Sponsor: Annie Howell
Hallmark Channel and its sister brands have a social media following worthy of more than a few heart emojis. That sort of engagement doesn’t happen without careful nurturing. Enter Megrey, who has elevated the Hallmark fanbase from 6.8 million to 8.9 million and lifted overall impressions from 963 million to nearly 1.2 billion. One of the projects she’s most proud of is building Hallmark’s fan group as advocates for series and the brand. When she joined the company six years ago, there was a show in Season 2 that had an amazing fanbase, but the network wasn’t sure how consistent the ratings were and if it should continue. “I immediately got to work and told the fans (through admins in fan groups) to let us know if they wanted a new season, and to WATCH and get others to watch. The ratings improved exponentially, and the show was renewed,” she says. “I applied all the fundamentals of my experience of previously working in the gaming industry and applied them to our core audience and it worked.” Megrey is also credited with one-of-a-kind, on-brand tactics like seasonal bucket lists, giveaways, listicles and much more. “She built and leads a best-in-class team that knows how to leverage our content and talent with multi-generational audiences in the most entertaining and magnetic ways,” says Annie Howell, Crown Media’s Chief Communications Officer. Megrey tells us she’s a bit obsessed with discovering what strikes social gold. “I’m always looking to see what other brands are doing personally, and what resonates. We also test a lot of creative to see fan engagement, reach etc., and managing those pesky algorithms that seem to change almost monthly,” she says. “Ultimately, I love connecting people with brands in a creative way, and the best thing about social media is that it’s a two-way conversation. Listening is just as important as getting that message out there.”
“Our social platforms are strong and our engagement some of the highest in the industry, largely due to Angela’s experience, strategic keenness, and collaborative spirit. ” — Annie Howell