Headspace is bolstering its marketing ranks with the hire of its first chief marketing officer. The meditation app announced the hire of Val Kaplan Zapata as CMO, a new role for the Santa Monica, California-based company, whose popularity has surged during the pandemic. She starts next month.
Headspace hires Hulu exec as first CMO

Val Kaplan Zapata
Zapata was most recently VP of growth marketing at Hulu, where she was charged with using marketing to increase the subscriber base at the streaming service. Such a background makes sense for Headspace, given the wellness brand’s recent expansion efforts. The company has a new meditation series with Netflix, and today announced a partnership with Whole Foods that includes an IGTV recipe series called Food for Mood.
Deb Hyun, who was formerly VP of global marketing at Headspace and helped lead efforts including the brand’s first TV spot last spring, left the brand late last year to join Lululemon.
During the anxiety-provoking pandemic, mindfulness brands such as Headspace and competitor Calm have blossomed as consumers seek out solace and mental assistance. In addition to a deal with Hyatt early last year, Headspace has partnerships with companies including Starbucks and Unilever. The 11-year-old brand began as an events company, but soon after switched gears to pursue mindfulness and mental health. When the coronavirus first hit last year, Headspace offered free subscriptions to those who had lost their jobs, a move that helped it gain support and popularity from users.