Jackie Gagne will be promoted from VP, Multicultural Marketing, HBO to SVP, Multicultural Marketing, WarnerMedia Entertainment, and Richard Jennings from VP, Design + Production, HBO to SVP, Design + Production, WarnerMedia Entertainment. Gagne and Jennings are based in New York and will continue to report to Lucinda Martinez, EVP of Multicultural Marketing, Brand & Inclusion Strategy, WarnerMedia Entertainment.
Since the consolidation of the Brand, Multicultural, International and Design + Production teams into one department earlier this year, the group has overcome a variety of challenges in order to support WME’s strategic priorities and the demands of an increased portfolio.
For the past six years, Gagne has been instrumental in establishing HBO’s multicultural marketing strategy and has succeeded in helping develop a unique team. From Game of Thrones to 2 Dope Queens, Insecure and On The Record, she has overseen an extensive list of audience-led, culturally relevant campaign initiatives and targeted brand experiences. Her team was recently named a “Center of Expertise” within WarnerMedia, and has begun sharing best practices across the company’s brand portfolio.
In addition to supporting HBO’s programming franchises, Gagne has used the multicultural platform to amplify diverse voices and uplift storytellers through a variety of initiatives, including HBO POV, which celebrates the diversity of the behind-the-scenes talent that brings HBO’s programming to life; the HBO Asian Pacific American Visionaries short film competition for emerging directors of Asian and/or Pacific Islander descent; and most recently, the “Our Stories to Tell” campaign, aimed at engaging and servicing diverse audiences through multicultural programming and relatable storytelling. In her expanded role, Gagne will lead the launch of audience hubs on HBO MAX designed to super-serve various multicultural audiences later this year.
Gagne and her team will continue driving audience-led campaigns and best practices across the WME portfolio via innovative strategies to maximize market segment engagement. She will also work closely with Enterprise Inclusion to develop an inclusive brand narrative.
Jennings was recruited to HBO from Warner Music Group, in 2013, to rebuild the Design + Production group and services. He’s positioned the D+P group as a premier one-stop shop for design and creative development, branding, environmental, copywriting, OOH production and project management.
The team services HBO, HBO Max, and Max Originals, as well as partners and collaborates with all WarnerMedia verticals. Currently, the team is partnering with AT&T to develop assets for the launch and ongoing creative support for the Discovery District in Dallas.
In the fall of 2019, Jennings earned an MFA in Graphic Design. In his new expanded role, Jennings will oversee Environmental Design for WarnerMedia Entertainment (Hudson Yards, Burbank, Santa Monica, Ivy Station and Seattle), internal Key Art design resources across the portfolio, HBO Max Merchandise Production, Design Standards and Style Guides.
Beyoncé’s Halftime Show Highlighted Netflix’s NFL Debut On Xmas Day
Beyoncé provided more excitement than either game during Netflix's NFL debut on Christmas Day.
Riding into her halftime appearance on a white horse, the 32-time Grammy winner rocked her hometown Houston crowd with a nearly 13-minute performance on Wednesday.
She surprised fans by bringing along Shaboozey to perform "Sweet Honey Buckiin" and Post Malone joined her for "Levii's Jeans."
The action on the field didn't live up to expectations as the NFL showcased four of the AFC's top five teams.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce exposed a glitch in Pittsburgh's defense during Kansas City's 29-10 rout in the first game.
The broadcast itself went off just fine, quickly becoming the second-most popular live title on Netflix to date, according to NFL Media.
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens led C.J. Stroud and the Texans to 17-2 at halftime before Beyoncé stole the show.
Mariah Carey opened Wednesday's doubleheader with a taped performance of "All I Want for Christmas is You" and then the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs trounced the Steelers to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
There were no signs of any major streaming issues during the game after Netflix experienced minor blunders at the start of the pregame show. The broadcast opened with roughly 10 seconds of silence because it appeared studio host Kay Adams' microphone wasn't turned on.
Beyoncé's live performance at NRG Stadium was supposed to be the biggest test for the streaming giant and it seemed to go off without a hitch.
Mahomes threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns and Kelce had eight catches for 84 yards and one score as the Chiefs (15-1) earned a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. The... Read More