MarketCast Names Research and Content Insights Heads

Los Angeles-based entertainment research and content testing platform MarketCast has appointed Jenna Lauer as Head of Research and Insights, while promoting Zoë Friend to the role of Head of New Content Insights Group.

MarketCast offers a mix of research analytics combined with big data science to provide clients with insights for Hollywood studios, streaming services, video games publishers, lifestyle brands and sports leagues and teams. The firm recently acquired real-time research platform Invoke to expand its existing content research and testing capabilities in longer-form media.

Lauer joins from Hall & Partners, where she served as Managing Partner for nearly a decade, and led the firm's West Coast (US) teams. In her new role, Lauer will be responsible for growing MarketCast's research practice, further developing its methodologies, and expanding its team of researchers. Friend joined the firm in 2020 as Corporate SVP of Custom Research and Insights, after more than five years at streaming entertainment service Netflix, where she led the firm's Content and Marketing Research and Insights practice. Earlier, she worked for Paramount Pictures as SVP, Worldwide Research and Strategy; and served as MD of Penn Schoen Berland-owned movie research agency First Movies.

Commenting on the news, CEO John Batter said: 'Jenna's addition to our team will help MarketCast continue to innovate its research and insights practice, bringing proven consumer research methodologies together with advanced data science and analytics to help our clients better understand who their fans are and how they engage with their products, brands, and content. Having spent years on the studio side of content creation, I can think of no better person to partner with on media testing and research than Zoë Friend. She understands the pressure facing today's content creators and programmers, and can deliver them smarter, more strategic audience insights to guide their biggest content development and distribution decisions.'

Web site: www.marketcast.com .