Weetabix head of marketing for the UK & Ireland Gareth Turner is leaving the cereal giant to start a new fmcg consultancy.
Turner, who joined Weetabix in 2019 after holding senior roles at Arla and Heineken, is to launch a new business called Big Black Door when he leaves the company in July 2022.
Billed as “a marketing consultancy which brings board-level client-side experience to agencies and scale-up fmcg brands”, the new business would “offer guidance to businesses in need of supercharging their growth by giving access to senior marketing leadership experience”, said Turner.
During his time at Weetabix, Turner oversaw campaigns including the now infamous Weetabix and Beanz tweet, which came about as part of a partnership with agency Frank. He also led the development of major national TV campaigns for Weetabix brands.
Client-agency relationships would be a key area of focus for his new business, he said. “In my research I found that a lack of mutual understanding was the number one reason for poor relationships. Whether it’s budget, KPIs or the pressures that the other side are experiencing back in their businesses, there were some toe-curling stories illustrating the state of the worst relationships.”
He plans to publish a white paper on the subject, called ‘Why We Need To Grow The F*** Up’, at marketing show Mad//Fest later this year.
It comes after a mass of activity from Weetabix over recent months, including the launch of a new, non-HFSS flavour sweetened with Lyle’s Golden Syrup, and the relaunch of sister brand Oatibix.
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