Häagen-Dazs chief quits for design agency

Claire Watson, European marketing director for Häagen-Dazs ice cream, has left the company to become managing director of newly-formed design agency The Brand Union.

The Brand Union was the result of a merger of design agencies Tutssels and Lambie-Nairn. The company offers a range of marketing services including television branding, corporate identity, packaging design and sponsorship.

It has blue-chip clients such as Boots, PowerGen, The Royal Sun Alliance and BT, and has recently been working on the new worldwide corporate identity for BBC Television.

Watson will be responsible for leading a staff of 60 and developing a corporate strategy.

She was based at the Häagen-Dazs Paris office and has been with the company since 1993. She held responsibility for developing the marketing strategies for Häagen-Dazs cafés and Bailey’s branded ice cream.

Watson leaves just as the company is embarking on a Millennium project to revamp and reposition the cafés.