Subaru UK to hand top job in marketing to Fossey

Subaru (UK) is tipped to promote John Fossey to its top marketing role following the departure of Jon Nealon, who left the company last week.

Fossey, who joined the marque earlier this year from Chrysler Group, is Subaru’s marketing manager but sources say he is likely to be made marketing director before the end of the year.

Nealon is thought to have left the car industry after more than 10 years as Subaru’s marketing director to run a hotel in France. He oversaw the review of the company’s £6m advertising account two-and-a-half years ago, which resulted in Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy being appointed to handle the business.

Fossey is the man behind Subaru’s new “Subaglue” campaign (MW last week). Created by MCBD, it introduced the strapline “Subaglue: It sticks to the road” to illustrate that its new Impreza model is the only car in its segment that comes with “all-wheel drive” as standard.

The appointment of MCBD signalled the start of a renewed marketing push by the Japanese marque, which used Birmingham-based Palmer Hargreaves Wallis Tomlinson for its advertising for 14 years prior to the review.

Subaru and sister marque Isuzu are imported to the UK by International Motors. The company appointed Lawrence Good to the new position of executive director for sales and marketing at the start of this year but he has since been made managing director of the Subaru brand in the UK. Fossey will report to Good.