The Lightning Group

The Lightning Group provides Virtual CMO services to companies that require executive level strategic and marketing skills but don't need a full-time Chief Marketing Officer. Howard's extensive experience working with senior executives in blue chip companies across North America gives him the ability to bring three unique advantages to his clients:... (1) He can quickly identify the true source of his clients' problems, rather than the perceived ones, and design imaginative business solutions that achieve quantifiable results; (2) He can bring together and lead a team of experts from virtually any fields to implement business solutions; and (3) He has one of the most valuable rolodexes in Canada, enabling him to find a solution to almost any business problem a company can experience. Prior to founding The Lightning Group, Howard was Executive Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Cineplex Odeon. His numerous responsibilities at this publicly traded North American movie chain included marketing, promotions, sponsorships, internal and external communications, public and investor relations (Bay Street and Wall Street). Howard designed a number of innovative, enduring business-building programs that have become industry standards, including: Creating and managing an in-house advertising agency on behalf of both Cineplex and a number of the major Hollywood studios On-screen advertising In-theatre sampling Cinevision and Cinekiosks Created the concept of popcorn bag advertising While at Cineplex, Howard developed and sold the largest live theatre sponsorship program in the history of Canada to Pepsi, American Express and Labatt's. As part of that sponsorship, he proposed the creation of the American Express "Front Of The Line" program, which is still a foundational AMEX loyalty marketing and sales program. He also created the Pepsi Phantom Educational Program, which has been experienced by hundreds of thousands of students. Howard was both a corporate and industry spokesperson to almost every leading media ...Read More