Lionsgate has tapped former Westbrook Media executive Brad Haugen to lead the studio’s digital strategy.
As the studio’s executive vice president of digital strategy and growth, Haugen will be responsible for spearheading its original content creation for digital platforms, brand partnerships and other storytelling initiatives in the digital space.
He will also be tasked with helping Lionsgate continue to expand original branded content and advertising, as well as monetizing the more than 20,000 titles in its film and TV library into collaborations with digital platforms like YouTube, Snap, Pinterest, Meta and TikTok. Additionally, he will collaborate with 3 Arts managers to bring their clients new brand opportunities and grow their businesses in the digital world.
“Brad’s expertise in digital media and the creator economy are a great fit for our entrepreneurial culture, and he will supercharge our efforts to bring one of the world’s most valuable portfolios of brands & franchises to top digital media platforms and a whole new generation of talent,” Lionsgate worldwide TV distribution president Jim Packer and 3 Arts Entertainment co-CEO Brian Weinstein said in a joint statement. “Brad’s digital media savvy, brand-building expertise and talent relationships will help drive our ability to capitalize on exciting new opportunities for growth beyond the four walls of our business.”
Haugen has previously created hit premium content for platforms ranging from Meta and YouTube to Snapchat and X in collaboration with artists including Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Justin Bieber, Ryan Reynolds, Megan Thee Stallion and others.
As president of Westbrook Media, he led the company’s digital content division, overseeing short- and mid-form content development, digital brand management and best-in-class production. He launched over a dozen original short-form series on Snapchat, Meta and YouTube and worked on premium mid- and long-form content ranging from “Red Table Talk” on Meta and iHeart to the “Fresh Prince Reunion Special” on Max.
In the virtual reality world, he developed and produced Post Malone’s immersive album “Twelve Carat Toothache” and launched the “Shaq’tacular Spectacular New Year’s Eve” VR special with Meta. He also shepherded brand-funded original series including Samsung’s “Exposure,” a top 10 series on Hulu, and “Own the 8 Count,” an award-winning documentary in partnership with Logitech.
Before that, he worked with ATTN co-founders Matthew Segal and Jarrett Moreno, producing branded content published across more than a dozen social channels in partnership with Netflix, Spotify, HBO, Microsoft, GE, Adobe, T-Mobile and many others. He also was the first chief marketing officer of Scooter Braun Projects, where he and Braun led marketing and business initiatives for Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Tori Kelly, PSY, Martin Garrix and Carly Rae Jepsen.
“I look forward to working closely with Brian, Jim and the Lionsgate and 3 Arts teams,” Haugen said. “From The Hunger Games and Twilight to Mad Men and John Wick, Lionsgate has an immense portfolio of top brands & franchises, one of the world’s largest and most valuable film & TV libraries and a powerhouse talent management & production company at 3 Arts. The opportunities to scale its business and generate significant incremental revenue in the digital media space are enormous. I can’t wait to build something special with all of our potential partners out there.”
Source: The Wrap / Digpu NewsTex