D S Simon Media Announces Promotions to Senior Leadership

New York, NY, September 16, 2019 – D S Simon Media has announced a series of promotions to key team members that have been integral to the company’s strong 2019 performance to date

Mike Bako has been named Vice President, Content and Media Strategy. Bako has been part of the team for 7 years, primarily leading the production of local TV interviews for clients through Satellite Media Tours.

I am looking forward to meeting the creative needs of our clients and to lead and grow our team of seasoned media and production veterans,” Bako said, regarding his new position. He added, “What I love about leading the content and media team at D S Simon Media is that we continue to use video in creative ways to achieve brands’ goals.”

On these changes, CEO Doug Simon stated “We are seeing a significant increase in demand for Satellite Media Tours and video production among brands.

This not only recognized the team members making it happen but creates space to bring new people on board.”

 

 

Elizabeth Rosenberger has been named Director Client Services, after 3 years with the company. Previously, Rosenberger served as Account Director.

“I’m beyond thrilled to be building a team to expand our work even further in new areas,” Rosenberger shared. “I’m really excited for this grow opportunity during such an important time for the company. We’ve seen a big rise in brands turning to Satellite Media Tours to increase their presence. One area I’ve focused on for the past couple of years is spearheading campaigns in niche growth industries. Mainly, I’ve specialized in producing broadcast results for successful startups.”

Additionally, Michael O’Donnell has been named Senior Producer as he nears the 3-year mark with the company this November.

O’Donnell stated “I’m very excited to be continuing at D S Simon Media in the role of Senior Producer. In my three years here, it has been fascinating to watch the industry evolve and adapt in real time, particularly the increased usage and dependency on broadcast quality video for social media. Our clients demand flawless execution, organization and communication from all of our productions, and I look forward to exceeding that standard moving forward.”

 

Raz Abrahamyan has joined the company as Sales, Marketing and PR Coordinator. He’s a recent graduate from the masters program at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce. He can be reached at raza@dssimonmedia.com.

Poll: Are Brands Taking On More Project-Management Roles With 3rd-Party Vendors?


The dynamic between large agencies, brands and the service providers they work with  might be shifting. Are large agencies stepping away from the “project manager” role and starting to favor the end client working directly with third-party organizations? Are brands preferring to manage the projects in-house? In this short video, D S Simon Media CEO Douglas Simon speculates on possible explanations. What’s your take?

Poll: Are Agencies Shifting More Project-Management Responsibilities To Their Clients?


The dynamic between large agencies, brands and the service providers they work with  might be shifting. Are large agencies stepping away from the “project manager” role and starting to favor the end client working directly with third-party organizations? Are brands preferring to manage the projects in-house? In this short video, D S Simon Media CEO Douglas Simon speculates on possible explanations. What’s your take?

Poll: Have the Responsibilities Changed Between Agencies and Brands?


The dynamic between large agencies, brands and the service providers they work with  might be shifting. Are large agencies stepping away from the “project manager” role and starting to favor the end client working directly with third-party organizations? Are brands preferring to manage the projects in-house? In this short video, D S Simon Media CEO Douglas Simon speculates on possible explanations. What’s your take?

Torod Neptune’s Paladin Awards Speech


The PRSA Foundation announced in March that Lenovo’s Chief Communications Officer Torod Neptune would be the 2019 Paladin Award Honoree. The honor goes to one communication professional every year who has made a “significant and measurable impact on the advancement of Diversity and Inclusion in the public relations sector”.

During the evening, Torod gave a speech emphasizing how nobody truly accomplishes anything “on their own”, which is why he felt so reluctant to accept the spotlight. However, he appreciates the opportunity to motivate further change in the industry, and emphasized the importance of not just talking about D&I, but making real decisions and changes to advance the industry in the right direction.

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Candid Thoughts from PR Pros on Diversity & Inclusion in the Industry


PR Pros from Advancement Project, Hilton, LinkedIn and KPMG gathered at the 2019 Paladin Awards to discuss D&I, the theme of the evening. Chris Keuchenmeister, SVP of Communications at PepsiCo, moderated the panel, sparking conversation regarding successful D&I initiatives as well as stories of perspective regarding being a diverse talent.

The panel featured Cedric Brown, Digital Campaign Strategist at Advancement Project; Natalie Godwin, Director of Global Corporate Communications at Hilton; Imani Greene, Senior Communications Leader at LinkedIn; and Christina Tso Metz, Director, Corporate Communications for KPMG.

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How The Advancement Project Works Helps Organizations Improve D&I


Cedric Brown, Digital Campaign Strategist, Advancement Project spoke with Douglas Simon, CEO, D S Simon Media at the Paladin Awards. Key points included steps being taken to improve D&I at their organization, among partners and how individual employees can make a difference. Cedric was also featured in a panel of diverse professionals, where he got to continue his discussion of the impact various environments with different levels of diversity had on his career.

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You Don’t Need To Have D&I In Your Title To Make An Impact


Natalie Godwin, Director of Global Corporate Communications, Hilton spoke with Douglas Simon, CEO, D S Simon Media at the Paladin Awards. Key points included steps being taken to improve D&I at their organization, among partners and how individual employees can make a difference. Natalie was also featured in a panel of diverse professionals, where she and others had the opportunity to share their unique perspective and personal stories. A key takeaway from her thoughts is that everyone in an organization can make small decisions that add up to creating a more diverse and inclusive environment.

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Behind the Scenes of the Prep for Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks


It’s the largest fireworks show in the United States and it takes a team of more than 50 pyro-technicians to make it happen. This year’s Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks features 70,000 shells loaded on to four barges and the Brooklyn Bridge. This short video features video of fireworks testing in the desert, loading and preparations on the barges and heart stopping images of the fireworks professionals on the Brooklyn Bridge.

 

Once again, D S Simon Media celebrates our birthday on July 4th (33 years!). Slightly more importantly, the country celebrates its 243rd. We are honored to work with Macy’s, going behind the scenes to capture video of their preparation for the amazing spectacle of the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks. Happy July 4th everyone.

 

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