Prodigy PR Launches Social Media, Internet Marketing Division

Ashley Fontaine has joined the company as executive VP and head of digital

Prodigy Public Relations is launching a social media and Internet marketing division to be headed by industry veteran Ashley Fontaine, it was announced Thursday by Erik Bright, president and CEO of Prodigy.

Fontaine has been appointed executive VP/head of digital and will focus on executing high-level digital strategy and social media campaigns for the firm’s clientele.

Fontaine has an extensive background in creative ideation and digital strategy that began in the early-adopter days of social media under the mentorship of Ashton Kutcher, who during Fontaine’s tenure was recognized by Time magazine as a foremost thought-leader in the digital space.;

Also read: Veteran Publicist, Studio Exec Form Prodigy PR

Over the last four years, Fontaine has implemented social media campaigns that have involved influencers such as Kutcher, Ben Stiller, Snoop Lion, Justin Timberlake, Demi Moore, Eva Longoria and Anna Paquin, among others. She has executed digital content development and production for projects involving talents such as Erykah Badu, Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) and Michael Madsen.

With film campaigns, she recently oversaw the digital and social media strategies for the indie sleeper hit “The Saratov Approach,” which grossed nearly $500,000 in two weeks on only 23 screens, and went on to earn over $2 million during its national theatrical release alone. Prodigy was the national publicity outfit on the film.

“Each release campaign we worked on with Ashley over the last year exceeded our clients’ expectations and delivered outstanding results, so when it came time to add a digital division, she was the obvious choice to lead this effort for us. By adding these services to the results-driven PR capabilities we’re known for, we can truly provide a complete one-stop publicity and marketing package for our clients,” said Bright.

Also read: Sony Veteran Steve Elzer Launches New PR Company Elzer and Associates

“I am thrilled to continue pioneering the type of social media content and strategy that drives people into theaters and facilitates large numbers of VOD transactions under Prodigy’s umbrella. Traditional media publicity and the emerging power of the digital landscape go hand in hand. Independent film producers and distributors have never been in a better position to turn their marketing spend into profit and we aim to be the agency that facilitates that for them,” added Fontaine.

Fontaine’s appointment is timed to the recent re-branding of Prodigy’s website and logo, which follows a successful expansion of the Prodigy Sports division last year that supported national sports media campaigns for major studio films and sports-themed projects including “300: Rise of an Empire,” “Turbo,” “Wired: A Season Inside the NBA” and Steve James’ “Head Games.”

Prodigy’s recent independent film campaigns for unit, festival, and release efforts include “Queen of the Desert,” “Cooties,” “All Is Lost,” “Kill Your Darlings,” “Upstream Color,” “Margin Call,” “The Words” and Spike Lee‘s “Red Hook Summer,” among others.

Bright, who will be attending Cannes, co-founded Prodigy PR with chief operating officer Alex Klenert.

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