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    M&C Saatchi LA adds Mandy Graham as director of strategic planning

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1221 Views

    Maria Smith promoted to creative director

    LOS ANGELES --

    M&C Saatchi LA has hired Mandy Graham as director of strategic planning and promoted Maria Smith from associate creative director to creative director.

    As the planning director for 180 Amsterdam, Graham managed the global brand identity campaign for DHL Express and led projects on Opel, SIRE, ASICS, as well as other new business assignments. Graham was also VP, planning director for Leo Burnett, where she led the Special K strategy team in the U.S. before taking on Special K and All Bran globally. Other successful agency tenures include Element 79, Cramer-Krassalt, and Campbell Ewald working with a variety of noted brands.

    Creative director Smith has been a copywriter and associate creative director for 10 years, eight with M&C Saatchi LA. She has contributed to campaigns for the San Diego Zoo, Epson, The Getty Center, Three Olives Vodka, and more. Prior to M&C Saatchi, Smith was a copywriter at TBWAChiatDay where she worked on Nissan, Infiniti, Sony and Energizer.

    Tags:M&C SaatchiMandy GrahamMaria Smith



    “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” Tops Weekend Box Office

    Sunday, December 22, 2024

    In the holiday season battle of big-budget family movies, Paramount Pictures' "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" sped past the Walt Disney Co.'s "Mufasa: The Lion King" to take the top spot at the box office ahead of the lucrative Christmas corridor in theaters.

    "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" debuted with $62 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates. With strong reviews (86% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and a high score from audiences (an "A" on CinemaScore), "Sonic 3" is well positioned to be the top choice in cinemas during the busiest moviegoing period of the year.

    It was telling of some wider trends that "Sonic 3" — made for $122 million — bested one of Disney's top properties. Videogame adaptations, once among the most derided movie genres, have emerged as one of the most dependable box office forces in recent years. The two previous "Sonic" movies together grossed more $700 million worldwide and the third installment appears likely to do better than both of them. A fourth "Sonic" movie is already in development.

    "Mufasa," however, was humbled in its opening weekend, with its $35 million in domestic ticket sales coming in notably shy of expectations . The photorealistic "Lion King" prequel even opened wider than "Sonic 3," launching on 4,100 theaters and gobbling up most IMAX screens, compared with 3,761 locations for "Sonic 3."

    Though "Mufasa's" reviews were poor (56% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences gave it an "A-" CinemaScore.

    "Sonic 3" nearly doubled the haul for "Mufasa," which cost more than $200 million to make. Disney could look to $87.2 million in international sales to help make up the difference. The third "Sonic" will rollout in most overseas markets in the coming weeks.

    In director Jeff... Read More

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