Corus Entertainment has appointed longtime TC Media executive Lynn Chambers as vice-president of client marketing for its television sales division.
She joined the company March 24, reporting to head of airtime sales Gerry Mackrell.
Lynn Chambers
In her new role, Chambers is responsible for all aspects of the Toronto media company’s client marketing business, including creative, production and customer-facing activities. She described it to Marketing as a “what else?” role – one that looks beyond 30-second spots and focuses instead on customized client solutions—including sponsorship and product integration—using the company’s TV assets.
“There are lots of opportunities for us to work very creatively with our advertisers,” said Chambers. “When you’re working in a creative role, the sky’s the limit in terms of what you can do, because it’s really about understanding the properties you have to work with, the marketer’s goals, and then layering creative on top,” she said.
This marks Chambers’ first foray into the broadcast space after spending the past nine years in publishing with TC Media. She has also held marketing roles with organizations including the Canadian Cancer Society, Jamieson Laboratories and Estee Lauder.
“To me, it’s a natural progression of my skills and background,” said Chambers. “I’ve got the experience of understanding marketing and clients’ perspectives on what they’re trying to do when working closely with a media vendor, and how to bring those two together.”
Chambers said she was eager to join Corus because of its strong brand portfolio, which includes the W Network, YTV, Teletoon and the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), as well as its reputation as a progressive employer.
“It has a reputation for being a company that believes in people and has invested well in technology,” she said. “That’s the type of environment I like to surround myself with. At the end of the day, a lot of what we do is about creativity, and that’s generated by having good, smart people.”
She said Corus’ continued investment in research also separates it from its broadcast counterparts. “The investment in research drives a lot of what we do for clients,” she said. “We’re not just making it up; it’s well-founded in fact and very bleeding-edge research.”
Chambers has extensive experience in marketing to women, including what she characterized as a “strong connection” with moms and families. With TC Media, Chambers served as group publisher of its leading women’s titles, including Canadian Living and Elle Canada, and was also instrumental in the launch of Loblaws’ now-defunct custom magazine, Fresh Juice.
Prior to joining Corus, she spent 14 months as VP custom content and general manager with TC Media’s custom publishing division, Totem.
Chambers said she is currently working on the first phase of a 100-day plan she developed, which involves learning about the company and its brands and their challenges and opportunities. The next phase will focus on “continued innovation” and seeking new strategic alliances and partnerships to extend Corus’ reach, she said.
