Carlton Screen Advertising appoints commercial chief

Cinema sales house Carlton Screen Advertising has created the new post of commercial director to spearhead its fight to win back market share from rival Pearl & Dean.

It has appointed regional sales manager Geraint Davies to the position. Davies’ role will be to stem the flow of accounts to Pearl & Dean and win new business.

His appointment comes only a month after the cinema sales house appointed former Condé Nast marketing director Charlotte Stockting as its marketing director, another new role (MW February 5).

The moves signal Carlton’s intention to win back the huge lead it once enjoyed over Pearl & Dean, its only rival in the cinema sales market. Both sales houses supply the country’s national and independent cinemas with advertising reels.

Carlton has 65 per cent of the 73m cinema advertising market, with Pearl & Dean taking the rest. However, only a year ago Carlton enjoyed a 80:20 lead over its rival.

Last July, Pearl & Dean took the Showcase Cinemas account from Carlton which ate into its lead, and came close later that September to taking UCI Cinemas, which would have brought the houses almost level. Carlton managed to hold onto the account (MW September 25 1997).

The role of Carlton sales director Debbie Chalet remains unchanged. Her role will be to encourage advertising agencies, media buyers and clients to use the medium.