Associated to merge ad sales teams

The Mail on Sunday and Evening Standard are merging their property advertising sales teams in a move that could herald further integration on Associated Newspaper titles.

There has been speculation for some time that Associated has been considering ways of integrating the sales teams working on the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, the Standard and free newspaper Metro. Associated has frequently denied that it has such a plan.

Speculation was fuelled by Metro chief Mike Anderson’s appointment as managing director of the Standard in September. Although Metro has a new managing director, Anderson retains responsibility for the paper’s brand strategy development. His tenure has already seen Standard supplement Hot Tickets rebranded as Metro Life, and the replacement of ad sales director Mike Orlov with former CIA UK managing director Alan Brydon (MW October 10).

Mail on Sunday display director Sue Dear confirms that the property teams will merge, selling for both the Mail on Sunday and the Standard. She says: “It makes absolute sense in a very difficult market.” She makes no comment on possible redundancies.

The Mail on Sunday’s Property supplement is carried only in London and the South-east. The Standard carries its property supplement on a Wednesday.