SPIRALFROG COURTS RIEGER

The free, ad-supported website appointed Russ Rieger VP of Strategic Initiatives, where he will be responsible for securing and maintaining strategic partnerships within the music, media and advertising industries.

In other words, the one-time Maverick GM has gone from working with Madonna to kissing a Frog, bringing 25 years of experience in marketing and artist management to the company’s aim of creating a community for brand marketers to connect with music fans.

“Russ’ impressive history of building successful brands through marketing and interactive strategies is a significant asset to SpiralFrog,” said the company’s CEO Mel Schrieberg. “He brings the talent, results and focus to help achieve our next level of growth and cement our leadership in this rapidly evolving industry. And he cost me less than it would have hiring Guy Oseary.”

"It is my distinct pleasure to join the SpiralFrog team and contribute to the company’s next stage of growth,” said Rieger. "SpiralFrog is the clear alternative to the illegal file-sharing practices that have dominated the music world to date. The company offers an exciting opportunity to engage the online music community in a positive and rewarding way. SpiralFrog’s growth will both support and showcase the music community and provide innovation and revenue for media, brand and advertising companies looking to target the elusive 13-34 year-old audience. And I’m a big fan of SpiralFrog legs, too."

Rieger comes to SpiralFrog from Pipeline, the entertainment marketing firm he founded to help major brands take advantage of new media platforms, overseeing e-commerce, promotion, event marketing, licensing, merchandising and artist relations for Fortune 100 companies such as American Media, American Mortgage Group, Corbis, DDB Worldwide and GAP.

As GM of Maverick Recording Company, Rieger led its expansion into a freestanding record label, overseeing marketing, promotion, sales, international, new media, artist development, video, advertising and publicity. He designed and oversaw the promotional and marketing campaigns for Prodigy, Alanis Morissette, Michelle Branch and the Deftones as well as soundtracks for The Wedding Singer, Austin Powers and The Matrix, for which he received a Grammy nomination.

Prior to that, Rieger was VP/GM for London/FFRR Records, working with artists such as Consolidated, Orbital, Paul Weller, Salt N’ Pepa, Portishead and the Meat Puppets.

He began his career at Will Botwin’s Side One Marketing and Management and went on to start High Noon Entertainment, a management company that at the time represented Cyndi Lauper, Del Fuegos, the Replacements, Prong and Juluka.