Mall executive hired for strategic marketing. (People).

ANNETTE Bethers, formerly senior marketing director at Glendale Galleria, has been appointed senior manager of strategic partnerships at The Macerich Co.

Bethers, who is based in Macerich's Panorama Mall in Panorama City, will be responsible for developing sponsorships for Macerich's Southern California properties.

The new post was created to take advantage of an emerging trend that has seen malls selling sponsorship opportunities in much the same way that stadiums do. For example, marketers buy into a mall's holiday or other special events in order to get their name out in front of consumers, and mall developers use such sponsorships to defray the cost of these events.

"Macerich has done it in different markets but hasn't brought in anyone to do it in Southern California until now," Bethers said.

Bethers, a 12-year veteran of the shopping center industry, created a number of mall sponsorship opportunities during her term with Donahue Schriber Realty Group at Glendale Galleria. The Galleria was recently purchased by General Growth Properties Inc.

Most recently, she worked with Nestle to create a Santa set that played off the Santa's workshop theme but instead used a bake shop. Nestle's Toll House cookies were baked on the premises and distributed to the visitors.

"What Toll House wanted was an opportunity to touch the consumer directly, and give them a full experience around the Toll House brand," Bethers said.

During her tenure at the Galleria, Bethers was also instrumental in the creation of The Zone, a section of the shopping center which caters to Generation Y (the children of baby boomers) with a targeted selection of retail stores and promotions.

Santa Monica-based Macerich operates 56 malls and 21 community centers totaling 58 million square feet in 21 states. In Southern California, where the company has 10 major shopping centers, its properties include The Oaks in Thousand Oaks, Santa Monica Place and Westside Pavillion, along with Panorama Mall.