Lionsgate has hired digital media veteran Brad Haugen, most recently president of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Media, as executive VP of digital strategy and growth.
In the role, Haugen will lead Lionsgate’s original content creation for digital platforms, brand partnerships and other “storytelling initiatives” in the digital space. He’s tasked with helping the studio monetize its 20,000-plus title film and TV library into collaborations with digital platforms like YouTube, Snap, Pinterest, Meta and TikTok. He also will collaborate with 3 Arts managers to bring their clients new brand opportunities and grow their businesses in the digital world.
“Brad’s expertise in digital media and the creator economy are a great fit for our entrepreneurial culture, and he will supercharge our efforts to bring one of the world’s most valuable portfolios of brands & franchises to top digital media platforms and a whole new generation of talent,” Jim Packer, Lionsgate president of worldwide television distribution, and Brian Weinstein, co-CEO of 3 Arts Entertainment and senior adviser to the office of the CEO at Lionsgate, said in a joint statement. “Brad’s digital media savvy, brand-building expertise and talent relationships will help drive our ability to capitalize on exciting new opportunities for growth beyond the four walls of our business.”
Haugen called out Lionsgate franchises like the Hunger Games, Twilight, Mad Men and John Wick as representing “one of the world’s largest and most valuable film and TV libraries” and called 3Arts a “powerhouse talent management and production company.”
“The opportunities to scale [Lionsgate’s] business and generate significant incremental revenue in the digital media space are enormous. I can’t wait to build something special with all of our potential partners out there,” Haugen said in a statement.
Over the course of his career, Haugen has created premium content with artists including Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Justin Bieber, Ryan Reynolds and Megan Thee Stallion. At Westbrook Media, he led the company’s digital content division, overseeing short- and mid-form content development, digital brand management and production. Haugen worked on projects including Pinkett Smith’s “Red Table Talk” for Meta and iHeart and the “Fresh Prince” reunion special on Max.
In the VR world, Haugen developed and produced Post Malone’s immersive album “Twelve Carat Toothache” and launched the “Shaq’tacular Spectacular New Year’s Eve” VR special with Meta. He also shepherded brand-funded original series including Samsung’s “Exposure” on Hulu and “Own the 8 Count” in partnership with Logitech.
Previously, he worked with ATTN: co-founders Matthew Segal and Jarrett Moreno at the “socially conscious” digital media company. His team there produced branded content published across more than a dozen social channels in partnership with Netflix, Spotify, HBO, Microsoft, GE, Adobe, T-Mobile and others. Prior to that, as the second full-time employee and first CMO at Scooter Braun Projects, he and Braun built the online fan community for Justin Bieber, leading the marketing and business initiatives for Bieber’s projects. He also shepherded marketing and business development initiatives for other marquee clients including Ariana Grande, Tori Kelly, PSY, Martin Garrix and Carly Rae Jepsen.
A graduate of the University of Texas, Haugen started his career in business development at advertising giant BBH, working on campaigns for clients including Unilever, Diageo, Miller Lite, Cadillac, Vaseline and Johnnie Walker.
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