Hearst Magazines announced today that its Hearst Autos division will house the automotive sales and marketing functions for the Hearst Magazines print and digital portfolio of brands. Felix DiFilippo, publisher/chief revenue officer of Car and Driver and Road & Track, adds the title of senior vice president, integrated sales, automotive for Hearst Autos; Jill Meenaghan, previously associate publisher and group marketing director of the Hearst Men’s Group, has been named chief marketing officer of Hearst Autos. The announcement was made by Hearst Magazines President of Marketing and Publishing Director Michael Clinton and Hearst Autos President Nick Matarazzo.

The existing auto-focused sales force from Hearst Magazines’ 21 brands will move under the umbrella of Hearst Autos. The division, which continues to grow its team, will develop and execute 360-degree programs incorporating print, digital, video, social, custom content, events, and in-market advertising.

Hearst Autos was formed in May 2016, anchored by the leading consumer brands Car and Driver and Road & Track, and business-to-business digital media solutions company Jumpstart Automotive Media, which exclusively represents 12 publishers including U.S. News Best Cars, J.D. Power Cars, and Autobytel, among others. The newly enhanced division encompasses all automotive sales and marketing functions for Hearst Magazines, offering a full-funnel solution for auto manufacturers and dealers to guide shoppers from inspiration to purchase.

“This is a time of dynamic growth for Hearst Autos,” said Clinton. “We are leveraging our expertise in every aspect of the auto-buying experience with the power of data and Hearst’s portfolio of brands to drive holistic advertising and marketing solutions for our partners.”

With synergistic brands that address the key business-to-business and business-to-consumer audiences of automotive manufacturers, dealers, and car buyers, Hearst Autos encompasses the entire path to purchase, providing engaging content, powerful data, consumer insights and comprehensive marketing solutions across all tiers of the auto ecosystem.

Felix DiFilippo, publisher and chief revenue officer of both Car and Driver and Road & Track, adds the title of senior vice president, integrated sales, automotive of Hearst Autos, overseeing all advertising initiatives across the Hearst Magazines portfolio.

Jill Meenaghan, in the newly created position of chief marketing officer of Hearst Autos, will be responsible for the planning, development and execution of all automotive brand marketing and advertising initiatives across the Hearst Autos portfolio, working with clients and partners to build high-performance advertising campaigns. Meenaghan had been associate publisher and group marketing director for Hearst Men’s Group since 2012, leveraging the brands’ multi-platform capabilities into scalable programs across Car and Driver, Esquire, Popular Mechanics, and Road & Track.

DiFilippo and Meenaghan join two other senior executives on the Hearst Autos leadership team: Jason Koenigsknecht, senior vice president of national sales, who is responsible for in-market sales strategies, and James Tom, senior vice president of dealer network & enterprise sales, who concentrates on direct-to-dealer business.

“Hearst Autos leads the market with three distinct advertising-sales strategies led by Felix, Jason and James that span the entire auto spectrum, from initial inspiration to purchase,” Matarazzo said. “And Jill’s creative approach and cross-platform marketing experience across all of these tiers is a tremendous asset for us and our clients. Together, this team will drive Hearst Autos’ innovation and our leadership position in a competitive marketplace.” 

Meenaghan will be based in New York and San Francisco. Both she and DiFilippo will report to Matarazzo, and their appointments are effective immediately.

About Hearst Autos
Combining industry-leading brands, tools, and auto shopper insights with the largest, most diverse automotive audience, Hearst Autos delivers performance-driven marketing solutions at every stage of consideration. With Hearst Autos, auto manufacturers and dealers have the power to leverage Car and Driver, Jumpstart Automotive Media, Road & Track, and enthusiast-driven content studio, the blend line™, to engage with automotive shoppers from inspiration to purchase.

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