D S Simon Productions Names Edelman’s Former Senior Executive to
Direct Midwest Operations
D S Simon Productions Names Edelman’s Former Senior Executive to
Direct Midwest Operations
Douglas Simon had a chance to talk with Lauren Dewhirst our new VP, and Director of Midwest Operations about her philosophy. Here’s a transcript.
Full Interview Q & A
Doug Simon: Hi my name is Doug Simon and my guest today is Lauren Dewhirst. Lauren Dewhirst was most recently Vice President and Deputy Director for U.S. Broadcast and Creative at Edelman in Chicago. And now she’s joining us at D S Simon Productions. Welcome and congratulations.
Lauren Dewhirst: Thank you so much.
Doug Simon: Now, you had many opportunities given your work history, why DS Simon Productions?
Lauren Dewhirst: Well I’ll tell you, when I first got the call from you Doug, I really had it engraved in my head that you were at the forefront of excellent co-op Satellite Media Tours, and that was what you specialized in, and that’s what your main focus was. What I realized after sitting down with you is that it’s so much more than that. It’s an innovative, integrated, content creation company with distribution across all platforms, anything from TV to radio and Internet. I didn’t realize that Internet Media Tours, Viral Video, Media Placement and Video Press Junkets was such an important part of what you do. But, most important was the fact that you are at the forefront of where our industry is going. That was really important for me.
Doug Simon: So what are you most looking forward to?
Lauren Dewhirst: You know, I’m looking forward the most to trading information and expertise with you and many incredibly successful and smart people at DS Simon. I think the people that you’ve brought together all come from various walks of life in our industry, and I think that together we are really dangerous with where our business is going and how we can succeed for our clients.
Doug Simon: Now, you’ve got roots in the Midwest and also some of your background, you worked at WLS, the ABC affiliate in Chicago, you’ve worked at Edelman of course, you’ve worked in Broadcast PR and at HGTV. You really come from the Midwest; how much does that inform you in terms of how you are going to approach the way you work?
Lauren Dewhirst: You know, I tell you that I’m a Midwesterner through and through, I complain about the winters every year, but at the end of the day I’ve lived here, I was born and raised here in Chicago, I went to school in Ohio, I’m now raising my two young children here back in the city of Chicago, so I feel like I really have a good grasp on what the industry is here. As everyone knows, Chicago is a huge PR city, and advertising, and marketing city, so I’ve worked with some of the CMO and Chief Communications Officers at great companies and have been at the table with them outlining what their goals are for the coming years. I really feel like I have a good handle on what’s happening in this area. It’s been a really difficult time economically for a lot of the big Fortune 500 companies here, and I feel like we’re very traditional here and I understand that, and I want to be able to educate them with your assistance in really getting them in the forefront of what’s happening in our industry.
Doug Simon: And we’re thrilled that now you’re part of our expansion, and a key part of that as well. Thanks so much.
Lauren Dewhirst: Thank you!
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