NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Canoe Ventures, the advanced television joint venture of the nation's leading cable companies, announced the appointment of six new members to its advisory board. They join a prestigious body of top marketers and business leaders who are helping Canoe develop enhanced advertising solutions for television.
The new board members announced today include: Rick Boyko, Director & Professor, VCU Brandcenter; Brian Collins, Chief Creative Officer of COLLINS:; Gary Elliott, leader of Hewlett-Packard’s Global Marketing Alliances, Corporate Sponsorships and Events; Nancy Hill, President - Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Advertising Agencies; Mark Kaline, Global Media Director at Kimberly-Clark; and Ted McConnell, Executive Vice President of Digital for the Advertising Research Foundation and a 32-year Proctor & Gamble veteran who retired as Technology Fellow and Manager of Communications Services.
“Our advisory board is providing us with invaluable counsel that is helping to inform Canoe’s product development and business,” said David Verklin, Chief Executive Officer. “Each member of the Advisory Board is a thought leader and an innovator within their disciplines and their industries, making each board meeting a ‘master class’ with the exchange of transformative thoughts and ideas.”
Rick Boyko, former co-president of Ogilvy North America, joined the VCU Brandcenter in July 2003 as its Director. Under his guidance, Brandcenter has evolved its curriculum to include strategy and creative brand management, in addition to art direction and copywriting. In 2005, the Brandcenter was ranked the #1 graduate advertising program in the country by Advertising Age's Creativity magazine.
As Chief Creative Officer for COLLINS:, an agency he founded, Brian Collins is dedicated to inventing brand experiences and communications that shape companies and people for the better. Prior to founding COLLINS:, he was Chairman & Chief Creative Officer of the Brand Integration Group (BIG) at Ogilvy & Mather. Collins’ leadership is widely recognized in the press, and Fast Company named him one of five American Masters of Design.
As leader of Hewlett-Packard’s Global Marketing Alliances, Corporate Sponsorships and Events and the Executive Briefing Center, Gary Elliott’s role covers many bases. He is responsible for creating long-term strategic partnerships with companies such as Disney, DreamWorks Animation SKG, and Starbucks. His team identifies and evaluates key marketing partners and sponsorship opportunities worldwide. HP’s Executive Briefing Center helps customers address and solve business problems in collaboration with HP’s experts, showcases new HP technologies, and enhances sales opportunities. Elliott’s accolades are significant and include many of the industry’s top honors. He currently serves as Chairman of the Association of National Advertisers (ANA).
As President - CEO for the American Association of Advertising Agencies, Nancy Hill is one of the most plugged-in people in advertising. She represents agency members who produce approximately 80 percent of the total advertising placed nationwide, and she serves as a thought leader and powerful advocate for the industry. Prior to her current role at the 4A’s, Hill served as Chief Executive Officer at Lowe New York and executive vice president and managing director at BBDO New York. Hill has served on the Board of Directors of the Miami Ad School and led the launch of its New York campus.
As Global Director, Media, Licensing & Consumer Services at Kimberly-Clark, Mark A. Kaline leads the company’s business and marketing initiatives, driving excellence in media across the enterprise, including communications planning and buying, measurement, and optimization, media agency management and shared best practices. Additionally, Kaline heads the company’s Global Center of Excellence, the Global Brand Licensing team and the Global Consumer services team. He holds more than 30 years of advertising and media experience, including service at Ford Motor Company, Campbell-Ewald Advertising, and Ogilvy-Mather, and serves on a number of industry committees and boards, including the Association for National Advertisers, Nielsen’s Advertiser Advisory Board and the Council for Research Excellence.
Ted McConnell is currently Executive Vice President of Digital for the Advertising Research Foundation where he is working to advance the state of digital marketing measurement. Prior to joining the ARF, Ted spent 32 years at Proctor & Gamble as a Technology Fellow and held various leadership roles in Web Marketing Development where he developed the company’s current innovation strategy for digital marketing. Ted also serves on several Boards, and maintains a consulting practice.
“I’m proud of the incredible talent we’ve recruited to Canoe Ventures’ advisory board,” said Jim Garrity, chairman. “The board members recognize that television is an unparalleled platform for entertainment and marketing, and each of us joined for the enticing invitation to be a part of television’s evolution through Canoe’s collaborative innovation.”
The industry leaders continuing to serve on Canoe’s Advisory Board are:
- Wendy Clark, Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing, Communications & Capabilities, The Coca-Cola Company
- Beth Comstock, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, General Electric
- David Droga, Founder & Creative Chairman, Droga5
- Bob Liodice, President & Chief Executive Officer, Association of National Advertisers
- Wes Nichols, Co- Founder & Chief Executive Officer, MarketShare Partners
- Mike Pohl, Chief Executive Officer, Jinni Media, LTD
- George Wiedemann, Chief Executive Officer, UMarketing, LLC
- Jim Garrity – Founder & Chief Executive Officer, BridgeTwoWorlds – CHAIRMAN
- Vicki Lins – Chief Marketing Officer, Canoe Ventures – VICE CHAIRMAN
About Canoe Ventures ™
Canoe Ventures is in the business of better television. Founded as a joint venture by the leading cable television operators in America, Canoe has created the largest national, interactive platform on television to help marketers, programmers, distributors and viewers extend the curiosity, interest, and desire that television creates into the next connected and measurable step – immediately, powerfully, and interactively. Canoe solutions are at work in more than 20 mm US households. Canoe is headquartered in New York, with advanced technology operations and collaborative labs in Colorado. canoeventures.com.