- Steve McClellan

NEW YORK John Burbank has been appointed to the newly created position of chief marketing officer at the Nielsen Co., effective May 9.

Burbank joins from AOL, where he also served as CMO. He will report to Susan Whiting, evp at Nielsen.
 
In his new position, Burbank will responsible for the company's strategic marketing, business development, market insights, brand development, communications and knowledge management functions. 
 
"As we continue to integrate our world class research businesses under the well-known and trusted Nielsen name, we have created a new senior position to build our brand, and identify new businesses to support marketers," Whiting said.  "John Burbank has considerable experience in leading major global brands.  He will have a key role in harmonizing Nielsen's diverse products and building brand equity among clients, business partners, employees and other stakeholders,"
 
"As a marketer, I have used Nielsen products virtually my entire career," Burbank said. "Today, the company is at the center of some of the most exciting and far-reaching developments in understanding how new media impacts consumers and marketers. The company has a remarkable and unique set of both traditional and new media assets -- I look forward to working with the rest of the Nielsen team to fully leverage the company's opportunities."

At AOL, Burbank has been responsible for building brands and driving audience metrics in support of the company's advertising business model. Prior to joining AOL, he served as vp, marketing at AT&T. Among his achievements, Burbank developed the "Signal Bars" advertising campaign, which was subsequently adopted by Cingular and the new AT&T.

Prior to AT&T, Burbank spent a decade at Procter & Gamble in brand management and finance. As a brand manager on Pampers, he led P&G's Internet efforts and established Pampers.com as the global centerpiece of a multi-platform marketing program directed towards new mothers.
 
Adweek is a unit of the Nielsen Co.