Fresh off the announcement of this spring’s purchase of RingSide Creative (RSC) by Cutters founder Tim McGuire and industry veteran Steve Wild, the two are at it again with the launch of Picnic.
Chicago-based Cutters Studios and Detroit-based RSC, who have traditionally offered high-end commercial production and post-production services, have combined resources and added key hires to provide integrated content campaigns & solutions to global advertising agencies and beyond. Picnic will specialize in highly-interactive, branded content experiences that connect consumers to brands.
“We are always looking to improve the service and solutions provided to our clients,” said Cutters President Tim McGuire. “By offering integrated media services via Picnic, we can now provide solutions to ad agencies separately or combined to create a unique campaign – whatever best suits the needs and objectives of the brand.” “The first step was to further enhance the interactive services & technology expertise at RingSide by hiring a proven leader,” said new RSC CEO Wild.
Jim Shanley, RingSide’s EVP Interactive Services (and key hire of Wild after acquiring RSC) will lead the Picnic effort as Managing Director. Shanley began his career as President and COO of Rootlevel, Inc. – one of the Midwest’s leading web applications companies and then later cofounded (with Wild) the media solutions property, Emerge, as a division of Grace & Wild Studios.
“Jim brings a unique blend of interactive technology and strategic marketing expertise to the Picnic initiative. Jim has spent his career delivering immersive interactive experiences for global brands. He truly understands the emerging media landscape and has an uncanny ability to pinpoint a client’s need and offer the right solution,” continued Wild.
In addition, Chris Greenleaf joins Picnic as Executive Director, Client Strategy. Prior, Greenleaf worked at GoTV Networks where he launched their branded content divisions and produced branded content executions for Tide, Lexus, Verizon, Parade Magazine, 20th Century Fox, Penske, Tampax & Always and Wrigley.
“Our goal was to combine Cutters national reach and comprehensive talent pool in Chicago, LA (and now Detroit), with an award-winning, branded content expert – Chris is that expert,” says Shanley.
Greenleaf’s experience extends well into the realm of Hollywood where he created, developed and executive produced television for nationally known media networks such as MTV, Oxygen, USA, CMT, NBC and served as an executive for Viacom, CBS and while at Comedy Central, was instrumental in the start-up of the hit animated series “South Park.”
Shanley added, “By combining Chris’s creative strategy and Hollywood based production experience with RingSide’s interactive expertise, we have created a ‘go to’ resource for advertising agencies to create original content and interactive IP solutions.”
With the power of Cutters and RingSide Creative behind them and an arsenal of teleproduction services at their disposal, Picnic is able to handle any piece, part, or complete solution for branded content experiences – from website and micro-site development, flash programming and augmented reality to social media development and mobile applications.
To find out how Picnic can develop brand consumer experiences, please call 248.548.5246 or visit us at www.picnicmedia.tv.