By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
BuzzFeed has appointed licensing veteran Melanie Summers as SVP of Consumer Products for the company’s new unified business organization.
Formed in 2006, BuzzFeed, Inc. is a digital media company known for providing brand-safe news and entertainment to hundreds of millions of people.
The company’s unified licensing business extends Buzzfeed’s viral content into real-life products to give its audience new ways to engage with its brands.
In her new position, Summers will lead the company’s global brand licensing and product development. This will include Complex Networks’ licensing operations.
By leveraging commerce data from Buzzfeed Shopping and Tasty Shoppable Recipes, Melanie will create partnerships that expand the company’s licensing activity beyond traditional channels into emerging technology, content, consumer products, and more. Summers will report to Nilla Ali, Executive Vice President of Commerce.
“BuzzFeed, Inc. is home to iconic brands with massive, loyal audiences. I’m excited to create new opportunities that pioneer the future of brand licensing and bring these brands into new realms,” said Summers. “There is a massive opportunity to create an ecosystem of BuzzFeed, Inc. experiences beyond the traditional thinking of digital media, and I’m excited to forge the way.”
Summers brings decades of experience in brand licensing and strategy to Buzzfeed. She spent the majority of her career at Viacom where she held various licensing and business development roles for MTV and Nickelodeon. Most recently, Melanie served as Chief Brand Officer for Driver Studios.
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