Netflix is reorganizing its marketing department, promoting some key executives, while eliminating several positions. As part of the move, 25 people from Netflix’s global marketing team of more than 500 employees will be laid off, Variety has learned.
The cuts come after Netflix announced in its most recent earnings call that it had lost 200,000 subscribers, with the slowing revenue growth causing its share price to slide. Netflix has signaled to investors that it is committed to maintaining operating margins of 19 to 20. However, insiders say that the plans to shake up the alignment of the marketing department were hatched last year. The goal is to de-layer the executive team and simplify its reporting structure, as well as trim costs.
As part of that effort, Shelly Gillyard, vice president of U.S. and Canada series marketing, and Jonathan Helfgot, vice president of U.S. and Canada film marketing, are both being promoted to co-lead Netflix’s U.
The cuts come after Netflix announced in its most recent earnings call that it had lost 200,000 subscribers, with the slowing revenue growth causing its share price to slide. Netflix has signaled to investors that it is committed to maintaining operating margins of 19 to 20. However, insiders say that the plans to shake up the alignment of the marketing department were hatched last year. The goal is to de-layer the executive team and simplify its reporting structure, as well as trim costs.
As part of that effort, Shelly Gillyard, vice president of U.S. and Canada series marketing, and Jonathan Helfgot, vice president of U.S. and Canada film marketing, are both being promoted to co-lead Netflix’s U.
- 4/28/2022
- by Brent Lang and Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Updated: Several editorial staffers and contractors have been laid off at Tudum, Netflix’s fan site that’s devoted to behind-the-scenes news relating to the streaming giant’s content.
The cuts were part of a restructuring of Netflix’s marketing department, with Jonathan Helfgot, VP of Marketing for Netflix Original Films and Shelly Gillyard, VP of U.S. series marketing, named co-heads of marketing for the U.S. and Canada. They fill the position left vacant when Marian Lee was named Netflix chief marketing officer, replacing Bozoma Saint John when she exited last month.
Meanwhile, Lucinda Martinez who’d joined Netflix several months ago as VP of multicultural marketing, has left to start her own company.
All in all, 25 positions were eliminated, the bulk at Tudum. The site launched in December and was named after Netflix’s signature sound cue. The streamer uses the platform to offer up more content...
The cuts were part of a restructuring of Netflix’s marketing department, with Jonathan Helfgot, VP of Marketing for Netflix Original Films and Shelly Gillyard, VP of U.S. series marketing, named co-heads of marketing for the U.S. and Canada. They fill the position left vacant when Marian Lee was named Netflix chief marketing officer, replacing Bozoma Saint John when she exited last month.
Meanwhile, Lucinda Martinez who’d joined Netflix several months ago as VP of multicultural marketing, has left to start her own company.
All in all, 25 positions were eliminated, the bulk at Tudum. The site launched in December and was named after Netflix’s signature sound cue. The streamer uses the platform to offer up more content...
- 4/28/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Veteran marketing executive Lucinda Martinez has joined Netflix as vice president of multicultural marketing, after more than 20 years with HBO.
In this newly created position, Martinez will build a multicultural marketing team and lead Netflix’s targeted marketing efforts to the Latino, Black, Asian, Lbgtq and faith audiences. Martinez begins her new role later this month, and will report to Netflix CMO Bozoma Saint John.
“We want our marketing to be just as entertaining and inclusive as our films and shows, and want to ignite conversations about our brand worldwide,” said Saint John, announcing Martinez’s hiring. “Lucinda is a leader in the space and under her direction we will continue to sharpen the inclusion lens in our marketing and engage our audiences in authentic and culturally relevant ways.”
Martinez most recently served as executive vice president of HBO and HBO Max Brand Marketing, responsible for developing a distinct, resonant...
In this newly created position, Martinez will build a multicultural marketing team and lead Netflix’s targeted marketing efforts to the Latino, Black, Asian, Lbgtq and faith audiences. Martinez begins her new role later this month, and will report to Netflix CMO Bozoma Saint John.
“We want our marketing to be just as entertaining and inclusive as our films and shows, and want to ignite conversations about our brand worldwide,” said Saint John, announcing Martinez’s hiring. “Lucinda is a leader in the space and under her direction we will continue to sharpen the inclusion lens in our marketing and engage our audiences in authentic and culturally relevant ways.”
Martinez most recently served as executive vice president of HBO and HBO Max Brand Marketing, responsible for developing a distinct, resonant...
- 9/1/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Entertainment executives and stars across streaming sites and digital media companies took part in Variety’s virtual Entertainment Summit, a partnership event with CES hosted on Thursday.
The summit covered new and emerging technologies and innovation techniques that are changing the landscape of film, TV, gaming and more. Topics included the rising importance of streaming content, fan-first media and an increased focus on consumer culture amid the coronavirus pandemic. Below are 10 takeaways pulled from some of the event’s conversations.
