Google Promotes Top Marketer Lorraine Twohill to Senior Ranks

In the latest sign of the importance of advertising to Google, the tech giant has promoted its top marketer to the senior ranks. Lorraine Twohill has been named senior-VP of marketing at Google. She will continue to report to Google's chief business officer Nikesh Arora, according to a person familiar with the matter. The senior VP title at Google is often considered sign of entry into Mr. Page's kitchen cabinet of most trusted advisers. But membership to that elite group -- commonly called the "L Team" -- is typically contingent upon reporting directly to the chief executive. Ms. Twohill is one of a number of senior VPs who do not reportly direct to Mr. Page, the person said. Not including Ms. Twohill, Google lists nine senior VPs on the company's management page and only one woman, YouTube boss and the company's original ad exec Susan Wojcicki. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent Monday afternoon. The Information's Amir Efrati first reported the news of Ms. Twohill's title bump on Twitter on Monday. Google recently overtook Apple as the world's most valuable brand, according to the latest BrandZ rankings, supassing Apple, which had held the position for three years. In last year's Interbrand ranking, Google ascended to No. 2, nipping at the heels of Apple. An 11-year Google veteran, Ms. Twohill was the company's first marketing hire from outside the U.S. She rose from running Google's marketing in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to become the company's head of global marketing in 2009. When she joined, Google did almost no traditional advertising. In her first year on the job, she oversaw the launch of Google's first flagship smartphone and first TV ad, "Parisian Love," a YouTube video celebrating search which debuted during the Super Bowl. Ms. Twohill also developed the company's in-house agency Creative Lab, which has worked on campaigns for new products including social network Google+ and wearable device Google Glass. Through campaigns like "It Gets Better" she's cast a light on discrimination while raising awareness for Google's web browser, Chrome. Along the way, Google developed its own philosophy of marketing. As Ms. Twohill likes to say, "know the user and know the magic and find a way to connect the two." Last year Google spent $7.25 billion on sales and marketing, up from $1.98 billion in Ms. Twohill's first year as the company's marketing chief.

Google Promotes Top Marketer Lorraine Twohill to Senior Ranks

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