Sue Kroll has been hired by Amazon to lead the studio’s marketing.
Kroll was Warner Bros’ longtime marketing expert, eventually leading global marketing and distribution for the studio. She was behind the campaigns for franchises like Harry Potter and that of Christopher Nolan Dark Knight trilogy, as well as award winners such as argo and The blind side.
Kroll stepped down from the position in 2018 following an uproar at Warners, at which time she was one of the longest-serving female executives to work in a studio.
It has long been speculated that Kroll would become the top marketing post at Amazon. She had worked with the studio on Under the spell of the Ring series, The rings of power. She previously worked on the release for the New Line Lord of the Rings films during her tenure at Warner Bros.
“[Kroll] is widely respected, with deep industry knowledge, extensive experience and strong relationships with talent and the entire creative community,” said Jen Salke, head of Amazon Studios, in an email to staff announcing Kroll’s post.
Kroll replaced former head of marketing Ukonwa Ojo, who left in June.
Read Salke’s email to staff below.
Hi team,
I am delighted to share the news that Sue Kroll will join the team as Head of Marketing, Amazon Studios, effective immediately and reporting to me. Sue will oversee global marketing strategy and campaigns for series and movies, both direct-to-service and theatrical.
Sue did an outstanding job leading the marketing efforts for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, our biggest premiere in Prime Video history. She is widely respected, with deep industry knowledge, extensive experience and strong relationships with talent and the entire creative community. She is a seasoned professional who has been marketing projects for over 30 years ranging from global blockbuster releases to award-winning niche film and television projects.
In 2018, Sue launched her own production house, Kroll & Co. entertainment. Under this banner, Sue has a number of projects in production and development, both for film and television, that will now come to Amazon Studios as first-look deals.
Before Kroll & Co. Sue’s broad experience has included President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures, where she launched some of the most popular and acclaimed films in cinema history, including Argo, Dunkirk, Mad Max: Fury Road, Inception, and all the Harry Potter movies, just to name a few. Sue began her career in New York, spending seven years in various divisions of Viacom before moving to Atlanta to head the marketing division of Turner Network Television. Her tenure at Turner included a role at TNT and Cartoon Network Europe, in which she launched the company’s first entertainment venture outside of the United States.
Join me in congratulating Sue and officially welcoming her to our talented marketing team as we continue to grow, discover innovative ways to market our global content and strengthen our connections with customers around the world.
jen