Grey Partners with Tony Bennett in Music Seminar at Cannes

Grey Partners with Tony Bennett in Music Seminar at Cannes

Living Legend Talks about the Importance of Music in Brand Communications at Second Annual Seminar

NEW YORK, June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Grey New York announced today that its Second Annual Music Seminar with Living Legends will feature music luminary Tony Bennett at the preeminent music seminar at the Cannes Advertising Festival. "Talking Music with Tony Bennett," on Wednesday, June 18 (12 noon, Cannes time) at the Debussy, follows last year's popular seminar with John Legend and '60s folk rock star Donavan.

In Grey's annual seminar on music and its place in marketing communications, Columbia Recording Artist Tony is joined by his son and manager, Danny Bennett, who has expertly guided Tony's extraordinary career as President of RPM Productions in New York, in what should be one of the most fascinating and informative hours in the whole Cannes week.

Leading the panel from Grey will be moderator Tim Mellors, Worldwide Chief Creative Director & Worldwide Vice Chairman Grey Group, and Josh Rabinowitz, SVP/Director of Music, Grey New York, who also is a columnist for Billboard Magazine's "With the Brand."

"The word genius is thrown around in advertising like confetti," said Tim Mellors, multiple Cannes Lion winner for over 20 years. "This is a chance to hear the real thing. No living popular singer has the pedigree, panache and experience of Tony Bennett, as well as the shrewd and informed insight into how music is marketed and made. Grey's seminar is a one-and-only opportunity to hear one of the greats in person. You'd have to be mad to miss it."

Danny Bennett, to whom Tony Bennett's incomparable career longevity and unprecedented widespread appeal with all generations of audiences is widely attributed, commented on what advertisers might learn from this seminar, "Representing Tony Bennett, who is the embodiment of integrity and artistic excellence, to the advertising community has been an extraordinary responsibility. As I say, I don't handle a career, I manage a legacy. We have chosen with great care the right partnerships and through these shared commitments have navigated successfully the fine line between 'art and commerce'."

About the music's relevance to advertising, Josh Rabinowitz said, "Advertising is becoming a new form of the music label. Any day now, we will see the most popular song in America, as well as around the world, come out of a brand's advertising, as opposed to radio or a "record" release."

About Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett is revered internationally as a performer who exemplifies a dedication and passion for his artistry that has underscored a career of unparalleled excellence and longevity. Through his sold-out concerts, Grammy winning recordings that have reached platinum status and Emmy award winning television specials, he has communicated and connected with audience that defy generational or demographic boundaries. He is living proof that if you do what you love most in life, there is no limit to what can be achieved, and with Tony Bennett you can be assured that "the best is yet to come."

About Danny Bennett

Danny Bennett, President of RPM Productions in NYC, is known in the entertainment industry for his broad vision and his ability to expertly balance the creative integrity of the artist he represents within the new world of marketing demands we face today. With his deep appreciation and understanding of branding music as an important driver, he is constantly reinventing, innovating and pushing the fine line between art and commerce. He has not only been the guiding force in developing Tony Bennett's extraordinary career, but as an artist manager has consulted for a myriad of recording artists. As an Emmy award winning producer, Danny Bennett has created music television programming, including the NBC special, "TONY BENNETT: AN AMERICAN CLASSIC" directed by Rob Marshall, which received 7 Emmy Awards in 2007 as well as the long running music series "LIVE BY REQUEST" for A&E.

About Grey

Grey New York is the flagship and largest office of Grey, a unit of Grey Group. Grey Group ranks among the largest global communications companies. Its parent company is WPP (NASDAQ:WPPGY). Grey Group's total offer includes G2, activation marketing; GHG, healthcare communications; MediaCom, media planning and buying and GCI Group, public relations. Grey New York's blue-chip client roster includes many of the world's best known companies: Procter & Gamble, GlaxoSmithKline, Diageo, Darden Restaurants, Wyeth, Canon, 3M, Eli Lilly, Dairy Queen and E*Trade.

Source: Grey

CONTACT: Chris Brown, +1-212-546-2231 or Owen J. Dougherty,
+1-212-546-2551, both for Grey

Web site:

http://www.grey.com/

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