Job Information
Warner Bros. Discovery Director, Marketing and Communications in Tokyo, Japan
Welcome to Warner Bros. Discovery… the stuff dreams are made of.
Who We Are…
When we say, “the stuff dreams are made of,” we’re not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD’s vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the storytellers bringing our characters to life, the creators bringing them to your living rooms and the dreamers creating what’s next…
From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.
Warner Bros. Discovery is a powerful portfolio of iconic entertainment, news, and sports brands. We bring people, technology, and the world's best storytellers together to drive culture and meaningful connection. We believe the enduring power of stories can open our eyes to the world, to each other, and to new and different perspectives.
Join us. Shape your story here.
Following the success of the Warner Bros. Studio Tours in London and Hollywood, Warner Bros. Worldwide Tours and Retail division has built on its experience of visitor engagement, exceptional customer service and innovative merchandise to include experiential retail in New York and Kings Cross.
The latest addition to the division is Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo, which opened in summer 2023 and is h ome to authentic sets, props and costumes from the eight Harry Potter films. Visitors are invited to discover ‘behind-the-scenes’ secrets of film production and see how the books were brought to life on-screen. With the chance to explore Diagon Alley, enter the Great Hall, appear in a moving portrait and even ride on a broomstick, visitors experience the magic of filmmaking firsthand. Since opening the Studio Tour has achieved high ratings on Google Reviews and is consistently sold out.
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY
We are looking for a Marketing Lead for Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo. This is an exciting opportunity for a talented Marketing professional who will be a key member of the senior management team, leading the Tour marketing and communications strategy to create brand awareness and grow the business.
ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Primary job functions
Responsible for the successful planning and implementation of all marketing and communication strategies and initiatives to ensure ticket sales and revenues are continually hitting budgets
Take a digital-first, omni-channel strategy that drives tickets sales by maximizing campaign ROAS/ROI (Return On Ad Spend) and engagement
Establish solid relationships with Travel Trade (OTA’s , RTO’s, Tour Operators, Airlines, etc.) to ensure travel trade sales channel delivers to agreed sales targets
Ensure Tour ticket availability is maximized at all times
Work with the GM and senior management team on the sales planning and management of budgets
Management and development of team to ensure the on-going efficiency of the marketing and communication function
Partner with executive team WBSTL (UK) & (Burbank) to set strategic direction, dotted line report to Senior Director Marketing WWT&R
Additional essential job functions
Devise the Marketing Strategy (and collaborate on the Communication/publicity strategy) for the attraction to optimize yields from core markets(segments) including:
Inbound International Tourists
Local resident day out market
Intellectual Property Fan base
Schools/Education
Public, Private and Corporate events
Manage and develop the Tour’s branding and ensure brand guidelines are adhered to across the tour and in all external and internal materials
Ensure that the Marketing and Communications elements of the overall joint strategy are fully integrated and seamless working closely with the Senior PR Manager
Participate pro-actively in the WB Tour Global senior management team, seeking to continuously improve all areas of the business
Establish and review pricing strategies to maximize yields and optimize seasonality/ develop off peak. Work with Technical Solutions to maximize ticket availability and analyze reports
Be responsible for delivering all channel marketing campaigns around key trading periods, features and events in order to maximize capacity during peak times. Ensure features are marketing led and maximize effectiveness of both marketing and the operation
Devise and manage initiatives to drive new audience and customer development, tracking awareness, identifying opportunity and barriers to visiting
Develop and nurture online social network through active participation on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social channels, travel resource / review and Harry Potter fan sites
Oversee online and website presence and ensure all sites are maximizing the sales potential through the customer journey (CRM approach), and are maintained to align with the marketing strategy
Devise methods of conducting ongoing research to include: public awareness and guest satisfaction in all core market segments with the goal of maximizing NPS (Net Promoter Score). Ensure all of our research data is consolidated to proactively inform business decision making
Oversee and manage the information in the Marketing Consumer Database, ensuring data protection considerations are fully legally compliant, and develop our CRM capability
Work with data science teams to leverage internal and external audiences housed within the DMP (Data Management Platform) for targeting and campaign optimisation
Build relationships and ensure approvals and coordination with other WBD operations and marketing initiatives for Harry Potter, including Harry Potter Global Franchise Development and Consumer Products teams
Build relationships and ensure approvals and co-ordination with JKR’s Wizarding World Partners, including her agents, The Blair Partnership, and other Wizarding World franchise partners
Work across the business to maximize secondary income partnering with commercial functions such as events, retail, e-commerce etc
Lead, manage and control on-going marketing and admissions income (ticketing) budgets as agreed with attraction’s GM, finance and Senior Management
Develop and maintain a world-class learning and educational programme driving off peak business
Train and develop the marketing resources as required for long term marketing expertise
Set sales targets and objectives in conjunction with appropriate staff maintaining tight budgetary control throughout the year
Benchmarking against other attractions
Analyze the effectiveness of the marketing campaigns
Ensure administrative work is accurate and up to date
Attend conference calls and video calls across USA west coast and London time zones
Establish networks and contacts with major tourism and attractions bodies including but not limited to:
Local and Regional Tourism Boards and Destination Management Organizations
Inbound and domestic tour operators
Industry and Professional bodies
Industry media
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
Previous leadership and marketing experience within a service-led fast-paced industry, ideally in the attractions industry within Japan/Asia and inbound tourism-based experience
Demonstrated ability to plan and execute major brand marketing campaigns
Excellent commercial and digital marketing acumen
Excellent negotiating skills
Strong finance and analytical skills, including use of Excel and Google Analytics
Good written and oral communication presentation skills
Fluency in written and spoken Japanese and English is required
Good managerial skills
Good customer service skills
Proven track record in analyzing the marketplace, establishing revenue targets, and meeting and exceeding targets; as well as accurately assessing opportunities and marketplace threats, and developing action plans to combat threats
Demonstrated ability to effectively lead and develop teams, prioritize work schedules, and multitask
Proven track record of developing appropriate partner relationships with internal and external customers
Graduate (BA/BS) required. Bachelor’s degree in marketing or a closely related field is preferred
How We Get Things Done…
This last bit is probably the most important! Here at WBD, our guiding principles are the core values by which we operate and are central to how we get things done. You can find them at www.wbd.com/guiding-principles/ along with some insights from the team on what they mean and how they show up in their day to day. We hope they resonate with you and look forward to discussing them during your interview.
Championing Inclusion at WBD
Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of our society and the world around us. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, disability or any other category protected by law.
If you’re a qualified candidate and you require adjustments or accommodations to search for a job opening or apply for a position, please contact us at recruitadmin@wbd.com.