Lucas Watson

Global Team Leader-Digital Business Strategy, Procter & Gamble

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By Jack Neff

Published: September 21, 2009

BATAVIA, Ohio (AdAge.com) — Many have tried getting Procter & Gamble Co. marketers to use more digital media over the years. Lucas Watson has set himself apart by succeeding like none before.

P&G's internet spending as a share of measured media topped 4% in the first quarter, rising beyond the low single digits for the first time. That may sound like baby steps, but Mr. Watson, 38, knows all about those: He spent most of his 15-year career working on Pampers and Luvs before becoming global team leader of P&G's digital business.

Encouraging for Mr. Watson is that return on digital investment is rising along with spending, defying skeptics who thought P&G would hit diminishing returns fast.

Making both metrics rise is what Global Brand-Building Officer Marc Pritchard picked Mr. Watson to do shortly after taking P&G's top marketing post last year.

Of course, not every brand will get to where Pampers is, digitally-speaking.

"I don't think anyone is going to propose for a second that Bounty's marketing mix is going to be the same as Pampers'," he said, but "every one of our brands can apply some of the lessons that digital allows us to be personal, connective and relevant."

"He's very open to new thinking, but he's not swayed by the shiny new object,"said Forrester Research analyst Lisa Bradner. "He really understands where it fits in the P&G world."