Staff Reporters
Apr 3, 2024

X hires former Publicis exec as brand safety lead

The company announced two senior hires in its safety team on the back of significant advertisers halting ad spending due to a lack of brand safety.

Yale Cohen
Yale Cohen

Social media platform X, formerly Twitter, is taking significant strides to enhance platform safety and restore confidence among advertisers and users alike.

In a recent announcement, X said it hired Yale Cohen as the platform's head of brand safety and advertiser solutions. The company also handed Kylie McRoberts a new role as head of safety.

McRoberts has been with X for four years and will now lead the company’s global safety team out of Texas as well as develop new safety policies. Meanwhile, Cohen was formerly executive vice president for global digital standards at Publicis Media.

These appointments come as X aims to recover from a period of turbulence that saw a notable withdrawal of advertisers following Musk's controversial statements and policy changes since acquiring the platform in 2022. High-profile companies, including Disney, paused their advertising in response to Musk's remarks, highlighting X's challenges in maintaining a safe and advertiser-friendly environment.

The platform has experienced a series of departures among its safety executives, including A.J. Brown, Ella Irwin, and Yoel Roth, pointing to internal disagreements and challenges in enforcing safety policies.

Musk's approach to content moderation and public interactions with brands has sparked debate over the balance between free speech and platform safety.

Linda Yaccarino, X's CEO appointed in 2023, has emphasised the platform's commitment to coexisting safety and freedom of speech, signalling efforts to reassure advertisers. Despite these challenges, Musk has indicated a positive trend in advertiser return and revenue growth, although specific figures were not disclosed.

Source:
Campaign Asia

Related Articles

Just Published

11 hours ago

40 Under 40 2024: Hajar Yusof, Naga DDB Tribal

Hajar’s initiatives reflect her commitment to innovation, diversity, and leaving a lasting legacy in the industry.

11 hours ago

Moo Deng says hands off unless you’ve washed up

Lifebuoy’s new campaign introduces a fresh face in hand hygiene, pairing AI with playful reminders to help keep those paws—er, hands—clean.

12 hours ago

The CMO's MO: Hyatt's APAC marketer on the power of ...

"Focus means saying no to 100 good ideas and saying yes to the great ones." Hyatt’s Tammy Ng shares how lessons from Steve Jobs and James Dyson are guiding her approach to personalising guest experiences.

13 hours ago

Trump’s victory isn’t just America’s crisis—it’s a ...

Make no mistake—2024’s US election was a calculated exercise in marketing from beginning to end, revealing a striking alignment with the very principles that drive our industry.