Nintendo firm hires new chief
Total Home Entertainment Games (THEG), which has taken over sales, marketing and distribution for Nintendo UK, is appointing a former wholesaler as its marketing director.
George Wood, who was previously marketing director at Nurdin & Peacock, effectively replaces Mark Edridge as Nintendo UK’s marketing director.
John Menzies subsidiary Total Home Entertainment was handed the Nintendo UK business this month (MW August 4) when the computer company shut its UK offices.
Total Home created the THEG division to run the business. Now THEG has taken on 87 of the 147 staff originally made redundant when Nintendo closed its offices.
The THEG management team includes Rob Cooper who joins from Nintendo, retaining his title as director of sales.
The final two members have both transferred from within Menzies: Tony Loizou will be director of operations running the Eastleigh office and David Macintosh will be finance director.
Ad agency J Walter Thompson will be retained to handle the games Killer Instinct, Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong II. But the value of the account and media plans are under review because Total Home intends to divert funds into trade marketing.
The company will also review its advertising account in January before the launch of its Ultra-64 games machine.
THEG’s management is now in discussions with the core Total Home group to work out cross-marketing deals for Nintendo products and Total Home products, including books and videos.