Resiliency is key when pivoting brand messages due to the pandemic
At the Brands – Culture Leaders Across Media conversation, Megan Wahtera, senior vice president of content marketing and media at Fox Entertainment, said the network’s marketing team learned early on that its audience was a “moving target,” with shorter attention spans and greater disruption as a result of the pandemic.
While the team had to throw out its early marketing plans,...
The summit covered new and emerging technologies and innovation techniques that are changing the landscape of film, TV, gaming and more. Topics included the rising importance of streaming content, fan-first media and an increased focus on consumer culture amid the coronavirus pandemic. Below are 10 takeaways pulled from some of the event’s conversations.
Resiliency is key when pivoting brand messages due to the pandemic
At the Brands – Culture Leaders Across Media conversation, Megan Wahtera, senior vice president of content marketing and media at Fox Entertainment, said the network’s marketing team learned early on that its audience was a “moving target,” with shorter attention spans and greater disruption as a result of the pandemic.
While the team had to throw out its early marketing plans,...
- 1/15/2021
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- Variety Film + TV
Lucinda Martinez, a veteran of HBO’s marketing department, has left the company. Martinez, who spent more than two decades at the company, most recently served as exec VP of brand marketing for HBO and HBO Max.
Among her accomplishments, Martinez led marketing efforts directed toward African American, Latino, Asian and LGBTQ+ communities and worked to establish the HBO Latino brand.
“This has been a year of reflection for me. I arrived at HBO 20 years ago excited to tackle a new job at a new company,” Martinez said in a statement. “It became so much more than I could have ever wished. I’m grateful to all those, too many to name, that mentored and guided me along the way. Most importantly, I’m proud to have built and led a diverse team of supremely talented creatives and executives, proving you can equally stand for the right values and deliver across all metrics of success.
Among her accomplishments, Martinez led marketing efforts directed toward African American, Latino, Asian and LGBTQ+ communities and worked to establish the HBO Latino brand.
“This has been a year of reflection for me. I arrived at HBO 20 years ago excited to tackle a new job at a new company,” Martinez said in a statement. “It became so much more than I could have ever wished. I’m grateful to all those, too many to name, that mentored and guided me along the way. Most importantly, I’m proud to have built and led a diverse team of supremely talented creatives and executives, proving you can equally stand for the right values and deliver across all metrics of success.
- 1/14/2021
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
HBO marketing veteran Lucinda Martinez has announced she’s moving on.
She leaves after two decades with the company, most recently serving as executive vp brand marketing for both HBO and streaming service HBO Max. In that role, Martinez has been responsible for developing and evolving the brand narrative for the WarnerMedia entities, setting what her boss, HBO Max exec vp Andy Forssell, called the “blueprint for multicultural marketing.”
In her time there, Martinez has established and built a multicultural marketing team that has positioned the flagship Warner brands within a cultural context and led their targeted marketing efforts to ...
She leaves after two decades with the company, most recently serving as executive vp brand marketing for both HBO and streaming service HBO Max. In that role, Martinez has been responsible for developing and evolving the brand narrative for the WarnerMedia entities, setting what her boss, HBO Max exec vp Andy Forssell, called the “blueprint for multicultural marketing.”
In her time there, Martinez has established and built a multicultural marketing team that has positioned the flagship Warner brands within a cultural context and led their targeted marketing efforts to ...
- 1/14/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
HBO marketing veteran Lucinda Martinez has announced she’s moving on.
She leaves after two decades with the company, most recently serving as executive vp brand marketing for both HBO and streaming service HBO Max. In that role, Martinez has been responsible for developing and evolving the brand narrative for the WarnerMedia entities, setting what her boss, HBO Max exec vp Andy Forssell, called the “blueprint for multicultural marketing.”
In her time there, Martinez has established and built a multicultural marketing team that has positioned the flagship Warner brands within a cultural context and led their targeted marketing efforts to ...
She leaves after two decades with the company, most recently serving as executive vp brand marketing for both HBO and streaming service HBO Max. In that role, Martinez has been responsible for developing and evolving the brand narrative for the WarnerMedia entities, setting what her boss, HBO Max exec vp Andy Forssell, called the “blueprint for multicultural marketing.”
In her time there, Martinez has established and built a multicultural marketing team that has positioned the flagship Warner brands within a cultural context and led their targeted marketing efforts to ...
- 1/14/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Actor Susan Kelechi Watson is lifting the curtain on her work as executive producer on “Between the World and Me,” the HBO Max special which adapts Ta-Nehisi Coates’ 2015 New York Times-bestselling book, which explores the ways in which American society structurally supports white supremacy.
“It has been something that I’ve always wanted to do; I always felt like there was content that I wanted to bring to life,” Watson says in a video interview for HBO’s “Power of Visibility: The Craft” digital campaign. “I felt strongly that Ta-Nehisi’s book was something that we needed to hear as a country, so we can metabolize a lot of the grief that we were going through. And I felt like he was saying so many things that I wanted to say, but didn’t have the words for. And I was really surprised at how universal his personal experience was,...
