CUTTERS AND RINGSIDE CREATIVE GO WILD!

WILD ACQUISITIONS BUYS RINGSIDE CREATIVE

OAK PARK, MI – Wild Acquisitions, LLC, has announced its purchase of integrated media studio, RingSide Creative, LLC. Wild Acquisitions is owned by Steven Wild, founder and former president of Grace & Wild Studios, Inc., Chicago-based Cutters, Inc., and RingSide Creative CFO Brian Efrusy. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

Wild has been named RingSide Creative’s CEO, Efrusy will remain CFO, and Doug Cheek, RingSide’s founder and former CEO, will stay on in an executive position. Cutters adds the Detroit relationship to their offices in Chicago, Los Angeles and Tokyo.

Cheek, Wild and Tim McGuire, Cutters founder and president, have maintained a friendship for many years. Wild brought the three together, and said he is thrilled about the alliance.

“Tim and his partners at Cutters have built a wealth of creative talent and an international reach that complements the highly advanced ‘integrated production’ model that Doug developed at RingSide,” Wild said. “This partnership brings some new and exciting capabilities to the Detroit marketplace.”

McGuire believes the city of Detroit offers a unique opportunity to capitalize on a resurging market.

“Detroit has always been known for strong creative agencies that produce award winning and iconic work,” McGuire said. “Now, it‘s experiencing a new beginning, a sort of ‘rebirth,’ and we’re excited to make an investment in this great city.”

The presence of new agencies is evidence of Detroit’s bright future. There are exciting opportunities to harvest Motown’s creative heritage and valuable clients.

“Detroit’s ‘creative juice’ and rhythm have inspired some amazing work,” McGuire said. He also admires the diversity of consumer goods and services represented by Detroit agencies.

Unprecedented change is revolutionizing the advertising and marketing industries. Wild explains that this environment is driving content developers to continually integrate new technologies and craft new techniques.

He was asked how this impacts the Detroit advertising community.

“The traditional production model is no longer relevant, and it’s imperative we respond accordingly,” Wild said. “Specifically, clients now want solutions in addition to services, and they want every possible option. We’re offering it all under one roof.”

RingSide Creative was formed when Doug Cheek sold General Television Network (GTN) to DG/Fast Channel in 2007, but maintained its creative talent and technical resources. RingSide diversified its creative services, satisfying the growing market demand for integrated media content. They subsequently registered the trademark ‘Integrated Media Studio.’

Tim McGuire founded Cutters, Inc. in 1980. The company has grown to include other partners and now operates as five distinct divisions: creative editorial house Cutters, audio studio Another Cöuntry, Sol design, Dictionary Films and picnic Transmedia.

Wild formed Wild Acquisitions in April 2010 after leaving Grace & Wild Studios. Wild founded Grace & Wild in 1984 and orchestrated over a dozen successful mergers, acquisitions and start-ups in his 25 years at the helm.

The new acquisition company identifies profitable creative and technical service properties in advertising, entertainment and business communications and then leverages mutual experience, knowledge and relationships.

“Steve is a proven entrepreneur with exceptional vision,” McGuire said. “He presented us with this new idea, and the decision to join him was easy. A partnership between Cutters and RingSide made tremendous sense, and after Craig Duncan joined us in Chicago as Executive Producer, we knew this plan would work.”

Duncan previously spent 10 years with Wild, managing Grace & Wild’s creative editorial and post-production divisions. While Duncan’s responsibility is to oversee all of Cutters post-production properties, Wild trusts that Craig’s talent, experience and reputation will be a strategic advantage to this endeavor.

“This collaboration opens new doors,” Duncan said. “Cutters is continuing to grow, highlighted by the success of our new Tokyo office.”

“I’m pleased and confident this team of experienced industry professionals will lead RingSide Creative in its next phase of growth,” Cheek said. “Cutters presence will enrich our town, and this venture will significantly benefit RingSide’s staff, clients and the entire Detroit creative community.”

Stay tuned. It appears that 2011 is shaping up to be an interesting year in Detroit.

RingSide Creative, LLC and Cutters, Inc. specialize in providing creative talent, services and technical resources to a broad range of customers in markets such as: advertising, broadcast, entertainment, education, government and business.

For more information, contact RingSide Creative in Oak Park, Michigan, at: 248-548-2500, ringsidecreative.com; or Cutters in Chicago, Illinois, at: 312-644-2500, cutters.com.