Yaron Blanc
Creative Director
Toronto,ON
Summary
Dynamic Sports Marketing and Brand Specialist with 20+ years of experience executing innovative, award-winning campaigns. A driven creative professional with a passion for leading teams and developing strategies to engage target audiences. An eye for detail and nuanced understanding of brand voice and messaging.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Creative Director, TSN
Bell Media
08.2021 - Current
- Played key role in development and execution of TSN's Soccer Lives Here brand identity, driving reach and awareness for FIFA World Cup 2022 , FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 , 2024 Copa América , UEFA Euro 2024 and FIFA World Cup 2026 .
- Maintained leadership position as Canada's #1 Specialty brand and maximized audiences through strategic brand campaigns for tentpole partners such as NFL , MLS , IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship , CFL , CHL , NHL , NBA and F1.
- Contributed to development and growth of key digital products such as TSN+
- Managed and met new challenges to revenue while retaining top talent and fostering an engaging, diverse workplace.
- Championed culture of creativity, encouraging team members to take risks and push boundaries in their work.
Creative Director, News
Bell Media
01.2010 - Current
- Oversaw creation and implementation of advertising campaigns that grew English news audience and drove leadership position in national ( CTV News ), digital ( CTVNews.ca ), local (Toronto, Montreal, Calgary) and Canadian specialty ( CP24 ).
- Implemented and maintained brand identity for new in-house programming such as CTV National News with Omar Sachedina , CP24 Breakfast , CTV News at 530 with Sandie Rinaldo and BNN-Bloomberg .
- Evolved digital footprint of Bell Media's news brands.
- Liaised with key stakeholders to define project vision and ensure alignment with business goals.
- Streamlined creative processes for improved efficiency and productivity while leading cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality creative on time and within budget constraints.
Creative Director, CTV Drama & CTV Life
Bell Media
01.2015 - 08.2021
- Spearheaded transition of Bravo and Gusto to CTV Drama and CTV Life , implementing channel brand identity and executing launch creative across on-air, out-of-home, radio, social and digital campaigns.
- Identified and implemented creative solutions to promote smaller bandwidth of programming while continuing to grow audience share for both brands, helping Bell Media maintain leadership position in specialty programming.
- Successfully executed campaigns for The Handmaid's Tale and increased key metrics around CTV Drama's signature show.
- Collaborated with senior stakeholders in Marketing, Programming and Design to identify key promotion priorities.
Writer/Director/Senior Producer: News
CTV/Bell Media
01.2005 - 09.2010
- Set creative vision for Bell Media's news brands including CTV Toronto , CP24 , CTV National News and BNN.
- Wrote, directed, produced and implemented advertising campaigns across multiple channels, including television, radio, print, digital, and social media.
- Built and developed creative and production team to support growing portfolio of brands.
- Mentored junior writers in developing strong writing skills and adhering to company style guidelines.
- Streamlined workflow processes by implementing efficient project management tools, reducing turnaround times for content delivery.
Writer/Producer
Rogers Productions
04.2003 - 12.2004
- Conceived, developed and executed creative and branding strategies for in-house corporate and external clients including Rogers Cable , Yahoo Canada , The NFL and Astral Media
- Developed strong relationships with stakeholders through regular communication updates, fostering trust and confidence in team's ability to deliver results.
Producer/Writer/Digital Content Manager
Rogers Communications Inc
06.2000 - 12.2001
- Played lead role in developing content strategy for first youth-oriented wireless community initiative in Canada, MYiD
- Developed and oversaw creative strategy for leading student portal in Canadian market, WiredRat.com
- Managed staff of writers liaising with programmers, designers, content providers and tech support personnel and researching, writing developing story ideas for our site
- Gained deep understanding of target audiences through market research, allowing for more tailored content creation strategies.
Education
Creative Copywriting -
University of Toronto
Toronto, ON 09.2004 - 05.2005
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Film And Video Production
York University
Toronto, ON 09.1994 - 05.1999
Skills
Leadership
Campaign Development
Team Development
Strategic Thinking
Copywriting
Budget management
Branding
Creative Vision
Marketing expertise
Innovation
Initiative
Leadership
Accomplishments
- Growing NFL partnership in 2023-24. Season kickoff became both the most-watched Thursday night season opener and regular season game on record for Bell Media, a 23% increase YoY. Kickoff Sunday drove a significant 53% growth in TSN+ subs
- Earning a Bell Media Excellence Award for spearheading Bill C-18 Awareness Campaign
- Writing and Directing the finale spot for CTV's 2010 Vancouver Olympic & Paralympic campaign, which premiered on February 7, 2010 during Super Bowl XLIV
- Winning a variety of Promax World and North American awards while helping maintain Bell Media's position as an industry leader
Timeline
Creative Director, TSN
Bell Media
08.2021 - Current
Creative Director, CTV Drama & CTV Life
Bell Media
01.2015 - 08.2021
Creative Director, News
Bell Media
01.2010 - Current
Writer/Director/Senior Producer: News
CTV/Bell Media
01.2005 - 09.2010
Creative Copywriting -
University of Toronto
09.2004 - 05.2005
Writer/Producer
Rogers Productions
04.2003 - 12.2004
Producer/Writer/Digital Content Manager
Rogers Communications Inc
06.2000 - 12.2001
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Film And Video Production
York University
09.1994 - 05.1999