• by Wayne Friedman , May 26, 2015

NBCUniversal has joined traditional TV networks, including Fox Networks Group, in creating a new advanced advertising post.

NBCU has hired digital advertising veteran Denise Colella as senior vice president of advanced advertising products and strategy within its advertising sales unit.

Colella will oversee the strategy, product development and operations of data-enabled advertising products. NBC says this includes its Audience Targeting Platform and “NBCU+ Powered by Comcast” efforts.

Colella will report to Krishan Bhatia, executive vice president of business operations & strategy of advertising sales, at NBCUniversal. Bhatia stated: “Data, technology and automation are becoming inextricably linked with TV and investment in digital know-how.”

Colella had been chief revenue officer for AudienceScience. Before that, she was vice president of international of Yahoo’s Right Media. She also held senior posts at DoubleClick.

In February, Fox Networks Group hired Joe Marchese as president of advanced advertising products to focus on innovating new advertising products. Marchese is the longtime co-founder/CEO of true[X], a company that started in 2007. Fox also acquired Marchese’s true[X] for $200 million in December.

Marchese reports to Randy Freer, president/COO of Fox Networks Group.