In a move that signals a commitment to institutional stability and long-term creative vision, Create, a prominent entertainment marketing studio, has announced the elevation of Jonathan Gitlin to the position of Chief Executive Officer. This transition marks a significant milestone for the agency as its founder, David Stern, moves into the role of Chairman after more than two decades at the helm. The executive restructuring comes at a pivotal moment for the entertainment marketing sector, which is currently grappling with rapid technological changes, shifting consumer habits, and a volatile economic landscape that has seen legacy competitors downsize or shutter entire divisions.
Under the new leadership structure, Stern will pivot his focus toward long-term strategic planning and high-level advisory functions, while Gitlin assumes full responsibility for day-to-day operations. Gitlin will work alongside a veteran senior leadership team to navigate the agency through its next phase of growth, focusing on the integration of global offices and the implementation of emerging technologies. The transition is designed to preserve the "homegrown" culture that Stern cultivated while empowering a new generation of leadership to redefine the boundaries of trailers, key art, and digital strategy.
A Two-Decade Ascent: The Trajectory of Jonathan Gitlin
The appointment of Jonathan Gitlin is a rare example of a complete "mailroom-to-corner-office" trajectory within the modern entertainment industry. Gitlin’s history with Create began in 2006 when he joined the firm as a design intern. Over the course of twenty years, he systematically climbed the organizational ladder, holding roles as a 3D motion designer, Creative Director of Design, Partner, and most recently, President. This exhaustive experience across nearly every department has provided Gitlin with a granular understanding of both the artistic requirements of creative production and the logistical complexities of agency management.
In a statement regarding the transition, David Stern emphasized that Gitlin’s deep-rooted history with the company was a primary factor in the succession plan. Stern noted that Gitlin embodies the core values of the organization—creativity, strategic vision, and a commitment to client relationships. By promoting from within, Create aims to maintain a sense of continuity that is often lost during external CEO searches, ensuring that the agency’s creative identity remains intact even as it scales its operations.
Gitlin’s own reflections on the promotion highlight a sense of stewardship. Having spent his entire professional career within the walls of Create, he viewed the move less as a personal achievement and more as a responsibility to protect the culture that fostered his own growth. His mandate now involves guiding a new generation of interns and junior designers who will eventually become the future leaders of the firm.
Strategic Leadership and Global Expansion
The executive shuffle extends beyond the CEO suite. Suneil Beri, an Executive Vice President and creative executive with over 15 years at the company, has been tapped to lead the film and series team. Beri is credited with the successful establishment and expansion of Create’s London office, a move that significantly broadened the agency’s international footprint. His new role is centered on "next-level creative innovation," a directive aimed at pushing the boundaries of traditional film promotion through immersive and multi-platform storytelling.
To further bolster its creative output, Create has made several high-profile hires to lead its key art and strategy departments. Joey Samaniego has joined the firm as Creative Director and Head of Key Art. Samaniego brings a robust portfolio of recent high-stakes campaigns, including work for Warner Bros.’ The Bride!, Marvel Studios’ The Mandalorian and Grogu, and the highly anticipated genre films Sinners and GOAT. His expertise in visual iconography is expected to enhance Create’s ability to capture audience attention in an increasingly crowded streaming and theatrical marketplace.
Simultaneously, Gerry Batson has been appointed as Global Director of Creative Strategy, based in the London office. Batson’s background includes extensive campaign experience for major tech-driven entertainment giants such as Netflix, Amazon, and Apple. His work on critically acclaimed series like The Boys, Gen V, and Ted Lasso underscores a strategic approach that bridges the gap between traditional marketing and data-driven audience engagement. The dual-hub strategy between Los Angeles and London is a cornerstone of Gitlin’s vision, allowing the agency to provide 24-hour creative coverage and tap into diverse global markets.
