Electric Company increases brokered client list of artists to a dozen

The Electric Company’s artist representation business model is proving so viable just nine months after it launched that it is having to turn down work, says the company’s executive director. The company, which brokers a dozen new media artists, is seeing growth in the broadcast arena, particularly since joining forces last December with Hesty Reps, headed by Hesty Leitbag. David Chant tells Canadian NEW MEDIA the two companies formed a partnership because Electric Company wants to explore the broadcast world and take advantage of Leitbag’s contacts in that field. Since the partnership began, Chant says, business has grown. "From a new media point of view, a production type scenario with a roster of artists has never been offered before and it hasn’t been long enough for them (broadcasting companies) to wrap their head around it," Chant says. Chant notes that businesses appreciate the way Electric Company operates once they’ve started working with it. "But when they do, it’s like, wow, we can outsource this type of work and get this type of work and get this type of quality out of it, and they’re really pleased when they start to engage us," he notes. Chant adds there will continue to be a strong focus on broadcast and digital media, even as new partners join. "Our broadcast (business) is definitely picking up," he says. "Everything we do is different. Everything we use is digital. Broadcast, online, we’re 100% digital. The broadcast side has really come along in the last six months. With Hesty coming on board, the word will start to get around that there’s a new kid in town who can do broadcast and they come at it from a different approach." Chant says his company has been successful in cracking into the international market, noting that the company has several American clients. "A couple of our roster members are international, and they’ve been getting very busy. So it’s been both going very well," says Chant. Electric Company’s roster members include, Chant adds, artists from United States, Mexico, and England. Chant also says his extensive marketing background, including working with MacLaren McCann Interactive, is proving advantageous, and that "95%" of his company’s work is "only working with ad agencies" and there is "no direct client interfacing at all. We just plug right into the ad agency." In a previous CNM interview, Chant said that the day is coming when there will no longer be a line between TV and new media, and said, "Interactive and TV are all going to be one thing one day. We will bring on people who can get us there."

Electric Company increases brokered client list of artists to a dozen

Broadcast | April 1, 2005

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