Playtex hunts for new UK marketing director

Playtex, the maker of Wonderbra, is looking for a new UK marketing director following the promotion of Nick Houghton to European marketing director.

The company, part of the Sara Lee conglomerate, is understood to have spoken to a number of candidates for the job already and a decision is expected soon.

Houghton, who has been with Playtex for 15 years, will be based at the company’s headquarters in Rome when he takes up his new position in January 1998.

Houghton’s move comes at the end of an active year for Playtex’s marketing operations. In May, the company moved all its advertising out of Saatchi & Saatchi and TBWA – the latter agency held the high-profile Wonderbra account – and into EURO RSCG Wnek Gosper.

Playtex is bringing Wonderbra into the “everyday” bra market with the launch of a new product. It is also replacing supermodel Eva Herzigova as the face of Wonderbra, and has relaunched the Cross Your Heart bra with a campaign featuring supermodel Helena Christensen.

Wonderbra’s advertising has continued to attract media attention since TBWA’s “Hello Boys” poster campaign first broke in 1994.