The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.) formally launched Wednesday at an in-person event at the Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles.

G.E.M.A. is the next evolution of the association known as Promax, which was founded 68 years ago to honor television marketing. In its new iteration, G.E.M.A. will continue its efforts in television marketing as well as add several new verticals to its coverage portfolio, including film, sports, music and video games. Awards focused on these verticals will join the academy’s schedule, in addition to established awards like North America, Europe, Latin America and Global Excellence.

“I’ve been at Promax for 16 years and in this leadership role for the past year and a half,” said Stacy La Cotera, president, G.E.M.A. (pictured above), addressing the crowd at the Grammy Museum. “At our first board meeting in my new role, I was asked ‘how are we going to create another 66 years of sustainability?’ That committed me to make sure I had as many conversations as I could over the next few months to find out how people felt about Promax, the benefits and the opportunity.”

“In the many conversations I had during those several months, I heard repeatedly that Promax was hard to immediately identify with or explain to anyone not familiar with the organization. So today we step proudly into our new name. The name clearly reflects who we are and who we represent. It’s important that you see yourself in the name and identify with us. Marketing is truly a convergence of arts and sciences. It’s a combination of compelling content, data science and creative design.”

"The name clearly reflects who we are and who we represent." --  Stacy La Cotera, president, G.E.M.A.

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Beyond the name, La Cotera also learned that people craved opportunity – opportunity to learn, to advance, to connect and to give back to the next generation of marketers.

“I knew a large part of our mission moving forward was to create opportunity. We are working to create more opportunities through extended networks and wider reach, welcoming marketers from different realms of entertainment. Film, video games, music and sports are just the start,” La Cotera said. “We aim to cultivate an ecosystem that fosters vibrant community empowering individuals to thrive.”

For members of G.E.M.A.’s board of directors, expanding the organization’s purview means more opportunity for everybody.

“We have opened the aperture of the focus of this organization,” said Linnea Hernandez, SVP, international marketing, Starz and co-chair of G.E.M.A.’s board of directors. “The name might not be concise but it sure is clear. Under this new structure, we can collaborate and there is more opportunity for innovation.”

The new structure is intended to allow the organization to expand and grow its core community from TV and streaming marketers to marketers across many sectors – all of which have the same core goal in mind: to reach audiences and inspire them to action.

“G.E.M.A., and Promax before it, has always been about community nurturing community. As a leader, I can learn from other leaders who are leading organizations that are different from mine,” said Carrie Brzezinski-Hsu, senior vice president, ESPN Creative Studio, and G.E.M.A. board member.

G.E.M.A. on Wednesday also began to accept applications for membership. Membership in the new academy is by application only and is available in several tiers, including emerging professional, experienced professional, established professional, luminary membership (invitation only), affiliate membership, student membership and educator membership. Benefits and experiences will be tailored to each tier.

“When you become a member of G.E.M.A., you become a global member of the academy,” La Cotera said. G.E.M.A. supports affiliate chapters around the world, including in the UK, Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

“We are doubling down on our core values – the core human drivers of connection and acknowledgement,” said Brzezinski-Hsu.

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