Condé Nast Entertainment (CNÉ) is increasing the workforce of its branded entertainment video department. The premium video production company has hired Will Misselbrook as Head of Branded Entertainment and Eden Gorcey as Head of Branded Content, Digital Sales, and Strategy.
At CNÉ, Misselbrook will be in charge of leading the company’s overall branded entertainment creation and development and will report to CNÉ’s EVP of Programming and Content Strategy Michael Klein. Misselbrook arrives at CNÉ with plenty of video and content production experience from companies like BBH New York, Wieden & Kennedy, and BBC. Misselbrook was also the former VP and Director of Global Content Development for luxury lifestyle brand Coach, and the executive is co-owner of the movie production company Valance Films.
As for Gorcey, the new head of branded content will work directly with CNÉ advertisers to determine the best video opportunities for their brands. Gorcey comes to CNÉ from Starcom MediaVest Group, where she was VP of Digital and worked with clients such as Coca-Cola and Heineken to develop content partnerships. Gorcey also held positions at T3 and Grey San Francisco. The new CNÉ executive will report to the company’s CRO and SVP of Digital Sales Lisa Valentino.
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The addition of Misselbrook and Gorcey is CNÉ’s response to the burgeoning demand from advertisers for branded digital video. CNÉ claims the branded content it creates with advertisers helps increase awareness and purchase intent for various brands an average of 150%. Valentino explained that branded content “is on fire” at the company, and CNÉ has worked with more than 300 clients in Q3 of 2015 alone.
“As advertising budgets for digital video continue to increase and migrate from TV, marketers are looking for authentic ways to break-through and communicate their message,” Valentino said. “CNÉ’s expanded branded entertainment unit, which also serves as a contributing partner to [branded content studio] 23 Stories on all things video, gives marketers robust and exciting opportunities to engage their consumers with the quality content they demand especially on social and mobile platforms.”
“These moves continue to show CNÉ’s commitment to elevating the storytelling around branded entertainment,” added Klein. “Marketers will now have unparalleled creative access to our development and production team to create engaging video. And, through CNÉ’s vast digital network, which includes The Scene, the industry’s first platform dedicated to premium digital video, the distribution opportunities across all screens are just as compelling.”
CNÉ’s digital video network currently includes 19 different channels, with The Scene claiming 40 different verticals of its own. As a whole, CNÉ has produced over 4,000 videos which have pulled in roughly two billion annual views since 2013.
