A Filcro Media Staffing Executive Search Review | Advertising Sales

Multinational Media and Entertainment Conglomerate
Broadcast TV, Cable TV, Motion Picture, Digital Media, Entertainment, Publishing,
Consumer Products, DOOH & Amusement Venues.

Search Firm of Record - Filcro Media Staffing - New York, NY
Officer in Charge - Tony Filson - New York, NY
Search Group - Advertising Sales
Based - New York, NY
Search - Director National Advertising Sales - New York, NY
Reporting to - National Vice President Online Advertising Sales - New York, NY

Client Profile

Division of a U.S. multinational media and entertainment conglomerate in the Music & Entertainment space.  The brand at the time of engagement was primary 18 - 24 skewing to a 18 - 34 demographic.  Revenue of this division was under $1 Billion USD.

Client Situation

The National Vice President of Online Advertising Sales had setup sales offices in New York, NY | Los Angeles, CA |  Chicago, IL and Detroit, MI by utilizing Filcro Media Staffing. He was now seeking an additional layer of sales leadership in a honed National Director of Online Advertising Sales to function with autonomy in New York to manage all front and back office sales functions.

The VP’s objective was to take greater strategic control of the sales organization  through this hire, and allow the new Director autonomy with tactical execution.  The important partnership with On-Air advertising sales could also be enhanced by making Digital a “go to” resources with TV for cross-platform sales.

The VP’s plan was to enhance sales staff training and development, implement new traffic systems, improve digital agency relations and make ideation workflow for client and creative services a more accessible resource through this hire.

Filcro Media Staffing is Retained

The Filcro Media Staffing Officer in Charge of Search (OIC) Tony Filson  worked directly with the Vice President to establish his priorities with regard to markets, budgets, employee development,  workflow, media technology and budget goals by business vertical and geographic.

Filcro Media Staffing has extensive experience recruiting within this space and was able to compile a search universe in a relatively brief period of time. 

Recruitment resources of Filcro Media Staffing were drawn from New York, Chicago and Los Angeles to assure that the universe of final sales candidates was indeed from a comprehensive national pool of digital sales executives adapt at cross-platform TV, Online and Mobile monetization with the proper agency and client relationships.

Specific genre considerations with the brand were of importance to the Vice President and COO of this entertainment group.  Filcro Media Staffing kept a clear focus on sales management acumen but took every opportunity to identify those who had a particular affinity to the brand and genre in this unique entertainment and business culture.

The online group has recently formalized plans for synergistic client services, creative services, traffic and inventory systems to offer clients, agencies and internal sister companies information across three media platforms. Filcro Media Staffing had also staffed all the sales support functions and this gave Filcro Media Staffing a distinct advantage to identify “capacity” and “strategic” acumen within the new Director within context of the Network’s current resources.  Particular internal sensitivities with the Television and Motion Picture Groups would require a strong strategist who could gain internal as well as external consensus when initiating new programs for clients and agencies.  Wed for Fri box-office was being driven well by digital in a cost effective manner.

The Divisional Vice President and COO granted Filcro Media Staffing the autonomy required to creatively attract those that could function properly on a Director's level and ultimately grow to Vice President as the VP was promoted to Senior Vice President.  This was clearly a search that would facilitate revenue growth and a solid succession plan.

Basic Requirements for the National Director of Sales

• Enhance revenue through direct sales to national advertisers, advertising agencies and digital networks in synergy with the TV Network's advertising sales staff and as a standalone digital entity across online and mobile platforms
• Hire, mentor and manage national account executives based in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago & Detroit
• Act as Digital lead on cross platform deals with the TV Network Group when  SVP, EVP and the President of Network Sales presented to substantial clients and or their agencies.
• Capacity to create and or identify convergent opportunities with advertisers that capitalize on the Interactive Property and the TV Network's desirable 18-34 demographic in a music and entertainment and genre
• Interface with creative and client services teams to enhance product and channel offerings based on advertising opportunities by enhancing ideation to reflect cross-platform reach and efficacy.
• Work with the VP to set realistic budgets for deals that were standalone on digital platforms utilizing an enhanced CMS system for online and mobile dissemination.

Some of the challenges facing the new Director

• Client and Creative Services optimization through ideation and media metrics
• Enhancing TV, Online and Mobile cross-platform relationships
• Building Digital’s capacity to deliver for digital networks and partners
• Guide other Directors in Traffic, Inventory and Planning across other internal media platforms as to the needs of Digital to enhance sales and the client / agency relationship from a service perspective
• Work with TV Network counterparts in Los Angeles, Detroit and Chicago to enhance digital programs for national advertisers, agencies and networks.
• Hire and engage staff to meet and exceed budgets established by the Vice President and President of Network Sales.

The New Director of Advertising Sales Recruited

The new Director of National Online Advertising Sales was identified in New York through Filcro Media Staffing’s research for a prior Chicago TV advertising sales search.  Filcro Media Staffing was able to verify the efficacy of this executive's management style, agency contacts and direct client relationships allowing Filcro Media Staffing to bring him forward as a desired candidate.

The new National Director met with the (OIC) Tony Filson initially in New York and he scored exceptionally high on his Capacity Profile.  The OIC commented “The executive exhibits a rare capacity to conceptualize and more importantly execute cross-platform programs that increased budget consistently”.  His capacity was key for this search as succession planning was one of Filcro Media Staffing’s primary goals.  The National Director of Sales also had a proven record of building and developing national sales staffs across multiple media platforms.  He was a noted mentor and greatly respected by those who worked for him.

The VP and COO both embraced this executive on personal and professional levels with great confidence knowing that the autonomy he was about to be granted would allow him to flourish.

The new National Director has proven to be a vital asset to the TV and Digital Networks budget goals and the organizations successful succession plan.

Filcro Media Staffing and the client company are exceptionally pleased with the outstanding performance of this talented national digital sales executive. He has met or exceeded every goal placed before him and strategically conceptualized and executed on a level befitting a Director destined to be a Vice President of National Advertising Sales for a under $1 billion USD media and entertainment brand.