Tony Hawk
Legendary Skateboarder & World Champion | Entrepreneur | Founder, The Skatepark Project | NYT Bestselling Author | 16x X Games Medalist
Jason James
Emmy Award-Winning Media & Entertainment Strategist | Founder, Innovate / Operate | Former CDO, The Recording Academy (GRAMMYs) | DC Comics, Disney/ABC Veteran
Every modern brand is in the fan business, whether it knows it or not. Jason James is the Emmy Award-winning media strategist who helps companies unlock their most renewable resource: the fan. A veteran operator at DC Comics, Disney/ABC and The Recording Academy, and founder of Innovate / Operate, he gives audiences a clear, executable playbook for turning audiences into communities and communities into lasting cultural movements.
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Jason James biography
Jason James is a media and entertainment strategist, operator and Emmy Award-winning executive who has spent his career helping iconic brands evolve at the intersection of fandom, culture, technology and business transformation. Over more than two decades, he has led digital transformation, audience strategy, brand innovation and operational initiatives across some of the world’s most recognized entertainment organizations, including DC Comics, Disney/ABC and The Recording Academy (The GRAMMYs).
Marketing speaker Jason James is best known for translating high-level strategy into operating systems that legacy media giants and modern creator-led brands can actually use. As the first Chief Digital Officer of The Recording Academy, he built a year-round digital ecosystem that expanded the GRAMMYs well beyond a single broadcast and unlocked millions in new digital revenue. At DC Comics, he reimagined the brand’s sprawling film, TV, publishing and gaming universe into a connected fan ecosystem, driving a 218% surge in traffic and turning casual audiences into long-term loyalists. His work on live digital productions for the Oscars, GRAMMYs and Emmys, including the Emmy-winning Oscar Backstage Pass, helped define second-screen fan engagement for an entire industry.
The Fan Economy and the Future of Modern Entertainment
Today, through his consultancy Innovate / Operate, Jason advises companies ranging from legacy media brands to emerging startups, gaming and entertainment ventures on how to build audience-centric businesses designed for the modern fan economy. His core philosophy is simple: traditional media companies must learn to think more like alternative media companies, and alternative media companies must learn to think more like traditional media companies.
His work focuses on fan-first thinking, fandom ecosystems, community-driven growth, creator economies and the operational systems required to turn audiences into sustainable cultural movements. He is currently writing a book exploring the strategic frameworks behind fandom building, audience identity and long-term cultural relevance in modern entertainment.
As a speaker, Jason James brings senior audiences a rare blend of executive-level strategy and deep pop culture fluency. He connects corporate infrastructure, audience behavior, creator culture, monetization and emerging technology into a single, executable conversation about where entertainment is headed next. Attendees leave with sharper instincts about fandom, a clearer view of the gap between traditional and alternative media, and a practical framework for building businesses around the modern fan.
Jason James Speaking Videos
DC All Access: Welcome to DC All Access (trailer)
Gotham Girls: The Vault (Season 1, Episode 1)
Jason James Keynote Topics
Every brand today is competing for cultural relevance, not just attention. Drawing on his work at DC Comics, the GRAMMYs and Disney/ABC, Jason shows leaders why fandom has become the most renewable resource in modern entertainment and marketing, and how to design the strategies, content and infrastructure that turn audiences into long-term, monetizable communities.
Legacy media companies are losing ground to creator-led, platform-native brands, while many alternative media businesses struggle to scale beyond a moment. Jason unpacks the operating differences between the two worlds and lays out his core thesis: traditional media must think more like alternative media, and alternative media must think more like traditional media. Audiences leave with a clear map of what to keep, what to dismantle and what to build next.
Traditional campaigns are designed to interrupt. Fandom marketing is designed to belong. Jason contrasts the two models head-on, sharing real frameworks from his work with iconic franchises and emerging brands, and explains how leaders can shift from one-off launches and impressions to durable, identity-driven relationships that compound in value over time.
Strategy without operations is theater. Jason walks audiences through the operating system behind audience-centric businesses: how to structure teams, content, community, data and monetization so fandom becomes a repeatable engine rather than a lucky moment. A masterclass for executives leading transformation in media, entertainment, sports, gaming and consumer brands.
A panoramic talk on where entertainment is heading next, connecting the creator economy, AI and emerging technology, platform shifts, and the evolving identity of the modern fan. Jason synthesizes years inside the world's biggest media brands into a clear point of view on what leaders should be building, partnering on and walking away from.
FAQs on Booking Jason James
Why Jason James?
Booking Jason James is a strategic decision for any event focused on the future of media, marketing and the fan economy. As an Emmy Award-winning executive and operator with senior roles at DC Comics, Disney/ABC and The Recording Academy, Jason offers a perspective grounded in real results: hundreds of millions in new revenue, brand reinventions, and franchise-defining digital ecosystems. He combines executive-level strategy with rare pop culture fluency, helping leaders connect audience behavior, creator culture, monetization and emerging technology into one clear roadmap. His insights make him an exceptional choice for events focused on marketing, media, entertainment, fandom, the creator economy and audience-driven business transformation.
What is Jason James known for at the GRAMMYs and DC Comics?
As the first Chief Digital Officer of The Recording Academy, Jason James built the digital strategy that turned the GRAMMYs from a single annual broadcast into a year-round fan ecosystem, generating millions in new digital revenue. At DC Comics, he reimagined the brand's interactive marketing across film, TV, publishing and gaming, driving a 218% jump in traffic, a 71% boost in social acquisition, and turning casual viewers into long-term loyalists. His Emmy was awarded for pioneering work on live digital productions tied to major awards shows, including the Oscar Backstage Pass.
What is Innovate / Operate?
Innovate / Operate is the consultancy Jason James leads, working with legacy media companies, modern entertainment brands and emerging startups on audience strategy, fandom building, digital transformation and business reinvention. The firm helps clients design operating systems for the modern fan economy, blending strategy, content, community and monetization into one connected ecosystem. Jason's philosophy guides the work: traditional media must think more like alternative media, and alternative media must think more like traditional media.
What topics does keynote speaker Jason James cover?
Jason James speaks on fandom and the fan economy, traditional media versus alternative media, traditional campaign marketing versus fandom marketing, the creator economy, audience identity and community-driven growth, and the operational systems required to turn audiences into sustainable cultural movements. His talks resonate with marketing, media, entertainment, technology and corporate transformation audiences. To book Jason James for your next keynote, fireside chat, moderated Q&A or panel, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Jason James as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Jason James as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Jason James's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Jason James or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Jason James speaking fee?
Jason James speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Jason James to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Jason James.
How can I contact Jason James?
We only work with Jason James on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Jason James and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Jason James speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Jason James for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Jason James for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Jason James is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Jason James for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
