Marian Lee

"Lee is the CMO for the world’s largest streaming services company and one of the most culturally influential. With influence and remit across both the company’s B2B and B2C audiences, Lee also has oversight of Netflix’s marketing creative and customer experience strategy globally, with a marketing spend reported to be in excess of $2.5 billion (USD) annually. Among a portfolio of objectives, Lee is focused on driving viewership of the company’s content portfolio to some 270 million subscribers… Show more

"Lee is the CMO for the world’s largest streaming services company and one of the most culturally influential. With influence and remit across both the company’s B2B and B2C audiences, Lee also has oversight of Netflix’s marketing creative and customer experience strategy globally, with a marketing spend reported to be in excess of $2.5 billion (USD) annually. Among a portfolio of objectives, Lee is focused on driving viewership of the company’s content portfolio to some 270 million subscribers while also, since the company’s pivot to in-platform advertising, ensuring an “in-culture experience” for Netflix’s growing portfolio of advertisers. Her work is seen, and her influence is activated and expressed in 190 countries around the world. As the company expands into sports, gaming, and events, Lee and her team are committed to ensuring the brand’s ongoing place in the cultural firmament, creating fan-driven experiences, and supporting its massive slate of creators and content. Strategically, Lee is intent on marketing with fans and not simply to consumers; examples include promoting the new season of Bridgerton by immersing fans the world-over with early 19th century imagery and building the brand’s interactive Roblox “Nextworld” theme park, where fans are able to interact with I.P. from across the streamer’s content portfolio. Lee’s influence is helping make Netflix one of the few entertainment company brands that matter. The company recently reported year-over-year (YoY) subscriber growth of 9 percent and revenue growth of nearly 15 percent for the period ending March. As of the close of markets on June 7th, the company’s market cap had increased by more than 56% YoY." Show less

Business Insider's annual list of the "Most Innovative CMOs" spotlights CMOS rising to these challenges. This year's 34 CMOs came from nearly 80 nominations from their peers and industry experts.

Lee is the marketing force behind Netflix's shows and experiences.

She's responsible for taking individual Netflix shows and plugging them into culture to get consumers' attention. She's also tasked with building Netflix's brand amid big changes to the streamer, like the clampdown on… Show more

Business Insider's annual list of the "Most Innovative CMOs" spotlights CMOS rising to these challenges. This year's 34 CMOs came from nearly 80 nominations from their peers and industry experts.

Lee is the marketing force behind Netflix's shows and experiences.

She's responsible for taking individual Netflix shows and plugging them into culture to get consumers' attention. She's also tasked with building Netflix's brand amid big changes to the streamer, like the clampdown on password sharing, an ad-supported tier, and growing competition from other streamers.

Within the past year, Lee has spearheaded some of Netflix's biggest campaigns — many of which are offline with activations and billboards. Most recently, Lee has been touting the third season of the hit "Bridgerton" show with fan events, products from brands like International Delight and Williams-Sonoma, and sneak peeks of the show leading up to its premiere.

For "Squid Game," she launched an experience in Los Angeles where fans can compete in games inspired by the show. And for Jerry Seinfeld's "Unfrosted," billboards in high-traffic areas like New York and Los Angeles oozed Pop-Tart filling with crumbs falling on cars. "Unfrosted's" ad campaign also included scratch-and-sniff magazine ads.

The hit "Wednesday" show, a spinoff of the "Addams Family" franchise, went viral with moments including actress Jenna Ortega's TikTok dance. Season two of the series is currently filming and is sure to get a marketing push from Lee behind it.

Lee joined Netflix in 2021 and was promoted to CMO in 2022, having previously worked at Spotify and Condé Nast. Show less

Today marks the debut of our first edition of the Variety 10. Our goal is to focus on a specific field or discipline and highlight the 10 individuals we feel are the most important and consequential leaders of the moment.

It’s entirely appropriate that we begin by looking at the world of brand marketing, where all the rules changed in 2023 when Mattel’s “Barbie” became not just the No. 1 film in the world, but a cultural sensation and a starter of conversations that show no signs of… Show more

Today marks the debut of our first edition of the Variety 10. Our goal is to focus on a specific field or discipline and highlight the 10 individuals we feel are the most important and consequential leaders of the moment.

