Buena Vista International Inc. upped four of its key marketing and publicity exec directors to vp: Maggie Todd (international publicity), Donald Evans (marketing and promotions), Mari Gastineau (marketing/creative print services) and Ticole Richards (marketing/creative film services).
Most recently, Todd has been instrumental in the coordination of international publicity activities for PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, FINDING NEMO, LILO & STITCH and SIGNS. Todd is currently the project supervisor of the international publicity campaigns for BROTHER BEAR and UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN and will also play a key role in the forthcoming BVI international releases of THE ALAMO and KING ARTHUR. She will continue to report to Teri Meyer, svp, international publicity for BVI and BVHE-I.
Todd relocated to Burbank in 1998 from London, where she was U.K. publicity director at Twentieth Century Fox International. Prior to joining Fox, Todd was a publicity consultant for Palace Pictures and has held various positions at Jane Moore Associates, Warner Bros. Film Distributors and Rogers and Cowan, London. Todd is also a member of BAFTA LA.
Evans will continue to oversee all theatrical promotions outside of the U.S. and Canada, with responsibilities ranging from pitching partners to working with local markets on their campaigns. He is also responsible for directing the McDonald's/Disney international theatrical relationship, which encompasses more than 100 countries and 17,000 locations.
In addition, he has helped form partnerships and worked on promotional campaigns with, among others, Visa, Cereal Partners Worldwide, Coca-Cola and Toys R Us. Some of the past promotional campaigns on which he has been instrumental include FINDING NEMO, PEARL HARBOR, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL and BRUCE ALMIGHTY. Evans also oversees the interactive marketing group for BVI.
Previously, Evans was at New Line Home Entertainment where he was exec director of marketing and promotions and oversaw the DVD marketing, home entertainment promotions and home entertainment interactive marketing. Prior to New Line, he was with Warner Home Video marketing. Evans began his career with Buena Vista Pictures marketing in the New York publicity office.
Gastineau has been instrumental in creating and implementing international theatrical print campaigns for films such as PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, PEARL HARBOR and SIGNS. She is also responsible for implementing various animation campaigns into the international marketplace for titles such as BROTHER BEAR, FINDING NEMO and LILO AND STITCH. She has also been involved in the successful marketing campaigns for other Disney branded live action titles such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and FREAKY FRIDAY.
Gastineau plays a significant creative and marketing role as it relates to Japan, and her enthusiasm and hard work have helped BVI Japan create several blockbuster marketing successes in that territory.
Gastineau began her career with The Walt Disney Co. almost 10 years ago in Disney's domestic theatrical marketing division under Fred Tio, exec vp, worldwide marketing. She moved to BVI five years later in the creative services and marketing department.
Most recently, Richards has been instrumental in the creation of the audio-visual international theatrical marketing campaigns for PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, FINDING NEMO, SEABISCUIT and LILO AND STITCH. Richards is also responsible for the creative implementation, production and distribution of both marketing and publicity materials to the field. Richards has additionally created custom marketing campaigns for FUJI TV in Japan as well as the BVI product stage shows for Cinema Expo, CineAsia and the Australian Film Festival.
Richards has been with the Walt Disney Co. since 1995 where she has held various positions at BVI and Buena Vista Pictures marketing.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
