Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment will honor Pam Kaufman, President, Global Consumer Products, Viacom/Nickelodeon and Gaye Dean, a Target Corporation veteran, at the 15th Annual Wonder Women Awards!
Kaufman will be awarded the Wonder Women Mentorship Award. “Pam is not only an inspiration, she’s a movement unto herself! Not only does she drive Viacom’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, but her passion for developing the next generation of leaders is infectious,” says Jen Caveza, Senior Vice President, Toys, Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products and co-chair, Wonder Women.
“She has created a culture and environment where team members feel empowered, respected and constantly learning.” Dean will receive the Wonder Women in Retailing award. “Gaye Dean has an extraordinary creative vision, strategic approach and collaborative spirit that bring brands to life at Target for millions of customers who experience the immersive programs she executes hand-and-hand with our industry,” says Janice Ross, Managing Partner, Brand Fresh Licensing and co-chair, Wonder Women.
Additionally, Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment have also announced that two Nickelodeon staff members have received nominations in the 2019 edition of the prestigious awards! Erica Dibacco, Manager, Toys, Nickelodeon has been nominated in the Rising Star / Corporate category, and Lindsay Britt, VP, Client & Business Development, Nickelodeon has been nominated in the Sales category!
The 15th Annual Wonder Women Awards honors high-ranking female executives, entrepreneurs and changemakers for their impact on the toy licensing and entertainment communities. The 15th Annual Wonder Woman Awards is set to take place Feb. 17 at Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers in New York City. The event will coincide with New York International Fall Toy Fair. For more information about the Wonder Women Awards, please visit
https://www.womenintoys.com/wonder-woman-awards. Tickets for the event are available now
here.
A huge congratulations to Pam Kaufman, Gaye Dean, Erica Dibacco, Lindsay Britt, and to everyone nominated in the 2019 Wonder Women Awards!
Update (2/19) - From
The Toy Book:
WOMEN IN TOYS, LICENSING & ENTERTAINMENT 2019 WONDER WOMEN REVEALED…It was a vibrant scene at Chelsea Piers in NYC last night as Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WIT) revealed its 2019 Wonder Women winners at the
15th Annual Wonder Women Awards. The event, presented during Toy Fair New York, honored the best and brightest women in the industry, with 14 awards presented to women making waves across the toy industry, licensing and entertainment.
Among the highlights of the evening, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, direct from wrapping Star Wars: Episode IX in London, arrived to honor her friend, Pam Kaufman, president of Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products, with Mentor of the Year.
Grammy-winner Yolanda Adams performed for the crowd, after which, Hasbro chief Brian Goldner took to the stage to present Target’s Gaye Dean with the Wonder Woman in Retailing award.
THE 2019 WONDER WOMEN HONOREES AND WINNERS:Mentor of the Year – Pam Kaufman – Viacom Nickelodeon
Retailer of the Year – Gaye Dean, Target
Wonder Girls – Mila and Emma
Creator / Inventor – Amy Pruzansky – Spin Master
Licensing – Gabriela Arenas – Sesame Workshop
Manufacturing – Nancy Sanchez – LEGO Systems, Inc.
Marketing – Juli Lennett – NPD
Rising Star / Corporate – Chrissy Helmich – Wicked Cool Toys; Kate Nichols – Spin Master
Rising Star / Independent – Marissa Louie – Animoodles; Natalie Rebot – Moonlite World
Sales – Marian Bossard – The Toy Association
Social Responsibility – Amy Knight – Hasbro
THE 2019 WONDER WOMEN SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS:LIU – Zeynep Ecem Atabay
OTIS – Jessica Archibeque
University of Arkansas – Jessie Daspit
OCAD – Julia Babici
Stanford – Sarah Cook
FIT – Yang Liang
GenHeration / Wharton – Jelece Morris
GenHeration – Jelece Morris
Wharton – Lea Chen
“We kicked off an incredible Wonder Women Weekend and Toy Fair by being invited to ring the opening bell at NASDAQ on Friday morning,” says Genna Rosenberg CEO of GennComm and longtime Gala Co-Chair. “Followed by an incredible evening celebrating these amazing powerhouse women who are making their mark.”
