ABC Gets New Marketing Head

Eleo Hensleigh, the veteran marketing guru for the Disney-ABC Cable Networks Group, Wednesday was promoted to a new post that include the vast — and rebounding — ABC Television Network.

Hensleigh was appointed to the newly created position of chief marketing officer and executive VP of marketing and brand strategies for the Disney-ABC Television Group.

In this role, she’ll oversee the marketing, advertising, research, media planning, synergy, creative services and promotion divisions for the ABC network, encompassing ABC Daytime, ABC News, ABC Primetime, ABC Latenight and ABC affiliate marketing; and the entertainment cable networks under the Disney-ABC Cable Networks banner, including Disney Channel, Toon Disney, ABC Family, SoapNet and Walt Disney Television Animation.

“For the past 15 years, whether she’s been involved in the launching of new cable channels, repositioning an existing channel’s brand or coordinating marketing efforts across a global business, Eleo has never ceased to amaze me with her creativity, passion and brilliance,” Anne Sweeney, co-chairman of Media Networks for The Walt Disney Co., and president of the Disney-ABC TV Group, said in a prepared statement.
“Her recent collaborative efforts with ABC’s marketing team to help focus and hone the message of ABC’s primetime launch have had a tremendous impact on the early success of our premiering series,” Sweeney added.

Most recently, Hensleigh served as executive vice president, worldwide brand strategy, for the Disney-ABC Cable Networks Group. Those duties included brand strategy for the Saturday morning daypart, ABC Kids, on the ABC network, as well as the entertainment cable channels.