John Paulson, the former CEO of Tag Worldwide, has joined Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc. (Deluxe) as president and general manager, Features and Advertising Post Services, reporting to Deluxe CEO John Wallace. Paulson will integrate Deluxe’s operations that span picture editorial, color, post and production services for feature film and advertising/brand marketing, to streamline processes for clients worldwide. He leads Deluxe’s Beast, Company 3, EFILM, Editpool, Rushes, and Deluxe’s postproduction group in Culver City, Calif., as well as its Creative New Media team, which provides marketing strategy, design and technology services to create digital products.
Paulson said, “Feature film and advertising are becoming more seamlessly integrated, with creative talent cross-pollinating them and technology re-shaping them like never before. At the end of the day, both are ultimately about creativity, with studios and brands alike looking for the best talent and breakthrough thinking. In a world where more and more content is being produced, talent is what makes Deluxe and its specialized brands stand out.” He added, “Bringing all of this post and production talent and technology together creates new opportunities for experimentation and innovation ultimately for the benefit of both our features and advertising clients.”
Deluxe CEO John Wallace said, “John has led some of the biggest creative companies through significant change for two decades. He is continually out in front and able to shape organizations to deliver high-quality services while simplifying the client experience.” He added, “With John leading post services for features and advertising, Domenic Rom leading services for TV, and Ed Ulbrich driving VFX and VR, Deluxe has a strong leadership team to serve all aspects of the creative community with the best talent, technology, and innovation.”
Paulson is the former global CEO of Tag Worldwide and regional CEO for the company’s Williams Lea Group, which he led through major reorganizations and ensured the delivery of superior creative services to such clients as the Coca-Cola Company, Bank of America and Jaguar-Land Rover. Prior to Tag he was with global advertising agency G2, starting as the president of G2 Interactive North America, where he spearheaded their acquisition and growth strategy and rising to Americas CEO of G2 Worldwide, where he led the unification of the company’s Interactive, Direct, Promotional Marketing and Branding & Design operating units into a single, integrated services offering. Prior to that he was group account director for DDB Worldwide and held senior executive roles at Grey Worldwide, Grey Interactive, M&C Saatchi, and J. Walter Thompson. Paulson will be bicoastal at Deluxe, working in New York and Los Angeles.
Deluxe chief creative officer Stefan Sonnenfeld, who founded Company 3 in 1997 and played an instrumental role in growing Deluxe’s creative companies, said, “Our focus has always been on providing stand-out work to the most discerning creators. I’m looking forward to working with this leadership team to further the creative and strategic vision of Deluxe, to build deeper relationships with our clients, and to continue to develop our talent across the company.”
