Michael Benson is best known for his innovation, creative development and entrepreneurial endeavors in the entertainment industry. He is currently Chief Creative Officer for Time Warner Global Media Group, working to develop partnerships with industry leading marketers to create and distribute premium content, applications and experiences that build brands and drive business growth. A catalyst for creativity and collaboration across the company, the Global Media Group offers a unique point of access to Time Warner's wealth of content, media platforms and consumer insights. Through its efforts, the Global Media Group contributes to the growth of advertising revenue across the Time Warner portfolio.

Prior to Time Warner, Mr. Benson served as Executive Vice President, Marketing at ABC Entertainment Group, overseeing all marketing, advertising and promotional activities for ABC Primetime, Late night and ABC Studios programming. In addition to being responsible for the launch of, and all marketing activities surrounding ABC's ‘Modern Family,” “Lost,” ‘Desperate Housewives,’ “Grey’s Anatomy,’ "Dancing with the Stars," "V," "The Bachelor," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and a variety of other ABC programming. Mr. Benson created a variety of effective, innovative and highly-recognized marketing campaigns for scripted and alternative series, specials, movies and mini-series for the ABC Television Network.

While at ABC, he led the industry with groundbreaking marketing strategies and tactics, including global, digital, multi-platform, alternative reality games and multi-level consumer engagement activities. He was a leader in formulating a vision and strategy for the development of a network brand and positioning strategy, program franchises, and partnership integrations that built the ABC brand, drove ratings and generated incremental revenue for the company. He worked with a multitude of partners and advertisers outside of ABC to create new marketing and communication platforms, strategies and tactics. He created and launched the television industry's first cross-platform, brand identity and viewer-navigation system with the "ABC Start Here" initiative, and he was instrumental in the creation and development of the "ABC Music Lounge," ABC's first digital platform for music tied to ABC program and marketing product. He managed and in-house marketing, creative and production operation with more than 150 employees, along with relationships with out-of-house media planning, buying and creative agencies. He began at ABC in June of 1998 as Senior Vice President, Advertising and Promotion and implemented ABC's infamous "Yellow/TV is Good" Campaign to the general consumer.

Mr. Benson joined ABC from VH1/MTV networks, where he was Senior Vice President, Promotion, Program Planning and Research, since January 1996. He was instrumental in redefining the network's position as a cable music channel, creating a new brand position for the channel through on-air promotion and the launch of significant original programming. He programmed and launched the series "Behind the Music," "Pop Up Video," "Legends," "Storytellers" and "The Rock & Roll Picture Show." His work helped to reinvent music on television for an adult audience and contributed to significant ratings gains for the cable network.

Prior to VH1, Mr. Benson served as director of communications for KCBS-TV in Los Angeles, and held various positions at WCCO-TV, the CBS owned and operated affiliate in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he began his career.

For his endeavors, Mr. Benson received ABC's first marketing Emmy Award in 2009, was named an Entertainment marketer of the year in 2008, 2007, and 2005 by Ad Age and , in 2000, by Brandweek magazine. He was also recipient of the PromaxBDA and Brand Builder Award in 2004 and recipient of the Campaigns of Distinction Award in 2007 and 2004. Mr Benson was named one of the top Hispanic marketers of the year by AdWeek's Marketing y Medios magazine in 2005.

Mr. Benson serves on the Promax/BDA board of directors, most recently as Chairman, is an adjunct professor for Boston University, teaching media and entertainment marketing under a program based in Los Angeles, and has a host of scripted projects in development for television and feature-film.

Father of two, Mr. Benson resides in New Your, NY.

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