ABOUT
About Jillian Kaplan
For more than 30 years, I have enjoyed a career in the publicity, public relations, and event
marketing industry. My expertise includes regional & national entertainment and domestic,
traveling, family tours. I am confident I can be of value to your team by providing my skills and
talents to establish relationships, create newsworthy opportunities, and multi-task daily and
long-term goals.
My first mentor taught me the art of publicity starts with the foundation of building and maintaining strong relationships. This philosophy has served my clients well. From the performers to the managers, to news personnel in various positions, all must work harmoniously to build the necessary excitement to bring an audience to your show. I am happy to provide a list of references and encourage you to contact any or all to validate my work ethic and long-time relationships I have established throughout the years.
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I have had the pleasure of seven years of advertising agency experience, including five years as media director for Elam, Inc., a top billing agency in the state of Alabama in the 80s and 90s . My tenure introduced me to Feld Entertainment, Inc., producers of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, Disney On Ice, and many others. In the mid 90s, I went to work for Clear Channel in my hometown of Memphis, TN as New Business Development Director creating innovative promotional resources with the use of non-traditional revenue.
In 1997, after moving to a small town in the Midwest and starting a family, the limited options for my expertise provided a great opportunity to create Spotlight Event Marketing. Since then, I went from handling Des Moines shows for Feld Entertainment to handling the publicity and public relations in over 95 markets across the country for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Gold Unit until it closed in 2015, Disney On Ice, Disney Live, and Monster Jam. Additionally, I produced Fridays After Five for USBank (a local after work park event for the entire family), created Iowa Star, a Cystic Fibrosis Awareness and fund-raising campaign showcasing local talent with an opportunity to open for Sara Evans and audition for American Idol. Lakeside Casino in Osceola hired McDaniel Marketing out of Des Moines who contracted me to develop and secure the publicity and media buying for the casino acts including Trace Adkins, Sara Evans, The Gatlin Brothers, and many others.
I'm proud to have been able to continue my life-long love for the circus with the Carden International Circus and the Shrine Circus, along with continued success with Feld Entertainment shows including Disney On Ice, Monster Jam, Arenacross, and Marvel Universe Live! Expanding into project work for companies such as V-Star Entertainment and David DaVinci Theater has provided additional experience to work to establish myself in larger markets.
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About Spotlight Event Marketing
Established in 1999 by Jillian Kaplan, Spotlight Event Marketing is a national PR and publicity avenue for traveling family entertainment tours such as the Carden International Circus, Shrine Circus, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, Disney On Ice, Disney LIVE!, Monster Jam, and more. With over 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry, Spotlight has worked in over 140 markets across the U.S. promoting these shows.
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Spotlight has created a virtual office by gathering some of the best professionals in their individual fields. Services include graphic design, photography, media buying, event production and marketing, public relations, publicity, Spanish services.
Since the close of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, Jillian has been contracted to handle the advertising, public relations, and publicity for Carden International Circus, producers of the Shrine Circus, publicity for Mills Entertainment, producers of Elf on the Shelf, A Christmas Musical, Daniel Tiger Live, and The FOOLERS as well as public relations and publicity for Halloween Notte, an annual month-long Halloween festival, The Wonderland of Lights in Florida and New York, and other events.
Based in Tampa, FL, Spotlight Event Marketing, LLC looks forward to continued growth and creating exciting opportunities for current and future clients.
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Contact Spotlight Event Marketing to discuss your future success.
813.898.0292 or jillian@spotlightpr.com
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