SEEing Change in the Future of Streaming with Barrie Gruner

On this episode, Annie Seelaus sits down with entertainment powerhouse, Barrie Gruner, the Executive Vice President of Marketing for Disney+ and Hulu, to pull back the curtain on the fast-paced world of entertainment marketing and what it takes to lead Disney’s direct-to-consumer marketing organization.  Throughout their conversation, Barrie shares about her inspiring career journey, detailing how leaning into the industry's shift from linear television to streaming shaped her path. She breaks down her core leadership philosophy and reveals what it takes to turn great television into global cultural phenomena. From 'The Handmaids Tale' to 'Only Murders in the Building', Barrie shares insights behind some of the biggest hits on television.   Whether you are an aspiring entertainment professional, a marketing enthusiast, or a casual TV fan, this episode offers masterclass-level insights into the future of streaming and how the stories we love get told.     About Barrie Gruner  Barrie Gruner is executive vice president of marketing for direct-to-consumer, encompassing Disney+ and Hulu. In this role, she oversees marketing strategy and planning for brand, product, originals (both domestic and international), partnerships, direct-to-consumer perks, and subscriber engagement and retention. She is also responsible for paid media across brands and originals, growth acquisition, and social for Disney+ and Hulu.  Gruner joined Hulu in 2013 and played a pivotal role in transforming the platform into one of today’s most recognizable and successful streaming brands. Gruner has led campaigns for marquee titles spanning Hulu’s premium content slate, including the Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the first-ever series on a streaming service to take home both awards in the drama series category; “Only Murders in the Building,” which has earned 58 total Emmy nominations with eight wins and premiered as Hulu’s most-watched original comedy series; “The Kardashians”; and Emmy-nominated breakout hit “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” the platform’s most-watched original unscripted series.   Known for her visionary marketing approach, Gruner has been recognized by Adweek’s Creative 100, PR Daily’s Top Women in Marketing, and Variety’s New Leaders and Digital Marketing Impact lists. Her team recently received 42 ProMax nominations for their outstanding work in entertainment marketing. She also helped lead the way on Emmy campaigns that earned Hulu Originals an impressive 22 nominations in 2025, including its first stand-up comedy nomination for “Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years.”  Gruner began her career in film (Miramax Films) and has worked across numerous mediums, including books (Miramax Books), magazines (Entertainment Weekly), linear television (TNT and TBS) and ultimately streaming (Netflix, then Hulu).  She sits on the board of the Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences as well as the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation, a nonprofit organization that builds homes and provides services that help lower- and fixed-income people move from insecurity to stability. She is also a former member of The New York Times Advertising Product Council and an active member of BAFTA, HRTS and the Television Academy.   About R. Seelaus & Co., Inc. R. Seelaus & Co., Inc. was founded in 1984 by Richard Seelaus, originally as a municipal bond broker-dealer. The firm has since become a certified women's business enterprise ("WBE") and has grown into a full-service financial firm that is mission driven in its commitment to creating more opportunities for women in the financial services. R. Seelaus & Co., Inc. and its subsidiaries offer investment advisory, asset management, capital markets, brokerage, fixed income and equity trading, institutional sales, leveraged finance and insurance services. The R. Seelaus & Co., LLC subsidiary is a broker dealer registered with the SEC and member of FINRA, and the subsidiary Seelaus Asset Management, LLC, is an SEC Registered Investment Advisor ("RIA"). With various fixed income trading desks and more than seventy professionals, both entities serve individuals, families, public and private companies, non-profit organizations, and institutional investors. The firm has offices in New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, South Carolina, and Massachusetts. For more information about R. Seelaus & Co., and its subsidiaries visit www.rseelaus.com