The Beverly Hills, CA-based Asbury PR Agency will celebrate its 20th Anniversary on October 1, 2016, and concurrently, has just begun representing Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) Content Producers, Projects and Exhibitors. The announcement was made by Dan Harary, President/Founder, Asbury PR Agency.
As the PR agency for SIGGRAPH, the world’s biggest, annual, digital arts, VR, animation and visual effects industry conference, the Asbury PR Agency has established a strong media foothold within the rapidly burgeoning Virtual Reality content arena. The agency also represents Cogswell College, the very first college in the United States to offer a Certificate Degree Program in Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality (VR/AR) Production, and other digital content creators now expanding their services into the VR/AR arena.
“Since our founding in 1996, we have always tried to stay a few steps ahead of the curve in our PR representation of new digital entertainment industry trends,” Harary said. “We were the first PR Agency in Los Angeles to specialize in public relations for motion graphics and broadcast design companies, and handled virtually all of the major players. We also helped pioneer PR for VFX and Special FX houses, Online Animation Content, Large Format Films, Pre-Visualization, Post Production Studios, and 4K Content Producers.”
He adds, “In addition, we launched the Visual Effects Society back in 1997; we promoted the earliest animated Web content from Tim Burton (‘Stain Boy’) and from ‘Ren & Stimpy’ creator John Kricfalusi (‘The George Liquor Show’); we launched the Advanced Imaging Society’s (then the 3D Society’s) “Lumiere” Awards in 2010; we’ve represented two of the top Pre-Viz companies in Hollywood; and have handled global promotion for Italy’s VIEW Digital Arts Conference. Now that VR has ‘officially arrived,’ we are turning our attention to publicity and promotional efforts on behalf of this exciting new content genre and we are actively seeking new clients.”
Asbury’s current clients working across all areas of visual and audio content creation and distribution include: MASTERSFX, an Emmy Award winning makeup effects shop; The Artery, an award winning visual content creator for film/TV and brands based in New York City; Syndrome, a top TV animation studio; SourceAudio, the leading provider of production music to television networks and radio stations; Archion, a digital technology solutions company for feature films and TV; Basecamp Entertainment, a fully minority owned commercial production house in New York; EdenSpiekermann, a Berlin-based digital brand marketing agency; Warner Chappell Production Music; Eclipse Advertising, a noted creative marketing agency for top Hollywood properties; Ryan Katzenbach, an award winning documentary filmmaker; and internationally acclaimed illusionist Franz Harary and his $40-million magic show in Macau, China.
About THE ASBURY PR AGENCY
During the course of the past year, The Asbury PR Agency represented two large scale events: the Animé Expo, the world’s largest event for lovers of Japanese Animé (100,000 attendees), and SIGGRAPH, the world’s largest annual computer animation event (14,000 attendees). The agency has also provided PR services for the U.S. debut performance of Japan’s #1 Singing Group; a Special Press Conference honoring the legendary rock band KISS; the VIEW Film Festival in Turin, Italy; and the inauguration of the Production Music Conference’s PMA Music Awards.
The Asbury PR Agency enjoys a strategic alliance with New York City-based Bridge Strategic Communications. The two agencies have joined forces to offer media and entertainment industry clients, across all sectors, full-service public relations, promotional, social media, and marketing services, on a national basis. The joint venture handles PR and promotions for new films, TV programs, live acts and product launches, brand repositioning, integrated marketing programs, strategic media relations, development and implementation of corporate communications programs, and crisis communications for clients from all entertainment and media sectors – film, television, music, technology, gaming, advertising, theme parks, publishing and corporate.
Historically, The Asbury Agency has represented two Academy Award-winning clients: Makeup Artists Robert Short (“Beetlejuice,”) and Barney Burman (“Star Trek,”) along with numerous Emmy Award winning artisans and content creators. Asbury has also represented several of the top motion picture and television marketing agencies in Hollywood, including Trailer Park, The Ant Farm, Buddha Jones, Craig Murray Productions, Stun Creative, mOcean, Troika, AvatarLabs, and more.
