Syd Kessler
Encyclopedia
Syd Kessler began as a writer for Chuck Blor Creative Services. During the 60’s and 70’s, this company was considered to be the number one creative radio commercial
production company in the U.S. In 1970-71, Hatus/Hall–the producers of the legendary game show Let's Make a Deal
– hired him to develop a game show (The Crosswits
) styled after a crossword puzzle. This show ran on ABC
for 6 seasons.
Syd then started his own business and was president of Kessler Productions between 1974–78, producing and writing creative radio commercials exclusively for the Canadian marketplace. The company continued to grow and Syd took in other partners. The company changed its name to Kessler Music Inc. and Syd served as president until 1981, when he merged with the two top audio production companies in Canada and became the dominant player in the marketplace. This new company was called The Air Company, and Syd was its president from 1981 to 1988. In this period, the company won Canadian and International awards such as the I.B.A.s, The Bessies, The One Show, etc.
In 1988, John Labatt Ltd.
, a multinational Canadian corporation, with over $3 billion CAD
in revenue, joint ventured with Kessler Music to create a new entity called Supercorp. Starting revenues of this company was $10 million. In four years the revenues rose to $150 million. Supercorp dominated the commercial production business, this time in all aspects of advertising
production. Supercorp owned the following premiere enterprises: HYP&N, The Partners Film Company and all its subsidiaries, The Animation House, Sounds Interchange Recording Studios, and The Air Company. Supercorp controlled 68 percent of all advertising production in Canada and was the largest television commercial production company in the U.S. Aside from his senior management responsibilities as President
and CEO, Syd also consulted in the retail sector of advertising. He became known as a respected specialist/problem solver, working with such clients as Saffer Advertising, Black’s Photography, Esso
, Carson Pirie
, Towers, etc. During this time, Syd was the creative marketing force behind the new positioning of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
. Their “GO PUBLIC” campaign was conceived and produced by him.
Following a change in corporate direction at Labatt’s
in 1994, Syd sold his shares in Supercorp and started a new company called The Kessler Group.
The Kessler Group was created to address a growing need in the advertising
community to move away from the broadcast advertising model, with its inherent inability to deliver measurable results, to a new advertising model called narrowcasting
; narrowcasting
takes advantage of new digital technologies’ ability to cost-effectively tailor advertising messages to individuals, producing improved and fully measurable results.
Syd’s ability to integrate his normative (non-digital) marketing
expertise with his advanced digital skills put him at the leading edge of this marketing shift. The Kessler Group secured contracts with such notable American firms as Dow Jones
, Wal-Mart
and US West
.
As digital technologies further penetrated traditional markets, the need to understand and take advantage of them created opportunities at the strategic level of major corporations. To meet this need, Syd became Co-Director of KPMG
e-commerce practice in 1997. This Toronto based business unit assisted corporations and their senior leadership teams in gaining a better understanding (strategically and tactically) of their company’s place in the new digital economy. Its core focus was on issues such as branding, online marketing, customer experience and digital business extension.
Syd now spends his time identifying, investing and then mentoring new businesses and organizations. He is an investor in Brand Voice Inc., Rocket Boys Inc., the Canadian Sportfishing Inc. media group of companies, Radio Free Canada Inc., Wunderkind Inc., Scientific Intelligence Inc., and Rocket Digital Management.
Syd published, The Perfect System (Stoddart Publishing), which describes his unique personal story and business philosophy.
Radio commercial
Commercial radio stations make most of their revenue selling “airtime” to advertisers. Of total media expenditures, radio accounts for 6.9%. Radio advertisements or “spots” are available when a business or service provides valuable consideration, usually cash, in exchange for the station airing...
production company in the U.S. In 1970-71, Hatus/Hall–the producers of the legendary game show Let's Make a Deal
Let's Make a Deal
Let's Make a Deal is a television game show which originated in the United States and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The show is based around deals offered to members of the audience by the host. The traders usually have to weigh the possibility of an offer being...
– hired him to develop a game show (The Crosswits
The Cross-Wits
The Cross-Wits is an American syndicated game show which premiered on December 15, 1975 and lasted for five seasons until its cancellation on September 12, 1980. The show was hosted by Jack Clark, with Jerri Fiala as hostess. Announcing duties were handled by John Harlan, Jay Stewart, and Jerry...
) styled after a crossword puzzle. This show ran on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
for 6 seasons.
