Nestle sends UK chief to take on Russian market

Nestle Rowntree’s marketing director Martin Corcoran, who oversees

the confectioner’s pounds 23m advertising in the UK, is to take over

marketing to Russia, one of the world’s fastest growing markets.

From October, Corcoran will become confectionery commercial director for

Nestle Russia. The company described Corcoran’s move eastward as an

’international career development’.

Corcoran has struggled to stem Nestle Rowntree’s decline in relation to

rivals Cadbury and Mars over the past three years.

Currently, he handles advertising through J Walter Thompson, Ammirati

Puris Lintas and Roose and Partners (Register-MEAL).

Although he has introduced successful brand extensions to Kit Kat,

Smarties and Polo, he has faced a two-pronged attack, with Cadbury’s

investing heavily in new product development, launching Fuse and Astros,

and Mars beefing up Galaxy and Mars Bar.

According to research company NMRA, Nestle Rowntree’s retail sales grew

1.4% in the year to June 1997. This compares with 9.6% for Cadbury and

5.6% for Mars.

In Moscow, Corcoran will handle Nestle’s confectionery and ice-cream

brands, as well as the indigenous Rossiya range.

This article was first published on Marketing