Title
Executive Vice President, Marketing & Digital Programs
Company
CW Network
Bio
Rick Haskins is Executive Vice President, Marketing and Digital Programs, The CW, overseeing all of the network’s marketing and promotion efforts and overall digital media strategy, and working to develop and produce new entertainment content tailored for The CW’s digital and emerging platforms, including The CW’s digital studio CW Seed, mobile, and social media. Since the network’s launch, Haskins has helped establish and build The CW’s presence online, where traffic to cwtv.com has grown to more than four million visitors a month since 2006. Under Haskins’ leadership, The CW has led the way among television networks in the social media space, becoming an early adopter of platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter. Today, The CW has a social media reach of over 125MM followers, allowing the network to communicate directly with viewers. Haskins also oversaw the launch of the network’s mobile and tablet app, featuring next-day, full-episode streaming of the network’s primetime programming, which has almost 14 million downloads to date. In 2012, Haskins spearheaded the launch of the network’s digital-only studio, with original, online-only content. Relaunching in the summer of 2013 as CW Seed, its digital series include the critically acclaimed "Veronica Mars" spin-off series "Play it Again, Dick," written and produced by Rob Thomas; “The PET Squad Files,” from executive producers Milo Ventimiglia and Russ Cundiff; and coming in 2015, “Vixen” from “Arrow” executive producer Marc Guggenheim and DC Entertainment; and "CW Fan Talk," a weekly show connecting fans with their favorite CW shows in real time. Haskins is overseeing the expansion of CW Seed’s digital footprint to reach a 60MM+ user base, making its reach equal to a mid-tiered cable network. Since joining The CW as Executive Vice President, Marketing and Brand Strategy in 2006, Haskins has also extended the network’s brand identity across all media platforms, covering on-air, online and mobile. Haskins has been responsible for some of the industry’s most notable and notorious campaigns, including The CW’s launch campaign and initial brand image, the current “TV to Talk/Text/Blog/IM About” campaign, the “OMFG” and quote campaigns for “Gossip Girl,” and the “Catch VD” campaign for “The Vampire Diaries.” In 2012, Haskins was named one of Broadcasting & Cable’s Digital All-Stars. Under Haskins’ direction, The CW was awarded two Lions at the International Cannes Media Festival in 2009 and named the number two Mobile Marketer of the Year by Mobile Marketer Daily in 2009. Haskins was also named one of Advertising Age’s Entertainment A-List Marketers of the Year in 2009. Haskins has enjoyed a 33-year career in marketing to both consumer and trade on #1 brands across a diverse field of industries. Prior to The CW, Haskins had served as Executive Vice President/General Manager for Lifetime Television. During his tenure at Lifetime, Haskins was an instrumental part of the team that helped the network become the highest-rated basic cable entity on television. Haskins elevated the network’s "Television for Women" slogan to new heights after joining the company in 1999, making it one of the best-known brands in cable. Previously, Haskins helmed his own marketing consulting company, The Haskins Group, from 1996-99. He held a variety of positions for The Walt Disney Company from 1988-96, including Vice President, Marketing, Buena Vista Television and Director of Development, Reality Programming, Buena Vista Television. During his eight-year stint there, he helped market such hits as "Regis and Kathy Lee," "Golden Girls" and "Home Improvement." From 1982-88, Haskins was a brand manager with Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, overseeing premium packaged good brands like Crest and Vidal Sassoon hair care products. A published author, Haskins co-wrote Brand Yourself in 2000. A graduate of Utah State University, Haskins has a bachelor of science in psychology.