In the Driver's Seat
14 January 2008“We get it done” is an appropriate mantra for DRIVER, a producer-run company that’s in the business of matching ad agencies and entertainment clients with the right producers and talent, creative resources, and tailored media solutions since 2002.
DRIVER recently produced the much-touted Coke M5 initiative featuring “Faithless & Paranoid,” an animated music video, which had over 12 million views online, and specially designed Coke bottles. The company has also developed original web content for Sports Illustrated, and created an extensive TV re-launch campaign for Delta, as well as spots for Canon (featuring tennis star Maria Sharapova), Microsoft, E*TRADE and LG Electronics, to name but a few.
Executive producers Scott Weitz and JD Williams founded the independent content production department after realizing the need for a high-end production-outsourcing model to service clients that had downsized in response to the dot-com bubble burst. Drawing on their 25 years of combined agency and production experience, the two established DRIVER, which offers traditional and integrated production, interactive design and digital production, music production and licensing, media distribution and business affairs.
“As an independent production entity, DRIVER is a much more adaptable and dynamic resource for the unpredictable needs of large, mid-size and small creative shops,” says Williams. Our agency background enables us to identify the parameters of each project and respond with the right production solution.”
“Whether it is producing multimillion-dollar commercials, broadcast television content, podcasts or original programming for satellite radio, DRIVER has the creative resources, vast talent network and production expertise to help clients create, execute and market in traditional and non-traditional mediums,” adds Weitz. “DRIVER offers all this on an as needed-basis, avoiding the high cost of staff producers.”
Celebrating its 5th anniversary this year, DRIVER continues to expand its vision with the addition of partner/managing director Linda Rafoss and a new office in Los Angeles. Rafoss joins the company with 17 years of agency and post-production experience. She was formerly an executive producer at Ogilvy and J. Walter Thompson, and spent the past seven years as managing director of Version2 Editing & VFX.
Weitz, Williams and Rafoss are bringing DRIVER’s successful philosophy to Los Angeles to further cultivate agency partnerships and expand their pool of freelance talent. The company is currently developing original content for a number of clients, and is ramping up its suite of services to include interactive design and highly targeted, media distribution over the web. “We feel very strongly that DRIVER is a business model that can be replicated in other major markets, given the trend of agencies downsizing their in-house production overhead,” explains Rafoss.
“DRIVER’s capabilities goes beyond just coordinating production and post,” continues Weitz. “We are precise about matching projects with the right producer’s skill-set whether it is music supervision and rights management, talent payments, direct production, in-house editorial or production-related business affairs. We can enhance an existing production or seamlessly operate as a complete agency production department.”
“The advertising and production industry is ever-changing, and the concept of production outsourcing is becoming an increasingly popular alternative for clients large and small,” concludes Williams. “What defines us is our ability to understand our clients’ needs, provide them with a 360-degree point of view, and consistently deliver a high-end product on time and on budget.”
