Cartoon Network GM Out Over Stunt; Legislation Likely
The head of the Cartoon Network, Jim Samples, resigned Friday after a marketing stunt last month that caused a terrorism scare in Boston.
There had been much speculation that heads would roll.
“A huge mistake was made and someone had to take the fall,” said Drew Nessier, CEO Renegade Marketing Group, a New York-based agency that does some guerilla marketing.
In another development, the Boston City Council is proposing legislation in reaction to the marketing ruckus.
Samples, Cartoon Network’s executive vice president and general manager, announced his resignation in an internal e-mail to company employees, according to the e-mail obtained by PROMO.
In the e-mail, Samples said he felt “compelled to step down, effective immediately, in recognition of the gravity of the situation that occurred under my watch. It’s my hope that my decision allows us to put this chapter behind us and get back to our mission of delivering unrivaled original animated entertainment for consumers of all ages.”
Cartoon Network executives will report to Turner Entertainment President Mark Lazarus until a replacement is named.
Samples was named the head of the network in August 2001. In that role, he oversaw operations, creative direction, brand marketing and program strategy for the network. Prior to that, he worked as general manager of Cartoon Network Online. He had been with the company for 13 years.
He said in the e-mail that he expects new professional challenges ahead that will make the most of the experiences he had with Cartoon Network.
Meanwhile, the Boston City Council last week filed an order for a hearing on guerilla marketing to explore further regulation, including the restructuring of fines and permitting, the council said.
In addition, the council filed a resolution calling on state congressional leaders to urge the Federal Communications Commission to investigate the marketing practices of broadcast outlets. Public hearings on both matters have yet to be scheduled.
Samples resignation comes after Turner Broadcasting System and Interference, the New York City agency hired to execute the marketing stunt, agreed to pay $2 million to the city of Boston to settle charges related to the botched marketing stunt that took place Jan. 31 (PROMO Xtra, Feb. 6, 2007).
Turner and Interference also released a public statement last Monday accepting full responsibility for the stunt.
The move, some say, is an effort to bring the incident to a close.
“Two million dollars isn’t chump change and shareholders must be appeased,” Neisser said. “This action shows tangible evidence that Time-Warner is remorseful. It is an effort by Time-Warner to bring closure to the incident.”
Turner did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Jesse Derris, a spokesperson from Ken Sunshine Consultants Inc. who is handling media calls for Interference, said the firm had no comment.
Cartoon Network’s campaign was designed to promote the TV show Aqua Teen Hunger Force. The stunt included placing 400 small, electric signs in 10 cities last month. The agency selected the locations to place the boards, Turner said. None of the other cities reported any problem with the devices.
Two men hired by Interference have been charged for their role placing the light boxes in Boston. Peter Berdovsky, 27, of Arlington, MA, and Sean Stevens, 28, of Charlestown, MA, are due back in court on March 7.
