Ben Sylvan — SVP, Connected Media at Keurig Dr Pepper

Ben Sylvan has taken on the role of SVP, Connected Media at Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), a major consumer packaged goods (CPG) company known for brands such as Dr Pepper, Snapple, Green Mountain Coffee, and Keurig brewing systems. This leadership appointment signals KDP's continued investment in building out sophisticated, data-driven media capabilities, particularly in the connected and streaming media space. The SVP, Connected Media title suggests a focus on CTV, streaming audio, and digitally addressable media channels that bridge traditional broadcast with modern programmatic and audience-targeted approaches. Keurig Dr Pepper has been actively modernizing its marketing and media infrastructure, and this role likely encompasses oversight of KDP's connected media strategy, including partnerships with streaming platforms, retail media networks, and data-driven targeting initiatives. Sylvan's appointment reflects a broader industry trend of CPG brands elevating internal media expertise rather than relying solely on agency partners, enabling more direct control over audience data, media buying, and measurement. This move is significant in the AdTech ecosystem because large CPGs like KDP represent substantial media budgets and are increasingly influential in shaping how connected media is bought, measured, and optimized. As first-party data becomes more critical in a cookieless environment, having senior leadership dedicated to connected media signals KDP's intent to build durable, technology-forward media capabilities that can leverage its consumer touchpoints — including the Keurig connected brewing platform — as proprietary data assets.

The appointment of a dedicated SVP of Connected Media at a major CPG like Keurig Dr Pepper underscores the accelerating shift of marketing investment toward CTV, streaming, and addressable media channels. For the AdTech ecosystem, this signals growing demand from CPG advertisers for more sophisticated connected media solutions, which benefits platforms and vendors operating in CTV, streaming audio, and programmatic video. KDP's scale — with billions in annual media spend across its brand portfolio — means that its strategic direction in connected media can meaningfully influence platform priorities, measurement standards, and partnership structures across the industry. The move also reflects the broader trend of CPGs internalizing media expertise, which puts pressure on traditional agency holding companies while creating opportunities for AdTech vendors that can offer direct enterprise partnerships. Additionally, KDP's unique position as a hardware and beverage company gives it potential access to first-party connected device data through Keurig brewers, which could become a differentiating asset in audience targeting and measurement as third-party cookies deprecate further.