It’s entirely appropriate that we begin by looking at the world of brand marketing, where all the rules changed in 2023 when Mattel’s “Barbie” became not just the No. 1 film in the world, but a cultural sensation and a starter of conversations that show no signs of abating. Similarly, Amazon may have begun as an online retailer, but today it is an essential component of the entertainment universe. Meanwhile, you can calculate Hollywood history in terms of BN and AN — i.e., Before Netflix and After Netflix.

Lee meshes old and new media in campaigns, embracing the efficacy of legacy media platforms such as outdoor billboards to drive consumer conversation. For example, two large billboards for “Leo” connected with rope-like lizard tongues, and “Extraction 2” signage was rigged to appear to sweat. Meanwhile, keeping up with digital natives requires “chasing the heat because every day there is a new app or new platform that pops up, and we’re almost duty-bound to go where the audiences are spending time,” she says. “We do a lot of exploration.”

Lee joined Netflix in 2021, and became CMO in 2022. She previously worked at Spotify as VP and head of music, PwC as a management consultant and at various fashion and entertainment brands. She’s now responsible for marketing globally with 40 teams located around the world. “It’s not just about the person who chuck- les when they see those billboards,” she says. “Ultimately, we want them to be talking about them, sharing photos with their friends.” Show less

"She’s the CMO of one of the world’s largest entertainment companies, and in the past year alone, has overseen the launch and promotion of over 800 Netflix Originals globally. With over 232 million subscribers worldwide (as of the end of March) in pursuit of new revenues, including an expanding merchandise operation, and subscriber growth, Lee is also part of the leadership team helping manage the brand’s pivot to in-platform advertising and expansion into gaming. As of its most recent… Show more

"She’s the CMO of one of the world’s largest entertainment companies, and in the past year alone, has overseen the launch and promotion of over 800 Netflix Originals globally. With over 232 million subscribers worldwide (as of the end of March) in pursuit of new revenues, including an expanding merchandise operation, and subscriber growth, Lee is also part of the leadership team helping manage the brand’s pivot to in-platform advertising and expansion into gaming. As of its most recent financial report, the streamer said 25% of its newest subscribers came in through their new ad-supported offering. Rather than spending more dollars on media, Lee has reframed how the company thinks about marketing’s role in engaging audiences of fans; a strategic shift from marketing to audiences to marketing with and through them, and from “targeting consumers to serving fans.” As of the close of markets on June 16th, the company’s stock was up almost 150% YoY." Show less

This list recognizes 50 of the world’s most entrepreneurial CMOs whose entrepreneurial mindset and approach is driving impact across their brands, business, marketing, commerce and, sometimes, culture itself.

In November '22, Netflix was honored at The Clio Entertainment Awards, which celebrates the year’s best entertainment marketing campaigns. We took home the prestigious Television / Streaming Network of the Year Award. This special award is given to the network that has received the most overall Clio Entertainment Statue points for Television/Series entries submitted across all medium types.


Grand Clio Entertainment Awards were also handed out for Television/Streaming and Theatrical… Show more

In November '22, Netflix was honored at The Clio Entertainment Awards, which celebrates the year’s best entertainment marketing campaigns. We took home the prestigious Television / Streaming Network of the Year Award. This special award is given to the network that has received the most overall Clio Entertainment Statue points for Television/Series entries submitted across all medium types.


Grand Clio Entertainment Awards were also handed out for Television/Streaming and Theatrical with Netflix receiving Grand statues for:

Innovation — “Netflix Stranger Things Global Rift Takeover”

Integrated Campaign — “Stranger Things 4” for Stranger Things 4

Teaser — “Ozark S4 Reverse Recap”


In total, we received 170 awards with an additional 33 titles that were shortlisted including Gold statues for the following shows & movies:



Narcos Mexico Season 3

Tudum Remix

Resident Evil

Lupin

Bridgerton

Squid Games

1899

Maid

Love, Death + Robots S3

2022 Film Year in Preview

The Gray Man

Tick Tick Boom Show less

Every May, the A100 List honors the 100 Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs) who had the most impact on culture and society over the past year.