Building A Brand: a brand Reality show
April 21st, 2009
TM & © 2008-2010 PaintBox Laboratories, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
1.0 - BUILDING A BRAND: A brand REALITY show
PRODUCTION TEAM
Steve Marcano, Fredro Starr, Flo Anthony - Executive Producers
Larry Percy, Matt Seifko, Dan Cairo - Co-Executive Producers
Chris Surrey - Producer/Director
Paulio Shakespeare - Director of Photography
Daniel Rodriguez - Assistant DP
Tunnel Post - Trailer Editorial
Editor - Sebastian Perez
Marcia Allen, Bert Padell - Producers
My Lil World Productions in association with BuzzBox Digital and Shakespeare Productions
presents “Building A Brand”, a brand reality show launched by Steven Marcano, who teams up with
Flo Anthony, Fredro Starr, and Chris Surrey to provide strategic leadership and assistance in content
development, product marketing, and business management.
Our production company plans to build a “value added” brand in today’s competitive global
marketplace, through climatic key events, resolution and accomplishments, and actual demonstration
of what it takes to build brands.
Composed demographic primarily of the target audience 18-45 men, women, and young adults.
“I think people understand what building a brand is about, I think they understand that it’s not about a
reality show or hip hop. It’s more of a business show and a look into what we do” - Steven Marcano
ABOUT THE SHOW
In the mist of being surrounded by fame and fortune, many people can loose sight of what’s
important. I, Steven Marcano and the cast sit back and wonder how we can use our connections
and talent to help us build brands.
You will see the team follow some of the most powerful people in media, fashion, music, and
advertising to give you insights into successful business practice, ideas, and strategy.
This is not just a reality show. It’s about the art of war in business and all that matters is the end
result. The goal is for you to achieve success and understand exactly what it takes to build a brand.
Over the next six weeks you will get a glimpse into the lives of people we admire and respect as
we show you what it takes to gain influence, resources, and develop a successful brand.
Over the next 13 weeks you will follow several companies and me as I plot my course to take my
company, “My Lil Star” from $1 million to $10 million. And I’m going to take four people along for
TM & © 2008-2010 PaintBox Laboratories, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
the ride. There’s more to life than money, fortune, and beautiful things. Hopefully, with a look into
our world...we can help you build your brand.
Episode 1 - Los Angeles, California - “Public Relations and word of mouth plays a key role in building
a successful brand” Social Event A celebrity affair at the Sky Bar or as Flo calls it the “Shy Bar” in Hollywood California, the social
event guest included a who’s who in the business entertainment, film & television, media and
recorded music industry. As the story celebrates the birthday of Steve Marcano with friends, it
is an elite world of celebrity entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, luxury with cameo interviews and
appearances by Bert Padell, media mogul Cathy Hughes, actress Lisa Raye, singer Ginuwine, rap
music recording artist Sticky Fingaz, and business entrepreneur Jasmin Lewis just to name a few.
Episode 2 - San Francisco, California - “Advertising and branding helps build your business and
increase sales” Branding Strategy Insiders Lead Marketing Consultant, Chris Surrey attends the 2009 4A’s Leadership Conference with the
Diversity In Media (DIM) film crew to interview the movers and shakers in the industry including Tom
Carrol President & CEO of TBWA Worldwide and Chairman of American Association of Advertising
Agencies, Nancy Hill President & CEO of AAAA, Eric Keshin COO of McCann Worldgroup, Dan
Wieden Co-Founder & Clobal Executive Creative Director of Wieden+kennedy, Larry Woodard of
Vigilante, and Lincoln Stephens Founder of The Marcus Graham Project.
Episode 3 - The Kentucky Derby 2009, “Building on the inherent values of a brand should be the
core of any branding strategy” Grand Gala Affair Flo Anthony attends the historic 3 day Kentucky Derby, which includes a celebrity suite social, horse
racing with Flo’s lucky number 4 horse, and the Grand Gala event featuring celebrity entertainers,
sports stars, and business executives such as Aretha Franklin, former NBA player Charles Oakley,
actress Lynn Whitfield, TV personality Sherrie Shepherd, actress Gabrielle Union, singer Tyrese,
actress Tichina Arnold, TV personality Star Jones, business entrepreneur Kwame Jackson and Black
Entertainment Television’s Founder Bob Johnson, plus a musical performance by Teena Marie.