“This years’ Award Winners are some of the highest achieving and most remarkable women in our industry”, added Jennifer Caveza, Senior Vice President of Toys and Business Development, at Nickelodeon Consumer Products. “It is truly an honor to celebrate their outstanding achievements and to watch them continue to lead our industry, while inspiring greatness”.
WIT thanks Hasbro, Nickelodeon, Disney, Spin Master, Mattel, LEGO, PlayMonster, Jazwares, The Bandai Foundation, and the many sponsors who support the organization year-round and help contribute to the success of the Wonder Women Gala. Proceeds from this event are used to fund scholarships, develop and maintain a full calendar of programs and networking events, and support initiatives for WIT’s members and its community.
The Toy Book is a supporting sponsor of WIT.
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Below is Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment's official press release announcing the exciting news, via
Retail Merchandiser:
Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment Announces 15th Annual Wonder Women Awards WinnersWomen in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WIT) announced its 2019 Wonder Women winners at the
15th Annual Wonder Women Awards. The Awards coincided with the New York International Toy Fair, and honored the best and brightest women in the industry in a star-studded celebration. WIT presented 14 awards to women making an impact in toys, licensing and entertainment, including honorees Pam Kaufman, president of Viacom Nickelodeon Global Consumer Products, and Gaye Dean from Target. The evening included the President of Lucasfilm and prolific filmmaker, Kathleen Kennedy, presenting the Mentor of the Year Award to Kaufman, and a performance by Grammy award-winning artist Yolanda Adams.
WIT also presented four-year old Youtube Influencers, Mila and Emma, with the 2019 Wonder Girls Award, and presented scholarships to nine students from universities around the country to a sold-out room over 800 women and men who run the toy industry and support the organization’s mission to advance women business leaders.
The
2019 Wonder Women Honorees and Winners:· Mentor of the Year - Pam Kaufman - Viacom Nickelodeon
· Retailer of the Year - Gaye Dean, Target
· Wonder Girls - Mila and Emma
· Creator / Inventor - Amy Pruzansky - Spin Master
· Licensing - Gabriela Arenas - Sesame Workshop
· Manufacturing - Nancy Sanchez - LEGO Systems, Inc.
· Marketing - Juli Lennett - NPD
· Rising Star / Corporate - Chrissy Helmich – Wicked Cool Toys; Kate Nichols – Spin Master
· Rising Star / Independent - Marissa Louie – Animoodles;Natalie Rebot – Moonlite World
· Sales - Marian Bossard - The Toy Association
· Social Responsibility -Amy Knight – Hasbro
The
2019 Wonder Women Scholarship Recipients:· LIU - Zeynep Ecem Atabay
· OTIS - Jessica Archibeque
· University of Arkansas - Jessie Daspit
· OCAD - Julia Babici
· Stanford - Sarah Cook
· FIT - Yang Liang
· GenHeration / Wharton - Jelece Morris
· GenHeration - Jelece Morris
· Wharton - Lea Chen
“We kicked off an incredible Wonder Women Weekend and Toy Fair by being invited to ring the opening bell at NASDAQ on Friday morning,” said Genna Rosenberg CEO of GennComm and longtime Gala Co-Chair. “Followed by an incredible evening celebrating these amazing powerhouse women who are making their mark.”
“This years’ Award Winners are some of the highest achieving and most remarkable women in our industry”, said Jennifer Caveza, Senior Vice President of Toys and Business Development, at Nickelodeon Consumer Products. “It is truly an honor to celebrate their outstanding achievements and to watch them continue to lead our industry, while inspiring greatness”.
