Seth Byers was named executive vice president of creative strategy and research for Universal Pictures marketing, president Josh Goldstine said on Wednesday.
In the newly created role, Byers will work on the execution of theatrical marketing campaigns. Byers will collaborate with NBCUniversal and Comcast on cross-company research and analysis pertaining to film marketing and business strategies.
"Seth's analytical rigor, creative sensibilities and strategic expertise make him the perfect compass in our continued journey to create the most effective, cutting edge marketing campaigns for all of our films," said Goldstine. "We're tremendously excited to integrate an industry leader like Seth into our amazing group of marketing professionals."
Byers most recently was Senior Vice President of Worldwide Research at Sony Pictures Entertainment.
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In a separate announcement, Russell Hampton has joined NBCUniversal in the newly created role of Executive Vice President of Franchise Management and Global Consumer Products. He joins the Media Innovation and Cross Company Initiatives Group with the move.
In the role, Hampton will be second-in-command in the focus on the monetization of cross-platform content. He will be responsible for driving innovation and building a digital strategy across mobile social and the web.
Hampton is charged with developing an overarching strategy around the company’s licensing and merchandising, working across its portfolio, including film, theme parks, broadcast networks, cable channels and digital properties.
"From television and movies to digital content and theme parks, NBCUniversal delivers compelling characters, stories, and experiences," said Zalaznick. "Russell will unite our richest franchises across the portfolio and capitalize on them in the global licensing and merchandising arena."
Hampton was most recently President of Disney Publishing Worldwide.