The Strategy Behind Effective Brand Entertainment Explained by Ensemble’s Scott Donaton

Co-hosts Brad Forsythe & Ray Schilens interview Scott Donaton, president-CEO of Ensemble, a branded entertainment company that delivers innovative, strategic content solutions to marketers across platforms, including TV, web, mobile, film and music.

Ensemble is a unit of Interpublic’s Mediabrands, and works with clients of the global media-management firms UM and Initiative, as well as dedicated clients. Ensemble’s unique approach to content creation is a collaborative model that accesses the creative thinking, production expertise and distribution muscle of the world’s leading content developers, studios and networks.

In naming Mediabrands as Media Holding Company of the Year, Mediapost wrote: “In branded entertainment, Mediabrands innovated again, bringing in former Entertainment weekly and Advertising Age publisher Scott Donaton, a pioneer in the field, to run a new unit called Ensemble.”

A recognized expert on branding, entertainment and media, Donaton “has the uncanny ability to anticipate the next thing,” said Media Industry Newsletter in honoring him as one of the “21 Most Intriguing People in Media.” Before launching Ensemble, Donaton served as publisher of Entertainment Weekly. During his tenure, the title was named one of AdWeek’s “Magazine Brand Leaders,” in print and online, and one of MIN’s “Most Engaged Media Brands.”

Before joining Time Inc., Donaton was the longtime editor and publisher of Advertising Age. He founded the highly successful “Madison & Vine” franchise, which grew to include print sections, conferences, a dedicated Web site and email newsletter. He also authored a book on branded entertainment, “Madison & Vine: Why the Entertainment and Advertising Industries Must Converge to Survive.”

Donaton’s achievements have been widely recognized throughout his career. In addition to the “21 Most Intriguing List,” he was named to the Folio 40 in 2008, and was inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Advertising Hall of Achievement. He serves on the AAF board. Donaton is a guest writer for various media outlets, has made numerous national-media appearances and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences.

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