EP6 - The Business of Show Business with Stephan Manpearl

In this episode of ViralBrand TV, Rick Schirmer sits down with entertainment marketing legend Stephan Manpearl, whose career spans over four decades and more than 600 feature films, including Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Trek, and Airplane. Stephan shares his journey from consumer product marketing to Paramount Studios, where he revolutionized film marketing and helped launch Entertainment Tonight. A former UCLA marketing professor and seasoned industry strategist, Stephan dives into niche communities, market segmentation, and the power of engagement to make campaigns go viral. From early examples like The Blair Witch Project to modern AI-driven influencer marketing, he offers rare insights on what it takes to build campaigns that resonate and create cultural impact. Stephan’s one piece of advice: embrace change and always look forward, not backward.