ITV Raids Agencies To Bolster Advertiser Relationships Team
ITV Sales has strengthened its advertiser relationships team with two key appointments ahead of plans for a major client marketing drive to improve its image.
ITV has hired two senior account directors and is looking for another high-profile agency figure to head the twelve-strong team, which was created following the merger of Carlton and Granada to improve relations with advertisers (see ITV Merger Receives Final Green Light From Shareholders).
Jane Carroll joins the team after having spent the last twelve years working as an account director within a number of media agencies, primarily MediaVest and latterly at MediaCom, where she was responsible for brands in the confectionery sector.
Alex Plumb moves over from McCann Erickson, where she was account an director for brands in the pharmaceutical, alcohol and haircare sectors. It is understood that the third recruit has yet to announce their resignation from their agency.
The team will report directly to Justin Sampson, ITV’s director of customer relationship management, who joined the broadcaster in April after more than a decade at the Radio Advertising Bureau. Sampson’s remit is to ensure that the customer is put at the heart of all aspects of the ITV Sales operation, from the client facing sales team to the trade marketing division (see ITV Poaches RAB’s Sampson To Boost Advertiser Relations).
Commenting on the appointments, Sampson said: “Looking forward, we recognise that we need to find a new body language in our dealings with customers. The advertiser relationships team is important in ensuring our dialogue with advertisers is more than just a presentation of our latest offerings. The arrival of Jane and Alex is good news as it adds skills and experience that have been developed on the customer side of the fence.”
Graham Duff, managing director, of ITV Sales, recently outlined the organisation’s plans to be more customer-centric, more coherent and more pro-active during the coming year. He also promised that ITV Sales would be at the forefront of marketing the television medium to advertisers (see ITV Announces New-Media Sales Appointments).
However, ITV has been criticised for way it is implementing the contract rights renewal system designed to prevent the newly merged ITV from monopolising the market for airtime sales. Advertisers recently welcomed the independent adjudicator’s decision to monitor claims that the broadcaster is using its dominant trading position to force agencies to include ITV2 on their media schedules (see Advertisers Welcome Report On Contract Rights Renewal).
ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com
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