Brand Marketing Manager

We are looking for an experienced Brand Marketing professional with a proven track record for developing iconic character brands/franchises and promoting their related consumer products programs. This engaged, creative and conscientious marketing expert would join our small, yet dynamic marketing and licensing team at King Features, reporting to the Brand Marketing Director. This full-time role is open immediately and hybrid, so only candidates in commutable distance to NYC need apply.

This role reports to the Brand Marketing Director working collaboratively with leadership to manage all activities that build, protect, and perpetuate King Features’ extensive library of brands with consumer product programs attached, particularly the Lifestyle brand portfolio which includes Popeye the Sailor Man, Olive Oyl, Rebel Girls, Crazy Frog, Macanudo & Romero Britto. Brands within the role’s realm of responsibility are subject to change based on evolving company strategy and business priorities. 

The Brand Marketing Manager is expected to be the resident go-to expert on the stable of IP under their management, ensuring the positioning, voice and core messaging of each unique brand is kept consistent across product, entertainment, marketing, promotions and press globally. The role will also assist in the development of new creative assets and branded content. 

The ideal candidate for this role will have skills in strategic thinking, impeccable project management and organizational skills, demonstrated excellence in communication, and the proven ability to deliver measurable results in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities.

King Features is a unit of Hearst within the Hearst Newspapers division. Their portfolio of world-class pop-culture brands, both owned and represented, target a variety of fanbases and audience segments which are made accessible to fans through various forms of entertainment from publishing to TV series to video games. Most recently, King Features produced the Emmy-winning series The Cuphead Show! with Netflix Animation which debuted in 2022. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The Brand Marketing Manager is responsible for collaboratively shaping the vision for their brands while adhering to the overarching goals and strategy set forth by management. Strategically ideating and executing marketing campaigns that drive consumer awareness and demand, supporting key partner launches through marketing/press/social media, and leading special projects that increase brand reach, while staying within budget.

• Support Director in the development and execution of brand planning
  • Collaborate with Action Brands Manager to develop an overarching marketing calendar for KFS core brands that drives alignment across all KFS lines of business globally
  • Strategically propose brand marketing initiatives that drive awareness and/or revenue
  • Research and present insights in support of strategic recommendations to Director around the brand strategy
  • Lead planning and execution of approved initiatives from start to finish, including management of contract, staffing, logistics, development of marketing materials, organization of press & social support, partner communications, budget/ expenses, etc. 
  • Prepare and present recap of executed stunts/campaigns to Director upon completion

 

• Manage brand/marketing communications with brand owners, talent and key licensees of your brands (organize touch base meetings as needed to track product/mkt development progress, retail placement, oversee marketing plan execution and report associated sales impact as permitted
  
   
• Spearhead marketing support for key launches tied to your brands
  • Develop and activate and in-house marketing support plan for the launch
  • Manage development and distribution of press
  • Prepare and present recap of results to Director
  • Confirm visual record of all brand collaborations and product partnerships have been saved properly archived

 

• Create and maintain external brand tools (sales decks, one sheets, etc.) on a quarterly basis, ensuring each effectively motivates partners to partners license the brand

 

• Design bespoke pitch decks to drive new business as needed

 

• Develop internal brand tools (brand decks, brand bibles, etc.) and update monthly; clearly define brand position and guidelines, while ensuring the state of each brand and its business is accurately tracked and reported

 

• Work closely with Marketing Director to identify any needs for creative tools/assets to support your brands and business; collabora