Commentary

Up A Data Stream, Without A Prattle

A few hours after speaking to David Verklin about his reasons for stepping down as CEO of Carat Americas -- and having him convince me that his near-term goal was to simply take some time off before jumping feet first back into the media industry -- I read a breaking story from a competing news organization that Verklin was already in talks to become CEO of Project Canoe, the cable industry's not-so-top-secret initiative to finally get its addressable TV advertising act together. My first reaction -- after doing one of those "Gee, I could'a had a V8" smacks on my head -- was, brilliant! My second thought was, "Why didn't I see that?"

Verklin is the natural choice for the role, and quite possibly, the only person who could pull it off -- assuming he wants to. If the Canoeists were to draw up some executive search specs for the ideal candidate to paddle their way up the digital data stream, it would read like Verklin's resume: a visionary with equal gravitas among marketers, the media and on Madison Avenue. A doer, not a sayer, Verklin has prided himself on putting his heart on the line for the sake of moving the industry forward. He does that because he loves the industry. He does that because he loves innovation. He does that most of all, because he loves to win. Yeah, he's a nice guy, and slaps everyone on the back while referring to them as "my old friend," but he is a fierce, cutthroat competitor, and don't you ever forget that. How else do you think Carat -- a funky, overseas buying shop with a questionable history and virtually unknown brand -- managed to become a U.S. market leader?

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Yeah, Verklin is the ideal candidate to shoot Canoe's rapids, for so many reasons. He's a great cheerleader, which is clearly something the cable industry will require. He's great at herding pussycats, and these are some pretty sizeable felines: Comcast, Time Warner, Cablevision, etc. He's great at organizing industry initiatives, even when the industry doesn't necessarily want them. Remember NUDG? The Network Upfront Discussion Group? That was Verklin's idea, when in the midst of an annual kvetch fest during an Association of National Advertisers forum, Verklin, said let's put up or shut up, and vowed to organize a summit to resolve the network upfront issues once and for all. NUDG was born. It advanced some pretty interesting ideas, such as an opening and closing bell for network upfront negotiations, but when push came to shove the Nudgnicks simply regressed to what they know and love, leaving a mortified Verklin sitting mouth agape during the group's first and last closed door meeting at a New York hotel room.

Verklin took some hits for NUDG, and for other industry initiatives that have come and gone (remember his announcement with Meredith three years ago for an annual magazine event in New York? Whatever happened to that?).

In the end, I've come to realize that Verklin is best when he is a catalyst, and can inspire or unleash people in the industry to do what they really want, or need, to do. He did it during one of my first days on the job as editor-in-chief of MediaPost. I was moderating a panel with Verklin and some other media chiefs dubbed, "Media: The New Creative," when Verklin jumped off the dais, ripped his mini-houndstooth jacket off, and hurled it onto the stage with his trademark abandon. "What this industry needs," he demanded, "is an awards show for media creativity." MediaPost didn't hesitate, and during Advertising Week this September we'll be hosting our fifth annual Creative Media Awards. Thank you, David.

And, of course, Verklin's support of fellow TV Board regular Mitch Oscar's Carat Digital Exchange has been the best ongoing quasi-public information exchange on the future of the small screen. It's also something that has kept Carat in general, and Verklin, in particular, ahead of the digital TV curve.

I have no idea if the Canoe team will actually offer Verklin the job, or if he will find it the right move, but I can't think of anyone I'd rather have share my boat -- in the bow, or the stern.

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