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Top five answers on the board, and here…we…go: Name a PromaxBDA session sure to blow the lid off traditional conference fare, while giving attendees a hilarious, insightful look at our industry. Survey says… “PromaxBDA Family Feud Live” as the number-one answer! Kicking off the Conference’s second day, at 9 a.m., June 15, it’s the Clients vs. the Agencies like you’ve never seen them before, in a classic game show battle full of surprises.
The idea was born out of a challenge issued to the PromaxBDA Board by President and CEO, Steve Kazanjian, to think big in developing content for the organization’s 60th anniversary year. Steve wanted to go against the norm in creating something fun, different, interactive and, as always – insightful. When the inspiration hit us, fellow board member Chris Sloan (2C Creative) and I partnered with FremantleMedia, who own the rights to the Family Feud franchise, to create a fully immersive game show experience with our two “families” competing for glory (and bragging rights).
“The results are always wildly unpredictable” says Jeff Palmer, VP of live entertainment at FremantleMedia. “The things people say are somehow always funny and often very revealing.”
Not only will the Clients and the Agencies tackle the age-old pressure points and often-humorous challenges of that dynamic relationship on stage, but they will also address topics on everyone’s mind in today’s ever-changing industry: disruption and the impact of the digital era on the TV landscape.
Featuring game show host Mark L. Walberg, the PromaxBDA Family Feud Live game show will offer a spirited contest between some of our industry’s brightest minds and biggest thinkers.
Competing for the Client family is Kendrick Reid, SVP, executive creative director, brand strategy, BET Networks; Niels Schuurmans, EVP, Viacom Velocity Creative Content Solutions, Viacom; and Tracy Grandstaff, SVP, original production, NBC Entertainment. This is a diverse and entertaining group of executives with rich creative experience in cable and broadcast TV, as well as branded content and integration.
Rivaling the Clients is the Agency family, comprised of Kasumi Mihori, creative director, Troika; Brian Eloe, creative director/live-action director at 2C Creative; and Sean Owolo, executive producer at Big Machine. This all-star team is made up of creative powerhouses that have decades of experience on the agency and client sides, overseeing award-winning design, creative and production teams.
But it gets even better! We’ve also added in a “Wild Card” member for each team, so take note: PromaxBDA members in the audience who fill out the survey have a chance to join “their side” on stage and compete for glory, fame and prizes!
The two competing teams have already begun their rigorous preparation: “I’ve been doing 1,000 push-ups a day, 500 burpees and eating nothing but a glass of wheat grass with two raw eggs,” says Agency-sider Owolo. “I used to have a poster of former host Richard Dawson when I was 10, so yeah, I’ll be ready!”
Tracy Grandstaff from the Clients revealed some of her bold preparation plans as well: “This is a dream come true, so I might wash my hair.”
The PromaxBDA Family Feud Live battle will get intense, with some high stakes on the line. The winning team gets some incredible prizes, as well as the inaugural “Dawson Cup” to show off to their friends.
“I’m competitive… which can be really ugly, or really fun – but, either way, it will be entertaining,” said Kasumi. “To be honest, clients need to be spanked, so why not do it publicly in front of your peers?”
When reached for comment, 2C’s Brian Eloe just kept punching his own face while glaring at himself in the mirror repeating, “Vengeance is mine!”
Tracy reiterated the benefits of the session for attendees. “This format will be a great way to engage the audience and disarm the panelists. And by ‘disarm,’ I mean ‘publicly shame them.’”
(At the time of this article’s release, there was no response or comment from the other 2/3rds of the Client team, which was no surprise – after all, they wouldn’t truly be clients if they replied quickly to emails, right?)
In true Family Feud style, YOU can be involved in this battle by filling out our fun, easy SURVEY (takes only five minutes!), so the contestants can try to guess YOUR answers to these provocative questions! And if you want to join in the fun as the Wild Card, all of the information on how to apply is also in the SURVEY.
A big thanks to Chris Sloan, Dan Bragg, FremantleMedia, and the entire PromaxBDA Board for their support to make this unique session come to life!
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