Asda lures Fallon partner to be marketing director

Asda has poached its incumbent agency Fallon’s chief strategy officer Mark Sinnock to fill its marketing director role.

This is the second time the retailer has recruited from its incumbent agency as chief marketing officer Rick Bendel joined the supermarket giant as marketing director from Asda’s then agency Publicis in 2006. Bendel appointed Fallon shortly after taking the position.

Sinnock, who has 14 years experience gained at advertising agencies and at mobile giant O2 and has led the on Asda strategy at Fallon since 2004, will be responsible for “developing and driving our marketing and customer strategy across the breadth of the marketing function”, Bendel said in a statement.

The appointment comes just days after the Walmart-owned Asda hired McCain Foods marketing director Simon Eyles as head of private label marketing, reporting to communications marketing director Katherine Paterson. Sinnock will join Paterson in reporting to Bendel.

The supermarket has been increasing its share of the market recently with latest figures from TNS Worldpanel showing its share grew by 8.8% year on year in the 12 weeks to February 22.

Earlier this month, Asda launched a Youtube channel offering money saving tips, and hinted it would bring back the “pocket-tap” in its advertising this year in a bid to emphasise its value credentials.