WIT would like to thank Hasbro, Nickelodeon, Disney, Spin Master, Mattel, LEGO, PlayMonster, Jazwares, The Bandai Foundation, and the many sponsors who support the organization year-round and help contribute to the success of the Wonder Women Gala. Proceeds from this event are used to fund scholarships, develop and maintain a full calendar of programs and networking events, and support initiatives for WIT’s members and its community.
# # #
ABOUT WOMEN IN TOYS, LICENSING & ENTERTAINMENTFounded in 1991, Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WIT) / The WIT Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to foster a collaborative community that champions professional growth for women through leadership, networking and educational opportunities. WIT serves and supports women at all stages of their careers, from entrepreneurs and startups to seasoned industry veterans. The WIT Foundation grants scholarships to deserving students enrolled in industry-related undergraduate programs. WIT has 25 chapters throughout the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, France, the UK and Australia, with liaisons in Finland, Germany, India and Lebanon. Follow us on
Twitter,
Facebook and
LinkedIn.
###
Also, from
ForbesWomen:
Why Your Organization Needs A Chief Motivational OfficerShe might not have superhuman strength or a Lasso of Truth, but Pam Kaufman is certainly a Wonder Woman. This month, Kaufman, President of Viacom/Nickelodeon Global Consumer Products, was honored by Women in Toys and Entertainment as the recipient of the 2019 Wonder Women Mentorship Award in recognition of her track record of building strong teams that are motivated to do great work.
“When your people are fulfilled and firing on all cylinders, so will your business,” Kaufman says of her leadership style. “Giving my team the tools to be their best selves is a top priority for me.”
In fact, it’s so important to her that Kaufman likes to think of herself as the Chief Motivational Officer. “I love this term because my previous role was Chief Marketing Officer for Nickelodeon, and when I was promoted to lead Viacom’s Consumer Products business globally, I feel like I kept my CMO title, only now I am Chief Motivational Officer,” Kaufman explains.
“I believe a leader’s job is to set the business focus with clear goals and objectives, champion others, motivate, and provide resources to allow teams to thrive," she continues. "My goal is to empower my team and make them more effective at their jobs, and I spend most of my day advocating for both the business and for my team to have the right tools and resources to succeed.”
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Pam Kaufman, President, Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products, receives Mentor of the Year award at 15th annual Wonder Women Awards, presented by Women in Toys, Licensing and Entertainment (WIT), Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019, in New York.DIANE BONDAREFF/INVISION FOR WIT/AP IMAGES###
Update (2/26) - Via
WHOSAY:
Top Marketers On How To Drive Brand PurposeAccording to Viacom Velocity’s Culture of Proximity 2.0 study, young audiences want brands to fill a void that traditional institutions have left by participating in social and pop culture conversations.
The findings echo Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at BET Networks Jeanine Liburd’s
statement at last October’s Top 100 Women in Marketing event at Viacom, where she said, “In the space of brands who are going to win, it’s about courage. To create environments that don’t have ‘isms in them, you have to take an incredible risk and be O.K. with taking a revenue dip.”
This new environment, where brands cannot afford anymore to sit on the sidelines of potentially controversial issues,
was also discussed by entertainment icon LL Cool J and top marketers at the 2018 ANA Masters of Marketing in Orlando, Florida.
“I’m so proud of this,” Viacom/Nickelodeon President of Global Consumer Products Pam Kaufman told LL when sharing two of her company’s most notable initiatives during the last year. She explained MTV’s +1 the Vote campaign, which helped register an additional 800 voters leading to the midterm election, and the National Student Walkout to promote gun safety, when Viacom's channels went dark for 17 minutes “to promote gun safety and to make sure that we recognize what the students have to say.”
Articulating brand purpose, Amanda Brinkman, chief brand and communications officer at Deluxe Corporation, said, “Every company, big or small, needs to identify what their brand purpose is; what would the world be missing if they weren't in business,” she said. Brinkman added that, while the right and unique “brand action” isn’t always commenting on political issues, it should be something that advocates for consumers in a way that makes a difference to them. “If you have a platform or leverage to make a difference when it comes to policy, influence or advocacy, that's your responsibility to help do that.”
