In 1991 my wife Kathleen and I launched our media production and consulting company, Cooke Pictures. In those days, TV and film production was expensive, and few organizations could own their own equipment. So we were hired to write and produce broadcast television specials, documentary films, short films, and other traditional media projects. In those days our clients crossed the spectrum from Billy Graham to Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, as well as major movie studios and networks.
We won a ton of awards for our work, but in the intervening years, the world changed. Television and film equipment dramatically dropped in price (there are now film festivals for movies produced on an iPhone), 35 millimeter film gave way to digital video, social media exploded, and more media options became available to tell a client’s story.
So as the media world changed, we changed with it. As more churches, ministry organizations and nonprofits bought their own equipment and hired media teams in-house, we began consulting with those teams to help them maximize their creativity and effectiveness. In addition, we started coaching pastors and ministry leaders to help them become more comfortable in a media-driven culture. I wrote books on media and branding so we received more requests to help organizations discover their identity and develop strategies for reaching greater audiences. We brought in experts in social media, web design and development, growth strategies, and book publishing. So while we still produce award winning TV and film programming, we are also committed to using every media platform to share compelling stories with the world.
After all, our purpose has always been to help our clients share their message and tell their story to a larger audience, so it’s not about equipment or media platforms – it’s about the best creative strategy for making an impact.
As a result, we felt our original name “Cooke Pictures” just didn’t communicate all we did for clients. And that’s why we’ve rebranded our team to encompass a much wider range of expertise as “Cooke Media Group.”
The truth is, it isn’t just a name change, it’s about the “Why” – the reason we do it. Whether you’re small, large, known or unknown, we want to help focus your message. That’s why we’re excited about re-positioning our name, our company, and our purpose.
In today’s media-driven, distracted culture, your message must be amplified to reach a larger audience, and our remarkable team can help deliver your groundbreaking ideas to the world. Through communication strategies, video, web development and design, social media, book publishing, church media, broadcast television, and movies, our goal is to inspire your followers, community, and audience to act.
If you’re ready to see the possibilities for your organization, message, or calling, let us know. After all, our mission is to accelerate yours.