Marian Lee: Celebs Rumors

William Earl Variety will host its annual Entertainment Marketing Summit, presented by Deloitte, on April 24 in Los Angeles. The one-day event will identify the best opportunities to engage today’s evolving audiences and consumers who continue to be fast-moving targets across growing media platforms.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Chris Hemsworth dangles from skyscrapers, dodges a fiery helicopter and survives several bludgeons to the head as former black ops mercenary Tyler Rake in Netflix’s blockbuster sequel “Extraction 2.” Now, onlookers can feel (literally!) the sweat that drips from Hemsworth’s chiseled face during those unrelenting, death-defying sequences through interactive billboards in New York City and Los Angeles. It’s all part of Netflix’s unconventional marketing strategy for the film, one that’s designed to make viewers at home feel like they are part of the action. Directed by Sam Hargrave, “Extraction 2” picks up as Tyler Rake, back from the brink of death, embarks on a risky mission to save the imprisoned family of a ruthless gangster.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer The livestream for Netflix’s third annual Tudum fan event garnered 78 million views across all of the streamer’s social platforms Saturday, marking this version — presented in front of 11,000 people in São Paulo, Brazil — as up 86% in viewership from last year’s 41.8 million views, and more than 203% from 2021’s initial 25.7 million. Netflix likely didn’t set out to bring the in-person Tudum crowd to tears during the three-hour event — but once they started flowing, it was a fortunate side effect the streamer proudly displayed on social media. “I wish you could have been there to convey the electricity of the audience and capture those moments,” Netflix chief marketing officer Marian Lee told Variety Tuesday about the streamer’s first attempt at pulling off Tudum as a real-time presentation with an in-person audience, following two years of the virtual-version of the event. “We posted on Twitter crying fans in the audience because it was just like that sort of Beatles moment every time one of their favorites came on stage, there were just sobbing tears in the audience.”

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%.

Netflix has named Marian Lee chief marketing officer, replacing Bozoma Saint John who’s been in the post since 2020.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorMichelle Lee, Allure’s top editor for the last five and a half years, is joining the Netflix marketing team in a newly created editorial and publishing role.Lee announced her jump to Netflix, where she will be global VP of editorial and publishing, in an Instagram post Monday.Lee in late July will join the Netflix marketing group headed by chief marketing officer Bozoma Saint John, the market veteran who previously worked at companies including Apple and Endeavor. Also joining Saint John’s team in July is Marian Lee Dicus, most recently Spotify’s VP and global co-head of music, who will lead Netflix marketing for the U.S.