New BT marketing chief to integrate consumer teams

Matthew Dearden, BT’s new consumer marketing chief, is bringing the marketing for its broadband, fixed line phones and devices together under one team. It aims to integrate the company’s offer and improve its customer service.

The move will bring together about 80 staff under Dearden, with a number of different teams being bought together under the structure.
He says: “This is the first time we have created fully integrated marketing. We want to get closer to the customer.”

Dearden, who took on the newly created role of director of consumer marketing earlier this week (MW.co.uk, May 19), is also aiming for a more “through-the-line” approach to campaigns and will be reviewing the company’s budget plans. He says that it currently has no plans to review its advertising, which is handled by Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO. He is now responsible for BT’s tactical, campaign and customer insight work. He says in the “medium-term” he will be looking at customer insight to test reception to “bundled” packages, which sell a number of services under one tariff.

The move is part of a drive by the brand’s new managing director John Petter to improve customer service in the division (MW April 17).

Dearden joined BT in 2004 and has held the positions of chief executive of BT Directories and general manager of voice assistance services.