ITV Sets Up Centralised Promotions Unit

ITV’s marketing and commercial director John Hardie has announced a major change in the way ITV is promoted with the setting up of a new central operation for the production of all networked on-air promotions.

Based in London at the London Studios, the Network Promotions Unit will report to Hardie and be led by Steve Allen, who is currently creative director of Granada UK Broadcasting. Allen will become creative director of the NPU.

From July, all networked promotions for ITV programmes will be made by the new 20-plus strong unit. The promotions will form a major part of the overall media plan being developed and instigated by the Network Centre.

John Hardie commented: “In the face of increasing competition, there is now an absolute need for an effective and cohesive use of our resources to brand and market ITV. In the past, there was a great deal of duplication…To be really competitive, we need to be more radical. The NPU will be working to agreed creative briefs, with an active input from the programme makers themselves.”

ITV Network Centre: 0171 843 8000