One of the most seasoned TV marketing executives, ABC’s long-time head of marketing Marla Provencio, will be leaving the company after 35 years. Provencio, most recently EVP, Marketing, and Chief Marketing Officer, ABC Entertainment, will be stepping from day-to-day duties but will stay on through June to help with the transition. There is no immediate replacement.
In an internal memo by ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey, obtained by Deadline, she talks of Provencio’s decision “to begin a new chapter in her life” and highlights one of Provencio’s biggest recent accomplishments, the launch and branding of ABC’s hugely successful TGIT Thursday lineup of Shondaland drama series.
Provencio was named EVP, Marketing, and chief marketing officer, ABC Entertainment, in November 2011. She was previously EVP, Marketing, ABC Entertainment Group, since June 2009 and EVP, Marketing, ABC Entertainment, since February 2007.
Some of the successful ABC series launches that she has spearheaded through the years include Modern Family, Once Upon a Time, How To Get Away With Murder, The Middle, black-ish, Revenge, Castle, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Grey’s Anatomy,Lost, Desperate Housewives, Scandal, Dancing with the Stars and Shark Tank. She launched the television industry’s first multi-platform, brand identity and viewer-navigation system through the “ABC Start Here” initiative.
Here is Dungey’s email, which includes a personal goodbye note by Provencio:
Team,
I wanted to let you know about a big change that is happening in our ranks. After more than 35 years with ABC, Marla Provencio has decided to begin a new chapter in her life and will be leaving the company. I have included a personal statement from Marla herself at the bottom of this note. She knows this is a huge change and has agreed to stay involved as a consultant through June to help with our transition.
Marla’s DNA is in ABC and it is hard to think about the brand without her. Her contributions to our success and what we stand for are limitless. Just last night, TGIT was again #1 and it was Marla who led the team that created this campaign. And this is but one of Marla’s countless extraordinary accomplishments here. She leaves behind an amazing legacy of which she, and we, can be truly proud.
I know change can be difficult, but Marla has built the best marketing team in the business. I know we are in good hands even with her departure and we will continue to flourish. I will continue to keep you updated as we move through this transition, and please feel free to reach out to me directly with any questions and concerns.
Please join me in wishing Marla well as she takes this next big step into what I am confident will be an incredible future.
Channing
Below is a personal statement from Marla herself:
Well…what can I say?…My career here has been one incredible journey. For 35+ years this company has been my home. It has given me the opportunity to learn, to create, to innovate and to grow into the marketer that I am today. I have been fortunate enough to work with some of the most brilliant minds in the entertainment and marketing industry while forging relationships, most especially friendships, that will live on forever.
I also have been involved in some of the most extraordinary marketing campaigns which has led me to one of the greatest realizations of my life – that the creative, and more importantly, hands-on creative, has always been my greatest passion and I want it to be the focus in the next chapter of my professional life.
To that end, after speaking with Channing, I’ve decided to make the leap. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to be stepping back from the day-to-day, but I’ve agreed to stay involved through June to help Channing and the department through this transition.
I couldn’t send a note like this without wishing a heartfelt THANK YOU to my team and colleagues here at the company as well as those I associated with outside in the creative community. You have given me a lifetime of memories filled with fun, amazing creative work and most importantly, laughter.
Remember…if not now, when?
Marla
