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Gerry Rich has led marketing at Columbia Pictures, Miramax, MGM/United Artists, Paramount Pictures, and Amazon MGM Studios. He joins host Kevin Goetz to talk about his new memoir, Chasing Hollywood: A Marketing Chief’s Lessons on Breaking Through. Ad Age has named him one of the Top 100 Marketers in America. His campaigns range from independent breakouts like The Crying Game and Leaving Las Vegas to Mean Girls, Iron Man, and the James Bond franchise. Rich shares hard-won lessons on finding a campaign’s hook, creating urgency, and choosing who to work with.

Selling a Movie in a Four-Week Window (02:50): Rich likens movie marketing to a weekend retail sale, with most media now packed close to opening weekend. He explains why live sports and high-impact digital buys like TikTok still drive reach, and why more of the budget now goes to content creators, the new journalists.

Coming Out, Guy Pearce, and Writing the Book (08:45): After the pandemic and Amazon’s acquisition of MGM, Rich felt it was the right moment to look back on a career spanning more than a thousand films. He explains why he wove his personal story into his book, from meeting lifelong friend Guy Pearce on a film shoot in Fiji to coming out, which he says made him more authentic in his work.

Rebuilding MGM and Reinventing Bond (26:06): Frank Mancuso brought Rich in to help rebuild a bankrupt MGM, where GoldenEye had to revive a franchise audiences saw as “my father’s Bond.” The campaign introduced Pierce Brosnan as a new Bond for a new generation, with help from a Nintendo 64 game.

Rapid Fire: The Crying Game, The Birdcage, Mean Girls, and Chicago (29:39): Goetz runs through some of Rich’s most memorable campaigns. Rich explains how the Miramax team turned The Crying Game’s twist into its hook and persuaded critics not to spoil it. He recalls his “first fight” with Mike Nichols over a Birdcage spot, repositioning Mean Girls around the fear of the first day at a new school, and bringing audiences who didn’t usually see musicals to Chicago.

Who to Work With (44:36): Rich shares mentor Hal Gaba’s rule to avoid people who would never visit you in the hospital. He also reflects on Harvey Weinstein’s complicated legacy, crediting his impact on independent film while condemning the abuse and hostile environment he created.

Against the Algorithm (49:31): Rich agrees audience research has a role once a script exists but warns that greenlighting by data models produces sameness. He argues that a shortage of films in certain genres is an opportunity, pointing to originals like Ted, Tropic Thunder, and Sinners.

Host: Kevin Goetz
Guest: Gerry Rich
Producer: Kari Campano
Writers: Kevin Goetz, Darlene Hayman, Nick Nunez, and Kari Campano
Audio Engineer: Gary Forbes (DG Entertainment)

For more information about Gerry Rich:
Chasing Hollywood (Amazon): https://a.co/d/0f9b0g42
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gerryrich/

For more information about Kevin Goetz:
- Website: www.KevinGoetz360.com
- Audienceology Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Audience-ology/Kevin-Goetz/9781982186678
- How to Score in Hollywood: https://www.amazon.com/How-Score-Hollywood-Secrets-Business/dp/198218986X/
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- LinkedIn @Kevin Goetz
- Screen Engine/ASI Website: www.ScreenEngineASI.com