Situation: Betting Big on 2022
As I sit in meetings with our live entertainment clients — from Broadway to major cultural institutions — many of whom I’ve worked with personally over two decades, it’s both maddening and anxiety-inducing to see what the pandemic continues to do to their businesses. There is so much uncertainty, so much financial pain, and a deep emotional scar forming with every passing day of the pandemic.
But while for many this moment may feel dim, for those of us working in this beloved business of live entertainment, we know first-hand the undeniable power of the live experience. The magic of theatre, the awe of the opera, the thrill of a live concert — this force is too strong to be held down for long. It’s why so many of us chose this career path to begin with.
So in the spirit of the famous saying “things don’t happen, things are made to happen,” I’m proudly sliding all of my chips on the table in this moment to double down on the industry that delivers what I believe the world needs now more than ever — the artists, innovators, and creators of live experiences.
While some may call me delusional given the current state of the world, I stand proud and confident in my belief that 2022 will be an amazing year for live experiences in a big and beautiful way.
At Situation, we are betting big on 2022 and the power of live experiences…
2022 will be the year live experiences fuel an incredible recovery of urban centers worldwide — including New York City, the city that has given so much to me personally and to our agency. They will revive dormant restaurants, raise hotel occupancy, and even cause that annoying traffic and congestion we remember all too well.
2022 will be the year live experiences serve as the stage for stories that heal us, connect us, and inspire us. They will provide the much needed space for empathy, understanding, and thankfulness.
We are betting big on New York City by expanding our office footprint on 7th Avenue and in London by taking on new office space.
We are betting big on the continued rise of digital marketing and its ability to engage potential audiences in ways never thought possible before.
We are betting on the artists and innovators who produce the incredible work that makes the world a better place. The producers who have the guts and grit to open their doors to the public against extraordinary circumstances and play to all sizes of audiences in any way they can during the pandemic. The brave ones.
And, most importantly, we are betting big on amazing talent. We are investing in the talent who have committed years of their careers to making Situation the agency it is today. And we are investing in new talent who have chosen to bring their skills to our agency family and evolve it in new and exciting ways.
Yes, I see the headwinds in front of us, but I also see the promise of what a post-pandemic world will look like…one that is full of incredible live experiences. And that is something worth swinging for.
Here’s a look at Team Situation for 2022 and beyond…
Joining me at the helm of Situation will be my two most trusted partners, Lisa Cecchini and Jeremy Kraus, whom I have been in the trenches with for over 15 years. Both have a deeply rooted understanding of the business, the strategic marketing brains to drive client success and a moral character I admire deeply. Together we are evolving the agency to meet the needs of a post-pandemic world.
One of those evolutions is the addition of newly appointed Managing Director Leslie Barrett, a long-time theatre veteran and one of the most respected strategic minds in the business. As we are primed to expand our footprint both in New York City and around the world, Leslie brings a unique, strategic perspective both for Situation and our philanthropic arm of Situation Project that continues to have a very important impact throughout so many parts of our beloved city.
Creative strategy will be led by Senior Creative Group Director, Stephanie Sciandra Smith. Stephanie has proven she has the chops to do what is needed for successful, digital-first campaigns — she truly blends awe-inspiring creative with grounded business strategy. She’s been with the agency for over a decade and constructed so many of our award-winning campaigns. Joining Stephanie, we welcome Chris Hemingway (Senior Creative Director, Key Art & Brand). Before arriving at Situation, Chris was the creative visionary for so many of the amazing entertainment experiences we all know and love from Netflix to HBO. When we add our talented creative directors Phillip Hughes and Justin Yu, our remarkable social media managers Robert Ackerman and Jacqui Thomas, and our passionate community managers Chase Haylon and Tracee Herbert , we have a powerful creative team in place to meet the needs of the moment. It’s quite exciting.
Media strategy will be overseen by Media Group Director, Mara Milgrom. Under her leadership, Situation has evolved client media plans to new platforms, with proven results in building new audiences in ways once never thought possible. Mara has been at Situation for over a decade and is joined by Media Director Rachel Harpham Couchara who has been at the forefront of trailblazing, new media strategies for almost a decade as well. They will oversee the amazing group of senior media planners Max Pallman and Ashley Roberts and media planners Kendall Buzzelli and Taylor Shelly, along with media coordinator Sara Hernandez.
And, finally, our strategic marketing plans will be driven by our established Account Group Director team. Rian Durham and Mollie Shapiro will head up client services for our Broadway business. Collectively they have extensive experience working in the industry and are deeply respected for their strategic understanding of the business of Broadway. Meghan Goria will head up client services for our Arts & Culture clients. Meghan has deep experience working in the performing arts, including the Metropolitan Opera, before joining Situation. Matt Parker will head up clients services in Attractions & Live Events where he brings his decade plus experience working at Feld Entertainment to help our live events clients reach success. And industry veteran Pippa Bexon will head up client services for our newly formed UK business where since our inception we have welcomed an award-winning client base of West End theatrical experiences and officially moved into our office in the Holborn area. Working closely with our Account Group Directors are an extraordinarily talented team of Account Supervisors Ali Bloomston and Matthew Martine, Senior Account Executives Molly Barson, Bridget Bross, Caitlin Cheng, and Francesca McCarthy and Account Coordinator Sophie Amelia.
If there is one thing we’ve learned after all of these years in business, it can be summarized in the well-known proverb “if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Collaboration will remain key to our success as well as the partnerships we secure. We are excited to continue to expand our multicultural marketing partnership with the amazing Tracy Chapman-Nolan and her team at Biz Chica Media, as well as our influencer marketing partnership with the talented Sam Maher and his great team at YesBroadway. Collectively, we believe we can truly build new audiences in ways like never before.
Situation is part of the Situation Group family of companies. From our award-winning production and media buying team in The Studio to our newly formed agency Town Hall that is centered on supporting mission-based brands, the Situation family is stronger than ever and has the support needed to thrive in what we all believe will be an exciting 2022.
So, like many we know in the live event business, we are betting big on the future. We believe in the people, the industry, and the future, and we aim to be a fundamental part in shaping the best we and the industry can be.
We hope you will join us.
Damian Bazadona
Founder, Situation
