Reflecting its increased commitment to the changing TV industry, legendary creative agency Bemis Balkind has significantly strengthened its TV Group. Based on its recent work promoting high profile television series (including “Falling Skies,” “Top Chef,” “Raising Hope” and “Rizzoli and Isles”), the agency continues to expand its outreach to major broadcast, studio and cable TV industry clients. To best handle this increased activity, Bemis Balkind has made a number of significant personnel changes within its TV Group, through both new hires and promotions, and will now also integrate its print and digital talent on an agency-wide basis. The announcement was made today by Peter Bemis, CEO, and Aubrey Balkind, Chairman, Bemis Balkind.
Said Mr. Bemis and Mr. Balkind, “For quite some time, we’ve been fortunate enough to have enjoyed a strong reputation for ‘smart print’ in the theatrical arena. However, as we evolve the legacy of our agency, we are now actively increasing our visibility in the TV industry. We provide each of our clients with a holistic approach, as our creative disciplines across print, packaging and digital are seamless. We craft fully integrated, highly creative and strategy-oriented campaigns for all of our client projects, whether they are major studio releases, independent films, TV series, brands, or new products and services.”
Effective immediately, Kishan Muthucumaru, one of Bemis Balkind’s three Executive Creative Directors, has been promoted, and now spearheads the agency’s TV Group. Kishan and his team, including Laura Mavros and newly hired Candi Fang, will provide creative services for TV clients in the disciplines of print and packaging.
Working in tandem with Curt Doty, Bemis Balkind’s recently named GM Digital/Executive Creative Director, the agency’s TV Group will now also take advantage of the many new opportunities the digital world has to offer.
Joining Bemis Balkind as an Executive Creative Director in 2009, Kishan has since managed the agency’s growing home entertainment group. Formerly a Creative Director with 30 Sixty Advertising, his work as a designer has run the gamut from sophisticated corporate communications projects to novel entertainment packaging and advertising. Kishan’s work has been recognized in the Print and Graphis Annuals, and has won several Key Art Awards.
Prior to joining Bemis Balkind, Candi Fang was a Senior Account Executive at Weston Mason Entertainment Advertising, where she managed, coordinated and supervised print campaigns for Paramount and DreamWorks Home Entertainment. In addition to working with the agency’s Print Team, she also organized and co-led the Digital Team in the creation of the “Be The Beat” interactive campaign for the American Heart Association.
Before her post with Weston Mason, Candi was an Account Executive with 30 Sixty Advertising, working with numerous Home Entertainment clients, including Warner Bros., Paramount, Disney Channel, Genius Products, Summit Entertainment and HBO. She worked with the creative team on the Key Art Award winning “Harry Potter Years 1-5 Ultimate Collector’s Edition” DVD for Warner Bros. Expanding from print, she also helped build and manage the agency’s Digital Department, working on multiple "A" title rich media online campaigns, along with various online banner campaigns.
Additional new hires which bolster Bemis Balkind’s TV Group include the hiring of Elisabeth Lucas as Creative Director, Digital, and Julie Sweetwood as VP, Business Development.
Prior to joining Bemis Balkind, Elisabeth Lucas was Creative Director at Lunchbox LLC, where she built and led its creative team, and oversaw development of interactive content, custom videos, and graphic and display solutions for clients such as Unilever, Sony, Johnson & Johnson, Disney, Marvel, Mattel, Sanrio, GSK, Wrigley and Walmart. Earlier, she was an Associate Creative Director at Genex, overseeing multiple, large-scale Internet platforms for Honda and Acura. As the Interactive Creative Director at Ignited Minds, she supervised and managed a team of art directors, designers, copywriters and information architects. While there, her clients included Activision, Cadbury Schweppes, Sony, FOX, Kaiser Foundation, and Vivendi Universal.
In the dotcom realm, Elisabeth was Director of Product for Zero Degrees (IAC), where she supervised and directed a team of product managers, designers, and information architects in the development of a competitive online networking service. She got her start in the digital world developing UI and UX design for proprietary software, as well as 3D online content for online ads and product demos for Viewpoint Corporation/Computer Associates.
Prior to joining Bemis Balkind, Julie Sweetwood was VP, Global Business Development for Hurrah!, a company that specializes in providing sales and marketing services to creative companies in the entertainment and advertising industries. Based in Los Angeles, Julie helped connect Hurrah! clients — which spanned companies with expertise in design, strategy, 2D/3D animation, live action direction and production, VFX, branding and editorial — with executives working in creative services, marketing, promotions and advertising at major broadcast and cable television companies around the world. Julie’s marketplace outreach extends to include Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Earlier, she was an executive within the Sales and Marketing Team of the television trade association Promax/BDA, and also played a part in the 3DX Film Festival held in Singapore.
About BEMIS BALKIND
Bemis Balkind’s DNA is firmly rooted in the disciplines of strategic business consulting, design and advertising. The agency first gained widespread recognition for its game-changing advertising campaign promoting the classic film “Rosemary’s Baby.” Since then, the company has become a multi-award winning, renowned and highly regarded creative agency which designed and implemented campaigns for many major motion pictures, including “Forrest Gump,” “Alien, “Superman,” “Fatal Attraction,” Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland 3D,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” “Black Swan,” “Bad Teacher,” “Shrek,” and many others.
From traditional to new media, Bemis Balkind’s core mission has never wavered: "Use the power of creativity to involve audiences in a newly created cultural meme." In addition to their expertise in launching feature films, a number of their assignments have involved launching new products and services, whether physical venues such as The Getty Center, new industries, like premium cable (HBO), 24-hour news (CNN) and sports (ESPN), or even Internet delivered financial services for client Goldman Sachs.
Bemis Balkind is located at 6135 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048, and phone is: 323/965-4800. The agency’s New York info is: 134 Spring Street #302, New York, NY 10012, phone 212/965-0099. For more information, please see www.bemisbalkind.com.
