YouTube Hires New VP for Video Ad Push

As Google continues to grow its video content and monetization efforts, it has hired ex-Procter & Gamble digital marketing director, Lucas Watson, to fill the newly created position of VP of YouTube advertising sales and marketing.

Reporting to Henrique de Castro, Google's global president of media, mobile and platforms, Watson will be tasked with "working to further drive efforts in the rapidly growing video advertising space worldwide," a spokesperson for the company told ClickZ News.

Google - and its YouTube brand specifically - has been shifting its focus away from user-generated content, choosing instead to invest in acquiring and cultivating premium and professionally produced content. The strategy is intended to attract more branding ad dollars from companies such as P&G that have historically invested the majority of their budgets in traditional channels like TV.

To help further drive that growth, the company appointed Dean Gilbert as YouTube's global head of content, and Robert Kyncl as global head of TV and film entertainment late last year.

Watson, meanwhile, has worked for P&G for more than six years across multiple roles, including heading up marketing for the company's Pampers brand before moving on to handle its wider online activity.