PORTLAND, Oregon, October 15, 2018 — Digital Trends, the world’s largest independently owned technology review site, announced today that Ben Hermel is joining the company as creative director. Hermel joins a growing list of major new hires as Digital Trends expands, including former Facebook executive Bob Gruters as chief resource officer.
Hermel brings with him nearly two decades of international design experience with companies like Nike, Adidas, Microsoft, and Siegel+Gale. He has created brand identity systems for the Salt Lake City Olympics and the United States Air Force, and managed product and color design teams for the Beijing Olympics.
“I’ve been impressed with the evolution of the company, both in terms of its growth and its voice in consumer tech, and I’m looking forward to taking the outstanding work that’s been done in Portland and NYC and establishing a far-reaching creative footprint for the Digital Trends brand,” said Hermel.
“We looked very carefully for a creative lead who would understand where the brand is coming from, but who could push it in new directions as well” says Ian Bell, co-founder and CEO of Digital Trends. “Ben’s impressive catalog of experience speaks for itself, and we’re excited to have him.”
While the digital media climate has left some publications struggling, Digital Trends continues to enjoy expansion. It recently ranked among the nation’s fastest-growing private companies for the third year running on the INC. 5000 list, having grown 211.64 percent since 2014. In addition to its English language media site, Digital Trends continue to grow its Spanish language branch, Digital Trends en Español, while competitors have shuttered their Spanish branches.
A Pew report shows 93 percent of adults go to digital-native media companies like Digital Trends for their news, as audience numbers drop for broadcast network news and print publications, including “legacy companies’”(those with a digital presence, but which started as print publications) and alt-weeklies.
Earlier this year Digital Trends welcomed Chris Carlson, former vice president of Deutsche Bank to serve as its first-ever chief operating officer, as well as Lynda Mann, former business development director at New York Times subsidiary Wirecutter, who joined Digital Trends as senior director of commerce. Also new to DT is Ray Philip, who came on as director of SEO after leaving a position as director of search and analytics at Verizon’s Complex Media.
About Digital Trends
Digital Trends is a leading consumer technology publisher helping people navigate an increasingly digital world. With easy-to-understand product reviews, entertaining news, and videos, Digital Trends serves more than 30 million unique visitors each month. Digital Trends reaches 100 million tech influencers through its own media network, and its syndicate partners include Yahoo!, Oath, Flipboard, Cheddar, Amazon, FOX News, and more than 200 broadcast news stations. Digital Trends is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with offices in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit, Toronto and Chicago. For more information, visit www.digitaltrends.com.
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