Avon bolsters marketing team with hire of Weetabix's Victoria Westwood
Weetabix’s shopper marketing professional is to join Avon as its global senior brand manager, a newly-created role, as the beauty giant continues to shake-up its advertising division.
Avon appoints new senior global marketing manager
Victoria Westwood’s hire comes in the wake of James Thompson, a 24-year Diageo veteran, being appointed as chief beauty and brand officer last year.
She will take up the newly-created role of senior global marketing manager this month and has been tasked with driving the development of the brand strategy, including delivering appropriate product and packaging, creative materials and 360 activation plans.
A spokesperson also told The Drum that Westwood will also play an intrinsic role in leading new product development, taking it from conception through to market launch to deliver growth for the brand.
She brings with her an extensive portfolio of FMCG experience. Prior to joining the team at Avon, Westwood spent over three years working for Weetabix where she was senior shopper marketing manager, leading all elements of shopper marketing at the brand, including strategy definition, planning and implementation.
During this time, she played a key role in returning the brand's ‘Have you had your Weetabix?’ strapline after a period of hibernation. She also led the development of Weetabix Family pack and price architecture, including pack re-design and sku rationalisation to increase ease of shop in-store and reduce complexity.
Prior to Weetabix, Westwood served at Beiersdorf for over four years where she led the Nivea Bodycare brand in the UK and before that sat within the marketing team at spirits giant Diageo.
Westwood has joined Avon at a crucial time as the 133-year old beauty brand fights to keep up with the rapid digitization in the sector. The global cosmetic market is currently worth $508bn and forecast to reach $758bn by 2025 – a growth trajectory of 5.9%.
Recognising a need to reposition the mature brand for an "Instagram generation", Avon is in the midst of investing in innovation to compete with the likes of Sephora, Coty and L’Oréal.
This month also saw Avon embark on a new partnership with ad agency Spark Foundry, which last year landed the £90m global media account.