Bicoastal music shop tomandandy has named Jonathan Slater as VP of operations. An agency veteran with experience on the production shop side as well, Slater will be very heavily involved in growing the music advertising business at tomandandy, according to co-founder/creative director Tom Hajdu.
From his New York roost, Slater will oversee tomandandys music divisions on both coasts, including spot music production and sound design, feature film, the atomcandy record label, which is in the process of being launched, public relations and sales.
Hajdu and co-founder/creative director Andy Milburn, who were looking to fill the newly created post for about a year, intentionally sought someone with agency experience. We were looking for someone from the agency side because that is who our clients are, Hajdu said. Were looking at a pretty radical growth curve in the next 18 to 24 months, and weve been working creatively on a number of fronts, but experienced, resourceful management is something that is new to us. [By hiring Jonathan], were trying to bring a high level of service, being buttoned up and all, to our clients in the advertising world.
Recruiting agency vets is a recent trend at the music shop. In addition to Slater, over the past two years tomandandy has hired two McCann-Erickson, New York, alums: Scott Brittingham (SHOOT, 2/27/98, p. 7); and Elissa Muddell (SHOOT, 1/24/ 97, p. 7). Brittingham serves as a producer in New York; Muddell, who was head of production, left the company last year. She is now exec. producer at Wildchild Editorial, New York.
Slater said the position appealed to him because I love music. I love that part of the production process. And I like the challenge of running a company like [tomandandy]. He also cited his agency experience as what qualifies him for the job. Coming from the other side, I bring a clients perspective, Slater said. I know [the clients] needs and I understand the politics.
As construction wraps on tomandandys new studio in Santa Monica, Slater said his first order of business is to bring in a strong senior producer to help take the load off Chris [Doyle] on the West Coast. Doyle serves as head of production. At the same time, producer Marit Burch will move from Santa Monica to New York. Right now, Slater said, the main focus is on putting new systems in place and having the company become a well-oiled machine. Ultimately, his goals are to really help grow the company and take it to new heights; to put some very strong, experienced people in place; and to really focus on taking care of our clients.
Theres going to be a lot of changes in the next month, Hajdu confirmed. Jonathan has a lot of plans and hes moving very quickly. Hajdu also said they plan to further expand tomandandys West Coast presence: Once they finish this building, were going to look for even more space.
Slater comes to tomandandy after spending the past three and a half years as a San Francisco-based freelance agency producer. During that time, hes worked for Coca-Cola, Japan, as well as Fallon McElligott Berlin (now Berlin Cameron & Partners) New York, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, and Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, Ore. From 1992 to 94, he served as head of production at Foote, Cone & Belding/San Francisco, where he oversaw the Taco Bell account. Prior to that he served for three years as head of production at Grey Advertising, San Francisco. Greys primary client at the time was Bank of America.
Slater got his start as an assistant director trainee at ABC in New York. He later had a three-year tenure as a producer at The Richards Group, Dallas, before making his way to the West Coast via now defunct special effects company Magic Vista Studios.
Last summer, Slater produced Banana Republics first television campaign, a client-direct effort directed by Peggy Sirota of bicoastal HSI Productions. Most recently, he had begun work on a Coca-Cola, Brazil, assignment for Goldberg Moser ONeill, San Francisco, but it was postponed at the same time that the tomandandy talks grew serious.
Tomandandy is currently working on assignments for Intel and Volvo, both via Messner Vetere Berger McNamee Schmetterer/Euro RSCG, New York, Sony out of Young & Rubicam, New York, GMC via Ammirati Puris Lintas, New York, Compaq via DDB Needham New York, Gatorade for Foote, Cone & Belding, Chicago, and Michelob out of The Leap Partnership, Chicago. In the past year, the shop has also scored fashion shows (for Randolph Duke, Gucci and Halston), feature films (Waking the Dead, Arlington Road), art installations (Cyclorama, at Exit Art, New York), music videos (The Beastie Boys Intergallactic), and an interactive exhibit (The Field Museum of Chicagos Sounds from the Vault). Also in development is preliminary music for Oliver Stones upcoming feature, Any Given Sunday.
