Jerry Digney has always been a promoter. He learned his skills from a long line of ballyhoo icons and legendary press agents. Knowing how to get attention for his clients comes naturally.
Digney, a native Bostonian, was the first ever Director of Public Relations for Feld Entertainment, producer-owner of Ringling Bros.-Barnum & Bailey Circus and Disney on Ice touring productions, where he supervised a staff of marketeers and publicists for a half-dozen or more touring productions.
Digney later worked with Larry Harmon Pictures, owner of the Bozo the Clown franchise. It was Digney’s idea to enter Bozo in the 1984 presidential race. The Bozo for President campaign resulted in coverage by every major media outlet in America.
Leaving Harmon’s company shortly after his success with the campaign, Jerry joined one of the industry’s leading public relations firms. Joining Solters/Roskin/Friedman as vice president he quickly became right hand to Lee Solters, a legend among international entertainment publicists. They served as imagemakers and confidants to a virtual show biz Who’s Who from Broadway to Hollywood.
In the ’90s Jerry partnered with Lee Solters to form Solters & Digney. He worked with the elder statesman of public relations until his death in 2009.
Jerry Digney has long been at the forefront of many memorable chapters in entertainment history. From publicizing two presidential inaugurals and numerous breakthrough films, including “The Graduate,” to promoting major touring shows like Ringling Bros.-Barnum & Bailey Circus and long-running installations like Cirque du Soleil, The Beatles.
Celebrity clients have included Michael Jackson, BB King, Ray Charles, The Neville Bros, The Rolling Stones, Jackie Gleason, Whoopi Goldberg, Carol Channing, Whitney Houston, Liza Minnelli, Dolly Parton and Bette Midler. Venues and events including Caesars Palace, the Beverly Hills Hotel, Mattel, Universal Studios Tour, 20th Century Fox film studios, the City of Las Vegas and the many legendary Chrysler-sponsored Golf Tournaments and Bob Hope television specials have all relied on Jerry Digney for direction and exposure.
He was the first person to get a female client over 50 on the cover of Playboy magazine and arranged for the Pope (John Paul II) to be made an honorary Harlem Globetrotter.
It was Digney who lobbied for the first show biz-themed U.S. postage stamp featuring Laurel and Hardy. The beginning of an ongoing campaign to feature entertainment icons on postage stamps.
Today the number of media outlets (and opportunities for coverage) is expanded exponentially. For client TCL Chinese Theatre, Digney & Co. has produced over 1 Billion impressions via social media alone. New clients—superstars to be—are emerging from the Internet. All they need is a little ballyhoo.