Sep 23, 2021, 08:00 AM
by
Rhythm Scene Staff
DRUM WORKSHOP
Wechsler Appointed Chief Marketing Officer
Drum Workshop, Inc. (DW) announced that it has hired Matt Wechsler as Chief Marketing Officer. He will oversee the company's global marketing function across the full Drum Workshop portfolio of brands including DW Drums and Hardware, Latin Percussion (LP), Gretsch Drums, Pacific Drums and Percussion (PDP), and Slingerland. In this new role for the company focused on driving strategic growth, Wechsler will be tasked with brand management, consumer marketing, communications, digital and social media, content, customer service, education, and artist relations.
“In addition to Matt being a lifelong drummer, he brings an impressive range of experience in strategic, multi-brand marketing from multiple industries to Drum Workshop. I am incredibly excited to have Matt join our executive team leading DW through our next phase of growth,” said Chris Lombardi, CEO of Drum Workshop.
Wechsler brings more than 20 years of senior-level, consumer, multi-brand marketing experience. He is joining DW from Marriott International where he was leading creative marketing globally. Earlier in his career he held marketing leadership roles both in-house and on the agency side, helping shape some of the most respected consumer brands in the world including Microsoft, Verizon, Volkswagen, Ford Motor Company, Sony, and Electronic Arts. He began his career as a music journalist writing concert reviews for 7up.com and building websites for iconic artists at Capitol Records.
“I have been a fan of DW since I started playing drums at eight years old and have tremendous admiration for all the brands in the Drum Workshop portfolio,” said Wechsler. “I couldn’t be more excited to take on this dream job bringing together my passion with my expertise. 23 years ago, I sent a resume to Drum Workshop begging them for a job in marketing and today is the day that dream becomes reality. I look forward to working with Don, John, Chris, and the entire Drum Workshop family to continue the incredible legacy they have built. It is an honor to represent such iconic brands that continue to inspire drummers and percussionists across the globe.”
Wechsler will be based in Oxnard, California.
GROVER PRO PERCUSSION
Motown Legend Reeves Welcomed as New Artist
Grover Pro Percussion announced the official signing of the legendary Motown artist Martha Reeves as an endorser for Grover Pro Percussion. Martha is known for her group Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, who performed the hits “Dancing in the Street,” “Jimmy Mack,” and “Heatwave,” among many others, as well as an incredibly successful solo career.
A Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Martha continues to perform to crowds of 20,000 plus, will soon be receiving her Hollywood Walk of Fame star, and is being actively sought after for a number of film and TV projects. She has performed on Broadway, during halftime at the Super Bowl, and collaborated with a diverse set of artists ranging from James Brown to the Crystal Method.
Martha has been playing Grover Pro tambourines since they first hit the market in 1980. Her love of Grover instruments runs deep, and she claims to never be without one. “It makes me feel more comfortable on stage. My personal sound on my Grover tambourine is my musical identity, just like my voice,” she says. “I love my Grover!”
“Having an artist with the breadth of talent and reach that Martha Reeves possesses joining the Grover roster speaks volumes about the influence of this brand,” says Grover Pro Founder Neil Grover. “And on a personal level, I couldn’t be more pleased to know that she has been playing Grover for over 30 years!”
HIT LIKE A GIRL
Yurina Selected as Hit Like A Girl’s Ambassador for Russia
Hit Like a Girl has announced that up-and-coming drummer and educator Liz Yurina has agreed to become the first ever Hit Like a Girl ambassador for Russia. Liz is currently based in St. Petersburg where, in addition to her live and recorded performances, she is an instructor at Drumstarz, one of the largest and most famous drum schools in the country.
“We feel that Liz is a great representative of the emerging community of female drummers in Russia and will become role model for young girls around the world,” says Hit Like A Girl Executive Director David Levine. “Her natural musical and physical talents combined with her intelligence, perseverance and an incredibly adventurous spirit make her the perfect choice to lead our outreach.”
“My goal as ambassador is to support Hit Like a Girl's mission to advocate for the female drumming community and also to expose the talent of Russian women to the rest of the world,” Liz comments.
Liz joins a growing network of Hit Like a Girl ambassadors who are working together to grow and strengthen female drumming in Japan, China, Korea, India, Turkey, France, the U.K., and Mexico, as well as the African, Southeast Asia, Middle East and North, Central, and South American regions.
For more information, visit hitlikeagirlcontest.com and follow instagram.com/hitlikeagirlcontest.
PROMARK
Introducing a New Look
Founded over 65 years ago, ProMark Drumsticks prides itself in its unique style and innovation. Beginning in April, ProMark has announced a brand refresh and updated portfolio introducing two new brand pillars: ProMark and ProMark Classic.
The ProMark pillar represents the leaps and bounds made to bring the brand up to D’Addario’s standards of innovation and quality. But it’s about more than just streamlined processes and consistency standards. It’s also about exploration, experimentation, and pushing the boundaries of what a drumstick — and a drummer — can be. The ProMark performance pillar will include two lines: Rebound and Finesse.
ProMark Classic is a celebration of ProMark’s rebellious spirit — one that will excite ProMark neophytes and reignite the youthful passion of our most loyal longtime players. By reintroducing some of the brand’s iconic visual equities and marrying them to the most essential models in the portfolio, ProMark Classic will pay homage to the bold, original identity and ideals first set forth by Herb Brochstein in 1956. The ProMark Classic performance pillar will feature two lines: Forward and Attack.
Alongside the brand refresh, ProMark has established a new line-logic that simplifies and better aligns the needs of different player segments. The simple and intuitive nomenclature is both easy to navigate and reflective of the unique performance characteristics drummers want to choose from.
Existing item numbers and stick specs are not changing. The current Classic Hickory line is now ProMark Classic Forward, the Current Classic Shira Kashi Oak line is now ProMark Classic Attack, the current Maple Rebound line will live in the Finesse sub-brand, and the current “The Natural” models are now ProMark Raw Hickory.
This April, updated stick sleeve packaging and stick imprints will start shipping with newly released models. Existing items will transition into the new packaging throughout the spring. The newly designed closed bottom sleeve allows for simple and intuitive stick wall navigation. Packaging will display key information such as diameter, wood type, sub-brand, and artist name to allow store staff and consumers to quickly find their stick of choice or direct them to a new model experience.
Every ProMark stick is perfected with ProMatch, our proprietary multi-stage weight and pitch sorting process. Wherever you see ProMark, you’ll also see ProMatch, assuring players that our process guarantees unrivaled consistency both from stick to stick and from pair to pair.