9 Squared CEO, Brian Casazza, to Speak at Billboard Mobile Entertainment Live!
Casazza Selected to Discuss the Opportunities and Challenges of the Off-Deck Market
Denver, CO - October 2, 2007 - 9 Squared, a Zed Company, is pleased to announce that CEO and co-founder, Brian Casazza, will be speaking at Billboard’s ME Live! event on October 22, 2007 in San Francisco, California. Casazza will be joining a panel of industry executives from iSuppli, MyWaves, Action Engine and OpenMarket for an in-depth discussion on the ups and downs of the off-deck market. The session, "Off-Deck: Obstacles v. Opportunities" panel, begins at 4:00pm (PST) in Moscone South.
"Mobile Entertainment Live! showcases the best and brightest in the wireless world," says Antony Bruno, Billboard's Executive Director of Digital/Mobile Content & Programming. "Professionals in the wireless and entertainment industries consistently desire better insight on how to survive in this often-volatile industry. Brian Casazza carries the experience and knowledge necessary to communicate that alongside his peers on this expert panel."
Casazza carries nearly 10 years of experience in the telecom and entertainment industries. As CEO and head of the Zed U.S. branch, he is largely responsible for the company's rapid expansion into the direct-to-consumer markets and leading business-to-business position as the #1 independent mobile content distributor in the United States. Casazza has formulated and secured agreements with major and independent music labels, wireless carriers, media companies and content providers in support of 9 Squared's rapid growth.
9 Squared is a U.S. leader in off-deck products with subscription and transactional services such as The Mob and RingtoneJukebox.com, allowing consumers to personalize their mobile phone with real music ringtones, polyphonic ringtones, games and wallpapers. 9 Squared's parent company, Zed, is recognized as the first player in the wireless space to develop a Web 2.0-based mobile platform. Additionally, they are a global leader with direct-to-consumer mobile content currently available in Austria, China, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States. Casazza will be discussing his experiences on the global off-deck market transactional, subscription and text-based services.
Billboard’s Mobile Entertainment Live! is a kick-off to the CTIA Wireless I.T. and Entertainment conference being held October 23 – 25, 2007 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Drawing in more than 1,000 executives from companies representing mobile music, gaming, TV, video, animation, messaging, marketing and social networking, ME Live! is a platform in which these professionals can network, learn and spot the trends and challenges of the mobile space.
About Billboard
Now in its 113th year, Billboard is the world's premier weekly music publication and a diverse digital, events and brand, content and data licensing platform. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music, video, gaming, media, digital and mobile entertainment issues and trends. Billboard is the flagship property for the Billboard Information Group, which also consists of Billboard.biz, Billboard.com, Billboard Chart Alert, Billboard Information Network (BIN), Billboard Directories, Billboard Books, Billboard Licensing & Events and Radio & Records. Billboard’s many strategic partners include Microsoft, Reuters, Sirius Satellite Radio, Telemundo, Univision Radio, ABC Radio Networks, Azteca America and Billboard sister companies Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems. These partnerships leverage Billboard’s proprietary data, charts and information resources to develop broadcast entertainment, digital and mobile platforms and contextual commerce applications that expand Billboard’s franchise and consumer reach.
Media Contacts
Zed:
Shea Purdy Gerhardt, Director of Marketing, USA
Phone: 1.303.567.6389
Email: MediaRelations.usa@zed.com
Weber Shandwick for Zed:
Jaclyn Ruckle
Phone: 1.425.452.5432
Email: JRuckle@WeberShandwick.com