eko, the leader in choice-driven entertainment, continues to expand their executive team with the hire of two new Vice Presidents, both whom boast a diverse level of expertise, covering TV, digital and social. Former Facebook and MTV executive, Tom Fishman, joins as Vice President of Marketing. Most recently, Fishman served as a member of the global platform strategy team at Facebook. Daniel Laikind, bringing deep experience producing award-winning unscripted series for Discovery, A&E, E!, AMC and Bravo, joined a few months prior as Vice President of Development and Production.
Leading all marketing initiatives for eko, Fishman will spearhead new brand and original series go-to-market strategies aimed at introducing and mainstreaming choice-driven entertainment and further cementing eko as the leader in interactive content.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the eko team at a time when audiences are primed for next-level video experiences that put them in the driver’s seat. What we’re doing is totally unique in the industry and we’re building the playbook to bring choice-driven stories to audiences at scale,” said Fishman.
In his role, Laikind will ink series deals with top Hollywood creators, distribution partners and production companies in an effort to mainstream interactive content.
“This role at eko is truly the opportunity of a lifetime. The chance to work with a vibrant community of creative partners across all genres to develop and execute incredible content is a dream,” said Laikind. “But what’s most invigorating to me about eko and the community we’re working with is the opportunity to take part in changing storytelling one choice at a time.”
Both are based out of the company’s New York City office.
Fishman was the first dedicated social media hire at MTV in 2010 and by 2017 was overseeing the digital department, including original video, social creative and programming strategy, live events digital production and a data-driven audience development team he built from the ground up. In that time he scaled MTV’s social following to over 250 million, site traffic to a peak of over 45 million monthly uniques and led cutting edge fan engagement campaigns in support of series like Teen Wolf, The Challenge and Jersey Shore, and tentpole events like the MTV Movie & TV Awards and the Video Music Awards. Fishman went on to spearhead the implementation of Facebook’s market-differentiating social video toolset with Facebook Watch originals like Confetti, Red Table Talk and a reinvention of MTV’s The Real World.
Laikind is a seasoned entertainment executive, the founder of Stick Figure Productions and former CEO of Original Media. His projects have been nominated for over a dozen Emmys, and the series “73 Questions” which he produced for Vogue.com, won a 2015 Clio award. His work spans genres, with a specialty in unscripted series for which he’s produced work across a number of networks including Discovery, A&E, VH1, E!, Nat Geo, AMC and Bravo. He has premiered three documentaries at Sundance and his shows, films, and digital series include some of the most highly regarded projects of their genre, including, “Amish in the City,” “Family Bonds” “Ink Master,” “Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane,” “Dual Survival,” “Swamp People,” and “Comic Book Men.”
“Tom and Daniel are THE people you want to lead marketing and content – they have each broken barriers, set the standard and led the trends that the entertainment and digital industries still follow to this day. We were impressed with their contributions at their previous companies and are confident that their talents will help to further cement eko as the leader in choice-driven entertainment,” said Jim Spare, eko COO/President.
ABOUT EKO
eko is a pioneering interactive entertainment company that lets audiences shape stories as they unfold. eko’s technology allows viewers to affect, control, and influence interactive entertainment like never before. The company provides a platform for interactive stories and partners with media companies, independent creators and top brands to create deeply engaging experiences for audiences. Stories are distributed through Helloeko.com, affiliate partners, and social networks; available on desktop, mobile, and connected devices. The company has over 15 patents for its technology, including its proprietary player and authoring tools. eko Studio, the company’s suite of authoring tools, is also offered for free to a community of creators who craft their own interactive experiences using eko’s platform.
For more information, visit www.helloeko.com.