MUMBAI: Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) today launched Viacom Velocity, a new full-service group offering insights-driven integrated marketing and creative content solutions from Viacom Media Networks Music and Entertainment. Viacom Velocity merges the company's existing Music and Entertainment Integrated Marketing teams, under Dario Spina, with a new creative team headed by Niels Schuurmans, former Executive Vice President, Consumer Marketing and Executive Creative Director at Spike TV, who joins as Executive Vice President, Viacom Velocity Creative Content Solutions. Both Spina and Schuurmans report to Jeff Lucas, Head of Sales for Music and Entertainment.
"Now more than ever, creative collaboration and custom content are at the center of our client partnerships, and we continue to grow our capabilities to meet marketers' evolving needs," said Lucas. "Viacom Velocity is built to utilize our unique relationship with our passionate fans and drive value for marketers through consumer insights, strategic collaboration and creative excellence."
Within Viacom Velocity, Integrated Marketing will continue to work with clients to build strategic campaigns under the leadership of Dario Spina, Executive Vice President of Viacom Velocity Integrated Marketing. This includes the planning and execution of campaigns across Viacom's networks and their online and mobile extensions, as well as throughout social media. Viacom Media Networks Music and Entertainment were recently voted the number one and two integrated marketing teams, respectively, in an industry survey conducted by the Myers Media Business Report.
Under Schuurmans' leadership, Viacom Velocity Creative Content Solutions will produce original content for clients in partnership with MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Comedy Central, Spike TV and TV Land. This includes the development of custom creative on linear television, digital platforms and cross-network campaigns. Viacom Velocity Creative Solutions capabilities will include video and digital production, strategy, design, copywriting and more.
Upon launch, Viacom Velocity introduced the Viacom Echo Social Media Network, a new service offering for clients. Through Viacom Echo, the company will develop creative campaigns for clients on the company's platforms and engineers their extension across social media and measurable earned media.
"Viacom Echo is a one-of-a-kind service that mirrors the way our content travels beyond our screens, across social media and throughout the pop culture. We want to take our clients and their brands with us on that journey," said Lucas.
