Initiative Names Tim Spengler USA President; Alan Cohen President, Initiative West and Worldwide Innovation
NEW YORK--(Business Wire)--
In his first move as Chief Executive Officer of Initiative
Worldwide, Richard Beaven has elevated Tim Spengler to President,
Initiative USA, and Alan Cohen to President, Initiative West and
Worldwide Innovation.
"Tim and Alan have been critical talents as Initiative has
transformed into a media, marketing and digital company over the past
18 months," says Beaven. "They are innovative thinkers driven by an
innate curiosity and a drive to make things happen. They have
repeatedly proven themselves as the right leaders at the right time in
our industry."
As President of Initiative USA, Spengler, formerly Chief
Activation Officer, will be responsible for all aspects of the
company's business, development and operations in the United States.
He will also join the Initiative Worldwide leadership team, reporting
to Beaven, the Worldwide CEO. Magna, the media intelligence and
negotiating arm of Interpublic Group, will report to Spengler and the
President of sister IPG agency Universal McCann, Mary Gerzema.
As President, Initiative West and Worldwide Innovation, Cohen,
formerly EVP and Managing Director of Initiative West, will be
responsible for managing Initiative's Innovation and Entertainment
practice - the largest of its kind - throughout the U.S., and continue
to lead the company's West Coast-based clients and business. He will
work closely with Initiative Worldwide CEO Beaven, lending his
expertise and experience in Innovation and Entertainment marketing to
other regions and clients of Initiative. Cohen will also join the
Worldwide leadership team, reporting to the President, USA on the US
business and Worldwide CEO on global activities.
In partnership with Beaven, Spengler and Cohen have been a
powerhouse tandem strategically, creatively and in new business
pitches for Initiative. Following Cohen's arrival at the agency and
Spengler's elevation to Chief Activation Officer, Initiative pursued
and won numerous significant new accounts, including Hyundai and KIA,
Cadbury Schweppes, CBS, Showtime, Lionsgate, Citi Home Equity and
Quiznos; as well as expanded its responsibilities with clients such as
Bayer, Big Lots, Coors and KAO Brands.
In addition to designing many of Initiative's successful new
business pitches, the pair was also crucial to the creation and
implementation of Initiative's "Pod Puncher," short 5-second spots
that air at end of commercial breaks, circumventing DVR users' ability
to avoid ads.
Spengler, 43, joined Initiative in 1993 and boasts a prestigious
career arc that has evolved from broadcast buying specialist to a far
broader management and leadership role at the agency as Chief
Activation Officer, overseeing Initiative North American channel
activation efforts and the unification of all buying departments,
including national broadcast, local broadcast, print and online. Under
his direction, Spengler led the agency's restructuring into one
consolidated activation unit, which has been a key catalyst in the
agency's transformation into an industry force.
Spengler is also one of the industry's leading spokespeople,
repeatedly ranked in Advertising Age's annual "Media Talk" survey,
which tracks the most-quoted executives in the industry. His numerous
industry awards include both AdAge's Media Maven and Adweek's Media
All-Star awards.
"Over the last two years, Tim has been has been the face of
activation at Initiative, successfully building digital capability,
and broadening his involvement at every level of the agency to lead
planning, buying and digital reviews," Beaven says. "He's worked
closely with me to build our capabilities across the board, and he's
the right person to keep the momentum moving in the United States."
Cohen, 51, is widely regarded among the most respected executives
in media and entertainment marketing, and spent nearly 25 years
serving in senior management positions at 20th Century Fox, ABC and
NBC before joining Initiative in January 2005. He subsequently built
the Innovations unit that functions as Initiative's strategic idea
consultancy and activation specialists, helping the agency's clients
navigate the future of media through the use of digital, new
technology and creative marketing programs.
In addition to spearheading Initiative's conversion into a media,
marketing and digital agency, Cohen has built his original team of
four people into the largest entertainment practice of any agency in
the United States, winning top creative media awards and being named
both Media Maven and Media All-Star in 2007 by AdAge and Adweek,
respectively.
"Alan has built a unique and captivating media and marketing force
from scratch, and in so doing has helped position Initiative for
future success. He's nowhere
nhttp://adage.com/talentworks/careerguide/profiles/ear short of ideas
or inspiration," Beaven says. "We look forward to Alan and his team
expanding their highly successful brand of communication to the entire
world."
Spengler and Cohen's new positions will be effective March 1.
About Initiative:
Initiative is a media, marketing and digital agency that
transforms media connections into marketing results. Part of the
Interpublic Group, Initiative offers effective media communications
solutions for leading marketers, including AOL, Bayer, Big Lots, CBS,
Cadbury Schweppes, Computer Associates, Coors, Gateway, Hardee's,
Hitachi, The Home Depot, Hyundai/KIA, Kao Brands, Lionsgate Films,
LucasArts, Nikon, Quiznos, Showtime, and SC Johnson.
Initiative
Tom Siebert, 212-605-7344 or 201-233-6458
tom.siebert@us.initiative.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008
