Young & Rubicam

Yahoo's Extreme Makeover Confirmed With the Hiring of a New Global Marketing Exec

Kara Swisher in News on July 1, 2009 at 3:20 am PT

Last week, BoomTown posted a detailed piece on Yahoo’s plans for a massive rebranding and marketing push, which included the hiring of outside consultant Penny Baldwin, who was a former top exec at Young & Rubicam. Yesterday, Baldwin became an official Yahoo exec, as SVP of global integrated marketing and brand management. She has been described by many sources as much more colorful and bold in her style, advocating more aggressive ideas about reinvigorating the Yahoo brand. “Well, Penny is definitely not Yahoo,” said one Yahoo source, joking about the company’s quainter, yodel-focused and purple-toned image. “Which is probably a good thing.”

Exclusive: Yahoo Working on Major Brand Overhaul (Pretty Please, No More Yodeling!)

Kara Swisher in News on June 24, 2009 at 7:39 pm PT

In what many sources at the company said is a major push, Yahoo is working on a massive plan to overhaul its brand in order to repair a damaged public image and focus consumers on what defines Yahoo. The effort is being spearheaded by newly installed Chief Marketing Officer Elisa Steele, who has hired well-known brand consulting firm Landor Associates, as well as an outside consultant named Penny Baldwin, who was a former top exec at brand and ad giant Young & Rubicam.