Syd then started his own business and was president of Kessler Productions between 1974–78, producing and writing creative radio commercials exclusively for the Canadian marketplace. The company continued to grow and Syd took in other partners. The company changed its name to Kessler Music Inc. and Syd served as president until 1981, when he merged with the two top audio production companies in Canada and became the dominant player in the marketplace. This new company was called The Air Company, and Syd was its president from 1981 to 1988. In this period, the company won Canadian and International awards such as the I.B.A.s, The Bessies, The One Show, etc.
In 1988, John Labatt Ltd.
Labatt Brewing Company
Labatt Brewing Company Ltd. is a Canadian beer company founded by John Kinder Labatt in 1847 in London, Ontario. In 1995, it was purchased by Belgian brewer Interbrew; it is now part of Anheuser-Busch InBev...
, a multinational Canadian corporation, with over $3 billion CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
in revenue, joint ventured with Kessler Music to create a new entity called Supercorp. Starting revenues of this company was $10 million. In four years the revenues rose to $150 million. Supercorp dominated the commercial production business, this time in all aspects of advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
production. Supercorp owned the following premiere enterprises: HYP&N, The Partners Film Company and all its subsidiaries, The Animation House, Sounds Interchange Recording Studios, and The Air Company. Supercorp controlled 68 percent of all advertising production in Canada and was the largest television commercial production company in the U.S. Aside from his senior management responsibilities as President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and CEO, Syd also consulted in the retail sector of advertising. He became known as a respected specialist/problem solver, working with such clients as Saffer Advertising, Black’s Photography, Esso
Esso
Esso is an international trade name for ExxonMobil and its related companies. Pronounced , it is derived from the initials of the pre-1911 Standard Oil, and as such became the focus of much litigation and regulatory restriction in the United States. In 1972, it was largely replaced in the U.S. by...
, Carson Pirie
Carson Pirie Scott
Carson Pirie Scott & Co., known informally as Carson's, is an upscale chain of department stores that have been in business for over 150 years. Their product price points are targeted to the moderate-to-upscale shopper...
, Towers, etc. During this time, Syd was the creative marketing force behind the new positioning of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
. Their “GO PUBLIC” campaign was conceived and produced by him.
Following a change in corporate direction at Labatt’s
Labatt Brewing Company
Labatt Brewing Company Ltd. is a Canadian beer company founded by John Kinder Labatt in 1847 in London, Ontario. In 1995, it was purchased by Belgian brewer Interbrew; it is now part of Anheuser-Busch InBev...
in 1994, Syd sold his shares in Supercorp and started a new company called The Kessler Group.
The Kessler Group was created to address a growing need in the advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
community to move away from the broadcast advertising model, with its inherent inability to deliver measurable results, to a new advertising model called narrowcasting
Narrowcasting
Narrowcasting has traditionally been understood as the dissemination of information to a narrow audience, not to the general public. Narrowcasting involves aiming media messages at specific segments of the public defined by values, preferences, or demographic attributes. Also called niche...
; narrowcasting
Narrowcasting
Narrowcasting has traditionally been understood as the dissemination of information to a narrow audience, not to the general public. Narrowcasting involves aiming media messages at specific segments of the public defined by values, preferences, or demographic attributes. Also called niche...
takes advantage of new digital technologies’ ability to cost-effectively tailor advertising messages to individuals, producing improved and fully measurable results.
Syd’s ability to integrate his normative (non-digital) marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
expertise with his advanced digital skills put him at the leading edge of this marketing shift. The Kessler Group secured contracts with such notable American firms as Dow Jones
Dow Jones & Company
Dow Jones & Company is an American publishing and financial information firm.The company was founded in 1882 by three reporters: Charles Dow, Edward Jones, and Charles Bergstresser. Like The New York Times and the Washington Post, the company was in recent years publicly traded but privately...
, Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
and US West
US West
U S WEST, Inc. was one of seven Regional Bell Operating Companies , created in 1983 under the Modification of Final Judgement , a case related to the antitrust breakup of AT&T...
.
As digital technologies further penetrated traditional markets, the need to understand and take advantage of them created opportunities at the strategic level of major corporations. To meet this need, Syd became Co-Director of KPMG
KPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
e-commerce practice in 1997. This Toronto based business unit assisted corporations and their senior leadership teams in gaining a better understanding (strategically and tactically) of their company’s place in the new digital economy. Its core focus was on issues such as branding, online marketing, customer experience and digital business extension.
Syd now spends his time identifying, investing and then mentoring new businesses and organizations. He is an investor in Brand Voice Inc., Rocket Boys Inc., the Canadian Sportfishing Inc. media group of companies, Radio Free Canada Inc., Wunderkind Inc., Scientific Intelligence Inc., and Rocket Digital Management.
Syd published, The Perfect System (Stoddart Publishing), which describes his unique personal story and business philosophy.