Episode 4 - New York, New York, “Even though it may seem a simple marketing concept, building
brand communities that resonate with loyal customers is indeed a Herculean task”
Candid interviews with fashion designer and Founder of F.U.B.U (J. Alexander Martin), highly
respected screenwriter and the director of aka Tommy Chong (Josh Gilbert), a visit to Danay
Automotive Group a high end luxury auto dealership in the heart of Harlem, and a “Wall of Fame”
look into the life of entertainment business management expert Bert Padell.
TM & © 2008-2010 PaintBox Laboratories, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Episode 5 - Connecticut - “An effective brand strategy will create a unique identity” Founder Steve
Marcano - An intimate look inside the launch of My Lil Star.
My Lil Star Baby Products, founded by Steven Marcano in 2002, is the first and only minority owned
and operated baby Products Company. Mr. Marcano stumbled upon the idea while shopping with his
youngest son. When the sales associate commented, “You must love working with a star”. Steven
replied, “I do, he’s my little star”.
Travel with us as we go behind the brand with the CEO and his close friend Larry Percy, Senior VP
& COO of My Lil Star.
Episode 6 - Hollywood, California -“The art of closing a deal and reaching decision makers”Welcome to My Lil World.
Hanging out with Fredro Starr, Larry Percy, and Steven Marcano can be a fun and entertaining
experience. Come along as they meet with ION Media Networks executives, enjoy breakfast at
Fredro’s favorite morning spot, make business deals with Marcia Allen, work the late nite with Tunnel
Post, and catch up with old friends like Carl Anthony Payne II (aka Cole from the Martin Lawrence
Show) at the Saddle Ranch Chop House on Sunset Blvd.
ABOUT THE INTEGRATED MARKETING PROGRAM
As a sponsor for this show you will be able to target an audience of diverse demographics as well as
reaching social influencers from markets across the country. Sponsorship for this show is category
specific. Sponsors will provide product used for integration and samples (whether in the form of
actual product or endorsement) to be used by cast members in future episodes. Product categories
include: Home furnishings, culinary delicacies, cocktails, apparel (men & women), home & personal
electronics, and personal beauty & skincare products. Below are a list of branding opportunities
available to sponsors:
•
•
•
•
•
3 minute ad time slots per show (6 shows)
7 show recap (Season Finale)
One (1) ad spot
Custom banner ads & microsite
Ability to participate in promo materials & events
CONTACT
Chris Surrey, PaintBox Laboratories, 212-360-0399 (B), 917.273.7734 (C), chris@paintboxlabs.com
TM & © 2008-2010 PaintBox Laboratories, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
ABOUT STEVEN MARCANO:
Steven Marcano, Founder & CEO
My Lil Star Baby Products
www.mylilstar.biz
Steven Marcano worked endlessly to build his dream, making sample packs and artwork showcasing
his products. With a great response and quality merchandise, Neal Menaged and Lewis Hendler of
Scunci International offered to make My Lil Star a joint venture. Fathers themselves, they understand
and believe in the vision of a multi-verse baby product company that provides excellent products at
an economical value. In fall of 2004 My Lil Star embarked on a national advertising campaign launching
our diapers, wipes, bottles, bibs and apparel endorsed and entrusted by A-list celebrity moms.
This is an example of how we will continue to work effortlessly to become the household names
moms trust.
ABOUT THE CAST:
Florence “Flo” Anthony, Syndicated Columnist
Gossip to Go with Flo, Jones Radio Network
www.floanthonysblacknoir.com
Florence Anthony has been a writer from almost the moment she learned her ABCs. When the Ann
Arbor, Michigan native was in second grade, she wrote a play about Caroline Kennedy and sent it
to the White House. Somebody at the White House liked it enough to send young Florence a thank
you note and some photographs. She also wrote for her elementary school newspaper, and later, in
high school, for the local daily, which had a youth page. Technically, it was her first job in journalism,
because the youth page actually paid its student writers.
