IPG Powers Up GM Mediaworks
10 January 2001
IPG Powers Up GM Mediaworks
NEW YORK, Jan. 10 The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc.
is restructuring its General Motors Mediaworks' buying operations
to better integrate media buying operations across multi-media platforms,
according to IPG Executive Anthony J. Hopp, chairman and chief executive
officer of Campbell-Ewald. "Since its founding in 1994, GM Mediaworks' buying
organizations have mirrored traditional industry structures with separate
buying functions for print, Internet and television media requirements. The
new structure will facilitate closer strategic and operational relationships
among all buying units," said Hopp. "Today, the media action is concentrated
in a handful of companies each commanding a vast inventory of radio, TV,
Internet and publishing space. GM Mediaworks is responding to the industry
trends with this restructuring to acquire and tailor the best of these media
opportunities for GM."
As part of the restructuring, Rick Sirvaitis (51), a 29-year media
veteran, is appointed president, chief operating officer effective January 15.
Sirvaitis leaves the presidency of Phase2Media, an Internet advertising sales
and marketing organization. Previously he was president of IFE sales, now
Fox/Family, and had several TV sales management positions at Turner
Broadcasting, NBC and Blair Television. He began his career at Campbell-
Ewald. Sirvaitis will operate from the GM Mediaworks offices in New York.
"There was a day when raw marketplace clout could assure an advertiser a
place in the spotlight," said Sirvaitis. "Today the challenge is to put
together custom packages of broadcast and cable, the Internet -- along with
strategic marketing partnerships and world class events -- to achieve a
proprietary access position with consumers. GM Mediaworks has the world-class
experience and respected executive talent to step up to this bigger role."
IPG's existing TV unit in New York, print buying unit in Detroit and GM
Cyberworks, a unit focusing on communications technology R&D and emerging
Internet advertising opportunities, will continue to operate in the new
structure but within an integrated framework.
Linda Thomas Brooks (37), executive vice president, managing director,
will continue to head print and Internet buying as well as Cyberworks R&D in
Detroit. Brooks began her media career at Advanswers Media Programming in St.
Louis prior to joining Campbell-Ewald as a media planner in 1986. She was
promoted to vice president on the Chevrolet media business before moving to GM
Mediaworks as a director in 1994. Brooks was promoted to head of Detroit
operations in 1999.
John Miles, senior vice president at GM Mediaworks in New York, is
promoted to executive vice president, managing director, leading the agency's
network and cable TV purchases. Miles (41) is a 19-year New York media
veteran with a decade of leadership with IPG agencies and previous experience
at D'arcy Masius Benton & Bowles and N.W. Ayer & Partners.
"Linda, John and all the people at GM Mediaworks have done great things
for GM," said Michael Browner, executive director, media and marketing
operations of General Motors North American Operations. "The addition of Rick
Sirvaitis to the GM Mediaworks family will enable us to better integrate our
activities across all mediums, thereby taking GM to new levels of
effectiveness. Rick and his people will work closely with GM Planworks, GM's
new integrated media planning operation, to develop innovative strategies for
each of GM's brand media plans."
The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. is one of the largest
organizations of marketing communications and marketing service companies.
Its major worldwide company brands include McCann-Erickson WorldGroup, The
Lowe Group, Campbell-Ewald, Draft Worldwide, Initiative Media Worldwide,
Octagon, NFO Worldwide and The Allied Communications Group. The shares of the
Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. are listed on the New York Stock Exchange
(IPG). For further information visit: http://www.interpublic.com .