Salvi Media, a content strategy agency in Chicago, has produced the web series, The CEO Series, profiling prominent Chicago-based CEOs across various industries, offering an intimate look at the faces behind some of the city’s renowned brands and businesses.
In its inaugural episodes, Salvi engaged in candid conversations with influential Chicagoans like Tom Ricketts (owner of the Cubs), Jerry Reinsdorf (owner of the White Sox and Bulls), and Ed Wehmer (former CEO and current executive chairman of Wintrust). The current season features prominent figures such as Lynn Osmond (CEO of Choose Chicago) and Adam DeWitt (former Grubhub CEO).
The project began filming just prior to the pandemic and earned a nomination at this year’s Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Achievement for Interview/Discussion category. It received recognition for interviews with Portillo’s CEO Michael Osanloo and Josh Deth, CEO of Revolution Brewing.
Hosted by Will Salvi, who also serves as the head of business development at Salvi, the series faced stiff competition in previous years, going up against Jim Rose of ABC. This year, it is up against other notable programs like WTTW’s Chicago Tonight: Week in Review, Univision’s Violencia Doméstica: Le Puede Suceder a Cualquiera, and WCIU/Block Club Chicago’s On the Block.
Despite the challenging competition, Salvi remains committed to producing content that not only delves into the backstory of CEOs but also serves as a promotional tool for their agency. Their core value proposition centers around executive visibility and communications, aiming to highlight their versatility.
Remarkably, among the 27 episodes created, eight of the featured companies returned as clients, seeking Salvi’s expertise in promotional video services. Salvi’s client roster includes prominent entities such as Wintrust, the White Sox, the Bulls, and Microsoft.
Salvi’s primary focus revolves around executive messaging and visibility, executed through strategic content creation. They craft content strategies tailored to individual companies, with a specific emphasis on executives. Their belief is that content creation should be underpinned by a well-thought-out strategy, ultimately driving business growth.
The inspiration for The CEO Series came from Chris Salvi, the CEO of Salvi, who initiated the project, initially establishing a connection with Wintrust through their shared educational ties with Ed Wehmer’s children.
Salvi and his brother recently declined an offer from Reach TV, an in-airport television network, in favor of building their distribution network. They’ve formed a partnership with Entrepreneur magazine in California, which enables them to continue showcasing their content on platforms like YouTube and social media.
In a bid to counteract the somewhat distant image associated with CEOs, Salvi believes in encouraging CEOs to be more authentic, showcasing their personalities and stories. They advocate for CEOs to connect with the public and demonstrate their broader societal impact, rather than remaining confined to the stereotypical image of the high-paid executive isolated in an ivory tower.
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