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Craig Kaplan is a Philadelphia-area promotions and marketing agent who has been in the industry since the late 1980’s. He specializes in creating unique, creative content, utilizing both digital and traditional media, for his clients.

Experience

Kaplan was President at All Star Promotion from January 2002 – December 2009. Kaplan was President of MilkBoy Communications from December 2009 – December 2011 Kaplan has been President of Hashtag Multimedia, where he currently works, since January 2012.

Clients

Athletes

Kaplan has worked with such athlete’s as Irving Fryar, Jon Runyan, David Akers, Omar Gaither, NHL Hall of Famer Paul Coffey, Keith Byars, Herschel Walker, Seth Joyner, Hank Fraley, Hunter Pence, and Ryan Madson.

Kaplan secured an endorsement deal with Visa and Chrysler for Fryar, a deal with McDonalds and Ford for Runyan, and a deal with Doneckers in Ephrata for Akers. Kaplan has also secured an endorsement deal with Woodbury Nissan for Gaither, a deal with Comcast MetroPhone for Byars, established Walker as the tactile spokesperson for THREADS, and secured a deal with Starter Inc. and Jeep for Joyner. He also orchestrated an endorsement with Cadillac for Fraley, an endorsement deal with Acura and Liscio’s Bakery for Pence, and secured an endorsement deal with Gerhards and Liscio’s Bakery for Madson.

Kaplan negotiated a role in Oliver Stone’s film, Any Given Sunday for Irving Fryar. Kaplan conducted the negotiation on Fryar’s book deal and came up with the title for Fryar’s book, Sunday is My Day. Kaplan also negotiated a contract and Associate Producer credit for Comcast SportsNet Inaugural sports talk show, “Angelo and Irving.”

One of Kaplan’s largest athlete clients has been Jon Runyan. Kaplan was Runyan’s manager during his ten-year in Philadelphia, starting in 2000. Kaplan has worked on Runyan’s charity golf event, Jon Runyan’s Score for the Cure, which has raised half a million dollars in the five years since the first event.. Along with securing Runyan as a contributer to Daily News Live, in 2004 Kaplan sold Runyan’s Rockin’ With Runyan radio show to Y100 and secured a deal to sell Rockin’ With Runyan t-shirts in Modell’s sporting goods stores. Kaplan also helped create Runyan’s Reserve Beer with Iron Hill Brewery in Media, PA, where Runyan would go after each Rockin’ show; a dollar from every beer sold was donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

After securing Hunter Pence as the celebrity spokesperson for Lisio’s Bakery in 2012, Kaplan produced a commercial for the bakery staring their new spokesman. The commercial, “Liscio’s: ‘Let’s Go Eat!’,” features Pence demonstrating the different uses he finds for Liscio’s Bakery rolls. The commercial received immediate response on Twitter. Metro Philly had this to say of the commercial: “The Liscio’s Bakery ad featuring Hunter Pence, with his catchphrase, ‘Let’s Go Eat!’ is priceless, also a TV commercial that is equally hilarious.” PhillyBurbs, a Philadelphia based blog, wrote, “Something tells me the guys in the clubhouse are going to have some fun with this. Might I suggest a kayak and a crate of delicious Liscio’s torpedo rolls waiting at Pence’s locker in time for his arrival Monday morning?” In what may be the most prominent review of the commercial, Philadelhpia Magazine’s Dan McQuade states, “This might be the greatest commercial in TV history… How does he keep such a physique by lifting Liscio’s roll?!” Kaplan strengthened the Pence-Liscio’s relationship with a weekly YouTube video, “Liscio’s Bakery: Weekly Bites,” which features a different shop that serves Liscio’s Bakery bread

Chefs

Kaplan has also worked with renowned chef Marc Vetri. In one of their first deals together Kaplan claims, “Vetri turned to us to help promote an event he was doing with Phil Roy, ‘Sounds Good, Tastes Good’ at New York’s only four-star Italian restaurant, Del Posto.” Perfoming alongside Vetri and Roy were Joe Bastianich (Master Chef co-host), Tom Colicchio (Colicchio & Sons, Top Chef) and John Pizzarelli. Kaplan and his firm re-designed, and now maintain, the Vetri Family website; Kaplan also handles press releases concerning the Vetri Family of Restaurants and the Vetri Family Foundation for Children.

