ANNIE HEKKER
A CREATEif Careers
Career & Business Advisor
Hi and thank you for visiting CREATEif Careers. My name is Annie and I have my own boutique marketing company called CREATEifs. After working in broadcasting for more than twenty five years, I decided to be closer to home and start my own marketing business.
It was while I was branding small businesses for clients who were transitioning away from corporate life, that I realized that I was able to tap into a their passion points and create a business model and personal brand that truly spoke to them. While they were re-branding their business, they were usually re-branding themselves.
Unearthing a client's inner passion into a successful business or career path is my specialty. I added a Masters in Strategic Communications to my 20+ year certification as a Focus Group Moderator along with training as a Business/Career Coach. I know firsthand the challenges that many people struggle with as they move toward transitioning their careers or work/life balance.
From the corporate side, I spent over twenty years at News Corporation, I began as the Director of Market Research (I love to understand what motivates people!) and concluded my time there by being tapped to help form the cross divisional group known as FOX One as the Vice President of Global Marketing and Integrated Sales.
In the role of the Vice President of Global Marketing & Sales, I was tasked with pulling together all of News Corporation's 150+ domestic and international assets (FOX, FOX Sports, FX, 20th Film, FOX Searchlight, FOX Digital, HULU, IGN, Wall Street Journal, HarperCollins, BSkyB, FOX LATAM, etc.) for multi-platform sales marketing opportunities. I was was able to play a role in many different entertainment businesses around the globe while honing in on the common ground between them all. I was also selected to be a part of an intimate group of international executives to head up News Corporation's Global Energy initiative. This successful initiative resulted in NewsCorp being one of the first entertainment companies to achieve a 100% carbon neutral status around the world.
Prior to that position, I was the Vice President of Marketing and Integrated Sales at the FOX Entertainment Network. In that job I learned how to market prime-time TV shows with mega brands such as Ford, J&J, Chevrolet, Microsoft, Unilever, Coke and Pepsico. I also received industry awards for my work on American Idol (I was part of the small initial team that created the show's game changing marketing blueprints), the Simpsons and various other network primetime programming and award shows. I have also spoken at industry events regarding my work in that capacity.
Before joining FOX/NewsCorporation I worked at Chiat Day, CBS Television, Cablevision and the NY Post.
In addition to my business, I am currently an Adjunct Strategic Communications Professor teaching Digital Media as well as Design/Public Relations at Iona University and SUNY New Paltz respectively.
