…as Independent revamps promotions unit

The Independent is rationalising its promotions department and bringing in a new manager, following Amanda Platell’s promotion from marketing director to managing director in September.

Phil Boden has been recruited from sponsorship consultancy Carnegie Robertson & Black as promotions manager, and will join the paper in the new year.

He will report to Platell and work with Mirror Group promotions manager Sharon Douglas.

Mirror Group plans to implement a marketing-led approach with brand development across all titles. However, it has not yet created the post of marketing director on the board.

Last month the company hired former Rothman’s marketing director, Charles Kirchner, as brand development director across the titles. He reports to the managing directors of each of the group’s newspapers.

Industry sources tip Kirchner as a potential board marketing director. But a spokesman for the group denies this is the case, saying: “He’s simply here as a brand development director.”

The latest Audit Bureau of Circulations figures for June to November this year show The Independent has reached a plateau just below 300,000 – at 296,616. Neil Jones, director at TMD Carat, says: “Now it has stopped the rot, I’m confident it will reach 300,000.”

The Daily Mail’s average net circulation for the period was 1,838,970, up 4.47 per cent on last year.

The Daily Express was down 4.98 per cent, although November figures include over 100,000 discounted copies of the Mail.