Team of entertainment, technology and marketing executives lands initial $50 million
in financing
SAN FRANCISCO and LOS ANGELES - November 16, 2007 - Blowtorch Entertainment today announced that it has secured more than $50 million in initial funding to create a media company for the young adult audience based on the belief that their media consumption behaviors require new rules for media creation, distribution and audience engagement. Blowtorch is focused on truthful, edgy, audience-influenced content that goes wherever this $27 billion audience goes - online, in theaters, at events or on mobile devices. Unlike pure user-generated media, Blowtorch has an editorial vision that balances professional-grade production with user participation to create a consistently engaging experience.
The company was established by senior executives in entertainment, technology and advertising from firms including Leo Burnett, MTV, Ogilvy & Mather, Starcom MediaVest Group, Verizon and major Hollywood studios.
"Our team recognizes that there is an opportunity to build a new type of company focused solely on serving the media consumption behaviors of young adults while providing an experience they can trust and be passionate about," said Kelly Rodriques, CEO of Blowtorch. "Young adults today do not interact with one media brand, but with many through many channels - online, via text messages and through other traditional media. With Blowtorch, we have set out to build a media company that delivers a consistently compelling experience that will lead to stronger engagement across all the channels our audience uses everyday. And we are confident we have found meaningful ways for marketers to be a part of this experience."
Blowtorch content will include feature-length films, professional-grade shorts, mobile offerings, an online social community and live events. Its members will help to create, influence and "blowtorch" content made just for them. Blowtorch films will be on hundreds of screens that are geographically concentrated in major cities and large college markets. The company will also distribute its own films and is in negotiations with a variety of theater owners. In addition, Blowtorch has partnered with Vivendi Visual Entertainment to distribute Blowtorch films on DVD.
Added Tom O'Malley, general manager, Vivendi Visual Entertainment, "Blowtorch has the potential to set a new standard for engaging and connecting young adults around a single brand, and we're excited to help the company expand its presence across our broad network of distribution channels."
Blowtorch has raised more than $50 million in financing, including an equity investment from Ignition Partners. The investment enables Blowtorch to launch a three-year stream of feature films and short-form content, as well as to build the Blowtorch.com online community. The company's first feature film release will be "You Are Here" and will debut in theaters in spring 2008. The movie is produced by Blowtorch board member and advisor Paul Schiff, directed by Henry Pincus, and features an ensemble cast including Bijou Phillips ("Almost Famous"), Danny Masterson ("That 70's Show") Michael Biehn ("Grindhouse" and "Terminator") and Patrick Fleuger.
"Everything Blowtorch does is focused on the 18- to 24-year-old market, from creating and distributing content to developing branded entertainment and selecting venues for live events, and Blowtorch is doing this with maniacal focus," said Renetta McCann, worldwide CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group and a member of Blowtorch's board of directors. "The team behind Blowtorch has years of experience targeting the young-adult market and is offering a myriad of new and complementary engagement opportunities which will help advertisers and marketers connect with young adults in an integrated way that was not previously possible."
In the coming months, Blowtorch will release more details about its future media offerings and projects in development.
About the Blowtorch Team
The founding board and executive team of Blowtorch span individuals with a history of success in entertainment, technology and marketing for a young adult audience. They include:
- Kelly Rodriques, CEO, co-founder
Rodriques was a pioneer in the formation of the world's first major interactive marketing group at Ogilvy & Mather. He went on to be founder and CEO of Publicis' largest interactive unit, Novo, now called Arc Worldwide. Most recently, Rodriques was the president and CEO of Totality, a Verizon-acquired Silicon Valley Internet technology company.
- Paul Schiff, board member and advisor
Schiff is a veteran Hollywood producer whose films include "Rushmore," "My Cousin Vinny," "Date Movie," and "Young Guns." Schiff started his career at MTV and his production company has had first-look deals with Disney, Fox and Sony.
- Renetta McCann, board member
McCann is worldwide president and CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group, a Publicis company, the largest global media buying, planning and services organization overseeing more than $26 billion in global marketing communications placement.
- Steve Weinswig, media group president
Weinswig is former North American COO of Arc Worldwide, Publicis' largest marketing services group, and the former president and CEO of Publicis/Leo Burnett's Semaphore Partners and Giant Step Interactive. His clients have included Disney, Motorola, Miller Lite, Orbitz and Toyota Scion.
- Rich Hull, chief content officer
Hull is an accomplished feature film ("She's All That," "Daddy Day Camp"), television and documentary producer who has also advised major Hollywood studios including MTV, Disney and Warner Bros.
- Dominic Ianno, EVP of business development, co-founder
Ianno is a former SVP of Strategic Planning and Digital Media for Artisan Entertainment, a former EVP Strategic Planning for Outlaw Productions and a former VP at Sony Music Online Ventures.
- Peter Towle, CFO, co-founder
Towle leads all finance activities at Blowtorch. He is former CFO of Totality, a Verizon-acquired Silicon Valley Internet technology company.
- Lee Einhorn, EVP, creative director
Einhorn is a pioneer of short-form branded content with past projects that have included the award-winning "truth" anti-smoking campaign as well as clients Nike, Sprite and Mike's Hard Lemonade. Einhorn most recently worked at interactive production studio Mekanism and was the founder of Arnold Worldwide's Branded Entertainment Group.
About Blowtorch Entertainment
Blowtorch is a media company focused on entertaining, engaging and connecting young adults through truthful, edgy, audience-influenced content. Blowtorch goes where the audience goes - online, in theaters, at events or on mobile devices. Unlike pure user-generated media, Blowtorch has an editorial vision that balances professional-grade production with user participation to create a consistently engaging experience. The Blowtorch experience includes full-length films, professional-grade shorts, an online community, mobile offerings, and live events. Founded in 2007, Blowtorch has assembled a diverse team of executives from the entertainment, marketing and technology industries with deep expertise creating media for young adults. For more information, go to www.blowtorch.com.
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Media Contacts
Melissa Klein or Jesse Odell
LaunchSquad for Blowtorch Entertainment
415-625-8555
blowtorch@launchsquad.com
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