Audi restructures marketing and communications department

Audi is to restructure its marketing and communications department following the departure of its brand communications manager Chris Hawken. The Volkswagen-owned marque has appointed Rob Brindley, former marketing manager at Alliance Boots, to the newly created role of centre marketing manager.

Brindley will be responsible for overseeing all Audi UK offline marketing activity, and will report directlyto the head of marketing, Peter Duffy.

James Millett, who was previously communications manager, will take over Hawken’s communications responsibilities under the new title of national communications manager.

The restructure will take effect from today (October 1), following Hawken’s departure earlier this week after having worked 14 years for the Volkswagen group.

In other changes, Eve Thomas, who has returned from maternity leave and was previously part of Hawken’s marketing team, has been promoted to digital marketing manager.

Thomas will be responsible for overseeing the Audi website and for online ads for the brand.

The marketing team will work closely with the marque’s advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty on future campaigns.

Audi’s most recent ad campaign by BBH focused on Audi’s road-grip technology, with a TV ad showing images of hands grasping objects including a slippery fish, a frog and a bowling ball.

The £4m ad campaign is being supported by an outdoor digital campaign and an extensive print campaign using the hand imagery from the TV ad.

Hawken, who also previously worked as Skoda’s head of marketing, is setting up a marketing advisory consultancy called Bluetangerine.