Coca-Cola introduces international ad role

Coca-Cola Co has created a new North American marketing role, with a remit outside the US to oversee media, creative work and agencies.

Esther Lee has become chief creative officer for all brands at Coca-Cola North America. A Coca-Cola spokesman confirms that Lee will be spending 15 to 20 per cent of her time outside the US, working “with international agencies and operations”.

Lee joins Coca-Cola from New York independent advertising agency DiNoto Lee where she was principal and director of strategic development. Previous positions include senior roles at Deutsche, including executive vice-president, and at J Walter Thompson as senior vice-president and director of strategic development. She started DiNoto Lee as a partnership in 1997.

Lee has worked on brands which include AOL Time Warner, CNN, Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey.

Coca-Cola North America consolidated its agencies with the Interpublic Group last year, although independents and some WPP Group agencies work on just a few brands.

Coca-Cola Great Britain (CCGB) uses a variety of advertising agencies including Mother and McCann-Erickson UK. The company expelled Wieden & Kennedy UK from its roster and handed the Diet Coke advertising account to Lowe in July (MW July 18).

In the same month CCGB added Joshua, BD London and BD Tank to its direct marketing roster alongside Mosaic (MW July 25).