Amazon Studios Marketing Chief to Join CBS as Chief Marketing Officer
CBS, Amazon Studios
A former Amazon executive has been tapped to become the new Head of Marketing at CBS.
Mike Benson, recently the Head of Marketing at Amazon Studios, is due to start at CBS in October, although he won’t be taking over just yet, according to a piece from The Hollywood Reporter. The current Head of Marketing, George Schweitzer, will stay in his position until the end of the year, before transitioning to a special advisory role in the spring. He has served as the head of CBS marketing since 1994.
Schweitzer’s successor, Benson, comes with an impressive resume. Serving at Amazon Studios since 2015, he’s overseen the marketing efforts for some of the studio’s most successful shows, including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Man in the High Castle. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Benson’s team has won 17 Clio Awards under his tenure.
David Nevins, CBS Chief Creative Officer, sang Benson’s praises. He said, “I'm extremely grateful that when George [Schweitzer] decided it was time to set a transition, he committed himself to ensuring a bright future for CBS Marketing, and we think we’ve found the next perfect leader with Mike, whose breadth of experience matches all parts of our content business. Mike has been an accomplished, award-winning marketing leader at several major media companies, driving marketing for Amazon Studios and Prime Video through this period of growth for their original content strategy, and orchestrating cutting-edge campaigns for many of ABC’s network-defining series. At every turn, Mike’s work has been recognized for creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit that makes shows and brands stand above the crowd."
While Benson certainly brings new blood to CBS’s marketing branch, he will have big shoes to fill: Schweitzer’s pioneering marketing techniques have helped CBS dominate network television in recent years. He has also been the recipient of several industry awards, including being named twice to the Advertising Age Marketing 100.
This article was written for the podcast Daily Star Trek News.
Alison Pitt is the writer, producer, and host of Daily Star Trek News, on the Roddenberry Podcast Network. A veteran Star Trek podcaster, she started her career on the weekly show Priority One: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast in 2015. She has appeared on panels at Star Trek Las Vegas, WonderCon, and San Diego Comic Con.
