What does an Entertainment marketer do?
An entertainment marketer builds audience demand for films, television series, music releases, and live events through targeted publicity and promotional campaigns. This role translates creative content into measurable market interest by managing the full lifecycle of a title’s public launch. You coordinate media relations, produce campaign assets, and secure placements across digital and traditional channels to maximize visibility before and during release windows.
- Research target demographics and analyze comparable titles to define a precise promotion strategy that aligns with the project’s creative vision and commercial goals. This foundational work informs every subsequent decision, from messaging tone to channel selection, ensuring resources focus on audiences most likely to engage with the content.
- Author press releases and compile comprehensive press kits that include production stills, cast bios, and key art for distribution to journalists, bloggers, and industry influencers. These materials serve as the primary information source for media coverage, so they must be accurate, compelling, and ready for immediate publication upon request.
- Produce promotional assets such as two-to-three minute trailers, digital posters, and social media graphics that capture the essence of the entertainment property and drive viewer curiosity. You collaborate with creative teams to edit video clips, design print collateral, and format content for specific platforms, ensuring consistent branding across all touchpoints.
- Plan and execute media placements across email newsletters, radio spots, television interviews, and social media communities to generate sustained buzz leading up to the release date. You negotiate placement opportunities, schedule posts for optimal engagement times, and monitor real-time performance metrics to adjust tactics as needed.
- Coordinate promotional screenings and preview events for media outlets, critics, and industry partners to secure early reviews and word-of-mouth advocacy. This involves managing logistics, inviting key stakeholders, and facilitating Q&A sessions that highlight the unique aspects of the production while addressing potential journalistic angles.
How to hire an Entertainment marketer on Upwork
Step 1: Post a job
Define your promotional goals and required deliverables to attract qualified candidates. Use the Job Post Generator powered by Uma™, Upwork's Mindful AI to draft a precise description in seconds. Describe your needs in a few sentences and Uma drafts a job post for the role. You can write a new post, update a saved draft, or reuse an existing post.
- Specify if the freelancer must create press kits with production stills or produce two-to-three minute trailers for film and music titles.
- List required channel expertise such as email newsletters, radio spots, or television placements to reach your target audience effectively.
- Clarify whether the role includes arranging promotional screenings for media outlets or managing social media community engagement.
Step 2: Evaluate candidates
Review portfolios for concrete examples of past entertainment campaigns and audience growth metrics. Uma can run instant video interviews and build shortlists with side-by-side comparisons to help you assess fit quickly.
- Look for published press releases and distributed press kits that demonstrate experience with media outreach and publicity coordination.
- Examine creative assets like posters, flyers, and trailers to verify their ability to produce high-quality marketing collateral.
- Check for evidence of planned media placements across email, radio, or television that generated measurable interest in previous titles.
Step 3: Interview your top choices
Discuss their approach to identifying target audiences and selecting comparable titles for strategy development. Interviews can be scheduled and conducted within Upwork Messages with an immediate transcript and summary after each one.
- Ask how they research market comparables to inform promotion strategy for specific film, TV, or music projects.
- Request examples of how they coordinated publicity efforts and managed relationships with media outlets for past screenings.
- Discuss their process for creating and distributing promotional materials across digital and traditional advertising channels.
Step 4: Agree on scope and begin work
Set clear milestones for deliverables such as press kits, trailers, and media placement reports. Use Upwork Messages and the contract workroom for communication and project management, plus identity verification, payment protection, hourly tracking, and project funds for security.
- Define deadlines for submitting press releases and completing promotional asset creation before campaign launch dates.
- Establish metrics for evaluating the success of media placements and audience engagement during the promotional period.
- Agree on a schedule for arranging promotional screenings and coordinating with media partners for maximum coverage.
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The rates and information provided in this article are based on current data and industry sources available at the time of publication. Freelance rates can vary depending on factors such as experience, location, project scope, and market conditions. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research to confirm current rates and trends, as this information may change over time.