Jonathan Yaged, v-p and U.S. publisher of the Disney Book Group, has been named chief operating officer of House Party, a consumer activation and experiential marketing company. Yaged has been with Disney since 2000, when he joined as director of business affairs.
“It wasn’t an easy thing to move on,” Yaged told PW. “But the opportunity is tremendous. House Party is a pioneer in this field, and the company tripled its revenue in the last year.” Founded in 2005, House Party (which is based in Irvington, N.Y.) creates and executes consumer activation campaigns—in the form of home parties—for a wide range of industries. And Yaged pointed out possible applications for book publishing, calling it “a great opportunity for publishers to reach their core audience.”
“We wish him well,” Jeanne Mosure, senior v-p and group publisher for books at Disney Publishing Worldwide, said. Disney will be looking to replace Yaged, and Mosure cited a strong staff already in place, with the editorial team headed by Stephanie Owens Lurie and Wendy Lefkon. “Percy Jackson had great results this weekend, and all things look good for this year,” Mosure said.
Yaged’s last day is February 26.
