- Barry Janoff

Videogame company Activision, whose titles include the successful Guitar Hero series, said today that Brad Jakeman has been named to the newly created position of chief creative officer.

Jakeman will be responsible for leading global advertising, media, marketing and consumer research for all of the Santa Monica, Calif.-based Activision Publishing's franchises. He will join the company in early November.

Jakeman previously worked at Macy's, where as evp-corporate marketing he managed advertising, brand strategy, branding and identity, creative strategy, in-store visual strategy and direct marketing for the Macy's brand nationally. Before joining the retailer in 2006, Jakeman spent eight years as managing director of global advertising at Citigroup and held executive positions at BBDO and Ogilvy in London, New York and Sydney, Australia.

To date, Guitar Hero has sold more than 22 million units sold worldwide, per The NPD Group, Port Washington, N.Y.

"Activision's brands are at the forefront of entertainment and popular culture today," Jakeman said in a statement. "This opportunity is a perfect match for my creative philosophy and approach, which is to truly engage and inspire consumers in new ways delivering compelling content which people actively engage in-mirroring the success of Activision's core business today."