Coca-Cola’s Jonathan Mildenhall promoted to US role

Coca-Cola vice president of global advertising strategy and content excellence Jonathan Mildenhall has been promoted to a role leading design and integrated marketing in the company’s North American business unit.

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Coca-Cola’s Jonathan Mildenhall has been promoted to SVP of integrated marketing communication and design excellence for North America.

Mildenhall’s role is similar to that of his previous global position, but it now involves additional marketing responsibility for Coca-Cola’s biggest regional division. Coca-Cola North America generated $5.7bn in revenue in the three months to 27 September, while its next biggest geographic region, the Pacific, posted $1.5bn in the quarter.

The creation of Coca-Cola’s 2014 Superbowl campaign is one of the first marketing projects Mildenhall will be tasked with. He has already tweeted pictures from the TV advert’s set, which have featured roller skaters and tap dancers. Speaking to Marketing Week, Mildenhall said the advert would be all about celebrating “American society” and Coca-Cola’s role within it.

Mildenhall said he will not be relinquishing all of his global remit straightaway – especially given the fact that he has already started planning for campaigns as far ahead as the Rio 2016 FIFA World Cup. It is not yet clear how long the transition period will be before Coca-Cola searches for a direct replacement for his previous position.

Coca-Cola poached Mildenhall from its UK creative agency Mother, where he was head of strategy, to become the drinks company’s vice president of global marketing in 2006.

His role was later elevated to extend his responsibilities across advertising strategy and “content excellence” globally.  

In his seven years at Coca-Cola Mildenhall has worked on a number of award-winning campaigns including its first Cannes Lions Design Grand Prix in 2008 and in partnership with Google winning the inaugural Mobile Grand Prix with a re-imagined version of its classic Hilltop campaign at the annual advertising event last year.

Jonathan Mildenhall is speaking at the fourth annual International Content Marketing Summit on 27 November at Old Billingsgate in London. Marketing Week is the exclusive media partner. 

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