Eastern Bank is another company that, as its Chief Marketing & Communications Officer Peter Alexander says, “leans out on a number of issues,” including transgender and immigration rights. He admitted there'd been some “blowback” as they take a stand on these issues, but assured LL that they’ve also brought in new customers who aligned with said values.
Meanwhile, Procter & Gamble Chief Brand Officer Marc Pritchard said that nowadays “people expect more from [brands].” “People are looking for brands, what's your point of view? They want to know who is behind that camera, and the more they know there are human beings, that amazing,” he told LL, as long as said point of view “has to do with the brand.”
Aetna’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Lisa Bacus addressed the opioid crisis. She told LL that her company committed to reducing opioid consumption among its customers by 25% over three years. Bacus added that, in the long run, the campaign would help everyone by preventing unnecessary medication and allowing individuals and the company to save money in the long run.
Eric Reynolds, executive vice president at The Clorox Company, said that when he started his career, he was told to “sit down, shut up, work, do well and advance.” “[Nowadays] young people have a voice,” he told LL. “And if the company doesn't stand for their values they will walk. We want to be the kind of company where people feel like their opinion matters.”
Chief Marketing Officer at Deloitte Digital Alicia Hatch also addressed the issue. “We believe in looking forward; everyone has a place. It's a collective effort,” she told LL. “[At Deloitte] we’ve created space for this. It’s something that we did, that was on brand and allowed us to drive that conversation in a way that was authentic to us.”
Last but not least, Chief Marketing Officer for Marchon Eyewear Thomas Burkhardt offered a refreshing perspective. “If a company stands for, say, LGBT rights, how that could be controversial? It says humans are valuable. Those companies show more respect to their employees as well as their customers,” he concluded.
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Also, from
Forbes:
Power Of The Pack: Women Who Support Women Are More SuccessfulI always say a woman alone has power; collectively we have impact. Traditionally we have been taught to be competitive with one another, because there was such a scarcity of jobs at the top. It’s so clear that strategy doesn’t work. The truth is that raising each other up and channeling the power of collaboration is truly how we’ll change the equation—and have a lot more fun along the way.
There is a boys’ club where women never felt comfortable, so we decided to create a Girls’ Lounge more than six years ago where everyone feels like they belong. We discovered two things:
1 - There is power in the pack.
2 - You realize your strengths make the table better.
Today we’ve connected more than 17,500 corporate women and female entrepreneurs, and evolved the name to The FQ Lounge, where women are still the majority, but men feel welcome and comfortable.
We need to reverse the stereotype that women don’t support other women. There is research that shows women in particular benefit from collaboration over competition. Study after study shows women who support women are more successful in business.
New research in the Harvard Business Review finds that while both men and women benefit from having a network of well-connected peers across different groups, women who also have an inner circle of close female contacts are more likely to land executive positions with greater authority and higher pay, while there was no link found for the success of men in terms of the gender composition of their inner circles.
The reason? Women trying to rise up into leadership face cultural and systemic hurdles that make it harder for them to advance, such as unconscious bias. The study suggests that a way to overcome some of these hurdles is to form close connections with other women, who can share experiences from women who have been there, done that—from how to ask for what you’re worth to bringing your unique talents to leadership.
“There’s a new girls’ club that we didn’t have before, because the workplace was largely male dominated,” says Jocelyn Greenky, an office culture and politics expert and CEO of Sider Road. “Now that so many more women are entering the workplace, we’re finding our voice. We’re also building circles of trust with one another because we may be experiencing similar hurdles, and have each other’s backs.”
