Inland Revenue marketing director Schoolar to quit

Ian Schoolar, the Inland Revenue’s first marketing director, is leaving the department without a job to go to. Formerly NatWest’s head of brand advertising, Schoolar was brought in to run the Inland Revenue’s marketing four years ago, with a brief to “humanise” the face of the tax collector (MW November 16, 2000).

His departure follows a merger of the department with Customs and Excise. Earlier this summer, the Government announced 10,000 proposed job cuts at the Inland Revenue.

Schoolar will leave at the end of September to “pursue other opportunities”. The new department has split his role into two – director of marketing and director of communications. For the time being, Customs and Excise director of marketing and communications Gary Jones will be responsible for marketing the merged department.

At Inland Revenue, Schoolar appointed M&C Saatchi to create a campaign aimed at overhauling the organisation’s image. Schoolar had worked with the agency while at NatWest, where he appointed M&C Saatchi to create a £5m television relaunch campaign.

Schoolar was also responsible for using Father Ted character Mrs Doyle in TV ads, and brought in Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy to create advertising to promote self-assessment (MW May 2, 2002). MCBD’s debut ads starred TV presenter Adam Hart-Davis.