Marketing speak ahead of its time

When I saw the headline for your article “Ex-Bendicks boss to head Ferrero in UK” (MW November 25), I wondered which of my predecessors had been appointed managing director of Ferrero. I then saw in the body copy that the article referred to Neil McIntosh, one of our marketing managers, who has been appointed marketing director of Ferrero. This seemed an unusual interpretation of the words “boss” and “head”.

More erroneously, the article stated that our TV ad campaigns were created by the Communications in Business Group, whom we have never heard of. They were, in fact, created by Leagas Delaney.

Finally, the article stated that our ad spend – at &£1.7m – was down almost 33 per cent on the previous year. Actually, we increased our ad spend on the Bendicks brand by 57 per cent, but reduced our spend on Riesen as it was no longer in its launch phase. We also increased our TV ad spend on Werther’s Original to more than &£2m, and retained one of the highest ad-to-turnover ratios of any UK packaged goods company.

Paul Seftel

Managing director

Bendicks (Mayfair)

Winchester

Hampshire