Telegraph Group marketing chief plans to revamp team

Recently appointed Telegraph Group marketing director Katie Vanneck is planning to bolster her team by filling newly created senior positions. She is also expected to begin a promotions drive to boost circulation.

Last weekend The Sunday Telegraph carried a free DVD – the film Last Orders – marking the first time a Telegraph newspaper has carried a free film. The giveaway was advertised in the newspaper for three days and was later advertised on television. It coincided with a price rise for the Sunday Telegraph to &£1.40.

Vanneck, who was appointed at the end of last year, says that the marketing team put the promotion in place before she arrived at the beginning of March. However, as the former promotions director at Times Newspapers, observers expect her to introduce a promotion-driven strategy to the Telegraph Group.She says that the Telegraph will not be joining the rush to give away music CDs, but will instead look at developing more meaningful promotions.

The new positions she is looking to fill include retail promotions and partnership manager and head of brand strategy and communications.Vanneck adds that she is “not currently” reviewing the Telegraph’s advertising and media agencies Clemmow Hornby Inge and Universal McCann, but her priority “is to recruit people”.

The Daily Telegraph reported a drop in average net circulation for February on January of 1.46 per cent to 907,329 according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. The Sunday Telegraph dropped 0.77 per cent to 686,779.

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