INSIDE EXECUTIVE VISIONS INC.: BUILDING BRANDS with MUSIC a Passion for Music and Business Has Driven the 2016 It List Agency from the Very Beginning

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SPONSORED CONTENT INSIDE EXECUTIVE VISIONS INC.: BUILDING BRANDS WITH MUSIC A passion for music and business has driven the 2016 It List agency from the very beginning

EXECUTIVE VISIONS INC. (EVI) was founded in 1985 with a mission to serve Fortune 500 companies as a producer of live events and brand immersive experiences.

In 1991, Michael Marto, EVI Co-Found- er, President and CEO developed a partnership with 16-time Grammy Winning producer David Foster, propelling EVI to nearly 3 decades of groundbreaking music entertainment productions. The company’s resume is packed with live event and broadcast experiences with the who’s who of superstar artists, including Steven Tyler, Stevie Wonder, Adam Levine, Jennifer Hudson, Keith Urban and Kelly Clarkson.

Says Marto, “We strongly believe in the power of music as a tool for brand building and audience engagement. I know it sounds cliché, but music really is the universal lan- guage and has proven its effectiveness time and again.” But, he emphasizes that it’s not The technical set-up is equally advanced. The 2002 Concert for World Children’s simply music for music’s sake. “I believe we Sound and lighting designs feature indus- Day was the centerpiece of a global market- have a strong ability to delve into a client’s try leading engineers and equipment. The ing and social responsibility platform for mindset at the strategic and cultural level sets showcase beautifully crafted LED walls, McDonald’s and Ronald McDonald House to build initiatives that truly complement a which provide a canvas for an explosion Charities. Featuring David Foster, Celine company’s overall vision and brand objec- of dynamic media. The EVI creative team Dion, Enrique Iglesias, Yolanda Adams, tives. We’re always thinking in terms of supports each song with original lighting Michael Buble and Josh Groban, the initia- complete integration and that has worked concepts and motion graphics. tive, wrapped around an ABC primetime very well for us.” music special, raised awareness and funds, EVI and Foster make it a top priority to be while winning an Emmy for best original Much of the work centers on EVI’s signa- closely tuned-in to every brand they work music. ture “David Foster & Friends” concept, an with, collaborating with the executive and original concert format designed to take marketing teams from the outset to craft Another integrated platform was JCPen- corporate entertainment to the next level. the perfect mix. The team draws from tal- ney Jam, The Concert for America’s Kids, Not content with “off the shelf” solutions, ent across every musical genre, from pop a wide-ranging project supporting the the team taps-in to Foster’s endless A-list and rock, to country and R&B. The shows branding and social responsibility efforts connections to create one-of-a-kind perfor- are designed to have something for every- of JCPenney and the JCPenney Afterschool mances combining three, four or even ten one, and in the end, each audience member Fund. Music again served as the catalyst, of music’s greatest superstars. The concerts walks away with the feeling that “this was with EVI and Foster producing a critically feature Foster music-directing from his created just for me.” acclaimed CBS primetime entertainment Yamaha Grand piano, surrounded by LA’s special with a mega list of iconic artists top session players. All songs are custom In addition to Closing Concerts for the including Sting, Mary J. Blige, Jon Bon Jovi, arranged just for that show and brought McDonald’s Worldwide Conventions in Andrea Bocelli, Kenny Chesney, 3 Doors to their fullest expression with a sympho- 2002, 2012 and 2014, the EVI team has cre- Down, Martina McBride, John Legend and ny orchestra comprised of the world’s best ated and produced numerous high profile Alejandro Sanz. musicians. music focused projects.

60 EVENT MARKETER MAY 2016 www.eventmarketer.com SPONSORED CONTENT

In 2009-2011, EVI partnered with JCPenney and super group Rascal Flatts to build a program that redefined Integrated Tour Sponsorship. The multi-year campaign integrated a multitude of activation components to create a true connection between one of the world’s hottest touring acts and one of the most iconic retail brands.

Another example is Marto’s 2015-16 engagement with Premier Boxing Cham- pions, a new live event and broadcast series that is bringing boxing back to primetime. With 50 events spread across six major networks in the first year alone, the PBC is a massive endeavor. With music playing a key role in the brand development, he collaborated with Oscar winning film composer Hans Zim- mer to create the soundtrack. Says Marto, “We couldn’t settle, we had to create a musical theme worthy of what we were trying to do…and Mr. Zimmer was the only person I could imagine pulling it off.” The new music theme, with its multiple forms, can be heard as the driving musical signature of Premier Boxing Champions on NBC, CBS, ESPN, Spike and NBCSN.

The list is extensive and continues to grow, but for Marto and the team it’s a realization of the vision they had from the beginning. “It is a privilege to create collaborations with the world’s greatest brands and some of the most iconic musical artists of our time. It’s taken decades to build, and we could have never reached this level without the partnership and guidance of David Foster. David is simply one of the greatest music producers in history…period…and together we are capable of delivering music initiatives at an extraordinary level.”

FOUNDED IN 1985, EXECUTIVE VISIONS IS A LEADING PRODUCER OF LIVE EVENTS AND BRAND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES. WE PARTNER WITH GLOBAL FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES TO DELIVER CREATIVE RESULTS ACROSS A FULL RANGE OF INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION SERVICES. INNOVATION, CREATIVITY AND TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE ARE AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO. LEARN MORE ABOUT US ON PAGE 93, AT EXECUTIVEVISIONS.COM, OR CONTACT BOB MARTO, CO-FOUNDER, EVP AT [email protected].