Littlewoods appoints new brand chief

Littlewoods has promoted category, offer and planning director Tim Anderson to brand and marketing strategy director.

Anderson replaces Gillian Wilmot, who is to take up the position of director for business and consumer markets at Royal Mail when Jim Cotton-Betteridge retires in January (MW November 30).

Anderson will be responsible for branding within the company and the roll out of the new Littlewoods logo introduced earlier this year.

He will oversee the current trial in the Liverpool Littlewoods store, of Littlewoods Extra, in which all forms of consumer purchasing can be found under one roof.

Under the trial scheme, shoppers encounter the Index, Index Extra catalogue, Internet kiosks and Shop TV, the joint venture with Granada, within the one store. This is the first time that the brands have been brought together and the first time Index has been sold in a store with the Littlewoods fascia.

He will also cover advertising, market research, customer relations and the general “look and feel” of the catalogue and stores.

Anderson worked for eight years on the Gillette European marketing team before becoming head of marketing at Thorntons. He joined Littlewoods two years ago.

Anderson will report directly to marketing and sales board director Susan Murray.

Littlewoods hired ad agency HHCL & Partners in February this year to create a new campaign supporting its multi-channel branding strategy. Littlewoods plans to incorporate the Littlewoods and Index catalogues, the group Internet sites and retail sales and the Littlewoods and Index stores under one brand strategy.

Littlewoods Direct is handled by Barrington Johnson Lorrains (BJL).