Budgens puts agencies on alert

New business directors at direct and digital agencies will soon be getting on the blower to corner shop chain Budgens after the retailer revealed it has appointed a new marketing director, just weeks after hiring St Luke’s to handle its ad account.
Monsoon Accessorize’s e-commerce and loyalty chief – and former New Look and Body Shop marketer – Jo French has been recruited to head up the retailer’s marketing department.
St Luke’s was appointed in April to work on a TV and social media campaign. UM London handles Budgens’ media account. Haygarth, the shopper-marketing agency acquired by Rapp in 2014, was the incumbent agency but did not repitch as the retailer wanted to focus on TV activity. But given marketers’ penchant for getting in their own agencies, this strategy could well change.
As marketing director, French will oversee all activity including brand and new proposition development, in-store and POS, seasonal and promotional planning, social and digital campaigns, as well as PR.
She will report to Budgens director Mike Baker and succeeds Anna Burleigh. French previously spent 3 ½ years at Monsoon , most recently as head of e-commerce and Loyalty at Accessorize where she was responsible for digital marketing, social media, customer research and the Monsoon Reward Card loyalty scheme.
Before that she was previously head of product online and group trade planning which saw her responsible for the e-commerce customer offer, merchandising and site design, and seasonal planning.
French has also held a number of other senior retail roles, including head of marketing planning product and trade at New Look, and spent 6½ years at The Body Shop, ultimately taking on the role of UK product category director.