Keith Weed at Cannes: 'Unilever Will Increase Digital Investment'†

Marketing Chief Explains How He's Keeping Up With 2 Billion Consumers Without Running Ahead of Them

Advertising Age, June 30, 2010 — This quick-read interview with new Unilever Global CMO provides insight into how Unilever is investing in marketing/advertising R&D, and the expansiveness of their exploration in the digital realm, how he works with the CEO and cultural efforts underway around a One Unilever

Top Marketers to Silicon Valley: Help Us Get Ahead of Consumer†

Through Visits to Tech Hub, Big Advertisers Getting More Than Sales Pitches

Advertising Age, May 17, 2010 — How did a completely unknown start-up named Huddler find itself huddled in a Menlo Park restaurant with 26 top execs from the No. 2 advertiser in the world? It snagged itself a stop on Unilever's tour of Silicon Valley earlier this month.

Big marketers have been taking get-to-know-you tours of Silicon Valley for years, with tech companies literally rolling out the red — or in Yahoo's case, purple — carpet. They have helped those marketers understand then-new concepts such as online-display advertising, search and social networking.

But today, there's less concern with just what kinds of ads marketers can buy and more interest in the product roadmap at spots like Google, Facebook and Hulu — as well as lesser-known startups such as Formspring,... continue reading

Unilever Names Keith Weed as New CMO†

Successor to Simon Clift Will Add 'Communications' to Job, Become Member of Executive Committee

Advertising Age, March 5, 2010 — Unilever has appointed longtime general manager Keith Weed as its chief marketing officer effective April 1, succeeding the outgoing Simon Clift, who announced his departure last month

Mr. Weed, 48, is currently exec VP-global home care, oral care and water. With his move, Unilever is for the first time adding "communications" to the CMO title and making the position part of the Unilever executive committee, reporting to CEO Paul Polman.

Package-Good Players Plan New-Product Surge for 2010†

After Hunkering Down in '09, Companies Show Signs of Going on Offense

Advertising Age, December 7, 2009 — Package-goods marketers are promising bigger, better and more plentiful innovation and new products in 2010 than 2009, a year in which many brands hunkered down in the face of recession.

P&G, Walmart, Unilever, General Mills Are Major Marketers on a Mission†

From 'We Save You Money' to 'We Nourish Lives,' Giants Make Some Big Statements

Advertising Age, November 16, 2009 — If you haven't touched and improved more lives more completely lately, you probably wouldn't last long as a Procter & Gamble Co. marketer.

The touching-and-improving mantra flows off lips at P&G these days with the eerie ease that "consumer is boss" did nearly a decade ago. The catchphrase rotation has been the most obvious manifestation of the transition to CEO Bob McDonald. He and Global Brand-Building Officer Marc Pritchard frequently answer questions about everything from growth strategy to the role of a brand manager by citing that touching/improving theme.

Why It's Time to Do Away With the Brand Manager†

P&G, Unilever Among Those Embracing New Roles in Social Media Age

Advertising Age, October 12, 2009 — Managing a brand has always been a slightly odd concept, given that consumers are the real arbiters of brand meaning, and it's become increasingly outmoded in today's two-way world. That's why a new report is going to recommend changing the name "brand manager" to "brand advocate," and fundamentally changing marketer organizations in response to the onset of the digital age.

Don't Look Now, but the Crowd Might Just Steal Your Ad Account†

Unilever Takes Practice Further Than Most, Sacks Lowe on Peperami Biz

Advertising Age, September 14, 2009 — For some time, marketers have been using ad contests as one-off PR ploys for their brands. Now, Unilever is testing whether crowdsourcing can be a long-term strategy for one of its British brands — and the result could have far-reaching consequences for any number of agencies on the consumer-goods giant's roster.

Nielsen on Notice: Industry Demands a Meatier Metric†

P&G, Unilever, Disney Form Coalition to Drive a Cross-Media Measure

Advertising Age, September 14, 2009 — The media and marketing business desperately needs a cross-platform measurement tool, and a gang of major players got together last week and let it be known that they're going to get one — with or without Nielsen, the longtime leader in tracking TV.

Unilever CEO Beats Rivals by Bucking Ad-Spend Trend†

Passed-Over Polman Bests Nestle, P&G -- but Isn't Bragging

Advertising Age, August 24, 2009 — You might expect a last laugh from Paul Polman, but he's having none of it, at least not yet and not publicly.

Four years ago, he left Procter & Gamble Co. after being passed over by executives closer to then-CEO (now chairman) A.G. Lafley. Two years later, he lost a closely watched beauty contest to become CEO of Nestle to Paul Bulcke, an insider with deeper roots. He finally got the brass ring that eluded him at the Earth's two biggest package-goods companies at No. 3 Unilever when he became CEO Jan. 1. And this third time is looking charmed.

Unilever, Walmart, P&G Buck the Short-Term Trend†

As Recession Forces Cuts, Leaders Build for Future With Marketing, R&D

Advertising Age, June 29, 2009 — It's been said over and over: There's no time like recession, when competitors are retreating, to ramp up innovation and marketing to grab share.

So far, the competitors have done their part. U.S. trademark applications through mid-June were down 17% from a year ago; patent application growth stalled last year after more than a decade of high single-digit annual growth; and ad spending plunged 14% last quarter, according to TNS Media Research.

The intrepid share-grabbers have been harder to find. Now, however, as the dust settles from the fourth-quarter financial collapse, a growing number of them appear to be sticking their heads out of the bunkers to lay the groundwork for long-term growth in a short-term-obsessed world.