Ex-Bendicks boss to head Ferrero in UK

UK confectioner Ferrero has appointed Neil McIntosh, former marketing manager for Bendicks of Mayfair Chocolates as its new marketing director.

McIntosh replaces Rod Groundes- Peace, who is understood to have left his role as marketing manager at Ferrero UK with no job to go to.

McIntosh quit Bendicks of Mayfair after spending five years marketing Bendicks mint chocolates. During that time, he was also briefly responsible for the Werther’s Original brand.

McIntosh oversaw the two most recent TV ad campaigns for Bendicks mint chocolates, both created by The Communications in Business Group.

Bendicks is now seeking to appoint a head of marketing after combining McIntosh’s former role with responsibilities for Werther’s Original and the chocolate chew brand Riesen.

Bendicks is owned by the German confectionery company Storck, which produces Werther’s Original and Riesen chocolate chews.

At Ferrero UK, McIntosh will be responsible for Ferrero Rocher Chocolates, Kinder Surprise, Nutella Chocolate Spread and Tic Tacs.

Earlier this year, the company ditched the Ferrero Rocher “ambassador’s party” ad, which was produced by the Ferrero’s in-house department. A new ad using an English dinner party setting has been created by Banks Hoggins O’Shea.

It is not yet clear whether McIntosh will launch an agency review.

Ferrero was the fourth biggest-spending advertiser in the chocolate market for the year to June, splashing out almost &£5.6m (Nielsen).

Bendicks was the seventh biggest spender at &£1.7m, although this figure was down almost 33 per cent in comparison with spend for the previous year.