Charity

Kaplan has secured celebrity spokes persons and/or corporate sponsors for the Alzheimer’s Association, the Salvation Army, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, the American Cancer Society, the Bethesda Project, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boy Scouts of America, Children’s Miracle Network, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Garden State Discovery Museum, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Police Athletic League, The Ronald McDonald House, the Sierra Club, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Tiger Woods Foundation, and the United Negro College Fund.

Kaplan secured Jon Runyan as a celebrity spokesperson for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s golfing event. In April 2008, Kaplan worked on a wine and beer fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society which raised $25,000.

Kaplan secured corporate sponsors from 2009-2012 for MANNA’s event, “Shut Up and Dance.” Kaplan also produced a promotional video for MANNA’s 20th anniversary “Shut Up and Dance,” as well as a promotional video about the benefits of MANNA.

Kaplan produced the 2012 Philabundance Public Service Announcement TV-spot, “Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation.” Kaplan secured Hunter Pence as the Philabundance spokesperson and Liscio’s Bakery as their corporate sponsor; Kaplan went on to used Pence in a billboard campaign he created for Philabundance, underwritten by Liscio’s Bakery.

Kaplan began working with the Variety (Children’s Charity) in 1998 when he secured their first celebrity spokesperson, Irving Fryar; he went on to secure Jon Runyan as a celebrity spokesperson in 2000. He has since contracted celebrity bartenders and various celebrity spokespersons for the Variety (Children’s Charity). In November 2009, Kaplan helped create the Celebrity Bowling Classic; the evening was hosted by Ryan Madson and Brent Celek and raised five figures for the charity.

In 2001, Kaplan ran the Allen Iverson Summer Classic Celebrity Softball Game. Kaplan also secured corporate sponsors and celebrity spokespersons for the event, including Keving Garnett and Stephon Marbury.

Kaplan secured celebrity guests to attend the Camden Aquarium’s grand opening gala in 1992.

Kaplan secured a major donor to fund the creation of a new treatment room for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Kaplan has also brought six different athletes into CHOP to in bring gifts, and talk to the children. In 2008, Kaplan also orchestrated an event with Liscio’s Bakery where people could take a picture with the World Series trophy for donations to CHOP.

Kaplan was the director of marketing for the Irving Fryar Foundation from 1997-1999. During his time there he ran the charity golf event which raised six figures for the organization. He also orchestrated three cigar dinner fundraisers which raised a total of five figures for the organization.

Kaplan was also the director of marketing for the Jerome Brown Foundation. Kaplan was event coordinator for all fundraising dinners hosted by the charity; he also secured celebrities to attend the events. Kaplan helped the charity raise $200,000 during his time with them.

Kaplan produced a Public Service Announcement campaign for S.C.A.N. (Stop Child Abuse Now). Kaplan also secured corporate sponsorship and celebrity spokesperson, Irving Fryar, for S.C.A.N.

Events

Kaplan has secured celebrity spokespersons and/or corporate sponsors for charity events such as the Great Chef Event, Bowl with the Birds, the LPGA ShopRite Classic, Runyan’s Score for the Cure, and the Jimmy Rollins Family Foundations’ events One Night in Harlem, Havana Nights, and A Night in Paris.

Kaplan has worked with the Great Chefs Event for the past three years. In addition to promoting, coordinating, and securing corporate sponsors and celebrity spokespersons, Kaplan has produced promotional video’s covering the event the past two years. In 2012 the Great Chef Event raised one million dollars, and in 2013 the event raised $1.1 million.

For Bowl with the Birds, Kaplan selected the charity which would benefit from the event; benefactors have included the Jeremiah Trotter Foundation, the Brian Mitchell Foundation, West Philadelphia Financial Services Institution, the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the Alzheimer’s Association, and Variety (Children’s Charity).

Kaplan created and currently directs Jon Runyan’s Score for the Cure as event Chairman. Kaplan secured benefactors for the event such as The Prostate Cancer Foundation, the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, and the Kimmel Cancer Center.

References

These references will appear in the article, but this list appears only on this page.