Warner targets Pendrill for niche auds

Exec to market studio slate to Hispanic, urban groups

By CATHY DUNKLEY

Pendrill

Viviana Pendrill has joined Warner Bros. Pictures as vice president of targeted marketing, a newly created position.

Reporting to Diane Nelson, exec VP of domestic marketing for the studio, Pendrill will research and develop motion picture marketing strategies for a variety of niche audiences, including Hispanic, urban and teen, for the studio's pics. She will also coordinate efforts with other divisions of Warner Bros. Studios and of AOL Time Warner to reach these auds.

The mandate is for Pendrill to market Warner Bros.' slate to Hispanic, urban and teen groups rather than market specific urban or Latin-themed fare to those auds.

Pendrill, a veteran marketing exec, founded and formerly co-owned Casanova Pendrill Publicidad, one of the top Hispanic advertising agencies in the U.S.

Before that she spent four years as associate creative director at Menoza, Dillon & Associates, a pioneer agency in Hispanic market advertising based in Newport Beach.

"Warner Bros. Pictures recognizes the diversity of the audience base for our movies; we realize that we need to be active and smart about tailoring our marketing messages to specific cultural and interest groups," said Dawn Taubin, president of domestic marketing for Warner Bros. Pictures. "Viviana's understanding of niche markets, especially of the rapidly growing Hispanic market, will make her a tremendous contributor toward this effort."