Twitch Brings on Former Zynga Executive Doug Scott as CMO
The interactive streaming platform is entering 'a key moment in our next phase of growth'
Following the departure of Twitch’s CMO Kate Jhaveri over the summer, the interactive streaming platform announced Doug Scott will take over the chief marketer role.
Scott previously led marketing efforts at the mobile platform Zynga and served as CMO of the music-centric startup BandPage; he also advised the board of YouTube Music. The appointment is the latest staff move at the streaming service, including the recent hires of Sarah Iooss as head of North America sales and Dan Clancy as executive vice president of creator and community experience.
“This is an incredibly exciting time for Twitch, and we’re thrilled to bring Doug on board,” said chief revenue officer Walker Jacobs. “He brings both experience and leadership at a key moment in our next phase of growth, and I can’t wait to work with him.”
This role will see Scott play an “integral role in expanding the brand beyond endemic audiences,” supporting the platform’s creators and expanding Twitch’s presence in global markets, per the company.
The hire also comes at a time of great growth for Twitch, according to agencies that work closely with the service. Recent estimates put the company’s valuation at about $3.8 billion, and viewers have livestreamed more than 2.5 billion hours of content across its platforms, besting YouTube and Facebook’s efforts in this area with their respective YouTube Live and Facebook Gaming services.
Meanwhile, advertisers are catching up. “Twitch has added more nontraditional content offerings than pure display and pre-roll ads with initiatives like Twitch bounties,” said Robin Åström, CEO of the streaming-centric marketing agency Wehype.
Åström added that he expects the company to keep innovating in the advertising space, beyond the engaging experiences it already offers. “Activation cost is still at a reasonable rate compared to traditional sports, for example,” he added, noting that the shift will come even faster with the emergence of big data in gaming—something that companies like Nielsen have already started delving into by partnering with the esports behemoth Overwatch.
“Twitch is revolutionizing entertainment through its massive and highly engaged community of creators and fans,” Scott said in a statement. “I could not be more excited to join this incredible team and help to bring Twitch’s unique culture, brand and its passionate community to new audiences and global markets.”
