Procter & Gamble has announced that Ilonka Laviz will
replace Lucas Watson as marketing director, digital brand, building strategy
and global e-commerce, Ad
Age reported.
Watson is moving to a new position as marketing director
in the company's personal healthcare global business unit in Panama. Laviz will move from her current position as
associate marketing director on the Always feminine-care brand during this
quarter.
Watson, who joined P&G as marketing director in 2008,
has increased the company's digital and social-media marketing efforts under
Global Brand-Building Officer Marc Pritchard Alex Tosolini, VP of global
e-business. The e-business unit had been formed earlier this year during a merge
of its digital marketing and e-commerce efforts. Kantar Media reports that
P&G has more than tripled its internet ad spending to $169 million. Its "Old
Spice" campaign brought the company to the forefront of social media and
viral-video advertising.
Pritchard hired Watson on, despite Watson having little
direct experience in digital media; his prior role was associate marketing
director on Pampers. Laviz, too, does not have experience in the digital realm,
but has supported the company's online relationship-marketing and community programs,
BeingGirl.com, where the Always and Tampax brands are represented.
Laviz has been with P&G for 16 years, entering the
company in the finance department in Colombia before transitioning to marketing
in the fabric-care business unit. Her work with the Always brand included the
popular "Have a Happy Period" campaign that led to an increase from 44.7% to
51.4% in sales. The campaign is now widely available on the internet.
