Lecture Series

August 22, 2008 · Filed Under Articles 

SmartTalk Media Announces New Investors, Major Corporate Re-Branding Initiative

2008 AUG 30 - ( NewsRx.com) — SmartTalk Media, LLC - the creator of America’s #1 lecture series formerly known as the Smart Talk Women’s Lecture Series - announces a formal re-launch of the series, for the 2009 season and beyond, as SmartTalk Connected Conversations(TM) (SmartTalk) (see also SmartTalk Media, Llc).

The corporate re-positioning of this extremely successful and rapidly growing series was undertaken to better articulate the broad multi-media expansion planned by investors Errol and Karen Menke, of private equity holding company EJ-Vestco Industries, together with Desert Sky Holdings of Los Angeles.
Since the original series began in 1992, the company has sold more than one million tickets to more than 500 lecture performances featuring speakers including Geena Davis, Brooke Shields, Katie Couric, Anna Quindlen, Lisa Ling, Ann Curry, Erin Brockovich, Joy Behar, Suze Orman, Valerie Plame Wilson, Marie Osmond, Maya Angelou, Glenn Close, Susan Sarandon, Jane Fonda, Julie Andrews, Whoopi Goldberg, Mariane Pearl, Barbara Walters, Jane Goodall, Judy Collins, Sally Ride and many more. The 2009 line-up, yet to be formally announced, promises to be even more exciting.

The Menkes will roll out SmartTalk’s new branding initiative designed to strengthen the brand identity. Notably, due to the huge demand of the previous Smart Talk Women’s Lecture Series, tickets for the 2009 SmartTalk Connected Conversations(TM) series will be sold as a complete series only. SmartTalk management plans to offset the need for price increases through enhanced relationships with new sponsors.

Why tamper with success? “Like the smart and successful women in our audience, we are always looking to try something new, grow and improve,” explained Bob Benia, SmartTalk’s Founder and CEO. “While proud of our accomplishments, the Menkes and I were excited by the prospects of working together to take a great thing and make it even better.”

“We see this business venture as a real opportunity to create change,” said Errol Menke, SmartTalk’s new Executive Chairman. “Through a tightened focus, many enhanced event and multi-media features, and even a few new faces, we’re looking forward to communicating the SmartTalk brand, and reaching our socially conscious and committed audience more broadly and effectively than ever before - possibly even expanding to future health and environmental initiatives.”

Especially important, added Karen Menke, was communicating that the series was about so much more than mere lectures. “We have long felt that these events are more like inspirational and interactive conversations among friends, than one way exchanges involving a passive audience. Our new tag line, ‘Connected Conversations’ conveys the true nature of our events perfectly!”

Keywords: SmartTalk Media, Llc.

This article was prepared by Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week via NewsRx.com.

Keywords: Obesity/Fitness/Wellness

NewsRx.com

Tags:

Comments

Leave a Reply