he shows that Bryant will be on the cover. He invites viewers to vote on cover design options.

“This assignment allowed us to do what we do best tap in to popular culture in a way that connects the brand and the user,” Glenn Cole, creative director at 72andSunny, said in a statement.

The “NBA 2K” series has been the top-rated pro basketball simulation game for eight years running. An update is set to release in the fall.




Agencies & Accounts

David Langness has joined PR agency MWW as co-general manager of its downtown L.A. office. Langness specializes in crisis management communications for health issues, civil and criminal trials, and legislation. He was previously director of corporate communications at Tenet Healthcare Corp. Actor Jeremiah David Turner has hired Mayo Communications to handle his publicity. Mayo is also managing PR for “Etienne,” a humorous film about a hamster’s adventures that stars Turner. … West L.A.-based Wonacott Communications has a new account director, Damion Martin. The agency also has named a new senior account executive, Racheal Caswell. Martin will oversee corporate communications and media relations for clients Equity Risk Partners and One World Direct. Caswell will handle media relations for digital media entertainment clients. Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau has selected Pollack PR Marketing Group in Century City for its public relations and marketing. The CVB chose Pollack to “expand the base of interest beyond travel and tourism media to include lifestyle and online media segments that cater to a broader audience of potential visitors,” said Misti Kerns, president and chief executive of the organization. Englander & Associates in downtown Los Angeles has named attorney Adam Englander as vice president for government relations and advocacy. The son of agency founder Harvey Englander previously worked at the firm of Cox Castle & Nicholson LLP.


Staff reporter Joel Russell can be reached at [email protected] or at (323) 549-5225, ext. 237.

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