Nickelodeon Promotes Pair Of Creative Executives

Nickelodeon has promoted two of its creative executives - John Paul Geurts and Russ Spina - to senior positions within its US operation.

Geurts, a 20-year Nick veteran and most recently Vice President (VP) and Creative Director, has been upped to the role of Senior Vice President (SVP) of Nickelodeon experience design. In his new remit, the Orlando, Florida-based Geurts takes the lead on all Nickelodeon creative for the global development of attractions, resorts, live entertainment and quality-control systems. He will also work with other business units towards creating immersive licensing content, world class attractions and enhanced retail experiences.

Also moving up the staff ranks at Nickelodeon is Russ Spina, who is now SVP of Nickelodeon character art, illustration and media product design. Spina joined Nick in 1998 as a character illustrator and has held numerous creative posts with the company over the years. In his new role, he will spearhead concept, design and production of all character art and illustration pertaining to marketing and licensing Nickelodeon's catalog of characters, and translating them into authentic products, experiences and marketing material.

Both Geurts and Spina will continue to report to David Chustz, SVP of creative strategy, Nickelodeon Consumer Products (NCP) and Experience Design.

Original source: Kidscreen.

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Nickelodeon And Norwegian Cruise Line End Partnership

The cruise industry news website World of Cruising is reporting the unfortunate news that Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that NCL and Nickelodeon will be ending their agreement at the end of 2015, with Nickelodeon branding phased out fleet-wide by January 2016.

Photo via ncl.co.uk

Under the agreement with the number-one entertainment brand for kids and families, Nickelodeon-themed entertainment was offered on-board selected cruise ships in the Norwegian fleet. Activities on offer included: The Nickelodeon Aqua Park;Slime Time Live, Nickelodeon's signature messy game show; interactive games by the pool during Nick Live Poolside; Nickelodeon's Pajama Jam; dancing and singing during Dora's Music Party; character breakfasts with channel favourites including SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer; and more.

Branding shall be removed from Norwegian Epic during a brief spell in dry-dock in September 2015, while branding will be phased out on Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway in January 2016. Nickelodeon-themed entertainment planned for Norwegian Escape, currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, will no longer appear at launch in October 2015.

The cruise line has not explained why the agreement was not renewed. However, they did state that since redeveloping their range of children's programs in 2012 they have seen a 20 percent improvement in guest satisfaction of Splash Academy for children and Entourage for teenagers. Andy Stuart, President and Chief Operating Officer of Norwegian Cruise Line, has said that the cruise line will continue to make significant investments to its programming and entertainment on-board its fleet of family-friendly cruise ships. Reference was made to Norwegian Escape which will feature the first Guppies Nursery, a nursery with separate areas for play and napping designed specifically for infants and toddlers aged between six months and two years old.

Norwegian Cruise Line was one of a handful of family-friendly cruise lines that had partnerships with major entertainment brands. Other lines with similar agreements include Royal Caribbean International and DreamWorks, Carnival Cruise Lines and Dr. Seuss, and Disney Cruise Line with its Disney characters.

Nickelodeon is also expanding their recreation program globally, with Nickelodeon Lost Lagoon planned to open in Malaysia imminently, Nickelodeon Land set to open at Sea World Australia later this year, and new Nickelodeon Hotels by Karisma Hotels & Resorts set to open in the Dominican Republic and Mexico from late-2016, allowing more fans around the globe to experience the world of Nickelodeon than ever before!

