Small Business Snapshot: Wrigley Media Group

What started as a video production company in 1993 has evolved into a full-service media company that conceives, creates, produces and distributes all forms of media content under one roof. Lexington-based Wrigley Media Group, formerly called Post Time Video, offers clients a broad range of services, including creative development, copywriting, video production, aerial videography, post-production editing, computer-generated animation, visual effects, branded content, digital marketing and livestreaming.

Wrigley has clients throughout the world, with recent projects including media productions for Lexmark, The Jockey Club, Tony’s, University of Kentucky Athletics, the Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, the U.S. Polo Association, Shake Shack, Buffalo Trace, Breeders’ Cup and many more.

“We’re not focused on just one aspect of production,” said David Cottingham, chief business officer. “We don’t just shoot, or only edit, or just animate, or just produce; we do all of these things and more.”

Owned by Misdee Wrigley Miller and led by an experienced, media-savvy team, Wrigley Media Group has 32 employees. Cottingham, a 19-year veteran of the company, shares more of Wrigley’s story below.

How have things changed in your field since you  first opened? 

Technology is the most impactful change in our industry every year. Whether it’s a new camera, new software, or faster ways to render, we’re constantly updating our equipment to make sure we provide the best quality for our clients and ensure projects run smoothly and efficiently.

What is one of your favorite recent projects? 

My favorite project in the last year has been the Tony’s Restaurant commercial we produced. The full version is over a minute in length and was achieved in one shot. When you watch it, you don’t get the full sense of what it took to make the commercial. It took 10 hours to set the lights, a couple of hours to rehearse, and several takes to get it right. The commercial is so well done and we’ve won many awards for it.

What has been your biggest challenge (prior to COVID-19) and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge has been adapting and conforming to the production industry. Early in my career, we were very dependent on advertising agencies utilizing our production services for their clients. As we built these partnerships over the years, we felt we needed to explore other revenue opportunities. We began to work with companies on their internal videos such as training, safety, loss prevention and employee announcements. As we continued to produce these types of videos, we became a more self-sustained company.

How is your company involved in the community? 

We help nonprofit organizations with their video and marketing needs. We assist with the outreach for economic development, specifically within the film industry, as we’ve been [promoting] the education of the benefits of a Kentucky film tax incentive. We have also hosted many networking events within our building and studio on Newtown Circle. We enjoy these events as it gives visitors an inside look at our business, our culture and our people. In addition, several of our employees are involved with various boards, committees and nonprofits within the community. This is something that we, as a company, strongly encourage, allowing employees paid volunteer days every year.

What’s one thing about your company that everyone should know?

We’re a family. The production industry relies heavily on teamwork and collaboration. When everyone is on the same page, production runs smoother and it kicks the quality up a notch. We apply our core values of quality, initiative, accountability, creativity, inclusiveness and communication to our client relationships. We are here to help clients accomplish their goals and we want them to feel like they’re part of the Wrigley Media family from the start.

In what ways has COVID-19 affected your business?

Fortunately, COVID-19 hasn’t seriously affected our business. It has made us adapt in different ways to get our work done, however. Luckily, adaptation is one of our strongest assets. During this time, we’ve been able to focus on presenting more edit-based concepts to clients who are unable or hesitant about filming. With the use of our b-roll library, stock footage, and our graphic design and animation services, we can still produce high-quality videos that convey the message of our clients. COVID-19 hasn’t changed our quality, it has just encouraged us to ideate new approaches, while maintaining the same effectiveness and efficiency.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about your company?

We thrive on collaborating with our clients. We want to be challenged to consistently try new ways to tell stories. Our group of creatives brings diverse ideas and unique strategies to our projects, which keeps our concepts fresh and current every time.

Lorie Hailey is special publications editor for The Lane Report.  Send recommendations for Small Business Snapshot to lorie@lanereport.com.