Shaftesbury has hired marketing expert Dylen Postnikoff to lead its global brand strategy.

In the newly created position of VP, global brand strategy, Postnikoff will lead the prodco’s marketing and communications strategies with a focus on expanding its global footprint to build more engagement with international audiences and cultivate passionate fanbases. The role also includes oversight of merchandising and licensing for all Shaftesbury series. Postnikoff reports to Shaftesbury chairman and CEO Christina Jennings.

Postnikoff most recently served as head of TV entertainment and content marketing at CBC, where she oversaw the marketing for CBC properties such as Schitt’s Creek, Kim’s Convenience, Anne with an E and Baroness Von Sketch Show. She also worked at Corus Entertainment as senior manager, client marketing, where she executed marketing strategies for client ad campaigns.

Building passionate and engaged fandoms has been a core part of Shaftesbury’s strategy over the past three decades. Their flagship hit Murdoch Mysteries continues to dominate Canadian TV ratings after more than a decade on air, while its digital series Carmilla has sparked a legion of dedicated followers worldwide. Both Carmilla stars Natasha Negovanlis and Elise Bauman won the audience choice award at the Canadian Screen Awards in 2017 and 2018, respectively, while Murdoch star Yannick Bisson won the award in 2016.

Additional Shaftesbury titles include Murdoch spinoff Frankie Drake Mysteries, Netflix horror anthology Slasher, upcoming Citytv crime procedural Hudson & Rex and U.K. copro Departure, which has already landed international distribution ahead of its premiere on Global. The prodco also recently struck a deal with Nokia for a new digital series on the impact of new technologies.