Georgia Pacific picks Co-op chief to head UK marketing

Household goods company Georgia Pacific is thought to have appointed former Co-Op head of branding Christine Clarke as its new UK marketing director.

Household goods company Georgia Pacific is thought to have appointed former Co-Op head of branding Christine Clarke as its new UK marketing director.

Clarke, who took up the position earlier this month, takes over from Sarah Clarke (no relation), who was filling the role part-time.

She will report to managing director Richard Bourden with a brief to develop marketing strategies for Georgia Pacific’s key UK brands such as Lotus toilet paper.

The appointment follows the departure of Georgia Pacific’s former UK marketing director, Simon Hawkes, last year (MW July 21, 2005). Hawkes is credited with launching the Lotus brand in the UK.

Georgia Pacific’s last major launch was Lotus Freshness, a luxury toilet paper aimed at women which launched in September last year (MW September 15, 2005).

The product incorporates a cleansing balm into a three-ply tissue and is positioned to compete with other moist tissues from rivals such as Andrex.

It was backed by a &£3m TV and press campaign developed by WPP-owned United, which featured women talking about their product in bathrooms.

Georgia Pacific is the world’s largest producer of tissue products, such as toilet paper, paper towels and napkins. No one was available for comment as Marketing Week went to press.