Citing agency consolidation in New England’s ad market, two award-winning Boston radio commercial production houses are moving on.
The owners of both Radio in the Nude and Shapiro Music said the continued decline of the local ad production market convinced them to relocate to Santa Monica, Calif., and New York, respectively.
“I love Boston but this [move] makes sense,” said David Shapiro of Shapiro Music, which creates original themes for TV and radio spots. “It’s motivated by business conditions.”
A few years ago, about 90 percent of Shapiro Music’s revenues came from New England shops. Today, more than 75 percent of its business comes from other markets, principally New York. (Shapiro just finished new Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum ads for BBDO and Adidas World Cup spots for Leagas Delaney.)
Noting that he spends several weeks a month in Los Angeles casting spots and on other tasks, Radio in the Nude owner Andy Lerner said he simply grew tired of constant traveling. Besides, due to a decrease in the number of smaller local agencies, “most of my clients are [now] not in New England,” he said. Lerner in the next few months will move to a state-of-the-art space in Santa Monica.
Lerner began his career in the 1970s at Boston recording studio Soundtrack. He has run Radio in the Nude for almost eight years.
Lerner teamed with Marc Gallucci of Arnold Communications to create a humorous spot for Cider Jack that was honored at last month’s seventh annual Radio Mercury Awards, the industry’s best regarded and most lucrative competition.
Shapiro and partner Andrew Sherman will relocate to New York’s SoHo district, teaming with video editor Alex Frowein in a new venture called SFS.
A Pair Of Radio Producers Bid Boston Bye Bye
