• by Wayne Friedman , April 6, 2006

Santa-Monica, Calif.-based Palisades Media Group has launched a new brand strategy and has slightly altered its company name to Palisades MediaGroup, with the aim of expanding its client base beyond movie studios and entertainment.

Ironically, Palisades--which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary--is pushing out this new brand awareness at the same time that it has grown its entertainment business to its biggest levels in years. Major clients such as The Weinstein Co., MGM-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Lionsgate Entertainment, and Electronic Arts have grown Palisades' business to some $650 million in billings.

Still, Roger Schaffner, chairman, CEO, and founder of Palisades, believes his agency is making inroads in non-entertainment areas, driven by the recent hiring of Bruce Dennler as president and chief operating officer of Palisades.

Dennler, with major consumer package goods client business experience from his stint at Carat USA, had a big hand in the recent addition of Del Taco, the West Coast fast food company, and QuikDrop International, the eBay drop-off store chain, as new clients to Palisades' roster.

The Veo Group in Los Angeles developed the new brand campaign. Putting together 'MediaGroup' into one word, the company says, signifies the firm's efforts to provide closer media and marketing integration.

Palisades believes its rapid-response media buying skills in the fast-paced, always-changing movie and entertainment business will give it a leg up with other clients.