Amazon Ads Hosts Studio Marketing Chiefs at West Hollywood Dinner

Amazon Ads and Variety hosted a dinner for top marketing executives from major film and television studios at BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood on Oct. 22. The event brought together senior leaders to discuss how the entertainment industry is changing the way it promotes new releases.

Participants included Angie Barrick from Warner Bros. Entertainment, Candice Chen from Universal Pictures, Devin Collins from Walt Disney Studios, and Brian Dailey from Paramount Pictures. Other attendees represented Sony Pictures, FX, Lionsgate TV, and Amazon Ads. The group met to compare notes on specific marketing execution methods that are currently in use.

The conversation focused on several key areas of campaign strategy. Executives discussed traditional tune-in tactics, which rely on mass media to drive audience numbers. They also examined image burnishing, a practice aimed at protecting a brand’s reputation through careful public messaging. The group addressed whisper campaigns, which use targeted, low-profile outreach to generate buzz among specific audiences. Event promotion strategies were another primary topic of discussion.

The gathering took place during a period of rapid change in entertainment marketing. Studios are adjusting their approaches to reach viewers who increasingly consume content across multiple digital platforms. The dinner served as a venue for these industry figures to share practical insights and recent experiences from their respective companies.

Amazon Ads leaders Paul Mattingly, Melissa Cook, Alexys Coronel, Jennie Antonakis, and Marquis Avery joined the studio executives for the event. Variety representatives Cynthia Littleton and Seth Marumoto were also present at the table. The dinner was moderated to facilitate an open exchange of ideas among the attendees.

The event was held in a private setting to encourage candid dialogue away from the usual public events of the entertainment calendar. By limiting the guest list to a small group of peers, the hosts created a space for direct conversation about current challenges and solutions in the marketing field.

No new joint announcements or formal agreements were made during the dinner. The session focused on the exchange of existing strategies and observations regarding the current state of entertainment promotion.

The dinner concluded after the group finished its discussion of the four main topics: tune-in, image burnishing, whisper campaigns, and event promotion.