The agency also handles high profile media stories: In late 2013, Asbury announced an upcoming sequel to the American film classic “It’s A Wonderful Life” – media coverage of this project made it the # 1 entertainment news story in the U.S. and the UK for one full week. Most recently, the agency was involved in news of the Sexual Harassment Lawsuit filed against Olympic Snowboard Champion Shaun White by his band’s female drummer. News of the lawsuit made it a top media story in the U.S. during the 2016 Olympics.
Among other prominent projects handled by The Asbury Agency since its founding:
- The launch of the Hollywood Film Festival (with Harary also producing that event’s logo which remains in use to this day;)
- The Israel Film Festival;
- The Women in Radio & Television “Genii” Awards;
- The American Film Institute’s Tribute to the U.S. Government’s “Atomic Cinematographers;”
- The Oscar campaign for the 2013 short animated film “Head Over Heels;”
- The World Animation Celebration;
- The launch of “Star Trek: The Experience” theme park attraction in Las Vegas; ** “Lovelace: A Rock Opera,” at the Hayworth Theater;
- The grand openings of the Studio City and the Galaxy Macau Hotels– both multi-billion dollar resorts in Macau, China;
- The original cast reunion of “Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Hollywood,”
- The independent film “A Day Without a Mexican,” which triggered major national controversy and publicity.
For more information, please visit: www.asburypr.com
About DAN HARARY
During the past 20 years, Harary has become a regular Guest Speaker and Panelist on the topics of entertainment public relations and the business of running an independent PR agency. He has appeared as such for gatherings presented by UCLA, the Publicist’s Guild, Loyola Marymount University, Promax/BDA, and the Entertainment Publicists Professional Society.
Prior to launching the Asbury PR Agency, Harary had been an Executive Vice President with The Lippin Group PR Agency from 1989-96. During that time, he represented dozens of entertainment companies, including MCA/Universal Television, MTM Television, KCAL TV News, Grundy Television Worldwide; individual TV series from MCA and Disney, including “Harry and the Hendersons,” “The New Lassie,” “Empty Nest;” environmentally-oriented clients such as the Environmental Media Association, the “EMA Awards” Dinner (which he conceived,) and the Goldman Environmental Prize; and numerous other new media, home entertainment, and visual effects companies and projects.
From 1987-89, Harary was a Senior Publicist with Solters/Roskin/Friedman PR Agency, working closely with the late, legendary publicist Lee Solters. At that time, Harary was the West Coast publicist for Jay Leno, concurrent with Leno being named as Johnny Carson’s permanent guest host of “The Tonight Show.” Harary also represented comedian Sid Caesar, and Matty Simmons, founder of the National Lampoon, during this time, along with indie films, TV shows, themed-entertainment attractions, musical productions, home video releases and new technology television systems.
Earlier in his career, Harary held in-house PR positions in Hollywood with Columbia Pictures Television, as a Senior Publicist handling PR for “The New Gidget,” “What’s Happening Now!” and “The Real Ghostbusters” TV series; The Playboy Channel, as its first Publicist; and the American Film Institute, as the organization’s first Campus Information Director. Prior to relocating to Los Angeles in 1980, Harary worked as a Publicist within the PR Department of Columbia Pictures in New York City, where he promoted the popular Brooke Shields film “The Blue Lagoon,” among others.
Harary holds a BS Degree in Communications from Boston University. A native of Asbury Park, New Jersey, Harary, as a teenager, was the Stage Crew Manager for a small concert hall based there: The Sunshine Inn. Between 1972-74, Harary worked with a variety of future superstar rock musicians and rock bands, including KISS, Fleetwood Mac, and, most notably, an up-and-coming singer/guitarist named Bruce Springsteen.
