Microsoft Gets New VP of WP Marketing–Guys Former Job Led to “Hear Me Now” Verizon Ads

Microsoft has announced a new hire – for the Vice President of Windows Phone Marketing. His name is Thom Gruhler  and I think the interesting thing here is his past.

Gruhler, 42, joins Microsoft from McCann Worldgroup, where he served as global managing partner of Telecom & Technology, driving growth and developing relationships with the largest telecomm and technology brands around the world.

Before that, Gruhler served eight years as the global leader of McCann’s Verizon business, leading an integrated multidisciplinary team of agencies that developed the iconic “Can you hear me now?” campaign and helped contribute to a period of unprecedented growth and success for Verizon. As president of McCann Erickson New York, the flagship and largest office of McCann Erickson Worldwide, he also oversaw McCann’s key clients, including Mastercard, Kohl’s and McCann Worldgroup’s Sony Ericsson.

I know nothing else about this guy but I like it already and glad to see that MS is taking marketing seriously and getting a pro in house. Hopefully they can start to rev up asap for the Lumia’s release. But the fact that his past includes Sony, HP and Verizon doesn’t hurt at all.