Seagram boss to steer Britvic brand
Britvic Soft Drinks has appointed Seagram global marketing director for rum Richard Collins as its director of brands.
The role has been vacant for a year. The previous incumbent, Catherine Sleight, left to join Allied Domecq as UK marketing director at the end of 2001 (MW October 25, 2001).
Collins, a UK citizen, held the Seagram position for seven years. Before joining Seagram Spirits he worked in a variety marketing roles at Unilever.
Collins will oversee all the soft drinks company’s brands including Tango and Robinsons, and will report to category director Andrew Marsden.
Britvic has diversified its products this year, making it is less reliant on carbonates. In August it bought the UK and Republic of Ireland rights to energy drink Red Devil (MW August 22) but has yet to carry out any marketing for the brand or appoint an advertising agency.
In March, the company extended distribution of its juice-based soft drink J2O from the on-trade to retailers (MW March 14).
Despite recent newspaper reports, Six Continents, which owns 50 per cent of Britvic, denies the company is up for sale once more. Six Continents is attempting to divest its pub and bar interests but maintains Britvic is an integral part of its business.
