Toy maker Halsall promotes marketer to oversee expansion

Toy and gift manufacturer and distributor Halsall International has appointed its first marketing director as part of its expansion strategy and new marketing focus.

Andrew Coplestone has been promoted to marketing director from group marketing manager, a position he has held for the past 18 months. He joined the company eight years ago and was responsible for its wheeled toy division.

Coplestone’s old position will not be filled, as he will continue to oversee all marketing operations alongside Sarah Holden, who joined as marketing services manager in January.

Halsall has increased its marketing budget and this month launches its first major television campaign for the new Poorly Poppy doll range. The TV ads will run through autumn and winter in terrestrial TV children’s programmes and on children’s satellite TV channels in the UK and Eire.

Targeting three- to seven-year-old girls, the ads illustrate the sound effects the doll makes in resp

onse to a variety of treatment accessories, including a thermometer, heartbeat monitor and a syringe.

Halsall has also appointed Joyce Lauw as a product designer to work on its pre-school toys. Lauw will work closely with the marketing department on new product development.

Halsall was set up in 1952 by David Halsall and is now run by his two sons – Graham and Alan Halsall – who are joint managing directors. The company is known best for its Silver Cross replica pushchairs and it handles several major licensing deals, including Spider-Man, Barbie and The Simpsons.

Halsall uses Gary Ward Consultancy for media buying, and DR Design for its promotional material design work.