Future of marketing team at Wedgwood uncertain
The Waterford Wedgwood marketing team is facing an uncertain future after the luxury goods manufacturer announced last week that it was closing two factories and making 1,050 workers redundant.
The 22-strong marketing team is likely to be restructured, which may involve some redundancies following the company’s decision to move manufacturing of its mid- to low-end earthenware range Johnson Brothers to the Far East.
A spokesman for the company says that 760 jobs will be lost as a result of closing the factories, which are both in Stoke-on-Trent, and the remaining jobs will go from head office.
The company is involved in a 90-day consultation about the redundancies and it is not clear how the marketing department will be affected. The spokesman says that staff will be transferred to new jobs where possible. This could include moving to one of the group’s other brands, such as the upmarket china company Royal Doulton.
Waterford Wedgwood has struggled following the fall in tourism after September 11. In addition, the Johnson Brother range has been squeezed by cheaper imported earthenware.
Waterford Wedgwood appointed Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest to create an advertising campaign for the Wedgwood brand in March (MW March 6). This followed the appointment of former National Lottery marketer Laura Hicken as marketing director for Europe last year (MW September 26, 2002).
