Cross-media specialists

Most of the big media companies have dedicated units specializing in cross-platform marketing and advertising:

  • AOL. Global Client Solutions Group, set up in 1994 as Turner Marketing Solutions Group, is now headed by Joe Mangione, senior vice president. The group has done more than 50 deals in seven years, including ones with Dodge, Cigna and Nestlé and one tying advertisers to Election 2000.
  • News Corp. News Corp One, established in April of 1998 and headed by Senior Vice President Kayne Lanahan, last year put together a huge integrated marketing project that tied The Simpsons to 30 advertisers and 26 News Corp. media units worldwide (see story page 23).
  • Viacom. Viacom Plus, originally formed as CBS Plus in 1998 and renamed last year to reflect the completed merger of the two companies, is headed by Senior Vice President Lisa McCarthy, who reports directly to Viacom President and COO Mel Karmazin. Recent deals include an eight-division campaign for Fidelity Investments and a five-division campaign with Chrysler.
  • ABC Unlimited. Formed in September 2000, the division packages an array of media and promotion outlets within the Disney corporation. Bill Bund heads the unit, reporting to Laura Nathanson, executive vice president, national sales, ABC Television Network. The first announced deal was with EAS Corp., giving the company exposure to 13 Disney and ABC properties.
  • NBC Connect. Formed late last year to package NBC assets, including the TV and cable networks, owned TV stations and Web sites, the unit is headed by the senior vice president of business development, Jay Linden, who reports to NBC Sales President Keith Turner. In some cases, third-party partners will be brought to fill gaps, such as print or radio, according to Turner.