“It has been something that I’ve always wanted to do; I always felt like there was content that I wanted to bring to life,” Watson says in a video interview for HBO’s “Power of Visibility: The Craft” digital campaign. “I felt strongly that Ta-Nehisi’s book was something that we needed to hear as a country, so we can metabolize a lot of the grief that we were going through. And I felt like he was saying so many things that I wanted to say, but didn’t have the words for. And I was really surprised at how universal his personal experience was,...
- 11/19/2020
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
In 2018, women and people of color directed 58% of HBO’s episodic programming, up from 35% in 2015. Now the network wants to accelerate its diversification by focusing on craftspeople with HBO Pov — aka Power of Visibility.
HBO launched its award-winning multicultural marketing division more than eight years ago under the leadership of Lucinda Martinez. At the start, it was a subset of her work as VP domestic network distribution; today, it’s the Multicultural & International Marketing division that she leads as its executive VP.
“When we started, we realized that we weren’t just having an impact on the shows themselves, but also on the talent that’s out there,” said Martinez. Initially, she and her team focused on the promotion of shows like “Insecure,” “Ballers,” “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” and “2 Dope Queens.”
However, they realized that by focusing only on the shows’ air dates, they overlooked an enormous opportunity...
HBO launched its award-winning multicultural marketing division more than eight years ago under the leadership of Lucinda Martinez. At the start, it was a subset of her work as VP domestic network distribution; today, it’s the Multicultural & International Marketing division that she leads as its executive VP.
“When we started, we realized that we weren’t just having an impact on the shows themselves, but also on the talent that’s out there,” said Martinez. Initially, she and her team focused on the promotion of shows like “Insecure,” “Ballers,” “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” and “2 Dope Queens.”
However, they realized that by focusing only on the shows’ air dates, they overlooked an enormous opportunity...
- 12/23/2019
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix dropped the trailer for Iliza Shlesinger’s latest comedy special and Atx Television Festival announced its first wave of programming.
First Looks
Netflix has released the official trailer for Iliza Shlesinger‘s latest comedy special, “Unveiled,“ premiering Nov. 19. In the special, Shlesinger dishes newly-wed lifestyle, wedding planning and the dangers of a zombie bachelorette army. The special will be Shlesinger’s fifth Netflix original.
Events
Atx Television Festival has announced its first wave of programming for its ninth year. Highlights include a 10-year reunion script reading and panel of “Parenthood” with executive producers Jason Katims and David Hudgins, Peter Krause, Lauren Graham, Monica Potter and Erika Christensen; a reunion of the writers behind “Justified” for the series premiere 10-year anniversary; and a retrospective look at HBO’s “Oz” with creator Tom Fontana. The festival takes place June 4-7 in Austin, Texas.
Executive News...
First Looks
Netflix has released the official trailer for Iliza Shlesinger‘s latest comedy special, “Unveiled,“ premiering Nov. 19. In the special, Shlesinger dishes newly-wed lifestyle, wedding planning and the dangers of a zombie bachelorette army. The special will be Shlesinger’s fifth Netflix original.
Events
Atx Television Festival has announced its first wave of programming for its ninth year. Highlights include a 10-year reunion script reading and panel of “Parenthood” with executive producers Jason Katims and David Hudgins, Peter Krause, Lauren Graham, Monica Potter and Erika Christensen; a reunion of the writers behind “Justified” for the series premiere 10-year anniversary; and a retrospective look at HBO’s “Oz” with creator Tom Fontana. The festival takes place June 4-7 in Austin, Texas.
Executive News...
- 11/6/2019
- by LaTesha Harris
- Variety Film + TV
Lucinda Martinez, a 17-year HBO veteran, has been tapped by WarnerMedia to lead the conglom’s Multicultural Marketing, Brand and Inclusion strategies division. She’ll report to Chris Spadaccini, Cmo of WarnerMedia, and partner with newly appointed WarnerMedia Chief Enterprise Inclusion Officer Christy Haubegger to develop an inclusive brand narrative across the company’s units including TNT, TBS, truTV, HBO and HBO Max, among others, including their audience-led campaigns, as well as expanding the inclusion talent efforts across all brands.
Kelly Edwards, Svp Talent Development for HBO overseeing all emerging artist programs above and below the line for series, films, and miniseries, will join Martinez’s team.
Martinez recently served as Evp Brand Marketing, where she was oversaw all HBO and HBO Latino targeted marketing efforts to the African American, Latinx, Asian and Lgbtq+ audiences and raised the profile of the HBO Latino brand.
“Lucinda is a true innovator in...
Kelly Edwards, Svp Talent Development for HBO overseeing all emerging artist programs above and below the line for series, films, and miniseries, will join Martinez’s team.
Martinez recently served as Evp Brand Marketing, where she was oversaw all HBO and HBO Latino targeted marketing efforts to the African American, Latinx, Asian and Lgbtq+ audiences and raised the profile of the HBO Latino brand.
“Lucinda is a true innovator in...
- 11/6/2019
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
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