Michael Imperato is one of Marvel’s marketing superpowers

Marvel has become a staple of contemporary pop culture, and one of the marketers behind the superhero mask is Michael Imperato, VP of marketing strategy and operations at The Walt Disney Company. See all of Ad Age’s 40 Under 40 honorees here Imperato, 35, leads strategy across all Marvel titles, from major theatrical releases such as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” to series including “Loki” and “X-Men ’97” on Disney+, as well as titles in the Lucasfilm slate. And Imperato has a particularly intimate relationship with snarky anti-hero Deadpool, having worked on each film’s marketing since the first when the franchise was held by Fox prior to Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Studios. For the most recent installment, “Deadpool & Wolverine,” Imperato was instrumental in coordinating a slate of promotional partners including Heinz, Coca-Cola and Jack in the Box as part of the largest campaign in Marvel’s history so far. The film has since become the highest-grossing R-rated film in domestic and worldwide box office history, per box office data tracker The Numbers. “I like to approach strategy from equal parts insights and creative,” said Imperato. “So often, marketing campaigns can be built on specific things that you’re trying to accomplish. ... There are insights and metrics that you learn along the way, and you pivot and course-correct, but ultimately, what’s delivered to the world are ideas. Starting with ideas is something that I really champion.” If you could have dinner with one person, alive or dead, who would it be and why? So many people come to mind—mentors, celebrities and New York Yankees (I’m a huge fan)—but in recent years, I’ve been fortunate enough to have weekly dinners with my grandmother. These meals have made me wish I could have the same opportunity with all my grandparents together. The chance to ask them questions, hear stories and learn more about our family’s history would be incredibly meaningful. What are the top two social media sites you use on a regular basis? I’m mostly on X and TikTok, though Instagram’s up there too. TikTok is just nonstop creativity, and X keeps me in the loop with real-time commentary. My feeds are all over the place—film, streaming, marketing, sports—so it’s a mix of entertainment and inspiration. But honestly, one of my favorite things is sharing funny memes and videos with friends and coworkers. What’s currently on your bedside reading list? I’ve been reading a lot this year and enjoying a wide variety. Right now, I’m in the middle of “Beneath a Scarlet Sky.” I also keep nonfiction in rotation and revisited “Unreasonable Hospitality” and “Ultramarathon Man” over the summer. Up next is “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue,” which came highly recommended. What was the last show you binge-watched? The last show I binged was Season 3 of “The Bear,” which I loved. I also recently rewatched the original “Daredevil” series to gear up for our “Daredevil: Born Again” marketing campaign for Disney+. At what age do you hope to retire? Retirement feels so unpredictable. A lot of people I talk to say they miss the sense of purpose that work gives them, so my goal is to have something exciting waiting for me in that next chapter. I hope it’s filled with learning new things, some travel and definitely more time on the golf course. I played competitively through college (go Buffs!), so I’d love to get back to that. ~ ~ ~CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported Michael Imperato’s title. See all of Ad Age’s 40 Under 40 honorees here

Michael Imperato is one of Marvel’s marketing superpowers

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