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Former MTV Networks And Nickelodeon Executive Susan Danaher To Leave Her Position At Digital Place-based Advertising Association As President And Chief Executive Officer; To Join Adspace Digital Mall Network As Executive Vice President And Chief Revenue Officer

The Digital Place-based Advertising Association (DPAA) has announced the news in the following press release, from PRNewswire, that former Nickelodeon and MTV Networks executive Susan Danaher has informed the organization's board of directors she will not be renewing her contract as president and chief executive officer (CEO) when it expires on Sunday 31st March 2013, however, she will continue to be active in the organization as an advisor to the board. Adspace Networks, Inc. has also announced in a separate press release, also from PRNewswire, the news that former Nick & MTV exec Susan Danaher has joined the Adspace Digital Mall Network as the Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer. Prior to joining the DPAA, Susan Danaher worked at MTV Networks, where she spent 13 years in a variety of ad sales roles. As executive vice president (EVP)/general sales manager from 2001-06, she oversaw sales for Nickelodeon, Nick on CBS, Nick@Nite, Noggin, TV Land and Spike TV, as well as for various MTV Networks web properties, Nick Recreations and Tours, Nickelodeon Hotel, Nickelodeon Magazine and the Nick Jr. Family magazine:

Susan Danaher Informs DPAA Board She Will Not Be Renewing Contract As President & CEO When It Expires On March 31

Will Continue to Work Closely with Organization as Advisor to Board of Directors

NEW YORK, March 14, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Digital Place-based Advertising Association (DPAA) announced today that Susan Danaher has informed the organization's board of directors she will not be renewing her contract as president and chief executive officer when it expires on March 31. She will continue to be active in the organization as an advisor to the board.

Mike DiFranza , DPAA board chairman and president/founder of Captivate Network, said Danaher informed the board of her intentions more than 30 days ago and that a nominating committee, including Danaher, has identified several high-level executives as candidates to fill the position.

DiFranza said, "It is DPAA's policy to bring in a very high-level executive from within the media industry to run the organization and, as such, we expect to have periodic, natural leadership transitions. Under Sue's guidance, DPAA as an organization moved to – and well beyond – the next level, and it's no coincidence that our entire industry did as well. Her successor will take over a well-oiled machine that is ready to address many exciting opportunities on the horizon. Our nominating committee already has identified several terrific candidates from within our industry and we expect to fill the post soon."

Danaher said, "I greatly enjoyed my two-and-a-half years at the helm and am proud of the role DPAA played in our industry's growth and accomplishments during that time. This is an exciting time for our industry. We are arriving at a positive inflection point, with new technology impacting scalability, targetability and the overall impact of digital place-based campaigns. I look forward to taking on a corporate operational role within the digital place-based media industry, and to continuing to work closely with the DPAA as an advisor to the board and member of the nominating committee formed to select my successor."

Danaher joined DPAA as president in September 2010 and during her tenure significantly increased the profile of digital place-based media. The organization's membership grew to 45 companies under Danaher's watch, a gain of 150%, and the DPAA's annual Digital Media Summit in the fall set attendance records in each year under her leadership.

Before joining the DPAA, Danaher sat on its board in 2007 and 2008, when the organization was known as OVAB. At the time, she was president of Reactrix Systems, Inc. Reactrix provided interactive media experiences, based on projection technology, in shopping malls and theater lobbies.

Danaher joined Reactrix from MTV Networks, where she spent 13 years in a variety of ad sales roles. As executive vice president/general sales manager from 2001-06, she oversaw sales for Nickelodeon, Nick on CBS, Nick@Nite, Noggin, TV Land and Spike TV, as well as for various MTV Networks web properties, Nick Recreations and Tours, Nickelodeon Hotel and the Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. Family magazines.

Before joining MTV Networks, Danaher was vice president, western region ad sales manager for Turner Broadcasting Company, overseeing national sales for TBS, TNT and Cartoon Network.

Danaher also served as an account executive in the ad sales group at USA Network, following six years on the agency side of the business with Benton & Bowles (media planning) and Young & Rubicam (media research).

About DPAA

Founded in 2006, the Digital Place-based Advertising Association (DPAA) represents leading digital placed-based networks and the advertising community that is actively engaged in planning, buying and evaluating the effectiveness of the medium. On behalf of its members, DPAA seeks to foster ongoing collaboration between agencies and digital place-based advertising networks; provide standards, best practices and industry-wide research; and promote the effectiveness of digital place-based advertising. For more information please visit www.dp-aa.org. Twitter: @DPAAds

PRESS CONTACT

Mark Braff / Braff Communications LLC / 201-612-0707 / mbraff@braffcommunications,.com
SOURCE Digital Place-based Advertising Association (DPAA)

RELATED LINKS
http://www.dp-aa.org.

