Upstream Group, Inc.

Scot McLernon

President, Upstream Group

Scot entered the business in 1995, selling some of the web’s initial banners and interactive “booths” for the web’s first online and offline trade show titled “Web Innovation”. Since then his sales team leadership and unique advertising solutions have received numerous accolades throughout his career. He’s been branded pioneer, innovator and from time to time a maverick.

Over the last 12 years Scot has built and led three different and very successful web advertising sales teams with the last two of those years dedicated to CBS Interactive. Scot’s sales teams have frequently been cited by Forrester for highest revenue per sales person, four years in a row while at CBS MarketWatch won “best business and finance site to advertise with” and have won the acclaimed ASPY award as Best Overall Sales Team on the web. (The ASPY group is made up of over 100 agency votes).

Throughout his career Scot’s been touted as an industry thought leader and evangelizer that’s constantly pushed the webs advertising capabilities. In 2000 he introduced day-part advertising to the web. In 2001 he publicly (and controversially) de-emphasized the value of reported clicks in a campaign. In 2002, amongst the ad recession, McLernon created the At Work Brand Network - a group of like publishers and competitors built to rival the size and reach of the major portals. In 2003 he was a founder of what is now the Upstream Seller Forum where twice-a-year over 50 of the top brands sales VP’s share and work out industry issues for a day in an open but moderated forum. In 2004 McLernon co-founded the Bay Area Interactive Group (BIG) which remains focused on educating and networking the bay area’s interactive marketing community.

Scot was recently given an industry achievement award by DMG World Media through the ad:tech advisory board. “ The only one of its kind in the industry, this “Industry Achievement” award honors the long-term dedication and consistent outstanding service to online marketing by individuals”.

Scot is a frequent speaker at industry events, writes occasionally in industry publications and is often quoted about various industry-related topics. He’s an active board member of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), is a founding member of the Online Publishers Association (OPA), a founding Director of the Bay Area Interactive Group and sits on several advisory boards.