Disney appoints hard line creative

Harriet Young has been appointed creative director for hard lines at Disney consumer products, Europe. The post has been vacant for several months.

Young will be in charge of branding across Disney’s hard lines product range, which includes stationery, packaged goods – through licensing deals with companies such as Coca-Cola and Kellogg – home furnishing and Disney Baby. Disney’s other two consumer product lines include soft lines (clothing) and toys.

In addition, Young’s position will encompass new product development, agency relations and ensuring brand consistency across Disney’s 550 licensees. She takes up her position on December 2 and will report to vice-president of Europe for hard lines, Peter Plumb.

At present, Young is group marketing director of in-store marketing agency Coutts Retail Communications, but has been working on a part-time basis over the past year, while working as a consultant to Buena Vista Home Entertainment, which is owned by Disney.

Before becoming group marketing director, Young was joint managing director of Coutts Retail Advertising. She has been at Coutts for seven and a half years, having joined the company after a three-year stint at ASA, a through-the-line agency based in Ipswich.

Lucy Lynch will replace Young as group marketing director at Coutts Retail Communications.