Donat/Wald Named Agency of Record for Waterfront Media

Donat/Wald (www.donatwald.com), a full-service agency specializing in ROI-positive advertising, today announced it has been named Agency of Record for Waterfront Media (www.waterfrontmedia.com), the premier online publisher of self-help experts.

Donat/Wald is charged with full brand positioning, and will manage all creative development and media buying for Waterfront’s nationwide television campaigns. The campaigns will drive subscriptions for Waterfront’s SouthBeachDiet.com, JillianMichaels.com and other media properties.

Waterfront Media is the company responsible for launching some of the most popular and acclaimed diet and wellness Web sites online today — including the enormously successful SouthBeachDiet.com, MyOptimumHealthPlan.com (Dr. Andrew Weil’s online program) and WhattoExpect.com (based on the bestselling pregnancy bible, What to Expect When You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff). With the Internet at the core of its publishing platform, Waterfront Media connects America’s best self-help experts with millions of people looking to improve their lives through advice, tools and online communities.

The company made history in 2003 with the launch of The South Beach Diet™ Web site, the first time a self-help book and Web site were marketed simultaneously.

Donat/Wald employs a strategy that transcends both brand-building and direct response advertising to deliver a measurable, positive return on investment. Known as ROI-positive advertising, the approach merges creativity with accountability — high-concept creative ads with an immediate call-to-action.

“Donat/Wald has a proven track record of helping online companies successfully take their messages offline,” said Ben Wolin, CEO of Waterfront Media. “We’ve seen what Donat/Wald has done for so many major online brands — all with an approach that delivers positive ROI on every dollar spent.”

Known for creating campaigns that build emotional connections between online companies and their potential customers, Donat/Wald simultaneously drives measurable ROI and effectively taps into and harnesses the personal element of its dot-com clients.

“Under Waterfront Media’s auspices, sites like the SouthBeachDiet.com and others have become huge successes, and already enjoy significant brand equity,” said Lucas Donat, Donat/Wald founding partner and CEO. “Donat/Wald will bring Waterfront’s sites to an even higher level of visibility through communicating each brand’s unique personality to the public.”

In the age of ROI accountability, Donat/Wald has become one of the most sought-after agencies because it has consistently shown that brand trust is inextricably linked to driving positive ROI. Its ROI-focused approach is being employed in major campaigns for Movielink.com, eHarmony.com, Register.com, Hotwire.com, Stamps.com and others — as the firm continues to lure savvy online brands away from big agencies.

About Donat/Wald

Donat/Wald (www.donatwald.com) was founded in 1987 and quickly became recognized as a leader in direct response advertising. The award-winning agency’s multi-platform approach combines the power of television, radio, print and interactive media to offer integrated solutions that maximize advertising ROI and enable precise accountability. Throughout its 19-year history, Donat/Wald has been orchestrating successful campaigns for notable clients such as eHarmony.com, Register.com, Hotwire.com, Columbia, Sony, MGM/UA, Mattel Toys, ServiceMaster, George Foreman and American Express.