JFR ADDS OCTAGON & ROGERS AND COWAN TO
ENTERTAINMENT TEAM
CHARLOTTE,
NC (September 12, 2013) – At a press conference today at which he announced a
strategic partnership with JMI to pursue new sponsorship for his race teams,
John Force also announced his intentions to go back to Hollywood with a reality
television show and a more aggressive public relations push to entertainment
and lifestyle media outlets.
Moving
forward, John Force Racing, Inc., and John Force Racing Entertainment will be
working with John Ferriter and Octagon Entertainment along with Rogers &
Cowan in an effort to increase the team’s visibility in non-traditional media.
“We are going back to Hollywood,”
said John Force, CEO of JFR. “We loved
doing the Driving Force Show in 2006 and 2007 but we had to change direction
after we lost Eric Medlen and I had to teach my daughters how to become
professional drivers. We worked with my friend John Ferriter then and we are
back together with a new concept.”
“We are going in a different direction
for this show,” said Force. “It won’t be
about learning the ropes on the race track.
I have taught my kids how to drive, but now I need to teach them how to
chase money and get in the boardroom with corporate America. Our goal is to work with Octagon and John
Ferriter to produce an entertaining show.”
Formerly
Executive Vice-President, Worldwide Head of Non-Scripted Television at the
William Morris Agency, as well as a member of the agency’s Board of Directors,
Ferriter is an award winning and Emmy Nominated producer who has been
instrumental in packaging and selling some of the most popular shows on
television including “The Arsenio Hall Show,” “Piers Morgan
Tonight,” “Erin Burnett Outfront,” “LeAnn & Eddie,”
“Dr. Drew,” “Driving Force,” “Project Runway,” “The
Biggest Loser,” “The Weakest Link,” “The Man Show,” numerous Garth Brooks
specials, “Chelsea Lately,” “Blue Collar TV,” “The Tom Green Show,” “Pop Stars”
and “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” to name a few.
Ferriter
also has been instrumental in signing, developing and expanding the careers of
countless personalities including Piers Morgan, Ryan Seacrest, Nancy O’Dell,
Dr. Drew Pinsky, Arsenio Hall, Larry King, Mario Lopez, Donny and Marie Osmond,
Holly Robinson Peete, Curt Menefee, Erin Burnett, Orlando Jones, Carson Daly,
Nick Cannon, Chelsea Handler, Mark Wahlberg, Jeff Foxworthy, “Larry the Cable
Guy,” Jimmy Kimmel, Montel Williams, Jerry Springer, Adam Carolla, Tom Green,
Leeza Gibbons, Mark McGrath, Chuck Woolery, Topher Grace, Bob Saget and Jeff
Probst.
“I
love John and Courtney, Ashley, Brittany and Laurie. We look to replicate
the success we had with ‘Driving Force’ with the new series. With
Courtney’s emergence we hope to capture a whole new audience and help to bring
them along with the Force family,” said Ferriter.
In
an effort to continue to grow the JFR brand and extend its influence outside of
motorsports, Los Angeles-based Rogers & Cowan will begin reaching out to
entertainment media outlets on behalf of the stable of JFR drivers. The agency will expand the JFR brand into
traditional mainstream media. Rogers
& Cowan’s objective is to position the Force family into mainstream
entertainment personalities by securing significant national media and expose
at entertainment focused events. The
firm’s goal is to reach out to major television outlets such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Good Morning America, CBS Sunday, and Entertainment Tonight. In
the national print area, the Rogers & Cowan will pursue USA Today, Parade, The New York Times, and Wall
Street Journal among other notable outlets.
Rogers
& Cowan will be developing tailored press releases and custom media
campaigns for JFR drivers to enhance JFR’s image in the entertainment
community. Led by Sandy Friedman who during
his 40 plus years at Rogers & Cowan, Friedman has worked with a number of
illustrious clients including LeAnn Rimes, The Beach Boys, Shania Twain, Tim
McGraw, Gloria Estefan, Julio Iglesias, Selena, Leann Womack, Toby Keith, Billy
Ray Cyrus, and 19 Entertainment to name a few.
In the sports realm, Friedman has worked with Tommy John, Bill Madlock,
Brandon Phillips, Ronnie Lott, Antonio Cromartie, Terrell Suggs, Matt Leinart,
Jason Taylor, Reggie Bush, Ken Norton, Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, and Rashad
Evans.
“Rogers
& Cowan is very excited to be associated with John Force, his family and
racing team. We are working closely with John and his team to execute a
strategic marketing communications campaign to reach JFR’s goals and expand
their brand and image into the entertainment mainstream and increase the team’s
visibility,” said Sandy Friedman, Rogers & Cowan Executive Vice President,
Music & Sports.