The Marketing Profile: Lucy Cotterell of Mars

by Gemma Charles, Marketing 07-Oct-08, 08:30

LONDON - The notoriously secretive Mars, Inc has fastidiously kept its executives out of the limelight until very recently, preferring to let its global food brands do the talking.

But the family-owned firm, founded in 1911 in Tacoma, Washington, by Frank Mars and his wife Ethel, who began making candy bars in their kitchen, is changing with the times.

In an unusual step for Mars, its UK managing director Fiona Dawson emerged into the full glare of the media spotlight last year after the company's U-turn over the introduction of whey made with animal rennet in its products, which include the Mars Bar, Twix and Snickers. The revelation of the switch prompted an outcry from vegetarians. After intensive lobbying by consumers and The Vegetarian Society, as well as copious negative media coverage, Mars issued full-page national newspaper ads in the form of a letter, in which Dawson apologised and explained that it was reverting to vegetarian ingredients.

In another example of this glasnost sweeping the company, Mars has put forward its amiable brand director, Lucy Cotterell, for an interview. 'We don't usually do this sort of thing, so everyone is interested to see how it's going to go,' she confides, betraying just a hint of nervousness. 'Consumers want more transparency from the companies they are buying from. They want to know the people that sit in those companies in order to trust them,' she adds.

It is this level of interest from the public, says Cotterell, that has driven Mars' shift in strategy. 'Because we're family-owned, we have never had to do it from a City perspective, but now that it is consumers that want that information, that is what has probably driven the change,' she adds. Testament to this new way of thinking is the company's hiring of Freud Communications, a PR agency renowned for making the voices of its clients heard.

A certain amount of trepidation is natural when sticking one's head above the parapet for the first time, so Cotterell can be excused for displaying some reticence; however, there are times when it is probably better to deal with a question head-on than avoid it.

On being asked whether she had yet met with any Wrigley staff, following Mars' $23bn (£13bn) acquisition of the chewing-gum brand, which is set to be completed this week, her reply is a friendly but unilluminating: 'No comment.'

Similarly, she expresses such a degree of restraint on the performance of chocolate during this downturn that the initial impression Cotterell gives is a downbeat one. However, she later reveals that she is actually 'very confident' about her sector's prospects, and that the confectionery market as a whole is growing at 3% year on year, while chocolate is growing at 4% - a faster rate than a few years ago when the economy was stronger.

Cotterell clearly understands that diplomacy can be the best defence against unnecessary hassle - a self-confessed lover of London, she cannot, however, be goaded into making any negative comment about the much-maligned town of Slough, where Mars UK is based, doubtless aware that a smart remark from one of its major employers has the potential to upset.

That Cotterell has a fun side becomes more evident once she is talking about something outside the business; while having her picture taken, she makes several self-deprecating comments, and becomes animated when talking about her family.

Cotterell says her main focus for the rest of the year is overseeing Mars' corporate social responsibility programme - 'Raising the bar'. The initiative was launched with a press campaign featuring Mars brands including Milky Way, Maltesers and the Mars Bar with labels that read 'constantly raising the bar', accompanied by further explanation of what the company is doing in terms of CSR and health issues from Dawson.

In a further unusual step for the brand, to reach policy-makers, Mars has run the ad in news weeklies, and placed another execution on the same lines on page two of the New Statesman's Labour Party Conference special, communicating the lack of artificial colours, flavourings or preservatives in its main chocolate bar brands.

Cotterell says that an execution due to run later this year will champion its use of the guideline daily amounts (GDA) nutritional labelling system - a timely intervention as the Food Standards Agency enters the final stage of its research into different forms of labelling. 'Our preference is GDAs - that's what we believe is right for confectionery. Consumers see it as a treat and know that it is never going to be as healthy as a piece of fruit,' she adds.

As a Mars lifer, save a spell on a Boots graduate trainee scheme, Cotterell, 35, is a good choice to take on such a project. She has worked in most parts of the confectionery business, from Tunes and Lockets to Galaxy and Bounty as the European brand director through to her current role.

She is pleased that Galaxy was able to win share from Cadbury Dairy Milk despite the attention lavished on the latter due to its 'Gorilla' ad. According to TNS Worldpanel Biggest Brands 2008, Dairy Milk lost share in the take-home confectionery sector, lagging the market's 2% growth rate, while Galaxy grew by 12% in the year to April. 'We've identified our target audience really well; it's absolutely about the women who love chocolate,' she says, highlighting its recent link-up with the Sex and the City film as the type of activity that is working.

Twix, however, did not fare so well in the biscuit category, losing 19% of sales. Cotterell says recent activity positioning the brand as an accompaniment to a cup of tea, such as its sponsorship of Absolute Radio's Afternoon Tea with Suggs show, have boosted sales.

Moreover, while last year's outcry may have died down, Mars landed itself in trouble again this year with its 'Get some nuts' Snickers ad starring A-Team actor Mr T, depicted urging a speedwalker to 'run like a real man'. It drew accusations of homophobia, and was subsequently withdrawn, but despite this, the firm is to continue to use the 80s icon. Cotterell says the campaign, originally made for the UK, has been adapted for a number of markets including the US and Australia.

With food manufacturers under ever-closer scrutiny, Mars was well-advised to climb down from its ivory tower and engage in the current climate of openness and corporate responsibility. Cotterell's emergence from the shadows, and the 'Raising the bar' work, form a solid launch-pad to usher in a new age for the firm.

Inside work

1995-1997: Boots graduate scheme
1998-present: Brand manager, fun-size and snack-size, rising to brand director, Mars UK

Outside work

Family: Married, two children
Lives: Putney, South-West London
Favourite chocolate brand: Galaxy
Drives: Land Rover Discovery
Interests: Watching mini-rugby games, sailing and 'making the most of living in London'
And another thing: Her family employs a 'manny' - a male nanny