Straight Talk SERIES

Moderated by AIR President Veronica Lombardo, Straight Talk is a panel discussion moderated by where we discuss hot topics + issues ailing the industry and work to find practical solutions + develop Best Practices. Our panelists offer perspectives from all areas of the biz from agencies, media + brands to production + post to industry orgs + press; producers + creatives to directors, artists, EPs + reps/agents

Episodes of Straight Talk as with all AIR events are periodically
on Mondays at 10am PT // 12pm CT // 1pm ET
please check the AIRCal for upcoming events

  • There's growing concern and discussion worldwide in our industry about the rising costs + time commitments associated with the bid + treatment process. We've talked about it at prior AIR roundtables, at Cannes, at AICP events, etc. It's a growing problem in every market in the global advertising + production business and we as an industry need to find a solution as it's gotten out of control.

    Recently, AIR hosted a roundtable discussion event as part of our Clear the AIR series discussing these issues from a US perspective and we touched on one interesting proposal that's starting to take hold in many international markets - Pitch Cost Share (Paying for Treatments).

    This episode of ST delivers an international perspective on this growing global issue. We'll hear about the ongoing directors free treatment strike in Spain and the German Producers Alliance template for Pitch Cost Share.

    We also debuted our new initiative - AIR Treatment Specs, a form designed to level the playing field for bidders, focus the treatment process on key creative elements, reign in costs and reduce the overall time and effort expended

    With our panelists:

    Nicklas Juntke-Krüger | TV + Creative HoP | David & Martin | Berlin

    Scott Pugnetti | President | Association of Directors Agents | London

    Silvia Pascual | Coordinadora | ADDP - Spanish Directors Association | Palma

    Nadine Thoma | Managing Director | German Producers Alliance/Advertising | Hamburg

    Rich Carter | Founder/EP @ Brother & AICP Board Member | Los Angeles

    Gigi Realini | Board Director | ACCP/Assn of Canadian Commercial Producers | Toronto

  • Over two Straight Talk panel events last year, we discussed the breakdown of communication and the lack of complete information + transparency due to agency teams working remotely and the rise in workload. This has led to issues in communication between agency + vendors as well, especially with the submission process. 

    For Volume 3, we’re focusing on the question - How can the rep community remain a trusted ally in this process from creative brief to reel submission, creative call to treatment + bid ?  

    With our panelists:

    Tyler Smith | HP No America | VMLYR | Kansas City

    Craig Jelniker | VP, Dir of Production Ops | Wunderman Thompson | Seattle

    Scott Pugnetti | President | ADA Assoc of Directors Agents | London

  • After 2 1/2+ years since the pandemic shutdown, which new practices have provided benefits and what's been working well vs. what are the problems that continue to plague an already challenged system and what's not working ? More importantly, what solutions can we offer, how do we improve our industry ?

    With our panelists:

    Marsha Trainer | Manager, Creative Content Production & Development | General Mills

    Robin Feldman | SVP Integrated Production | McCann Health NY

    Jack Epsteen | SVP Production | GSD&M Austin

  • Panelists:

    • Veronica Beach, Director of Production @ Pereira O’dell/NYC + SF

    • Chris Schaldenbrand, Sr. Producer @ Deutsch/LA

    • Ann Vorlicky, Executive Producer @ BVK/Milwaukee

  • Panelists:

    • Matt Faris, Freelance Executive Producer/Austin

    • Leandro Ekman, Freelance Sr. Producer/Global

    • Annette Suárez, Executive Producer @ McCann Health/New York

    • Anne Kurtzman, Freelance Sr. Producer/LA

    • Jaime Roderer, Freelance Producer/Dallas

    • Chris Capretto, Freelance Executive Producer/Portland

  • Panelists:

    • Paul Nelson, Director of Production @ TRG Studios/Dallas

    • Chris Kauffman, EP @ Steelhead at Deutsch/LA

    • Alex Cohn, EP @ Fin Studios at Zambezi/LA

    • Rachel Harms, Freelance Director/LA

    • Tim Abshire, Freelance Director/NY

    • Iqbal Ahmed, Freelance Director/LA

    • Angela Kohler, Freelance Director/LA

  • Panelists:

    • Vicki Mayer @ Claire Randall & Associates

    • Sandy Tyler @ EVP Consulting

    • Paul Mavis @ Mavis & Co. and Alexander Page of MRA Services

  • Panelists:

    • Arlene Fernandez, Regional Advertising Producer - North America Global Advertising Production @ Unilever

    • Lindsay Stillman Cohen, Director of Production @ Smile Direct

    • Alex Colvin, Manager - Creative Content Production @ General Mills

    • Pam Fujimoto, Creative Director @ Twitter

  • Panelists:

    • Robin Feldman, Executive Producer @ McCann Health/NYC

    • Jack Epsteen, SVP / Director of Production @ GSD&M/Austin

    • Keith Jamerson, Executive Producer @ DDB/Chicago

    • Paul Albanese, Managing Director of Broadcast Production @ David & Goliath/Los Angeles