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Jury

Michael Benson
Head of Marketing
Amazon Studios

LOS ANGELES, USA // Michael Benson is best known for his innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial endeavors in the entertainment industry. He develops and implements strategic marketing campaigns that build brands, raise the creative bar, effectively engage audiences and drive business performance.

Mr. Benson is currently Head of Marketing for Amazon Prime Video/Amazon Studios, overseeing all marketing, promotional, branding and awards activities surrounding Amazon Original programming for Amazon Prime Video. Prior to Amazon, he held significant executive, strategic and creative positions with several major entertainment media companies, including Chief Creative Officer for the Time Warner Global Media Group, and The Walt Disney Company, where he spent over 12 years serving as Executive Vice President, marketing for the ABC Entertainment Group. At ABC, he created a host of highly recognized campaigns for shows including Modern Family, Lost, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Dancing with the Stars, Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Bachelor.

Mr. Benson joined ABC from VH1/MTV Networks, where he was senior vice president, promotion & program planning. He served as director of communications for KCBS-TV in Los Angeles, CA and held various positions at WCCO-TV, the CBS owned and operated station in Minneapolis, MN, where he began his career.

For his endeavors, Mr. Benson received Emmy and Cannes Lions awards for his work at Amazon, 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 Promax/BDA 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 served on the Promax/BDA board of directors for 9 years, 5 of which he served as Chairman. He was an adjunct professor for Boston University, teaching media and entertainment marketing under a program based in Los Angeles, CA.

Married and father of three, Mr. Benson resides in Los Angeles, CA.