Drambuie marketing boss walks away from company
Drambuie marketing director Patrick Venning has left the company without a job to go to. His departure comes a month after he appointed Soul to the Drambuie Liqueur global ad account, following a three-way pitch against HHCL/Red Cell and incumbent Burkitt DDB.
He has been replaced by the drinks company’s international marketing manager, Caroline Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe has been with the company for more than three years. Before joining Drambuie, she was a marketer at L’Oréal UK, working on the Plénitude skincare range.
Sutcliffe will report to Drambuie chief executive and co-owner Malcolm Mackinnon, who last month also appointed a new chairman: Richard Stone, currently chairman of holiday company Shearings.
Sutcliffe says she will continue to work with Soul and has no plans to make any “radical changes”. Soul also handles the Drambuie Cream brand’s advertising in the UK.
Venning was previously the marketing controller at Drambuie. He was promoted to marketing director two years ago, to replace Paul Davey. Venning is a former Unilever marketer and has worked on the Magnum brand.
At Drambuie, he was responsible for changing the direction of the liqueur brand to broaden the drink’s appeal to 30- to 40-year-olds and to focus on the social aspect of liqueur drinking.
