Mirror marketing boss goes as sales plummet

Mirror Group Newspapers’ (MGN) marketing director Alisdair Luxmoore is leaving the company without a job to go to following a plunge in the circulation of its flagship title the Daily Mirror.

Luxmoore’s is the latest head to roll in Trinity Mirror chief executive Sly Bailey’s shake-up of MGN. Managing director Mark Haysom left earlier this month. The Daily Mirror’s circulation dropped below 2 million last month for the first time in 70 years.

Editorial development director Phil Hall has taken on responsibility for the UK national newspapers’ marketing department, and will report to Bailey. A replacement for Luxmoore will be recruited later.

Luxmoore joined MGN in September 2001, after a stint with an internet company (MW September 13, 2001). Previously he held the roles of marketing director and commercial director at Dollond & Aitchison.

While at MGN, he retained M&C Saatchi to the advertising account after a review of the business. DraftWorldwide handles direct marketing and Zenith Optimedia handles media planning and buying.

The Daily Mirror was relaunched in April last year, dropping its “redtop” masthead and introducing a serious news agenda. The relaunch was supported by a marketing campaign using the strapline “The Mirror… Think Again.” The newspaper initiated a damaging price war with The Sun, which Bailey has now ended.

The newspaper is now softening its front page to include more showbiz and celebrity news.