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2009 IMAs: Top Integrated Marketing Executive
Iris Dorbian
Co-Winner: Erick Neher, VP of Marketing, Hearst Integrated Media
Erick Neher oversees Hearst Integrated Media’s corporate marketing team, which is responsible for developing and executing integrated initiatives for advertisers who run in multiple Hearst titles. But don’t get the wrong idea: Neher, formerly group marketing director for Family Circle and the defunct McCalls (when both were owned by Gruner + Jahr USA), does not operate within a penthouse silo, barking out orders at staff. Rather, he gets into the trenches with them, conceptualizing and implementing each multi-platform program that he and his assemble will create for clients, ranging from Sears and Infiniti to Wal-Mart and Estée Lauder.
“Essentially, we act as their full-service marketing partner,” explains Neher, who’s been at his current position for almost 10 years. “[We make] sure that all of Hearst’s assets and the assets of our various media and promotional partners are put to effective and efficient use for our advertisers, helping them to achieve their specific goals.”
Of all the campaigns Neher and his staff have worked on, the one he’s most proud of is Hearst’s 30 Days of Green, which they recently completed for eBay this past April. The program encompassed print, digital and special events—“all for an advertiser that had never previously run extensive print media,” notes Neher. “The ‘green’ positioning was a natural for Hearst because of our Tower [building in New York City hailed for its green construction elements] and the editorial focus of our titles. It’s something we can really own.” It was also the first program Hearst executed that ran in every single Hearst title, from Popular Mechanics to Harper’s Bazaar.
Being progressive and unafraid to experiment are two distinguishing characteristics of Neher’s tenure at Hearst. “We’ve really made an effort to distinguish ourselves as the magazine company of the future. My team and I use that phrase as our mantra,” he explains. “We work very hard to avoid received wisdom and conventional thinking when we develop our ideas.”
Content may be king and available in manifold forms, but for Neher, magazines will never die. “There will always, always be a place for them in our world,” he maintains. “The place might be slightly different than it was 10 or 25 or 50 years ago, but the major magazine brands and their built-up trust and value—the incredibly user-friendly format and the connection between magazines and their readers—will withstand any changes that the industry is undergoing.”
Co-Winner: Risa Crandall, Vice President/Publisher, Scholastic Parents Media
Whether it’s at the ground level brainstorming new and/or out-of-the box ideas for clients or executing multiplatform initiatives for them, Risa Crandall is a driving force behind Scholastic Parents Media. “The experience I have gained in listening to clients from a marketing and promotional angle allows me to adeptly discuss integrated concepts and to deliver a program that is reflective of the brand’s individual needs,” she says. Leveraging her vast experience in publishing and her network of connections among various agencies, Crandall is an ace when it comes to forging successful partnerships with the top guns in the advertising community.
Key among her top features are her innovative uses of new ad units, custom brand-dedicated issues and unique consumer-targeted programs. With Crandall at the helm, it’s rare that a program orchestrated by her goes unnoticed. It’s also rare that a client does not re-up, considering how successful the ROI usually is.
For client P&G, Crandall and her team created a program (now in its third year) that has given the brand large scale via digital and print marketing pieces as well as a gift with a purchase. The results have been a 3% increase in the brand’s market share.
Perhaps one reason why Crandall reigns supreme in her field is her ability to turn negatives into positives. For instance, Crandall never lets the word “no” get her down. In fact, she will encourage her team to see beyond it. In Crandall’s mind-set, “no” is a temporary stopgap before yes. With clients such as Merck, Gerber, Kraft, P&G and Wendy’s, Crandall has parlayed this sunny determination into a host of effective integrated marketing efforts. She has also repositioned Scholastic Parents Media platform, adding mobile, independent film and events to the asset pool. Last year, she increased print growth by 28%, online by 378% and custom projects by 52% versus the previous year. And she’s not done yet—not by a long shot.
Honorable Mentions:
Thom Allcock, Executive Director, Integrated Marketing, Wenner Media: Throughout his nine years with Wenner Media, Allcock has utilized competitive marketing techniques to ensure that his work is nothing but spectacular. As he told min, one of the best pieces of advice he has to offer is: “Don’t plan on sleeping until after an event, especially if you’re doing it in Vegas.”
Simon Leslie, Publishing Director, Ink Publishing: As the magazine industry struggles during these difficult times, Leslie oversees Ink Publishing, the world’s largest producer of in-flight magazines, a sector that continues to enjoy first-class positioning among marketers. Under the direction of Leslie, Ink was listed as one of Britain’s fastest-growing private companies in The Sunday Times Fast Track 100, thanks to new contracts with United, Ryanair, Jet Star, Air Macau and China Airlines.
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