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

16 hours ago

Generation Greytt: The trillion-dollar market that ...

Armed with unprecedented pocket power and digital savvy, the over-50s are redefining what it means to age. Yet businesses remain fixated on youth, overlooking a demographic that's more adventurous, connected and ready to spend than ever before. Rajeev Lochan opines.

17 hours ago

TBWA dominates in Japan/Korea AOY 2024 awards

Accenture Song and TBWA walked home with multiple metals at the 2024 Campaign Asia-Pacific Agency of the Year awards for Japan and Korea. Check out the highlights here.

17 hours ago

Hong Kong's unique spirit: A 'Never Normal' love ...

Forget dim sums and skyscrapers, over 40 brands and influencers from Hong Kong join forces to embrace the city's chaotic charm, eclectic character, and resilient spirit in an unconventional campaign.

18 hours ago

Global ad spend to hit $1.08 trillion in 2024 as ...

WARC's latest study also reveals tech giants' intensifying dominance of global ad spend and social media leading unprecedented growth—but regulatory headwinds still threaten to reshape this burgeoning landscape.