Laura McGee, CEO of Diversio, which uses artificial intelligence to help companies overcome diversity challenges, agrees. “Across all our companies in multiple sectors and countries, we see access to networks as one of the key barriers preventing women from advancing. We know that women are under-sponsored by senior men, and may need to compensate by developing strong professional relationships with other women. My hypothesis on the research findings is that these women are effectively acting as mentors and sponsors for one another.”
Here is advice from women leaders on how to find and cultivate a close network of female professionals.
Take the word “work” out of networking. There is power in relationships that extends beyond a generic introduction. When you create connections based on shared interests and goals, you’ll be more successful at your job, because people want to work with people they know and like. The Girls’ Lounge first started because I didn’t want to go to a male-dominated conference alone, and so I invited some girlfriends to come along and asked them to invite their friends.
“The Girls’ Lounge has impacted me both personally and professionally. Most industries are so siloed, but the lounge breaks down these barriers and lets you connect with women you would never even imagine,” says Gail Tifford, Chief Brand Officer of WW, formerly Weight Watchers. “And that’s when magic can happen.”
“My advice to women is to reframe what “networking” is,” says Tifford. “The fact alone that the word has “work” in it creates pressure for women to feel like it’s something they have to do, and then I see women stress about how to do it. Simply putting yourself in environments that give you the opportunity to meet with peers and get to know each other and share experiences can be a game changer. And chances are, if you make meaningful connections, they are ones that will last a lifetime.”
Prioritize relationship building. You don’t do business with a company, you do business with people you like and trust. I have always prioritized time with my girlfriends. “To make these connections, you first have to decide if it is important to you,” says Erica Keswin, author of Bring Your Human to Work and founder of the Spaghetti Project. “Does your calendar reflect your values? A lot of time it doesn’t, not because we’re bad people, but because we have so much on our plates. Ask yourself, ‘Are relationships important and why?’ It could be because you want a new job, or to move up in your career. We’re not connecting when left to our own devices, so schedule time for it.”
Know that connection building isn’t one and done. Networking is one and done: It’s where you shake someone’s hand and give them a business card. Where does that leave you? With a stack of business cards on your desk. A relationship, on the other hand, touches your heart and creates an everlasting partnership. To keep connections alive, they must be nurtured.
“Seek out people who you admire. Ask for advice, and follow up. Participate wherever and however you can. In short, be a doer!” says Linda Yaccarino Chairman, Advertising and Partnerships at NBCUniversal.
Amplify other women. I love the Shine Theory, which is the idea that when you help another woman rise, we all shine. “Build other women up! If you see your co-worker doing a great job, give them credit…tell your boss or other co-workers,” says Rebecca Wiser, cofounder and director of communications at Womaze, an app centered around self-empowerment for women. “At first it may seem like you’re taking attention away from yourself, but you’re actually showing that you’re a supportive team player as well as an inspiring leader—and secure enough in yourself to praise others.”
Find your squad—and tap into them. Who would be your go-to group of girls if you had an emergency, needed honest advice, or wanted a key business introduction? When it comes to building relationships, you often get what you give.
Pam Kaufman, President of Viacom/Nickelodeon Global Consumer Products, shares this advice that she once received: “Richelle Parham, the former CMO for eBay who sits on the board for Best Buy, once asked me, ‘Who is on your team?’ She didn’t mean people I managed, but who I had in my professional life that served as my support network. Taking Richelle’s advice, I began building my squad - people I could bounce ideas off of, go to for advice, pick me up when I needed a boost. Today, my squad is so important for my career and my mental well-being. Not only do we support each other, but we act as connectors to people and opportunities. Whenever one of us comes across a great opportunity, we immediately send it to each other. It is amazing to be part of a group of women who want you to be your very best and actively help you to succeed.”
We’re better together. As Madeleine Albright said, “There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women." As we say from personal experience, “There is a special place in heaven for women who support other women.”
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More Nick:Pam Kaufman Says Licensing 'Best Industry in the World' | BLE 2018!Originally published: Saturday, January 12, 2019.Original source: License Global.
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