LAIKA Inc. has appointed Cynthia Barton Rabe to the position of vp/cmo, entertainment division. Rabe is a 20-year marketing veteran who has held management positions with consumer product and technology companies, including Intel and Ralston Purina. She is also a business consultant, author and guest lecturer specializing in innovation and corporate strategy.
In her new position, Rabe will be responsible for all entertainment division marketing functions including the development and implementation of marketing plans and strategies, the identification and exploitation of rights associated with film distribution arrangements, market research, public relations, film festival presence and general communications. As a senior member of the management team, Rabe will also help determine new development projects and participate in formulating and implementing overall LAIKA strategy and plans.
Rabe founded her own consulting company, Zero-G Llc., in 2006. A frequent speaker on the topic of innovation, she is author of THE INNOVATION KILLER; HOW WHAT WE KNOW LIMITS WHAT WE CAN IMAGINE AND WHAT SMART COMPANIES ARE DOING ABOUT IT. Prior to launching her own business, Rabe held exec posts at Intel from 1995-2005, including director of consumer marketing for the home networking product line and innovation strategist for new technologies.
From 1985-1994, Rabe held various positions at Ralston Purina and its subsidiary, Eveready Battery Co., and also worked as a management consultant. She was also one of the four-member product management team that introduced the "Energizer Bunny" advertising campaign in 1988.
LAIKA Ent. produces animated feature films and is in production on CORALINE. Directed by Henry Selick (THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH) and scheduled for release by Focus Features in 2008, CORALINE is described by LAIKA as "the first ever stop-motion animated feature to be produced in 3-D."
For more information, visit www.laika.com.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
