Horizon Media Announces Dunes of Dreams, Seeking Projects For Agency's Idea Incubator

Dunes of Dreams Invites Horizon's Employees to Become Entrepreneurs Through New Invention Initiative

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May 01, 2015, 08:23 ET

NEW YORK, May 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Horizon Media, the largest and fastest growing privately-held media services agency in the world, today announced Dunes of Dreams, the agency's new invention development program. The Dunes of Dreams challenge invites employees to submit their best ideas for the opportunity to turn their concepts into a reality. The program is part of the agency's INVENT@horizon initiative, helmed by recently appointed Chief Invention Officer, Taylor Valentine. Valentine is tasked with creating an invention blueprint for the agency in order to bring Horizon's best ideas to life.

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INVENT@horizon was launched in 2014 and acts as a launch pad to drive invention across all facets of the agency. The invention team is responsible for pioneering product development and new forms of media, formulating better ways to solve client problems and seeking new ways to recruit and motivate employees, among other activities. The agency's most recent invention is a roadmap for mood based audio planning.

Through the Dunes of Dreams challenge, Horizon's employees are invited to invoke the agency's entrepreneurial fiber by submitting their business plans and ideas for the chance to receive start-up funding and development resources. The program culminates in a live event hosted at Horizon's New York headquarters on Friday, May 1, 2015.

"Technology and the lightning speed of change across industries creates an opportunity to invent more and better than ever before," said Taylor Valentine, Chief Invention Officer at Horizon Media. "The Dunes of Dreams program will provide every employee the opportunity to invent, making invention a way of life and a culture driver for our people."

Employees with ideas at any point in the invention process have been invited to enter Dunes of Dreams. Submissions have been reviewed by a selection committee comprised of senior level Horizon executives, and the inventors of selected ideas have been invited to present their ideas to a panel of judges and agency employees at the live event. Both the panel of judges and employees in the audience determine who will be accepted into the Horizon Incubator program. Winners are announced at the conclusion of the event.

Business ideas submitted to the Dunes of Dreams challenge span mobile apps, internal programs and products and technologies. In addition to start-up assistance, winners are granted dedicated time during the work week to put towards their projects, as well as access to the invention incubator: a Horizon-owned office space specifically designed to facilitate and nurture inventors and their projects.

The Dunes of Dreams platform is the brainchild of Leena Danan, Vice President of Business Development, and Stephen Hall, Chief Marketing Officer. Taylor Valentine and his invention team are charged with spearheading and executing the initiative, and will help guide the creators of the accepted projects to bring their new companies into fruition.

Horizon Media is heavily invested in invention, spurred by Horizon President, CEO and Founder, Bill Koenigsberg's unwavering belief that the world of media is a "white canvas" of new opportunities.

About Horizon Media
Horizon Media, Inc. is the largest and fastest growing privately held media services agency in the world. The company was founded in 1989, is headquartered in New York and has offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Chicago. Horizon Media was chosen as 2011 Independent Media Agency of the Year by Mediapost, 2010 U.S. Media Agency of the Year by Adweek, Brandweek, and Mediaweek as well as by Ad Age and as one of the world's ten most innovative marketing and advertising companies by Fast Company in 2011. In 2012, Bill Koenigsberg, President, CEO and Founder, was honored by Advertising Age as Industry Executive of the Year. Most recently, in 2014, Bill Koenigsberg was named 4As Chair of the Board and is the first person from a media agency to hold this prestigious position in the 100 year history of the 4As, the marketing industry's leading trade association.

The company's mission is "To create the most meaningful brand connections within the lives of people everywhere." By delivering on this mission through a holistic approach to brand marketing, Horizon Media has become one of the largest and fastest-growing media agencies in the industry, with estimated billings of over $5.2 billion and over 1000 employees.

The company is also a founding member of Columbus Media International, a multi-national partnership of independent media agencies. For more information, please visit www.horizonmedia.com.

Contact
Kaya Lobaczewski
(212) 220-2102
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SOURCE Horizon Media