In January, Hulu consolidated its consumer insights, ad sales and user experience research teams under DeTraglia, expanding her role to head of research. DeTraglia spent the prior 15 years across digital and TV research roles at NBC.
AE: Tell me about your career at NBC.
JDT: I found my way to NBC in 2001. NBC decided to turn what at the time were just websites into a business. This was the dawn of digital. NBC bought iVillage and brought in experts, including Peter Naylor [head of ad sales at Hulu]. It brought this DNA to the company that didn’t exist before. I worked in digital for pretty much the rest of my career at NBC.
I got to work on four Olympics on the digital side and see the consumption change from TV to tons of video online. We used the Olympics as a bellwether because people change their behavior for that event, and we would see it seep into regular media behavior over time.
AE: What’s the most interesting trend you’ve seen in your research?
JDT: [Viewing] really has converged. That’s the biggest change — that blur between live and on demand. There are generations now that see a TV screen as a gallery of shows and not a set of networks.
AE: What’s your biggest piece of advice for your employees?
JDT: I always hated the term networking, and I hated doing it. But I eventually embraced it, and I think you have to. It’s about making relationships with people who do the same thing as you do. It helps expand your horizon beyond your current job. You end up being friends with people. Also, the best way to prove yourself is through your work and the way you are with people. You can’t be a jerk and expect to get very far.
Source: Weissbrot, A. (2018, November 9). How Julie DeTraglia’s Love Of TV Led Her To Head Research At Hulu. AdExchanger.
Editor’s Note: Industry Leader interview.