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.
Director Lu Villaca Joins MADRE
Production company MADRE has added Brazilian director Lu Villaça to its talent roster. With degrees in cinema and performance and a master’s in screenwriting, Villaça brings a multifaceted approach to filmmaking. Villaça’s tastes have been shaped by her childhood training in ballet, studying Greek theatre texts, her passion for music, and her contemplative nature. She honed her cinematic skills early on as an AD and creative assistant before becoming a director. Intent on capturing the drama of everyday life as it plays out, Villaça is tuned in to how the bodies in her frame move through their environments and what elements of the story can be extrapolated from these compositions. Her sharp attention to detail in every aspect, from lighting to the final edit, is designed to connect emotionally with her audience. Villaça has been awarded three Cannes Lions for her film “Next Minute Law,” which promoted awareness of a law in Brazil designed to address the rampant epidemic of sexual violence. “Next Minute Law” also garnered Best Direction at El Ojo and the Ciclope Latino Festival, where Villaça also won Best New Talent. Additionally, she has directed assorted commercial campaigns for brands like Johnnie Walker, Huggies Wipes, Nestlé, Amazon, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, and a spot for Medley featuring Brazilian Olympic gymnast Rebeca Andrade. Prior to joining MADRE, Villaca had been repped by production house LOBO. Recognized in Brazil as a top music video director, Villaca won Best Female Direction for her work on “Nu” by Assucena and “Lovezinho” by Rachel Reis, which also won Best National Music Video at the MVF Awards. Villaça additionally co-directed the documentary Pagliacci, an homage to circus artist Domingos Montagner... Read More