Premier Foods has recruited Mars' former marketing controller for bars to lead its resurgent Hovis brand.
Caroline Jary, who took over the role of Hovis head of brand this week, said one of the biggest opportunities would be taking the Go On Lad advert and turning it into a campaign.
Jary worked at Mars for 14 years, where she most recently had strategic control of all the company's countlines. She was also brand manager for Mars Bar and brought back the 'Work, rest, play' strapline.
"I'm really proud about bringing back 'Work, rest, play'," she said. "That started the resurgence of the Mars brand and I'm proud of the collaborative way we worked, for example with Mars Balls Get Britain Playing. I think I can bring that to Hovis."
A competitive trading environment in the bread aisle meant Hovis would continue to improve on quality, she added. "The quality is fantastic, but every year we have to up our game. Like Mars, Hovis is a huge brand with great heritage. It is a similar challenge where the basic work is done, but then you have to build sustainable growth and take it to the next stage.
"At Mars I headed up the best and I wanted another iconic brand to work on."
Jary said she was looking forward to working with the Hovis team, who were keen to build on a "very successful turnaround". Hovis sales jumped 13.3% to £450.7m in 2009 [Nielsen].
Before working at Mars, Jary was at Marks & Spencer, which she joined as a commercial trainee after leaving university.
Caroline Jary, who took over the role of Hovis head of brand this week, said one of the biggest opportunities would be taking the Go On Lad advert and turning it into a campaign.
Jary worked at Mars for 14 years, where she most recently had strategic control of all the company's countlines. She was also brand manager for Mars Bar and brought back the 'Work, rest, play' strapline.
"I'm really proud about bringing back 'Work, rest, play'," she said. "That started the resurgence of the Mars brand and I'm proud of the collaborative way we worked, for example with Mars Balls Get Britain Playing. I think I can bring that to Hovis."
A competitive trading environment in the bread aisle meant Hovis would continue to improve on quality, she added. "The quality is fantastic, but every year we have to up our game. Like Mars, Hovis is a huge brand with great heritage. It is a similar challenge where the basic work is done, but then you have to build sustainable growth and take it to the next stage.
"At Mars I headed up the best and I wanted another iconic brand to work on."
Jary said she was looking forward to working with the Hovis team, who were keen to build on a "very successful turnaround". Hovis sales jumped 13.3% to £450.7m in 2009 [Nielsen].
Before working at Mars, Jary was at Marks & Spencer, which she joined as a commercial trainee after leaving university.
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