Navigating a Volatile Industry Landscape
The leadership changes at Create are occurring against a backdrop of significant industry upheaval. The entertainment marketing world was recently shaken by the news that Trailer Park Group, a long-standing titan in the field and a frequent winner of Clio and Golden Trailer awards, shuttered several of its key divisions. This move resulted in the layoff of approximately 150 employees, signaling a contraction among legacy agencies that have struggled to adapt to the post-pandemic economic reality and the shifting budgets of major studios.
Furthermore, the competitive landscape has been further complicated by the emergence of new firms. In early 2025, several veterans from Trailer Park Group launched Requiem, a rival firm aimed at capturing market share by offering a more agile, boutique approach to creative marketing. As major studios like Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Paramount face pressure to reduce marketing overhead while maximizing box office and streaming returns, agencies are being forced to do more with less.
Create’s strategy for navigating these headwinds involves a three-pronged approach:
- Prioritizing Talent and Culture: By fostering a stable environment, the agency aims to attract top-tier talent fleeing more volatile organizations.
- Vertical Integration: Integrating creative services—from social media clips and traditional trailers to high-end key art—ensures a cohesive brand voice for clients across all touchpoints.
- AI-Native Operations: Gitlin has signaled a heavy investment in artificial intelligence. Rather than viewing AI as a threat to creative labor, Create is positioning it as a tool for "next-generation" operations, potentially automating administrative and repetitive tasks to allow creative staff to focus on high-concept ideation.
The Role of AI and Technological Innovation
A significant portion of Gitlin’s roadmap involves the transition to "AI-native" operations. This shift reflects a broader trend in Hollywood where marketing agencies are using generative AI and machine learning to optimize trailer cuts for different demographics and create thousands of variations of key art for A/B testing on streaming platforms.
For Create, being "AI-native" implies a fundamental restructuring of the workflow. This includes the use of AI in creative strategy to analyze sentiment and audience engagement data, as well as utilizing advanced rendering tools to speed up the production of motion graphics. By adopting these technologies early and ethically, the agency seeks to maintain a competitive edge over firms that may be slower to integrate tech-driven efficiencies.
Awards and Industry Recognition
The effectiveness of Create’s current trajectory is evidenced by its performance in the awards circuit. As the agency heads into the 2026 Golden Trailer Awards, it holds 16 nominations across a diverse array of categories, including theatrical, streaming, television, gaming, and behind-the-scenes content.
The nominated campaigns represent some of the most talked-about projects in recent entertainment. These include:
- Theatrical & Streaming: Sinners, Tron: Ares, and Mountainhead.
- Television: The hit series Only Murders in the Building.
- Animation & Live Action: The upcoming Lilo & Stitch reimagining.
- International & Gaming: Netflix’s War Machine and the psychological horror title Silent Hill f.
The breadth of these nominations suggests that Create has successfully diversified its portfolio, moving beyond traditional movie trailers to become a dominant force in the gaming and prestige television sectors.
Implications for the Future of Entertainment Marketing
The transition at Create offers a case study in how mid-sized creative agencies can survive and thrive during periods of industrial consolidation. While larger conglomerates face the "innovator’s dilemma"—finding it difficult to pivot due to their size and overhead—Create’s focus on internal promotion and strategic hiring suggests a path toward sustainable growth.
The move to elevate a 20-year veteran like Gitlin also serves as a message to the industry about the value of institutional knowledge. In an era where executive churn is common, Create is betting that a leader who understands the company’s DNA from the ground up will be better equipped to handle the complexities of the modern media landscape than an outside hire.
As the agency looks toward 2026 and beyond, the primary challenge will be balancing the high-touch, "boutique" feel that clients value with the technological demands of a global, AI-driven market. With a new CEO who started as an intern and a leadership team expanded with global talent, Create is positioning itself not just as a survivor of the current industry transition, but as a primary architect of the next era of entertainment marketing. The success of this transition will likely be measured by the agency’s ability to maintain its creative streak while scaling its technological infrastructure to meet the demands of an increasingly digital and globalized audience.
