The Walt Disney Company has named former Lending Tree exec Brad Wilson as executive vp, performance marketing for the studio’s direct-to-consumer streaming platforms.
Wilson will lead performance marketing for ESPN+ and the upcoming Disney+ streaming service, working with the studio’s brand and content marketing teams to leverage data-driven and other digital market strategies.
“Brad is a talented and accomplished marketing executive who shares our vision for data-driven marketing that will accelerate customer growth, engagement and retention for ESPN+ and the upcoming Disney+ streaming service,” Disney Streaming Services president Michael Paull, to whom Wilson will report, said Thursday in a statement.
Wilson most recently served as chief marketing officer at LendingTree, the online lending marketplace. He has also completed executive stints with other online brands like Travelocity, Blockbuster Online and Match.com.
Beginning Nov. 12, Disney plans to offer a bundled package of Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $12.99 per month in the U.S. It also has set launch dates and pricing for international launches in Canada, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand.
“The rapid growth of ESPN+ has been impressive to watch as a fan and much like the millions of eagerly awaiting consumers, I’ve been counting down the days to the launch of Disney+. I’m thrilled to be joining the team and look forward to working with Michael and the talented team across The Walt Disney Company,” Wilson said in his own statement.
The Hollywood studio is throwing its full weight behind Disney+, which it forecasts will rack up 60 million to 90 million global subscribers by 2024.
In addition to a massive library of content from Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar, National Geographic and 21st Century Fox (including being the exclusive subscription video home for The Simpsons), the studio is investing heavily in original content for Disney+, with new live-action series based on its Star Wars and Marvel franchises, a new High School Musical series and a live-action update to the animated classic Lady & the Tramp among the plans for the platform.