In spite of her head start in journalism, when Anthony went off to Howard University, she majored
in acting with a minor in education. No matter, though, journalism still called. After her graduation
from Howard, Anthony, who had a love for sports, became the host of a cable sports talk show
called “Flo’s Place” on Manhattan Cable. One day she invited a group of her guests––a boxing
promoter and some of his clients––to a promotional party she’d coordinated for a friend’s music
project. The boxers were impressed and asked Anthony if she could do the same sort of thing for
them. She agreed and after doing promotional work for a number of professional boxers and other
athletes, went to work as a press agent for the legendary heavyweight champion Larry Holmes. “I
met Bruce Willis and David Hasslehoff, and all these people who were tremendous fans of Larry’s,”
says Anthony of her time with Holmes. “That’s how I branched from sports into entertainment.”
But before her switch to entertainment was complete, Anthony would give her career in sports
another try. As her work with Holmes ended, Anthony founded her own sports magazine, Gladiator,
TM & © 2008-2010 PaintBox Laboratories, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
and began writing sports columns for other publications. “I started out doing a sports column for
the Black American newspaper called ‘Keep Punching,’” says Anthony. Editors from New York’s
Amsterdam News and The New York Times came calling as well. Then in 1984 Anthony heard that
The New York Post was looking to hire a Black woman in the sports department (there weren’t
any at the time). She was hired as an agate clerk and spent long, late hours gathering sports
results from around the country. As it turns out, the sports department was less than pleased
with her performance and, seeing that Anthony had a fine arts background, transferred her to the
entertainment department. She went “kicking and screaming” and did things like putting together
the television grid. Then, in 1986, Anthony asked if she could do a story on a movie from an upstart
filmmaker named Spike Lee––”She’s Gotta Have It.” Her editors were pleased with the work and
when she asked to do a second story, a profile on singer Jermaine Jackson in town to promote a
new album, they quickly agreed. They wondered, though, how she would manage to get the interview.
“And I said, well, I know him,” Anthony recalls.
By then, Anthony was firmly enmeshed in entertainment––though she was still hustling to put out
her sports magazine on the side––and lobbied hard to get a position with the Post’s popular gossip
section, “Page Six.” Finally, in 1990, after five years in the entertainment department, Anthony got
her wish, becoming the first African-American woman to write for the dishy column. Later, when
she left the Post in 1994, Anthony stepped into another “first” position––the first African-American
woman to write a column for a tabloid––when she headed up the “Eye on the Stars” column in the
National Examiner.
While still at the Post Anthony began developing a career in radio, lending her gossip skills to New
York area radio stations including WBLS-FM and KISS-FM––where she sat in for gossip guru Wendy
Williams. Today, those early forays have evolved into the live daily radio feature, “Gossip to Go with
Flo,” which she’s done for six years now. The show is syndicated by Jones Radio Network in 30
markets. In print, Anthony’s weekly column, “Go with the Flo,” can be found in New York’s Amsterdam
News, the Philadelphia Sunday Sun, Black Radio Exclusives (BRE) and New York Trend. She also writes
a monthly column for Tokyo’s MTelepal and is a Sunday contributor to the London Mail.
In addition to her columns and radio features, Anthony has written a novel––Keeping Secrets,
Telling Lies––and is editor-in-chief and, most recently, owner of Black Elegance magazine which she
purchased through her company, Dottie Publishing, LLC, named for her late mother, Doris “Dottie”
Anthony. There are also plans to revive Gladiator, her former sports magazine. Plus, Anthony is often
called upon as a gossip guru by television and cable shows such as the “E! True Hollywood Story,”
“Inside Edition,” “Entertainment Tonight” and many others.
Gossip has been good to Flo, though, at times, it’s been exhausting. “When I worked at ‘Page Six’
you went out every single night. The Donald Trump types, they go out every night. They make three
events a night or something. So you really do need to do that…” says Anthony, who admits she
hasn’t been around much. She spent three years caring for her seriously ill mother, who passed away
in October 2003. “I’m just kind of getting back out,” says Anthony. “You can search the Internet for
TM & © 2008-2010 PaintBox Laboratories, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
things, and I read everything. I’ve got tons of sources, but you’ve got to get out and talk to people
and be there.”
When she’s not at the hottest events, Anthony, who lives on New York’s Upper East Side, spends her
time relaxing, watching movies and spending time with her boyfriend and her cat.
