Nestlé marketer nets India post

The Nestlé UK marketing manager who supervised the latest Gold Blend “couple” campaign has been promoted to the post of executive vice-president of marketing for Nestlé India.

Tony Aves, marketing manager for coffees, will take up his new job from January 1. The coffees division includes Nescafé, Blend 37 and Cappuccino.

His replacement will be Mark Beales, senior brand manager for Nestlé Gold Blend. An industry insider comments: “This is a massive promotion for him.”

Aves, who was formerly petcare marketing manager for Friskies, reports to Tim Cryan, marketing director for the Nestlé grocery division.

Nestlé has built on the success of the original Gold Blend “couple” ad campaign, devised by McCann- Erickson and launched in 1987, with a new couple six years on.

Since the on-off romance ad campaigns started, sales, brand awareness and proven ad recall have increased dramatically.

A Nestlé spokeswoman says: “Tony has been involved in the evolution of the current campaign and its continuing success in the market.”