- Apple hired Mike Lewinsky to boost brand partnerships in its entertainment business.
- Lewinsky was SVP at 160over90, which Endeavor acquired in 2018 for $200 million.
- Apple TV+ has seen several top marketers leave recently, including Ricky Strauss and Mahta Eghbali.
Apple has made a big brand-partnerships hire who will work across its Apple TV+ entertainment business, a sign that it's serious about becoming a bigger advertising company.
Mike Lewinsky, who hasn't yet started in his new role, most recently was SVP at 160over90, a cultural marketing agency at Endeavor that promotes brands through entertainment and sports. The agency lists AB InBev, DP World, Marriott International, USAA, and Visa among its clients.
Lewinsky's role at Apple is expected to resemble that of Mahta Eghbali, who led copromotions for Apple TV+ films, TV, and sports and who left the company in 2023.
Before Endeavor, Lewinsky was an executive at Creative Artists Agency and Entertainment Media Ventures. He is the brother of Monica Lewinsky.
Apple has been seeking more brand partnerships
Mike Lewinsky told The Drum in 2023 that hit movies based on brands, like last summer's "Barbie," show branded content can work in pop-culture-driven scripted content. He predicted more brands would work with creators to develop original programming.
Industry sources who work in branded entertainment said Apple TV+ has been stepping up efforts to use brands to promote its entertainment. In one notable example, it reached a deal with Nike to sell merch tied to its popular "Ted Lasso" show.
It's also worked with CAA's entertainment agency Tandem to promote several of its titles with brands.
Some branded-entertainment sources say Apple has been tough to work with given its larger interest is promoting Apple products, though.
Other streamers, meanwhile, have delved deeper into partnerships with brands, which are looking for tie-ins to filmed entertainment to leverage the power of Hollywood.
Amazon just appointed Amazon MGM Studios exec Lauren Anderson to manage collaborations with brands, working with the video ad-sales teams on advertising sponsorships, integrations, custom content, and brand-supported original titles.
Netflix, under VP Magno Herran, has long worked with brands like Coca-Cola and Lacoste to create tie-ins with original series like "Stranger Things" and "Bridgerton."
Streamers are also embracing traditional advertising. Most of the major streamers have introduced cheaper versions of their services with ads in addition to ad-free tiers. Apple TV+ doesn't have an ad tier, but it's made a handful of hires from the TV business that have fueled speculation that it plans to introduce one, despite its long-held stance on customer privacy.
Apple TV+ has seen a number of top marketers come and go lately.
In addition to Eghbali, Ricky Strauss, Apple TV+'s head of global marketing, left in May after 16 months in the role.
Chris Van Amburg, head of film and TV marketing, left in September 2022 after four years, following the departure of JP Richards, head of film marketing strategy, in May of that year.
Apple TV+ also recently hired a marketing vet, Tony Trujillo, to work on marketing partnerships.