Andy Heidel

Current

• Co-Editor, Galleycat at mediabistro.com

Past

• Assistant Director of Publicity at Houghton Mifflin
• Publicity Manager at Penguin Group Inc.
• Publicity Manager at Dutton & Gotham Books, Penguin Group USA

• Publicity Manager at Penguin Group USA
• Publicity Director, Marketing Manager, Web Developer, at Independant Consultant (Self-employed)
• Publicity Manager, SCI FI Channel at USA Networks
• Publicity Manager at HarperCollins Publishers

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Education

• The University of Connecticut

Connections

72 connections

Industry

Publishing

Andy Heidel’s Summary

Personable, versatile, innovative, and results-focused publicity/marketing director with twelve years of publicity, marketing, promotional and branding experience. Consistently delivers strong writing, media coverage, and innovative campaigns. Expertise in book publicity, web development, guerilla marketing, viral campaigns, online publicity, and creating both long-term strategies and day-to-day solutions.

Andy Heidel’s Specialties:

Strong writing, pitching, media contacts and management skills.

Andy Heidel’s Experience

• Co-Editor, Galleycat

  mediabistro.com

  (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Online Media industry)

  April 2008 — Present (1 year 8 months)

  Currently reporting on the publishing industry at http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/

• Assistant Director of Publicity

  Houghton Mifflin

  (Privately Held; 1001-5000 employees; Publishing industry)

  August 2007 — February 2008 (7 months)

  • Ran bi-weekly departmental meetings.
  • Managed staff of 5 publicists.
  • Developed and presented publicity plans at sales conference and focus meetings.
  • Created and managed departmental budgets.
  • Publicized new and established authors such as Jonah Lehrer (Proust was a Neuroscientist) and Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion).

• Publicity Manager

  Penguin Group Inc.

  (Publishing industry)

  2006 — 2007 (1 year )

• Publicity Manager

  Dutton & Gotham Books, Penguin Group USA

  (Publishing industry)

  2006 — 2007 (1 year )

• Publicity Manager

  Penguin Group USA

  (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Publishing industry)

  February 2006 — August 2007 (1 year 7 months)

  • Publicize New York Times best-selling authors and work to create new best-sellers in a fast paced and demanding publicity driven publishing house.
  • Pitch and book both national and local media (booking highlights include ABC’s Primetime, The Today Show, The Daily Show, Imus in the Morning, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, NPR’s Talk of the Nation, Diane Rehm, To the Best of our Knowledge, On Point, It’s Only a Game, Fox and Friends, CNN’s Glen Beck Show, and KPCC’s Air Talk among others.
  • Manage assistant, interns, and publicists on daily and project by project basis.
  • Create publicity and marketing materials including publicity plans, press releases, bios, pitch letters.
  • Create budget & expense reports for each author.
  • Book multiple city tours, including travel.
  • Coordinate with personal publicists, managers, agents, and media escorts.

• Publicity Director, Marketing Manager, Web Developer,

  Independant Consultant (Self-employed)

  (Self-Employed; Myself Only; Information Technology and Services industry)

  November 2001 — February 2006 (4 years 4 months)

  • Past clients include: New York Times best-selling authors Neil Gaiman and R. A. Salvatore, Publishers: CDS Books (Marketing Director), Warner Books’ Aspect imprint (Publicity Manager), Phobos Books (Director of Publicity/Marketing/Advertising), Institutional Investor (Writer), and Kensington Books (Writer). Free Speech Advocate: First Amendment Project with Michael Chabon.
  • Developed publicity strategies and secured media while working closely with both client and corporate PR interests.
  • Developed marketing campaigns, book advertisements, created and oversaw creation of marketing, sales and ad/promo materials.
  • Successfully developed and implemented guerilla marketing campaigns for Mitchell Graham’s The Fifth Ring, Rachel Roberts’ Avalon: Web of Magic series, Garytigerman.com, Nobody’s Perfect, Pessimisms.com and rasalvatore.com/highwayman including development of innovative “trailers” and comic books to promote authors and their work.

• Publicity Manager, SCI FI Channel

  USA Networks

  (Public Company; 501-1000 employees; Broadcast Media industry)

  June 2000 — November 2001 (1 year 6 months)

  • Developed and integrated interdepartmental campaigns involving on and off-air elements to promote special series and events.
  • Directed web development and online promotions for special events including the production of the SCIFI Channel Tribute site -- http://www.scifi.com/tribute/
  • Art directed gallery and episodic photo shoots, produced EPKs.
  • Created and implemented publicity plans for SCI FI’s #1 hit series Farscape including season premieres and finales.
  • Integral team member in making Frank Herbert’s Dune basic cable’s highest rated event of all time.
  • Coordinated trade interviews between press and SCI FI General Manager Bonnie Hammer.
  • Wrote both consumer and trade press releases integrating Nielson ratings research when appropriate.
  • Coordinated with personal publicists, managers, agents, handlers, and executive producers to promote talent and series.
  • Organized talent for biannual TCA conference and produced special events to promote talent.

• Publicity Manager

  HarperCollins Publishers

  (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Publishing industry)

  November 1996 — June 2000 (3 years 8 months)

  • Created and implemented publicity plans that put Terry Pratchett, Neal Stephenson and Neil Gaiman on The New York Times best-seller list for the first time.
  • Launched Eos imprint and implemented publicity plans for 6-12 books a month (hardcover, trade paperback and mass-market/fiction and non fiction) including publicity strategies for the Eos imprint beginning with the launch of the imprint.
  • Operated six to twelve months in advance on national publicity campaigns.
  • Wrote press releases, pitch materials, author bios and created press kits.
  • Pitched interview and feature story ideas to researched national and local media.
  • Conducted phone and radio interview campaigns.
  • Coordinated all aspects of author book signing/media tours including appearances, interviews and travel arrangements.
  • Produced special events and parties to promote authors and the Eos imprint.

Andy Heidel’s Education

• The University of Connecticut

  BA , English , 1987 — 1990

  Activities and Societies:

  WHUS FM Training Director

Andy Heidel’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• expertise requests
• reference requests
• getting back in touch