Scot Safon Named Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer of CNN Worldwide

Marketing and branding innovator Scot Safon has been promoted to executive vice president & chief marketing officer of CNN Worldwide, it was announced today by Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide. Safon oversees branding; consumer and trade advertising; and marketing and promotion of the CNN portfolio of networks and businesses, including CNN/U.S., Headline News, CNN International and CNN.com., and their news and information programming, personalities and events. He is based in Atlanta at CNN world headquarters and reports to Walton.

“Our marketing and promotion efforts reflect a quality, intelligence and point of view that set CNN apart,” said Walton. “As a creative executive, Scot sets the tone for that work. But he is equally important to me and to our organization as a strategist and leader. His influence and impact are felt, and welcomed, throughout CNN. I’m pleased to acknowledge his contributions to our continuing success.”

Formerly senior vice president of marketing and promotion, Safon joined CNN in 2002. He and his marketing and promotions teams executed award-winning campaigns supporting the debut of CNN’s The Situation Room, Anderson Cooper 360°, the re-launch earlier this year of CNN.com and CNN’s continuing election coverage. Previously, Safon headed marketing for TNT, where he conceived and guided campaigns supporting the network’s signature original films and miniseries including George Wallace, Door to Door, James Dean, Pirates of Silicon Valley and Gettysburg. Safon also led marketing efforts for the successful “We Know Drama” positioning that he helped develop.

Earlier, Safon managed the CBS Television account for Backer Spielvogel Bates and Grybauskas/Beatrice in New York, where he began his career with D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, Inc. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and history from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Cornell University. Safon, who was named a “Brand Builder” by Television Week in 2006 for the Anderson Cooper 360° launch campaign, serves on the board of directors of Promax.