Disney taps Ricky Strauss head of marketing

StraussFormer Participant Media prexy Ricky Strauss has been named head of marketing for Walt Disney Studios.Strauss, who also spent 16 years as a marketing and production exec at Sony, succeeds MT Carney, who announced her departure last week after a rocky 18-month tenure.Strauss will oversee global marketing for promotions, publicity, research and synergy across all distribution channels for motion pictures released under the Walt Disney Pictures (including Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Animation), Marvel Studios, and Touchstone Pictures banners, including DreamWorks Studios pics released through Touchstone.Strauss had worked with the Disney team in recent months in overseeing marketing and outreach for the Touchstone-distribbed DreamWorks' hit "The Help.""I am happy to welcome Ricky Strauss to The Walt Disney Studios family. With 25 years of industry experience, he brings a deep understanding of all aspects of the film business as well as incredible skill in branding and cutting-edge marketing," said Disney Studios chairman Ross. "He will undoubtedly raise the studios' creative bar as we enter 2012 and look ahead at showcasing a spectacular slate of films to audiences around the world."Said Strauss: "Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and DreamWorks Studios are among the world's best and brightest brands," said Strauss. "I look forward now to getting to work with the exceptional team at Disney, doing some of the most innovative marketing in the industry."It comes as no surprise that Carney's replacement has a deep resume in the film biz. Strauss previously worked as a senior marketing executive and senior veep of production at Columbia/TriStar Pictures. The appointment of Carney, a marketing vet who was schooled in new media but had no film background, turned out to be a major misstep for Disney. She was one of Ross' first major hires, appointed in April 2010, on the heels of his promotion from Disney Channels Worldwide boss to the film studio chief post in October 2009.Before joining Participant in 2005, Strauss founded Sony-based Ricochet Entertainment, where he exec produced the Cameron Diaz film "The Sweetest Thing," among other projects.When Carney was hired two years ago, skeptics questioned whether a person without a background in studio marketing could fill the role. Rumors of her exit began almost immediately, but studio execs repeatedly said they were happy with her work. Since she signed on, "Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides" passed $1 billion worldwide, while "Cars 2" hit more than $500 million but there were also flops such as "Mars Needs Moms."Strauss comes on board with elaborate campaign for sci-fier "John Carter" already in place with a March 9 launch. Key upcoming titles for Disney are Marvel's "The Avengers" on May 4, Pixar's "Brave" on June 12, "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" on Aug. 15, Tim Burton's "Frankenweenie" on Oct. 5 and "Wreck-it Ralph" on Nov. 2. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com