COMMUNITY.
STRATEGY.
TOGETHER.
I'm John Wamsley. I'm a Senior Social Media & Marketing Strategist with nearly 10 years of experience shaping digital narratives of major cultural institutions across live performance, music, and entertainment. A collaborative team leader focused on innovative campaign execution, massive community growth, and translating cross-functional creative ambition into high impact results.
Photography by Kristina Ruddick
Departure Festival + Conference
As Digital Content Manager for Departure Festival + Conference (formerly Canadian Music Week), I led social media strategy across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, helping drive 8 million impressions — a 400% year-over-year growth. I produced social-first video content, branded campaigns, and red carpet interviews with industry leaders including Jacob Tierney, Maggie Kang, and NPR Tiny Desk's Bobby Carter, generating to over 1.8 million views and 1,200+ new followers during festival week alone.
Outside the March
As Social Media & Content Coordinator at Outside the March, I led multi-platform social media strategy and content creation for a season of productions and artist-development programming, growing Instagram reach from 50K to 116K monthly views and increasing engagement from 1.3K to 4.8K interactions. Through strategic partnerships, paid Meta campaigns, and original behind-the-scenes photo and video content, I helped expand audience engagement and drive ticket sales for several productions, including multiple Dora Award-nominated co-productions.
Toronto International Film Festival
2020-2022
As a Community Manager and member of the TIFF Social Team, I produced high-impact social content amplifying TIFF and TIFF Industry offerings, events, and initiatives across social platforms, including sponsor and partner campaigns. I led community management and engagement for TIFF’s social channels, supporting an online audience of 500K+. I also partnered with Letterboxd to produce a series of conversations on Twitter Spaces, connecting filmmakers and film lovers alike to discuss their most-anticipated films of #TIFF21.
I also collaborated with Indigenous and LGBTQ+ community clusters through ongoing working groups, helping curate year-round programming, exclusive events, and internal HR and accessibility initiatives that increased cultural awareness and representation.
​
Check out some of my favourite moments interviewing talent on the TIFF red carpet, and fun posts that gained a lot of traction from fans of The Worst Person in the World, Manari, and Spencer. Thanks for the retweet, Viola 💞
Paprika Festival
2018-2019
As the Paprika Festival Communications Manager, I designed original digital and print media assets and managed online communications: participant call for submissions, social media postings, newsletters & website updates. Working alongside the Artistic Producer and General Manager, I collaborated on devising online marketing strategies, writing press releases, ​and Festival operations. I was also responsible for ensuring appropriate sponsor recognition and tracking assets from various stakeholders. Click below to learn more!
BOAT ROCKER MEDIA
2017-2018
With Boat Rocker Media, I was able to work on television shows like "The Next Step" and "Ollie, the Boy Who Became What He Ate." This gave me the opportunity to create meaningful online relationships with diverse audiences - developing and sustaining an online voice that excited and resonated with an already established fanbase. I was also tasked with designing aesthetically pleasing and profitable marketing content for distribution on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to 300,000+ audience internationally. Click below to learn more!
