Warner Bros. Discovery Overhauls U.S. Ad Sales Strategy, Structure
31.07.2023 - 14:47
/ deadline.com
Warner Bros. Discovery, today announced a new strategy and structure for its advertising sales organization and leadership team under Jon Steinlauf, chief U.S. advertising sales officer.
Big media has been carefully evaluating its advertising process and structure in an increasingly complex ad market, including a challenging upfront this year.
There’s been cyclical ad softness for months, fueled by fears of a weak economy, layered on top of a structural decline in linear television. In the pivot to streaming, companies have been rapidly adding advertising tiers to their offerings.
WBD said today its advertising agency partners will now work with dedicated WBD sales leaders for direct access to the media giant’s entire portfolio of brands, including lifestyle, entertainment, sports, news and streaming under one umbrella. The new strategy brings WBD’s full suite of Advanced Advertising Sales solutions across linear and digital platforms together “in a more impactful way,” the company said.
The new agency-focused teams will be led by Marybeth Strobel and Greg Regis and will be responsible for sales across WBD’s complete portfolio. Among the top six holding companies, Publicis, GroupM and Horizon Media accounts will sit with Regis, and Omnicom, Magna and Dentsu will be led by Strobel.
“Over the past year, we have been listening to our clients and partners and have seen firsthand what is delivering real value for them and great performance for us. This new structure will allow us to deliver what matters most for all – creating a single and seamless interface into the full world of WBD,” said Steinlauf.
Executive lineup:
Jon Diament will drive the ad and partner strategy with a dedicated team for the entirety of the WBD