Hasbro, Inc. today announced the integration of all of its content initiatives, including television, film, commercial productions and short-form content, under Stephen Davis, president of the Los Angeles-based Hasbro Studios.
Davis, who has overseen global TV development, production and distribution for Hasbro since launching the studio in 2009, will report to Hasbro Chief Marketing Officer John Frascotti to ensure the seamless integration between the entertainment and global marketing teams. Hasbro Studios produces a number of top-rated, award-winning multi-platform shows that are seen in more than 170 countries globally and here in the U.S. on The Hub, a television network for kids and their families that is a joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications.
In addition to television, Davis will now lead Hasbro’s Film Group in Los Angeles and the company’s Rhode Island-based studio responsible for producing the company’s commercials and short-form content. Bennett Schneir, SVP Motion Pictures, and Terry Scott, SVP of Cake Mix Studio in Rhode Island, will now report to Davis.
“We are bringing together several of our entertainment groups so that we can fully drive our content development capabilities across our global franchises,” Frascotti said. “Stephen is the perfect choice to lead this important new initiative. In just three years, he has made significant contributions to strengthening the company’s global brands by propelling Hasbro Studios into one of the world’s most successful producers of animation and live-action programming.”
Under Davis’ guidance, Hasbro Studios has produced approximately 750 half-hours of programming, with numerous global successes including “Transformers Prime”, “Littlest Pet Shop” and “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic”.
In his expanded role, Davis will drive the entertainment brand-driven storytelling for the company and oversee a strong multi-year feature slate including Transformers 4 with Paramount, Stretch Armstrong with Relativity Media and Candy Land with Sony.
“We are in the early stages of unlocking the full power of Hasbro brands globally and this new group will capitalize on our talent and creativity on both coasts,” Davis said. “We are now in a tremendous position to expand our content and storytelling more impactfully across all screens around the world.”
Davis has had a significant track record in TV and film production, story development and distribution. Previously he led ITV Studios America-predecessors Granada America and Carlton America; mobile and online digital media company InfoSpace; TV production-distribution company Hamdon Entertainment, a joint venture between Carlton and Studio Hamburg (NDR); and has overseen TV programming, motion picture, live entertainment, new media and entertainment-related M&A activities for entertainer and entrepreneur Merv Griffin’s company, The Griffin Group. He joined Hasbro from Family Entertainment Group, where he was CEO.
