Melissa Stankowski
Melissa Stankowski, smiling in a dark draped jacket
Melissa Stankowski / Los Angeles

I’m Melissa Stankowski.

I build brands and the systems behind them.

I believe how work gets made shapes the work itself. What we put in is what people receive: the intent of an idea, the people we bring together, the standards we set, the collaboration, the order and organized chaos. That process is part of the magic and the idea.

I’ve spent nearly 20 years working across brand strategy, creative, production and operations, with more than half of that time leading teams. My work has taken me from NFL Films and Sony Pictures Television to Editor in Chief of STIRR and SVP of Brand & Creative at STARZ, where I led brand and creative transformation across 63 countries.

Today, I work across fashion, lifestyle, entertainment and commerce through Discontent. I help leaders clarify where a brand is going and lead the work to get it there, from positioning and campaigns to the teams and operations behind them. That means building the brand while creating work that moves the bottom line.

Recognition across the work

Cannes Lions · Clios · GEMA · CableFax
IN THE PRESS ▷

Working together.

A defined project or ongoing leadership.

Projects

A launch, brand transformation or campaign. I set the direction and lead the work through production.

Ongoing leadership

Brand and marketing leadership alongside your team: priorities, campaigns, growth creative, partners, and the operation behind them.

TALK ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER

Out in the world.

Selected coverage of the work and the leadership behind it.

AdweekSTARZ’s adult-focused brand platform and campaignVarietySTARZPLAY becomes LIONSGATE+GEMABrand and creative leadership at STARZAdweekLIONSGATE+ / A campaign built around audience reactions▷London PostThe Art of Emotion / London▷

Melissa Stankowski / Experience

Experience.

I lead brand, marketing and creative, with responsibility for the teams and operations behind the work.

Discontent

Brand, marketing & creative leadership · Present

Work with leaders to set brand direction, lead creative and connect marketing with business priorities.

  • Brand development, campaign strategy, creative and shoot direction across fashion, lifestyle, entertainment and commerce.
  • Defined projects and ongoing brand and marketing leadership, including team direction, production and AI-enabled workflows.

STARZ · 2020–2026

SVP, Brand & Creative

Led brand strategy, marketing and creative direction across STARZ’s domestic and international businesses.

  • Led teams of up to 60+ spanning Brand Marketing, Marketing & Creative Operations, Production, Photo, Video and Design.
  • Spearheaded global brand transformation across 17 properties and 63 countries, from master and sub-brand architecture to localized campaigns and activations, including STARZPLAY’s evolution into LIONSGATE+.
  • Repositioned STARZ through We’re All Adults Here and its national 360° campaign; led brand and creative for STARZ Originals including Outlander, the Power universe, BMF and P-Valley.
  • Connected brand campaigns with DTC acquisition and retention, direct-response creative, CRM, partner and platform marketing; led quarterly planning across paid, earned and owned channels.
  • Transformed marketing operations and campaign workflows. DTC creative output grew 188% year over year.
  • International brand results during the remit: +33% awareness and +21% consideration.

STIRR / Sinclair

Editor in Chief · 2019–2020

Oversaw content strategy, channel acquisition, editorial, marketing and operations for Sinclair’s advertising-supported streaming platform.

  • Launched 40 FAST channels in four months through coordinated programming, creative and promotional planning.
  • Partnered with Product and Engineering to align content, creative and UX; unified programming, marketing and operational workflows.
  • Expanded live and local streaming, including iHeartRadio performances, cultural events, elections and sports.
  • Platform results: +223% year-over-year unique users and +442% year-over-year ad impressions.

Independent consulting

Creative Producer & Strategist · 2018–2019

Developed creative strategy and production systems for entertainment and media projects.

  • Selected work included projects for Creative Artists Agency, Mike Francesa and Absolute Live Productions.
  • Designed studio and remote-production systems and the workflows to support them.

Sony Pictures Television · 2009–2018

Creative Director · 2017–2018

Earlier roles: On-Air Director, Producer, Manager, Coordinator

  • Contributed to three network launches, Sony Movie Channel, Cine Sony and getTV, and four brand refreshes across those networks and Crackle.
  • Developed network marketing and promotional strategies around brand launches, programming priorities and audience growth.
  • Integrated campaign work included Crackle originals Joe Dirt 2, Sports Jeopardy!, The Art of More and Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, and getTV’s A Nashville Christmas, with its on-air launch campaign, EPK and gallery shoot.
  • Directed creative production for Crackle’s Digital Upfront; developed affiliate and ad-sales creative and advertiser integrations across the portfolio.
  • Built promotional production workflows and delivery systems that became a model for Sony’s global network operations.

NFL Films

Project Manager · 2008–2010

Managed production schedules, budgets and delivery for NFL Network and NFL Films.

  • Programming included Hard Knocks, Inside the NFL, NFL Full Contact and The NFL Season.
  • Commercial and branded-content work included campaigns for Frito-Lay and Samsung/NFL.

Education

Rowan University · 2008

B.A. · Radio, Television, and Film / Advertising

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