“Building A Brand” Reality Television Series
Fredro Starr, Rapper & Actor
Executive Producer, My Lil World
Fredro Starr (born Fredro Scruggs on April 18, 1971 in Jamaica, Queens) is an American rapper and
actor best known as a member of hardcore rap group Onyx.
Starr released six albums with Onyx, and is the cousin of fellow group member Kirk “Sticky Fingaz”
Jones. He also contributed to the Sunset Park, Light It Up, and Save the Last Dance movie sound
tracks. Onyx split from Def Jam after their 1998 release Shut ‘Em Down, and temporarily broke up,
during which Starr released his first solo album, Firestarr, in 2001. Onyx reunited the next year and
released Bacdafucup Part II, and Starr’s next album, Don’t Get Mad Get Money, arrived in 2003. He
formed a new group called Yung Onyx in 2006.
Starr made his acting debut in Forest Whitaker’s 1993 award-winning HBO drama Strapped, for
which he earned a Cable ACE Best Supporting Actor nomination, in addition to several Onyx songs
appearing on the soundtrack. Other film credits include Clockers, Sunset Park, Ride, Light It Up, and
Save The Last Dance.
Starr had a recurring role on Moesha as the title character’s fiancé. He appeared in three episodes
of HBO’s The Wire as Marquis “Bird” Hilton. Starr filmed guest appearances on NYPD Blue, Law &
Order, Blade: The Series (in which Sticky Fingaz starred in the title role), and “Promised Land.” He
also played Ricky Gannon on a CSI: Miami episode that aired February 2, 2009.
Starr co-hosted Paramount Domestic Television’s daily half-hour urban dance competition, Dance
360, with actor Kel Mitchell. The program aired for one season in 2004 before being canceled due
to poor ratings.
Christopher Surrey, Founder & Senior Director
PaintBox Laboratories
www.paintboxlabs.com
Chris Surrey established PaintBox Laboratories, LLC in 2006, after 14 years of multicultural and
general market experience. A creative visionary and strategist, Chris has focused his creative talents
on integration of new, interactive and entertainment media. His vision of a cross-cultural team of
strategists is realized in PaintBox Laboratories.
TM & © 2008-2010 PaintBox Laboratories, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Prior to PaintBox Laboratories, Chris worked for several of the top advertising agencies including:
MRM Partners/McCann-Erickson; Cline Davis Mann; Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide; Euro RSCG; the
former Bozell Worldwide; Deutsch, Inc.; TBWA/Chiat/Day; and UniWorld Group, Inc. Since 2003,
Chris has served as a creative consultant to several agencies on new business acquisitions. More
recently he helped McClain Finlon Advertising win the $20 million Budget Truck Rental account, and
The Cartel Group (a Hispanic agency in San Antonio) win the $20 million Church’s Chicken account.
Both efforts generated new revenue flow for the agencies totaling over $2 million dollars per year. During his three-year tenure at UniWorld Group, he served as associate creative director on the
burger king account, and in 2002 helped to develop a new national TV game promotion called “Cash
is King,” which increased quarterly sales for the first time in over four years.
The following year, he introduced the urban trendsetters to his Ford Explorer spot called “Car
Wash,” which Ad Age/IAG Ranked No. 8 for Like-ability in 2003. In the year 2000, as a senior
creative at Deutsch Inc. he co-created a national campaign for Domino’s Pizza called “Bad Andy.
Good Pizza.” which helped win the account worth $250 million dollars. His extensive experience in
the viral and guerrilla marketing world included crafting non-traditional marketing solutions ranging
from Web design to Bad Andy collectibles, 30-second TV spots to radio sweepstakes promotions,
and in-store signage to employee uniforms. Chris has successfully managed and created breakthrough advertising for accounts in fast food,
package goods, hair care, financial services, telecommunications, sports apparel, automotive, and
pharmaceutical. His passion for creative has inspired several blue-chip clients including Aim Mutual
Fund, 1-800-Collect, Bank One, 3Musketeers, A&W Root Beer, GNC, Volvo, New Balance, MCI,
Publisher’s Clearing House, and Bank of America
Chris is founder/executive director of Project54Tour (www.project54tour.org); He earned a BFA,
Advertising Design, at the University of Syracuse, with a minor in Psychology.
TM & © 2008-2010 PaintBox Laboratories, LLC. All Rights Reserved.