Who is Madam?
Madam is a collective of talented people who champion creativity and original thinking designed to impact a client’s business.
A collective of talented people who believe creativity is the differentiator, is the driver of business.
All of us have been at the center of a major pitch, either as a member of client or agency team.
Michael Lee
A native of England, Michael landed on the shores of New York 20 years ago and has been leaving his imprint and talent on many award-winning integrated campaigns ever since.
Michael has been centrally involved in numerous new business wins.
Pitching and creating campaigns for Intel and JPMorgan, introducing numerous Volvos to the world, establishing MCI in the internet age, overseeing corporate campaigns for Exxon Mobil, helping Jaguar become more ‘Gorgeous’, encouraging people to ‘Talk to Chuck’, launching Howard Stern up to Sirius Satellite Radio, introducing ‘open for fun’ to Ritz Crackers lovers, handling a multitude of global products for Reckitt Benckiser, and recently, creating new work for the New York Stock Exchange.
Michael has been a member of the Euro RSCG Worldwide Creative Board, has judged numerous award shows including film juries at Cannes (most recently in 2011) the Clios and APAC’s ‘Spike’ awards.
Importantly, at the outset of the then called “digital age,” Michael was assigned to instituting creative integration in a global network years before people knew what integration was.
Michael’s intuitive nature is frequently relied upon to forecast industry trends and inclinations.
And if that doesn’t ensure his credibility, he is also one of the few people on earth who understands the game of cricket.
Don Hogle
Don Hogle has broad experience in advertising and branding on both the client and agency sides.
As Director of Retail Advertising and Interactive Communications for Chemical Bank and, subsequently, Chase Manhattan, he managed agency selection for the re-launch of both brands’ retail businesses following their mergers, shepherding corporate and business-unit management through a process that can be unfamiliar and, at times, uncomfortable.
He was the Managing Director of Euro RSCG New York’s strategy department. He’s pitched for businesses ranging from satellite radio and television, consumer electronics, and big-box retail to insurance and pharmaceuticals. After winning pitches for CSFB Direct, GSK’s Advair asthma medication, Charles Schwab, and NYSE Euronext (the parent of the New York Stock Exchange), he directed strategy for those accounts at Euro, as well as for JPMorgan, Evian North America, and Intel. He was one of the architects of the “Talk to Chuck” campaign for Schwab, responsible for overall strategy and the investor insights that drove creative development.
He’s led brand positioning projects for such diverse brands as Schwab, the Home Shopping Network, ask.com, Silver Spring Networks (the leading smart grid solutions and services provider) and recently for a global Rx to OTC switch for a major pharmaceutical company.
His early training was at management consultancy Booz, Allen Hamilton. He has a BA in Spanish from Washington and Lee University, has done graduate work at NYU’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business and is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He’s traveled in 34 countries to date, is an avid photographer and writes a blog, mostly about his travels, called Postcards from Don.
Diane Epstein
Diane arrived in New York from her native South Africa with two suitcases and a resume. After a brief stint as a waitress, where she learned to understand Americanisms like “on the side,” she embarked on a career in advertising and never looked back.
Diane has worked in Account Management at agencies both big and small—Kirshenbaum & Bond, Merkley, Newman Harty and JWT—where she has managed global, blue chip clients in a wide range of categories.
Diane spent the last year at social media agency Big Fuel, developing and activating social media strategies for clients like T-Mobile, Philips, Gore-Tex® and Starwood Hotels.
Diane’s real passion is New Business and she has led successful pitches for Bloomberg L.P., Royal Caribbean, Philips, Sunglass Hut, Smith Barney, Women& Co (Citigroup) and The American Museum of Natural History.
Diane has consulted with agencies on the development of agency credentials and new business strategies; with investors on the evaluation of internet startups in the social and emerging media categories; and with entrepreneurs on the development of business strategies.
Andrew Rider
Andrew has an impressive track record leading teams in the creation of innovative integrated marketing solutions for a broad array of top global brands. He has a particular creative expertise in the highly regulated pharmaceutical, alcohol, and financial services industries.
His pharma successes include EFFIE winning integrated DTC creative for Novartis’ Lamisil, global launches for hypertension brands, CRM for sanofi-aventis’ diabetes treatments, digital and mobile programs for Pfizer, as well as results-driven work for other leading pharma brands.
Andrew has also led strategy and communications efforts for Bank of America, Bank One, AIM Mutual Funds, Miller Beer, Snapple, Johnnie Walker, Colgate and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as business development for a digital media company and a stint with an investor relations firm.
His agency background includes EuroRSCG, Deutsch, BSB and JWT. In addition to having had senior account management roles on leading brands, he has been deeply involved in successful new business pitches and client global procurement processes. Andrew has also been a judge in several creative awards shows.
A Columbia University graduate, Andrew lives in Connecticut with his wife and two children, and enjoys traveling, skiing, and any sport requiring a racquet.