ABOUT
Our Mission: Think Outside the Box
ESP Productions is a proudly Hispanic-owned agency dedicated to fostering diversity and elevating minority representation in the broadcast and marketing industries.
Our mission extends beyond serving the general market—we specialize in reaching and resonating with Hispanic and African American audiences, particularly in New Orleans. As demographics shift and generations evolve, brands must adapt with culturally informed strategies. This is the future.
We build trusted partnerships with our clients, delivering marketing and advertising campaigns that are both strategic and culturally relevant. Beyond traditional media, we excel in Guerilla Marketing tactics, ensuring authentic engagement at the grassroots level.
“I founded ESP Productions in the City of New Orleans, Louisiana because of my passion to create ‘Unique Events and Media Campaigns”
-Max Ferrera
Max Ferrera | Founder and Marketing Consultant
As a founder of ESP Productions, Max Ferrera brings over 40 years of expertise in the New Orleans media landscape, spanning print, radio, television, and outdoor advertising. With a background in Spanish literature from Tulane University and a fellowship at the Institute of Politics at Loyola University, Max’s career began in 1980 at The Times-Picayune – States Item before transitioning into television, where he spent a decade working with local network affiliates WDSU, WVUE, including the ratings powerhouse WWL-TV.
Expanding his expertise into sales and marketing, Max held key roles at Metroscan Traffic, Marco Outdoor Advertising and Lamar where he developed a deep understanding of grassroots marketing, production, and special events. In 1992, he became Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Rehage Entertainment, playing a pivotal role in the creation of major events such as Planet Hoops, Planet Spike, In the Zone, and The Voodoo Music Experience.
In 1999, Max launched ESP Productions, leading the development of high-profile events including Fox Field, The International Serve It Up Volleyball Tournament, The Post-Bacchus Music Bash, Amtrak’s Iron Run, and UWF Extreme Wrestling.
Today, ESP Productions continues to produce impactful campaigns and events for Bruno & Bruno Law Firm, Stone Creek Club & Spa, The NFL Host Committee for Super Bowl New Orleans, Wingfield Estates Development, Tempest Golf & Country Club, Marianna Canu Art Exhibit and Blanchard & Company. With a career built on innovation, strategic vision, and deep community connections, Max remains a driving force behind ESP’s success.
– Lauren Blair
Lauren Blair | Partner & Chief Strategy Officer
Lauren Blair is a data-driven strategist who believes that the right information, expertly analyzed, and collaboratively interpreted, is the most powerful tool for growth and innovation. She specializes in transforming complex data into clear, actionable strategies that empower organizations to connect with their communities and achieve measurable success.
With over a decade of experience in international management consulting for both public and private sectors, Lauren has built a career on building intelligent systems that optimize performance. Her expertise is backed by a decade of higher education in Public Affairs, Business Administration, and Psychology from leading institutions including the Sorbonne University in Paris and The University of Texas at Austin. This unique combination of academic rigor and real-world experience allows her to bridge the gap between raw data and impactful communication.
Lauren excels at leveraging analytics to enhance marketing, membership, and outreach campaigns. Her deep knowledge of data science, project management, and public-private partnerships provides critical support for clients seeking to build organizational intelligence and launch collaborative initiatives that cross borders.
As Partner & Chief Strategy Officer at ESP Productions, Lauren spearheads the firm’s analytics and insights division. She ensures every client strategy is built on a foundation of empirical evidence, rigorous analysis, and a clear path to a quantifiable return on investment.
Our History
Founded in 2000 by renowned advertising executive Max Ferrera, ESP Productions began as a special event production company and quickly expanded into a full-service marketing and advertising agency. Driven by a diverse team of industry experts, ESP evolved to meet growing client demands, offering comprehensive media campaigns alongside its signature event production services.
Over the years, ESP Productions has successfully created, managed, marketed, and produced high-profile events, including:
Fox Field Music/Sports Festival – Super Bowls 1997 & 2002 in New Orleans (also involved in 2013)
Stone Creek Club & Spa Tennis Events – 2010 & 2011
Bike Week New Orleans – 2010
The International Serve It Up Volleyball Tournament – Jamaica
The Harvest Cup Polo Classic
The Post-Bacchus Music Bash
Amtrak’s Iron Run – New Orleans to Chicago
The Big Easy Entertainment Awards *
Bacardi Crawgator Swamp Festival – Audubon Zoo *
Festival of Fins – New Orleans’ largest outdoor art project *
UWF Extreme Wrestling Event
The Voodoo Music Experience – Original partner
(ESP played a key role in marketing and sponsorship for these events.)
From local festivals to global productions, ESP Productions continues to push creative boundaries, delivering high-impact events and marketing campaigns that captivate audiences.