The Digital Hollywood Experience

The Digital Hollywood Experience

Thursday, May 25th, 2017

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Track I: Haas Conference Center, Room 172-173, Live Webcast

Innovation in Video Advertising: Enhancing Brand Experience - Maximizing Revenue in Syndication, Ad Insertion and Live Streaming

Matt Leardini, Vice President, Search & Advertising, Synacor

Jason Bercovici, Director, Creative Strategy, Exponential

Matt Wilkinson, CSO, Mirriad

Zak Soreff, President, Sawyer Studios

Aimee Helfand, founder and CEO, FamiLeague

Tracey McCormack, Founder & President, McCormack Media Services, Moderator

Matt Leardini, Vice President, Search & Advertising, Synacor: Matt Leardini leads the team of responsible for all online search & advertising product management, product marketing/sales planning, revenue development, advertising and sales operations. He defined and deployed Synacor' programmatic strategy including private marketplace, open exchange, header bidding, and audience extension. In addition, he is drove the company's video

strategy from concept to execution that increased monthly streams from 20 million to billions. He holds a Masters of Business Administration from Niagara University and Bachelors of Science degree in Management Information Systems from Bowling Green State University.

Aimee Helfand is Founder and CEO of FamiLeague, one of the largest family-based video networks in digital.  FamiLeague is the next-generation, digital media family brand and producer of original premium content across multiple social platforms.  Helfand has more than 15 years of experience in producing and creating immersive content that focuses on a variety of storytelling and formats, having worked on blockbuster film franchises such as Mission Impossible, Harry Potter and Batman.  She is now bringing her traditional Hollywood expertise to the growing digital landscape. Prior to FamiLeague she founded BabyLeague, a trusted digital resource for new parents and families, in response to her own need as a mom to quickly find resourceful videos on how to navigate all things parenthood. Under her leadership, FamiLeague has collaborated with some of the most popular digital influencers in the family space, developed original franchises and channel partnerships that have captured more than 300+ million monthly views and over 3 million subscribers on YouTube.  She’s partnered with massive global brands such as Virgin Mobile, CVS Pharmacy, Naturepedic, Nexcare and Hallmark. Helfand’s keen business acumen for recognizing new opportunities to reach niche and new markets via storytelling led her to create FamiLeague.  In addition to providing a positive digital platform for professional athletes to shift the narrative around their persona outside of the game, the company’s key goal is to transform the way that families play, connect and consumer together in innovative ways. Helfand has a BFA in Film and Television from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and resides in Los Angeles with her daughter.

Zak Soreff is currently the President of Sawyer Studios, and runs entertainment marketing and advertising campaigns for Universal, Lionsgate, Sony, Focus Features, IFC, Magnolia Pictures and many more. He is at the cutting edge of the most progressive and emerging techniques used to market digitally-enabled, streaming and on-demand films and TV shows. He works with distributors, producers and sales companies to devise innovative marketing campaigns and is a leading industry expert on how set-top box, Internet, cable/satellite, mobile, tablet, retail and traditional media work together; and how to make the most of real-time data alongside multivariate optimization and predictive analytics to ensure maximum return throughout the entertainment release life cycle.

Jason Bercovici, Director, Creative Strategy, Exponential: As Exponential’s Director, Creative Strategy, Jason Bercovici is responsible for leading the go-to-market strategy for Exponential’s video and brand engagement solutions, as well as playing a key role in product development and internal operations. Prior to this role, Jason held the position of Senior Manager, Creative Strategy at Exponential and sales roles at TubeMogul and zVents. Jason holds a BS for International Business from the University of Maryland.

Tracey McCormack  is the Founder & President of McCormack Media Services LLC  (www.McCormackmedia.net), a modern media and sales training firm. She has been in the business of media buying, selling, and training for over 20 years and possesses a wealth of experience in all forms of media sales, buying, strategy and platforms, with core competencies in cross-platform media and sales training.  Her professional experience span both agency and network sales including radio, local TV, national cable, cross-platform video, Hispanic media, start-up networks, and executive management. Her commitment to the future of the media industry is exemplified by her more than 20 years as an adjunct professor at UCLA Extension.