And:

Susan Danaher, Former CEO Of Digital Place-Based Advertising Association (DPAA), Joins Adspace Digital Mall Network

NEW YORK, March 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Susan Danaher, Former President and CEO of the Digital Place-Based Advertising Association (DPAA) has joined the Adspace Digital Mall Network as the Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer.
In her role, Ms. Danaher, will lead the overall sales effort of the company, will serve on the executive committee, report directly to the Chairman and CEO, Dominick Porco , and will continue to evangelize both Adspace Networks and digital place-based media to the advertising community.

Ms. Danaher is an industry recognized leader, known for building the reputation of the DPAA where she advocated tirelessly on behalf of its members and elevated the profile of the digital-place-based industry as a whole. During her 30-year career, Ms. Danaher has included agency experience (in research, planning and buying), an understanding of how to grow a medium from her work in cable television during its formative years, and experience at a VC-backed, entrepreneurial digital out-of-home company.

"We set out looking for someone with both industry experience and a clear vision about the future of the digital place-based advertising landscape and Sue fits perfectly into that category," said Dominick Porco , Chairman and CEO, Adspace Networks. "In her nearly three-year tenure at the DPAA, she established the first step in developing audience measurement standards for the entire industry, grew membership by 65 percent in the first year, and presented to numerous agencies and advertisers."

Prior to her work at the DPAA, Ms. Danaher served as the President of Reactrix, an innovative company that provided interactive media experiences, based on projection technology, in shopping malls and theater lobbies. At Reactrix, she developed new distribution channels and sold the medium to numerous Fortune 500 advertisers. While at Reactrix, she also served on the board of the DPAA (then known as OVAB).

Before her time in out-of-home media, Ms. Danaher spent 13 years with Viacom's MTV Networks where she honed her sales and leadership skills as well as integrated platforms and focused on category expansion. She worked in a variety of ad sales roles and was eventually named executive vice president/general sales manager. From 2001-2006, she oversaw sales for Nickelodeon, Nick on CBS, Nick@Nite, Noggin, TV Land and Spike TV, as well as for various MTV Networks web properties, Nick Recreations and Tours, Nickelodeon Hotel and the Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. Family magazines.

"It's a fascinating time to be in this space," said Ms. Danaher. "The integration of digital-place-based media along with social and mobile technologies will continue to converge and create even more opportunities for advertisers to reach their audience. As we've long said at the DPAA, all media is part of a continuum and a company like Adspace Networks sits squarely at the intersection of content, context, reach and relevancy."

About Adspace Networks, Inc.

Adspace Networks, Inc. (www.adspacenetworks.com) owns and operates the Adspace Digital Mall Network, the largest in-mall digital network in the country. Currently located throughout 206 Class A malls across the United States, the network consists of 2,824 HD "Smart Screens" in three formats: nine foot "floor mounts" in portrait format, 42 to 63 inch "aerials" in landscape format, and 8-by-14 foot "spectaculars" in landscape format. All Smart Screen displays show programming to enhance the shopping experience which combines a mix of the best sale items in the mall, the hottest seasonal items available, fashion trends and mall events. The network reaches 48 million unique individuals each month (source: Scarborough), and is particularly effective at reaching teens, young adults and women. Adspace is also a charter member of the Digital Place-based Advertisings Association (DPAA), an organization that is helping to provide standards and best practices for the burgeoning, digital place-based video advertising industry.

CONTACTS: Anne Donohoe / Brittany Fraser
KCSA Strategic Communications
212-896-1261 / 212-896-1251
adonohoe@kcsa.com / bfraser@kcsa.com

SOURCE Adspace Networks, Inc.

RELATED LINKS
http://www.adspacenetworks.com.