Jeff Tobler Named Senior Vice President, Television Publicity and Communications, at Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Marketing
In his new position, Tobler will have oversight of all consumer publicity and strategic business communications related to original programming produced by the Studio’s scripted television production units. This includes dramatic and comedic series from Warner Bros. Television (WBTV) and Warner Horizon Scripted Television (WHSTV) for broadcast television networks, premium and pay cable channels, and subscription video-on-demand services; animated programming from Warner Bros. Animation (WBA); and live-action and animated productions from Blue Ribbon Content (BRC), the Television Group’s digital studio. As of February 2018, WBTV, WHSTV and WBA are producing more than 60 scripted series combined, with BRC producing more than a dozen additional series.
Tobler will lead the scripted television publicity staff and its outreach to traditional print and broadcast media, as well as direct-to-consumer social media. He will collaborate with the creative teams of the Studio’s scripted series as well as network, cable and streaming service partners on series launch campaigns plus ongoing publicity and awards campaigns. He will work closely with Robert Pietranton, who continues as Vice President, Publicity & Communications, on business and trade communications matters related to scripted programming.
Blake Bryant will continue to oversee marketing and publicity for unscripted programming produced via Warner Bros. Unscripted and Alternative Television’s production units.
Lisa Gregorian said, “Jeff is an extremely creative and highly skilled communications executive with an impeccable track record of sustained excellence. He has worked his way through the ranks here at the company, first at The WB and then as part of the team that launched The CW, and he has been an integral part of Warner Bros. Television publicity since 2011. We are excited by the knowledge, passion and energy that Jeff will bring to his leadership of the group as well as the continuity in maintaining WBTV publicity’s stature as the best in the business.”
Prior to being named SVP, Tobler had served as Vice President, Publicity, since November 2015. In that role, he was chief strategist for special publicity initiatives and projects related to the Studio’s TV programming. This included participation in major events such as San Diego Comic-Con (and other pop culture conventions, such as New York Comic Con and WonderCon), South by Southwest (SXSW), studio-based events for the Television Critics Association summer & winter press tours, and more. He also managed the day-to-day publicity activities of select WBTV series, including the drama “The Leftovers” as well as comedies “Mom,” “Shameless,” “Disjointed” and “2 Broke Girls.” He spearheaded “Mom’s” participation in the White House Champions of Change event in 2016, which honored individuals across the country who were being recognized for their efforts to advance substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery.
He joined Worldwide TV Marketing in 2011 as Manager, Publicity, working on the hit music competition program “The Voice” and action-drama “Nikita,” and was promoted to Director, Publicity Initiatives, in 2013, when he took on responsibility for special publicity projects. He was part of the team responsible for the Central Perk pop-up coffee shop in New York City to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the iconic comedy “Friends.” Before WBTV, Tobler was a publicist at The CW Network and its predecessor, The WB. He joined The WB in 2004 and was part of the publicity team that launched The CW in 2006. He began his entertainment career at NBC, where he worked for two years.
Tobler is a graduate of Columbia College in Chicago, where he majored in marketing communications with a focus in public relations.