Bob Friedman, whose roles over the years include serving as president of such concerns as New Line Television and AOL interactive marketing, has added another presidency to his resumé–assuming the top slot at Radical Thinking, a division launched by bicoastal/international @radical.media for the conception, creation and distribution of entertainment fare, including TV, film, digital media and branded content across multiple platforms.
Jon Kamen, chairman/CEO of @radical.media, cited the depth and breadth of Friedman’s experience–such as his involvement in MTV’s start-up, his work at AOL and in the traditional media space–as making him ideally suited to help expand @radical’s content initiatives. “The cross pollination of platforms,” said Kamen, “has created an environment where a great idea that understands what people want can have unusually strong resonance–and nobody understands that like Bob. Expanding the existing core of our business, Radical Thinking will provide new solutions for existing clients while generating new short and long-form content that exploits our creative strategic, and production strength and resources.”
Friedman described this as a pivotal time in the emergence of branded entertainment. He believes his new roost’s creative strength, reputation and advertising relationships position it well in the branded content sector spanning varied platforms. In fact, @radical.media has a track record of branching out beyond commercials, with endeavors that have included The Fog Of War, the Oscar-winning documentary (directed by Errol Morris, who has since joined bicoastal/international Moxie Pictures for commercials), and Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster, which won at the 2005 Independent Spirit Awards. On the TV front, @radical teamed with the History Channel to produce the recently Emmy-nominated documentary series, 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America. Additionally @radical produced The Iconoclasts, a six-part series portraying groundbreaking talents in a wide range of fields; the show was done in conjunction with the Sundance Channel and Grey Goose Entertainment. The most recent branded content project out of @radical is The Gamekillers, an ongoing scripted reality show about dating and the social scene, produced for MTV, agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty and Unilever’s Axe deodorant.
Friedman said Radical Thinking will provide “true 360-degree solutions for our partners,” a reference to not only content but adding to it an integrated marketing dimension. “Our plan,” related Friedman, “is to innovate in content creation as the company has always done with commercial production.”
AD&Co. Launches Studio A; Davida Hall To Head New Venture As Sr. Director of Creative Content
Female-founded and led creative marketing agency AD&Co. has opened Studio A. The new venture will serve as AD&Co.’s in-house social brand content division, focused on developing and producing digital programming for advertising, social media, and influencer marketing campaigns designed to reach today’s audiences on the most popular and pivotal platforms. Davida Hall has been named to head Studio A as sr. director of creative content. She shifts over from AD&Co. where she held the same title since December 2023. Hall’s affiliations prior to AD&Co. include PopSugar and Studio71.
Amy Demas, founder and chief creative officer of AD&Co., said, “We understand content is king-—or queen—and that our clients need to engage their customer communities where they live. That inspired the logical expansion of AD&Co with Studio A, which is committed to producing only the most engaging and authentic brand stories.”
Studio A will harness both AD&Co’s and Hall’s deep expertise in the lifestyle sector, as content creators and avid consumers. Specializing in reaching audiences where they spend their time, the studio is immersed in social media, pop culture, and current trends, expertly crafting visuals, language, and storytelling to reinforce client brand identities and cut through the noise.
Studio A debuts with the “This Is Me” campaign for Love + Craft + Beauty, a brand dedicated to embracing and promoting diversity within the beauty space. “This Is Me” highlights Gen Z’s affinity for radical self-expression that allows individuals to tell their own stories, free from labels, using beauty and fashion as tools of authenticity. The campaign showcases models celebrating their unique qualities to present... Read More