Crooked Media hired Crystal Ponzio-Busto, an eight-year veteran of Netflix, to lead marketing for the podcasting and media company.
As Crooked’s SVP of marketing, Ponzio-Busto will oversee marketing and communications strategy for the brand, working to broaden its reach in podcasting, digital content and ecommerce and helping to launch Crooked’s upcoming TV and film projects.
Most recently, Ponzio-Busto was director of films marketing at Netflix, where she developed campaigns for titles including Dee Rees’ “Mudbound” — which picked up Netflix’s first-ever feature film Oscar nominations — “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” and “The Two Popes,” both of which also were Oscar-nominated. She also developed campaigns for Robert Rodriguez’s “We Can Be Heroes” and “To All the Boys: Always and Forever.”
In addition, Ponzio-Busto helped establish Netflix’s presence in Latin America, leading brand marketing efforts across the region. During her time at the streamer, her marketing work won multiple Cannes, Clio and Webby Awards.
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“Crooked Media has always had a small but scrappy, innovative and effective marketing team that has done amazing work,” Tommy Vietor, co-founder of Crooked, said in a statement. “Crystal is going to bring that team, and the brand, to the next level as we continue to evolve into a leader not just in podcasts, but in every major entertainment category.”
L.A.-based Crooked Media was founded in 2017 by former Obama aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor. Ponzio-Busto is Crooked’s second hire from Netflix: In 2019, Sarah Geismer, previously drama series development exec at Netflix, joined the company to head up its creative development and production arm.
“I’ve been inspired by Crooked since becoming a listener and fan in 2017 and became immediately compelled to take action in my community,” Ponzio-Busto said. “I continue to see the world around me differently because of their content. I am excited to bring my experience working at the intersection of storytelling and analytics to Crooked as the company works to engage and activate even more listeners as the world and media market continue to rapidly transform.”
Before joining Netflix in 2013, Ponzio-Busto held marketing positions at Hulu, IFC and Wieden + Kennedy. A passionate supporter of Latinx media representation, Ponzio-Busto is currently a speaker and mentor for Young Womens’ STEAM Preparatory Academy in her hometown of El Paso, Texas.
