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PROFILE: Rino Scanzoni

Jan 7, 2002  •  Post A Comment

Title: President, broadcast division of Mediaedge: CIA.
Recent interesting deal: “My buying philosophy is that deals need to be structured that satisfy current marketing needs-with a long-term payout if possible. One that comes to mind when I was at MediaVest involved three clients with similar needs-Kraft, Pillsbury and JC Penney. The Christmas holiday season is a key marketing period for all three of them. Working with CBS, we assumed the license on a holiday film project starring Julie Andrews and James Garner called “One Special Night” and client-supplied it to the network on a fully sponsored basis. Each client shared the costs and inventory equally, which allowed a project of this magnitude to happen. The premiere telecast was one of the highest-rated movies on the network.”
The next big thing: “The media landscape has undergone significant changes structurally and economically in the last two years. This has created an opportunity for advertisers to structure their media deals in a more strategically tailored fashion. The new structure will span media components designed to satisfy multiple brand marketing needs, from traditional schedules to program sponsorships and content integration.”
Is there anything you wish you bought more of? “I have always believed that you receive the highest return on investment by supporting new ventures with well-designed multiyear commitments. I have structured anchor client deals with most of the new broadcast and cable networks as well as with many successful syndicated programs. Since failures result in quick cancellations, you always look back and wished you owned the successes outright.”
Is there anything you wished you bought less of? “We invested heavily in the new “You Bet Your Life,” hosted by Bill Cosby, several years ago. It had everything going for it … [but that] just goes to prove there is no sure thing in television but quick cancellation for failure.”
If you weren’t in media buying: “I would most likely be a singing ski-lift attendant in Chemonix [France].”